Prof. Flavio Almeida went to the east coast this weekend to visit his family and teach a seminar at Gracie Barra Boston, Professor Roberto Maia’s school. The seminar was great with more then 30 students of all levels, including many black belts. Professor Flavio brought to the students the best of his game in take downs and sweeps by sharing with them some of his best techniques. Check the pictures below:
Hello guys! I am here in NJ visiting my brother and his family! Heading to boston I stoped by for one day to spend some time with them. He just moved his school to an awesome place and his team and him are training hard for upcoming fights on the UFC and other MMA events. It was really a pleasure getting to train with them again!!!Few days off and I miss the school and everyone already. I am sure Felipe and the rest of the GBSC Team is doing a great job on my absence though. I will send some news from boston soon… 
GB Worlds Training Camp
Gracie Barra students and competitors from all over the World will get together to train and prepared for the Worlds Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2008, at the Gracie Barra HQ in Irvine, CA. The Championship is coming up on June 05th, 06th, 07th and 08th 2008 at the California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA.
To see more info about the Worlds 2008: CLICK HERE!
Attention: Our HQ in Irvine has a new adress!
14988 Sand Canyon Ave., studio #1
Irvine, CA 92618
Phone: 949-795-5257
To see the info about the GB Worlds Training Camp in better resolution: CLICK HERE!
New Team T-Shirt
Represent and support the Gracie Barra Family on the 2008 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship wearing the official 2008 t-shirt.
To the GB Virtual Store: CLICK HERE!
Our Parents and Kids Class has become one of the highlights of the routine of Gracie Barra San Clemente. Once again it was great to see so many families getting together on the mats to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and have lots of fun! Enjoy the pictures below!!!
Sunday (May 25th) at 10am, GB Students from all over south California will gather at the San Clemente Beach for one more great workout session. This is part of the preparation of the Gracie Barra Team for the world tournament that will take place in Long Beach, CA on June 5th, 6th, and 7th. The class is opened for the community and will provide great training experience to all people, with or without Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) experience. Bring boardshorts, Rash Guards and your Gracie Barra Gi!!! 
Guys, if you are curious to see some of the main matches our dear professor had in major tournaments, take a look at the video gallery on our website. They are all very exciting. http://www.graciebarrasanclemente.com/videos.php
As we get ready for our II Conditioning and BJJ Beach Class in San Clemente at May 25th, everyone can now enjoy and get excited with this video from our I Class. Thanks Felipe for the great video!
GB Solvang Invitational BJJ Tournament
GB Solvang is honored to announce the 1st GB Solvang Invitational BJJ Tournament .
The tournament is one of many activities that will take place during the grand opening ceremony of out newest location in the Valley.
World class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lessons are now offered for the communities of Solvang, Santa Ynez, Buellton, Los Olivos, Lompoc and Santa Maria. Gracie Barra Solvang offers BJJ instruction for individuals, families, and Law Enforcement Officers.
Gracie Barra Solvang is being developed to become a reference of physical education, character development and self-defense.
The 1st GB Solvang Invitational BJJ Tournament is part of team Rodrigo Clark’s preparation for the upcoming Worlds Jiu-Jitsu Championship to be held in Los Angeles, and it’s open for all Gracie Barra students and invited schools.
During our grand opening event, we will present a Mixed Martial Arts exhibition, to be followed by our friendly BJJ competition. Gracie Barra Solvang will also be offering FREE Jiu-Jitsu group lessons for men, woman, and children at this event. During class instruction participants will learn basic BJJ techniques, such as: chokes, joint locks, throws, brake falls, escapes from dominant positions and control holds.
Free snack and drinks will be served. All Gracie Barra members, Jiu-Jitsu practitioners from invited schools, friends, family and anyone interested in check out our school are welcome!
As usual, after the ceremony we will close our activities offering a traditional Brazilian BBQ!!!
Event Schedule:
11:00 am – BJJ Demo
11:30 am – BJJ Class
12:30 pm – MMA Demo
1:00 pm – BJJ Competition
4:00 pm – Brazilian BBQ Party
Professor Fabio Leopoldo’s Seminar in San Luis Obispo
Take a look at this article written by Professors Mario Feitosa and Flavio Almeida for the Tap Out Magazine of March. Hollywood movies are famous for portraying the greatest human accomplishments and heroes of the history of mankind. Fiction or reality, or somewhere in between the two, those movies inspired millions of people worldwide and the characters created and nourished many ideals that inhabit our minds and guide our behaviors. Bruce Lee movies for instance influenced, and still influences, an entire generation with the myth of the martial artist who inspired discipline, justice, balance, and simplicity. Some human beings who lived an extraordinary life earn the privilege of being immortalized by a Hollywood movie and, more then the glory of fame, the biggest reward these special men and women get out of it is to multiply by thousands the number of people who will be inspired by their legacy.
