Team Quest Redding

As you can see, more great things are happening at the academy. We have just added an extra kids' class each day to accommodate the ever growing number of new students and our adult programs are better than ever. There is an excitement and enthusiasm that is evident at Team Quest and training has never been more fun and challenging. Team 'Axis' continues to thrive as a Jiu-Jitsu team within Team Quest Redding, and 2010 promises to be a year of many great achievements for our BJJ players. Our coaches are working tirelessly to keep our academy at the forefront of the martial arts community and our members are dedicating themselves to constant improvement and learning.
Growth in a martial arts school is good, but also presents obstacles that force us to adjust schedules and training so that each student is getting the best training experience possible. Thank you for growing with us. I truly believe in what we do at Team Quest. I believe that the tremendous growth we experience is not accidental, but rather the fruits of everyone's hard work and commitment. We will not sacrifice quality for quantity and will always ensure that we are meeting the highest standards of expectation for mixed martial arts training. There are many more good things to come and some special dates ahead....Stay tuned for upcoming events!

Decisions

Making decisions is difficult. Too often, we refrain from making choices for fear that we will make the wrong one. When our default state becomes one of indecisiveness, we become stagnant and complacent, moving in no direction, thus becoming directionless. Everyday I meet people who are at crossroads in their lives, people who are faced with monumental moments that require them to make a decision - often very hard decisions. There is great reward in living life in such a way that we create things, influence people, and constantly progress who we are. The process in achieving a life that is complete and filled with joy requires us to make decisions and act positively in the direction that we choose. When we are faced with monumental or decisive moments, we must not waste the opportunity to test our judgment. If our default state is to sit and wait, then decisions will be made for us and this usually leads to a dependence on others that ultimately does not free us, but shackles us at the mercy of the 'powers that be'. It is essential that we take control of our own lives, believe in our own abilities, have faith that we are not alone, and move into action to reap the reward for making those tough decisions. Do not wait until you are backed into a corner and your choices for survival are limited to short sighted, rash options. In tough times, you will act out of fear and, in doing so, will regress into 'safe mode'. Let me assure you that 'safe mode' is anything but safe. When you make decisions based on fear, you are not taking a forward path. You quickly become the guy who drives too slow on a two lane road who people despise and eventually pass. You make U-turns often and spend more time backtracking than moving forward. You actually slow the progress of those around you and become something that just needs to get out of the way. If we always make 'safe' decisions, then we will certainly never be the owners of our destiny and will never endure the necessary life process of glory and defeat. When I talk with people, I find that they often already know the right thing to do but are apprehensive in making the right choice. Did I mention that the right way is very rarely, if ever at all, the easy way? Of course it's not. God does not bless us by giving us an easy path. He blesses us with the knowledge and assurance that He is with us and will guide us through the path that has not yet been beaten down by the masses. He honors our courage to decide and act and even blesses the decisions that are, perhaps, not the perfect ones. A mediocre plan executed now is much better than a perfect plan executed late. Make the hard decisions, act confidently in the choices you make and see what you are really made of.

