Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

I just started up a membership to this Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school that opened up in Feb in the El Cerrito Plaza. I am their 8th student, it is a really small place. The school is taught by Sergio Silva who was taught by Marcello Montiero-Ricardo de la Riva, who was taught by Carlson Gracie Sr. This Saturday was my first day and let me just say it was awesome! There were only 4 students and one instructor. I really loved the one on one training that we got. We spent the first hour just doing drills and practicing submission moves and escapes. Then the last half hour we got to spar. Let me just say again it was amazing!!!

My first round of sparring I got paired with one of the senior students. It was a four minute round and the first 3 minutes I had the upper hand, I took him down on his back and got him in a half mount and then a full mount. The instructor just told me to hold that position as long as I could. I didn’t know I was supposed to submit him, so I didn’t. But I got tired really fast. Then he shouted some instructions to my opponent and before I knew it he took my back. After the 3 minute mark I gassed out and the guy got on my back, sunk the hooks in, and tried to choke me out. The guy on top of me kept making me laugh cuz as he was choking me he kept talking to me. He kept saying, ”You work out man?”, “Dang you go to the gym a lot huh?” At first he tried to use his arms to choke me, and the whole time the instructor was shouting out instructions to him. The guy on top of me replied back, “I’m trying but the guy has a huge neck.” Again I laughed.

He then started using the gi to choke me. I turned my head to the right as you are supposed to do and just kept pulling his hands away from my neck, remaining calm and breathing. The whole time I was thinking this is awesome! The instructor shouted to me that I only had 10 seconds left, so I was able to hold out until the round was over. Afterwards the instructor patted me on the back and said, “Nice, good job.”

I got to rest while another pair grappled. Then in my second match I got paired with a pretty small guy. I immediately took him to the ground and put my arms around his head and one of his arms, applied a little pressure and forced him to tap out. The second time I put him in a side arm bar and forced him to tap. Then I made him tap 3 more times each with a different kind of choke, one of them being a rear naked. I felt kind of bad for the guy, but at the same time I was just so thrilled I was making someone tap. At my other school we didn’t spar full strength so this was my first time.

The instructor told my opponent, “If you go strength to strength against him you are going to lose each time. If I went strength to strength against him I would lose, you need to try a different tactic.” I have to admit it was hard trying to hide the big smile on my face.

I’m not sure what took me so long to start taking Brazilian Jiu Jjitsu. Pastor Joe said I would like it. All I know is this class is awesome! I was so amped that whole day and I couldn’t wait to go back to the next class. The whole weekend I kept thinking about the class and the moves. This school is so perfect, one because it is 5 minutes from my house, and the people and the instructor there are so much better than the place I used to go to in Oakland. Everybody is so nice, cool, and respectful. The instructor even calls me sir. I want to make it one of my life goals to get a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Can you feel my excitement? I didn’t even feel half as excited in my other school.