Living our entire lives inside the BJJ world and being strongly influenced by the inspiring accomplishments and attitudes of the pioneers of our sport, we ask our selves how come the Gracie Family has not yet been portrayed by a Hollywood movie. Given the fantastic revolution they caused inside the martial arts world and the number of people they have influenced worldwide in less then a century of history, leveraging the influence of their legacy by doing a movie on the Legacy of the Gracie Family would not be a bad idea.
It is right to say the best and most inspiring movies are those based on a true story. The acts, eccentric personalities, and achievements of the characters make people believe that they can push themselves beyond their ordinary lives towards the pursuit of their dreams. The Gracies have plenty examples of great acts performed on the pursuit of their dream: spread BJJ worldwide. A movie about the Gracie Family and history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu would surprise the spectators. People would be amazed and curious, caught up on real facts that look more like fiction. It would be a great success!
The script could evolve in many different ways and, as we are not movies directors or sript writers, we will portray some random extraordinary acts of these clan of fighters. It is 1915, a Japanese Ambassador who has just arrived in Brazil to establish a Japanese Colony receives great support from a local leader called Gastao Gracie. In return to the Favour, the Japonese Mitsuyo Maeda, teaches his secret and magic fighting skills to the older of Gastao’s son: a skinny kid called Carlos Gracie. All that happened in Belem do Para, a city located in North Brazil, inside the amazon forest. After less then one hundred years, the art Carlos Gracie had learned from the Japanese ambassador and developed with his five brothers is practiced by millions of people in the five continents and caused an irreversible revolution at the millenarian traditions and beliefs of the martial art and combative sports world. The most powerful military force in the planed, the army of the United States has Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu programs spread in many units and there are requests to open BJJ schools in Iraq. Always sorrounded by a mystic aura, Carlos, the first of the five Gracie Brothers to learn Jiu-Jitsu, becomes a man of eccentric habits and spends most of his time studying how to cure through herbs and nutrition and meditates at the sunrise on top of the Corcovado mountain, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As a kid, Carlos could be seen constantly grappling with the crocodile that inhabited one of the affluents of the Amazon River. Gracie would always take the edge: curious and owner of a keen sense of observation, Carlos had concluded the reptile could not see under water as it only swam in a straight line and had to raise its head out of the water to change directions. By simply getting outside of the animal’s mouth, Carlos would win the battle.
But the gene for adventure and impossible challenges was not restricted to Carlos. His younger brother Helio Gracie became very famous for his Jiu-Jitsu and MMA battles against opponents much bigger then him. With will power, courage, discipline and genius that insists on defying the impossible, he was the fundamental gear in the machine of the development of Jiu-Jitsu, the martial art that conquered the world through its efficiency. One of Helio’s greatest fights was against the current Judo Champion and one of the greatest Judoka of all time, Masahiko Kimura, in 1952. Kimura only accepted the fight after Helio submited one of his best assistants Kado, a 5th degree black belt. The fight had 20,000 spectators and it was given the largest possible media coverage. The Gracie’s brought in a coffin for Kimura as a symbol as to how they thought the fight would end. During the fight, Kimura threw Helio many times with very powerful throws. The Gracie’s, however, had brought in very thick mats for the fight so that Helio would not sustain too much damage from the throws. In pictures, you can see their bodies sinking into the mat as they grapple. After 12 minutes of punishing throws and submission techniques, Kimura caught Helio in an armlock and had to break his arm in order to get Helio’s corner to throw in the towel. Helio would still not tap, even with a broken arm.
More recently, the character of Ryan Gracie is a primary example of the uniqueness of the members of this family. No other jiu-jitsu figure has stirred more controversy then him. Biographer and historians of BJJ will look back years from now and find on Ryan enough material for an entire book or movie. There is no doubt this young man, who had a short and intense life, printed a strong mark on the BJJ History. Before one of his most important MMA Fights on the Pride FC in Japan, the announcer included on his profile the remarkable mark of 400 street fights. It is amazing how on the other side of the planet Ryan Gracie, Hero and Villain, enchants the crowd with his tales. But there is much more to that man then just a myth. Together with his wild personality there was a sense of care and protection for those he loved, rarely seen on ordinary individuals. Ryan died at the age of 33 as promised by himself.
The movie could have many ends, but any of them would have to leave a question opened: What will be of the Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the years to come. Given the pace of change, growth and evolution of the sport, it will probably be in everyone’s life and the dream of Carlos Gracie Senior will be fulfilled.
“. . . each person who puts on the kimono and believes in jiu jitsu that myself and my family teaches is the realization of my life’s work.” - Carlos Gracie (1902-1994)
Training in Brazil Professor Marcio Feitosa will spend 15 days training at the main Gracie Barra School in Rio de Janeiro. He will be back to Gracie Barra America on May 20 together with Master Carlos Gracie Jr. Here are some cool pictures from the training session last night at GB Rio de Janeiro Black Belts participating on the class Sparring session Sparring session again Group picture Gracie Barra: Keeping the Legacy Alive!
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