What It Takes

I am blessed to have been raised the way I was. My parents taught me early that intelligence and hard work are necessary to succeed in life. They valued education above all else - an education that consisted of academics, sports, faith, and culture. School was a priority and anything less than an "A" was unacceptable. I remember thinking when I was young that my parents were too strict and that they expected too much of me. I felt their expectations for me were due to their own shortcomings and, in a sense, I was right. My parents wanted me to have a life that was better than theirs. They did not want to see me make the mistakes that they learned from and ensured my academic success from day one. My mom was a perfectionist and would tear up my homework assignments if they had so much as a smudge on them that did not belong there. If a single letter was crooked, erasing was not an option since erasers left marks - I was sure to restart the entire assignment - clean and ready for presentation. I learned that my work was a reflection of me. Sure, I could have gotten by on average effort and received average grades, but average was for everyone else. If I wasn't at the top of my class in school, it was bad news for me. So why am I thankful for being raised in such a regimented environment? Because it instilled in me the iron will to do better, to be better, to succeed. My raising instilled good habits that I continue to use today. Life is, after all, about habits. I saw the way my parents suffered when they couldn't pay bills and money was tight. I know what it's like to see my parents searching the entire house for change so they could buy a meal. At an early age, I knew that things would be different for me - they had to be. I had two parents who believed strongly in me and would not allow me to take a road that would end in failure. But success comes at a price and much sacrifice. The many late nights making homework assignments perfect, the sports practices that went longer than they should have, the commitments at church and all the constant chores. I was not allowed to sit around the house. If my parents would see me sitting down on the couch, it could only mean that I had too much time on my hands and that time was sure to be filled with something productive. I always thought, "My friends have it so easy." I look back now, though, and I look at where I am today and I am grateful for it all. It paid off....but the journey does not end and there is still much work to do. I remember when I received my Commission as a brand new Officer in the Marines. After my initial training, I received orders to a unit where I would get the chance to lead Marines right away. The day I received my platoon of 41 Marines, my Battery Commander asked me why I thought I would succeed. I responded that I was scared to death of failure because I knew that in this business, failure meant dead or injured Marines. It was a humbling moment and today I maintain the same mentality - I still refuse to fail. Notice that I did not say that I am afraid to make mistakes - We all make mistakes, but failure is not an option and it shouldn't be an option for you. Let me forewarn you, however. Once you succeed, many people will want to dethrone you. They will want what you have and they will want it from you. They will feel entitled to your stuff. They will say whatever it takes to make people believe things that are untrue about you. Their own insecurities will lead them to foolish action and for that, you will pay the price. Remember, I said that success comes at a price. People will want to see you fail and they will go to extreme measures, even deceive the ones you love and care about, to defame your name . They will turn people against you. However - If you are tough enough and you have the mettle to succeed, then push forward and do so with pride and dignity. Don't be jaded by a few insignificant people that have never amounted to anything in life, or by the people that will gladly ride on your coat tails and exploit your success. These people will go away with the wind. They will be a pain in your butt for awhile, but in time they will fall on their face and be forgotten. Take the high road! Don't let them get to you - Live the life you dream of living! I promise you it is worth all of the effort!

Mental Perseverance

Your mind will quit on you long before your body does. While it is good to listen to your body to avoid being sidelined for extended periods of time due to injury or overtraining, you must also push the limits of your physical threshold. If you push yourself consistently in training, you will be amazed at how your body reacts, rebuilds, and adjusts to the rigors of whatever you put it through. To do so, however, you must exercise and train the mind. You must convince yourself that toughness is worth achieving and that the pain is only temporary and serves as a rite of passage for those who will make it far enough to reap the rewards of training. Pain is what tests our will to learn and challenges our commitment to continue the journey. Now - I am not saying that you have to train through injury. There is a difference in being "hurt" and being injured. If you are injured, take a step back - rest, recover and come back when you feel ready enough to train. If you are hurt, then welcome to the club. Accept this as part of your life and wear it proudly as a token of your commitment to improvement. I love seeing the guys who are hurt but continue to push through and progress. I also love seeing the guys who are injured that still show up to class just to watch technique and stay sharp while sidelined. This shows dedication and perseverance. Keep up the good work!

curve ball

I love it when life throws me a curve ball and I knock it out of the park!

Axis Academy Update

All I have to say is - WOW! What an exciting time for Axis! If you have been around the academy lately, you can see that there's a LOT going on.

Our newest addition is Coach Beau Rositani. Beau comes to us from the San Diego area where he was the boxing coach for Paulo Fernando's academy (Carlson Gracie Team). He is now bringing his superb coaching skills to Axis Academy and training our fighters in the 'sweet science' of boxing. Beau is also a Purple Belt in Jiu-Jitsu under Paulo Fernando, adding to our ever growing stable of players. Welcome, Coach!

Our Muay Thai program continues to expand and Coach Josh Hernandez is doing a phenomenal job in teaching and training his students. He continues to show that coaching is about the student and not the instructor by putting the needs of his students before his own and developing each one in the art of Thai Boxing.

Our Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Wrestling classes are hitting record numbers - Because of this, we have added a couple of new classes. New schedules are available at the front desk.

Due to the tremendous growth of our kids' program, we are also adding a Friday class at 3:30pm for advanced young students. This class will be 'no-gi' and will include some more intense training for our young ones. Thanks to the kids and parents who continue to bring new faces to Axis Academy!

The kids ask me everyday: When is Roger coming back?! Coach Roger DeMers will be here August 1st and he has prepared an extensive program for our kids. He is a true visionary and those of you who got the chance to meet him last week know that he has serious goals for himself and for his students.

A few of you guys know that I had a great meeting with Matt Lindland this past weekend in Portland...Great things to follow! Stay tuned...Don't miss a beat!

New Academy

Our new academy is now open in Redding! This is an exciting time for the members of Axis Academy as we are growing and expanding to fulfill our vision of spreading Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai to the people of the North State. We are blessed to have everything we have and I continue to believe in the impact that Axis makes in people's lives. I am amazed and thankful each day for the people who give so much to ensure that we continue to move forward. There are many people that work super hard to make sure that we have a place to train and people to train with. Our students show up consistently to train and this benefits the team immensely.
Although our core values remain the same, you will notice some changes at the new academy. You will see some rules on the wall, extended hours, new faces, new ventures. I am not scared of change and you should not be either. The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality does not work for me. As people and as organizations, we must constantly sharpen ourselves, reinvent our methods, and progress in the execution of our plans. If we don't change, then we are stagnant and eventually die. While we continue to keep our core values of hard work, dedication, commitment, and integrity alive, we find and develop better and more innovative ways of exercising these values. The most difficult thing for people to accept is change...I hope you join, accept, and support the changes and embrace these coming days as the strong history we will forge together as a team.
It seems that every success is followed by trial and fire. This is good as it tests the will of those pushing forward. While I am sure that most are happy and excited about the future of Axis, there are many who would love to see it fail. This does not deter us..It strengthens us. It gives me resolve to lead this pack and to make sure that each student is fulfilling the goals that they have set for themselves....Our mission is people - Our method is Jiu-Jitsu. If we all carry the same mission of improving people's lives, then our method will become better and stronger.

Jiu-Jitsu: Fighting Art or Sport?

The true test of any martial art is whether it gives students the ability and the confidence to defend themselves in a real street situation while enhancing their quality of life through intangible and tangible benefits. Many martial arts have strayed away from basic self defense techniques and have, instead, ventured into tournament training due to the growing popularity of competition based fighting. Tournament or competition training is fine so long as it makes the player a better fighter. Jiu-Jitsu is unique in that the way we train for competition is very close to the way we would fight in a real combat situation. With the exception of strikes, the way we train is the way we fight. Every now and again I hear a student in class say "that technique wouldn't work on the street." When I hear this, my response is always the same - "In the street, the Jiu-Jitsu player's game is enhanced by his/her ability to throw strikes from dominant positions." Too often, people forget that we train positions so that we can dominate fights while taking minimal punishment from our opponents. In Jiu-Jitsu, we can end a fight with a submission or by striking effectively from dominant positions. When people learn that I am a Jiu-Jitsu instructor, the response is usually "Jiu-Jitsu...That's the stuff with armbars and chokes...submissions, right?" - Wrong. It is the art of POSITIONS where I put my opponents in places that are so inferior and vulnerable that they fear ever returning to fight me.


So in terms of whether Jiu-Jitsu is a fighting art or a sport, I would say that it is successfully both and the better you get at the sport of Jiu-Jitsu, the more fluid, confident, and stronger you will be in your ability to execute the correct techniques at the right time in a street situation. The environment in the street is a dynamic one that can change very quickly from one second to the next. Training Jiu-Jitsu allows you to become comfortable regardless of the position you are in and control the situation so that you can end the fight on your terms. Always look to end the fight, not someone's life.

Good Way to Start the Year!!!

1. Be so strong that nothing can disturb the peace of your mind.

2. Talk to all people about happiness, health, and prosperity.

3. Give to all your friends the feeling of being valued.

4. Look at things by the enlightened point of view and update your optimism on reality.

5. Think only about the best, work only for the best, and always expect the best.

6. Be as just and enthusiastic about others' victories as you are with yours.

7. Forget about past mistakes and focus your energy on the victories of tomorrow.

8. Always make those around you happy and keep a smile to all people who talk to you.

9. Apply the largest amount of your time on self-improvement and no time in criticizing others.

10. Be big enough so you can feel unsatisfied, be noble enough so you can feel anger, be strong enough so you can feel fear, and be happy enough so you can feel frustrations.

11. Hold a good opinion about yourself and communicate that to the world, but not through dissonant words but through good works.

12. Believe strongly that the world is on your side, as long as you stay loyal to the best of yourself.

Saturday January 3rd

We will be having open mat training on Saturday January 3rd at 10am. Come train and start the year off right! See you there.....

Open Mat Training Session

New Year's Eve Wednesday we will be training at 10:00am. Show up and get a workout in for an hour or two. See you there!

Bunny Slope

I hope you all had a great Christmas and were able to spend time with family and the ones you love. I had a great Christmas with my family and am enjoying my time in Mammoth Lakes on the snowy mountain. Today I saw my daughter ski for the first time and she did great. When she was done with her ski lessons, she looked up at the big mountain, where the experienced skiers were coming down the run, and said "I want to ski up there." I was happy for her enthusiasm but explained to her that she needs to practice a bit more on easier runs before tackling the advanced slopes. Had I let her find this out the hard way, she would have discovered that she wasn't quite ready and might have lost confidence and enthusiasm in her ability. This happens a lot in Jiu-Jitsu. A new guy comes into the academy and you get to grapple with him. You beat him and gain a boost of confidence in your Jiu-Jitsu game. All of a sudden, you find yourself on top of the world and are ready for the next challenge. You roll with a more experienced guy who puts you in your place and your once elevated ego is now deflated by reality. Does this mean that we shouldn't roll with guys who are better than us? Absolutely not! We must, however, manage our own expectations and realize that we learn more from losing than winning. Take the tough challenges and walk away with more knowledge than you had before, but also take the time to learn on the "bunny slopes" and work on your technique before moving up to the more difficult runs. I look forward to the new year and to the progress in your lives and Jiu-Jitsu.

Jiu-Jitsu Students

The progress I have seen in my students makes me happy. I love to see students growing in their grappling ability and in their knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu. So here is what I cannot stand about the direction that Jiu-Jitsu is taking, something that I have noticed more and more as of late. Jiu-Jitsu, to me, is everything - It is my family, my friends, my training, my health, my sanity, my therapy. Those who understand the true essence of the Jiu-Jitsu that was passed down to me, know that it is much more than a fighting art - it is a way of life. They understand that the art takes a lot of time to learn and is never perfected. The journey is a long one that rewards those that are dedicated and give themselves selflessly to elevating the gentle art. Nothing is sweeter than seeing a person who trains Jiu-Jitsu and because of that training exudes humility, loyalty and quiet courage. So here is what I see about the future of Jiu-Jitsu that I really don't like. In reality, it has nothing to do at all with the art itself, but rather the application of the learning process as it is currently transpiring. Students today have access to countless resources like the internet (youtube), books, magazines, instructional videos etc. While these things are good for reference, they are not teachers or instructors of the art. In the fast food society we live in, Jiu-Jitsu is now being bought and taught by the "drive-thru" crowd who wants the fast track to Jiu-Jitsu knowledge. What they don't realize is that by attempting to learn technique from these resources, they are receiving "fast food" or "junk" Jiu-Jitsu instead of collecting the right ingredients and adding them to the recipe in the right order and allowing the goods to cook for the right amount of time. There is a process to learning Jiu-Jitsu that is just as special as the end result. When you decide and commit to train at an academy, you are submitting yourself to a set of principles and trusting that the instructor will give you what you need to succeed. You may not always agree with the methods or even like it all the time, but you are the student - it is your place to learn. I told my wife the other day that youtube would eventually kill Jiu-Jitsu. I believe this is true because students will attempt to shortcut the learning process and miss out on valuable growing pains that will make them wiser, tougher Jiu-Jitsu players in the higher ranks. Jiu-Jitsu books and videos are an aid to training, but have been used as primary instructional tools instead, and have developed a style of Jiu-Jitsu that is incomplete and awkward. Students today think they know more than their instructors because they spend more time on the internet, researching technique, than training on the mats under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Jiu-Jitsu is precious - It should never be given away. If we believe this, and I do, then we should wonder why these guys are posting technique videos online for every last person to see for free. They are not doing their part in preserving Jiu-Jitsu and they are doing it all for internet fame. They are not helping to elevate the art but rather misleading "wannabe" Jiu-Jitsu players into thinking that they are improving their game by simply watching three minute clips online. Take the time to learn the Jiu-Jitsu that your instructor is teaching and be patient enough to endure the growing pains that will make you stronger in the long run. If you want to learn via books and videos, then stay home. Put on your gi, sit in front of your computer and practice your moves and give the credit for your success to whomever wrote the latest and greatest book. As for me, I'll be on the mat with the gladiators....see you there.

Note - Things I did NOT say in this blog:
All instructional videos are bad.
All Jiu-Jitsu books are bad. In fact - Saulo's new book "Jiu Jitsu University" is a great reference to complement your Jiu-Jitsu. I would advise purchasing a copy.

Happy Holidays! We will be closed from December 24th to January 5th. Please continue to check this site for updates as we may have some open mat training sessions throughout the holiday break. Stay tuned for posts.....

Graduation

Check out http://www.lutasdonorte.com.br/noticias.php?ID_NOT=388 for some photos of my graduation in Brazil.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Take the time today, amidst the family, friends, cooking and eating, to spend at least 5 minutes alone. Reflect on all you have. Give thanks to God for your life, the air you breathe, the food you eat, the people you love and even those you don´t like so much. Give thanks for Jiu-Jitsu and the lessons that we learn when we dedicate ourselves to the art - humility, respect, hard work, dedication etc... Tell those around you that you love them today...Thank them for the way that they affect your life. These are things we should do each day. The more we give thanks, the more we realize all that we are given. In turn, the more we can give to others who need us.

Brazil is great...Learning a lot! We can´t wait to share our experiences with all of you.

Thanks to everyone at Axis for being a part of my life this year and I look forward to being part of yours for years to come.

Don´t get fat today....Remember - You are Jiu-Jitsu ATHLETES!!! Treat yourself like one!

Brazil

We are in Brazil now and the trip is turning out to be everything we expected and more! We were received here with great warmth and excitement from the athletes at Club Pina Jiu-Jitsu. The made sure that we stayed out all night on our first night here by taking us to what we agreed was the biggest party we have ever seen. The Brazilians know how to party! We maintained our composure, of course, and managed to get home in one piece....a feat in its own if yo have ever seen Brazilians drive. Picture a NASCAR track with street lights and sharp turns..oh and people and motorcycles on the road too! On the first night we had two different drivers. The first one liked to reacj out and shake hands with motorcyclists at speeds of 60+ mph. Josh and I almost soiled ourselves in the backseat. The second guy to drive us around had no headlights and tailgated everyone to piggyback on their lights. I was seriously scared for my life more than once! Red lights?? they are just a suggestion. First one to the intersection goes...
We took a boat on the river on Saturday and swam in the Black River - very warm water. On Sunday, we went to the jungle to a ranch owned by a student at the academy. It was about an hour away from where we stay and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful place I have seen. Today we trained hard!! These guys are absolute animals and we are holding our own against these beasts. We trained at 7:30am, 4:00pm, and again at 7:00pm. They like to train a lot!! They are all the nicest guys you would ever want to hang out with - Very friendly and welcoming to their club. Josh and I were also on TV today. They took us to a studio where they film a sports TV show that covers the state of Amazonas and interviewed us about what we thought of the Jiu-Jitsu in Manaus. What an experience....TV stars on our third day here! We were alongside world champion, Carlos Holanda in the interview...He is a celebrity here and trains at the academy where we are staying. We are celebrities because we are Americans. If you want to be famous, just come to Manaus and train! We stay in a real nice apartment on top of the academy and Carlos Holanda, Diego, and Mestre Pina all like to hang out there with us and make sure that we are shown a good time. Well, that is all for now...
More later..stay tuned!!!

Trip to Brazil

So Josh and I are headed to Brazil this week to meet up with Diego and the guys from Club Pina in Manaus. Club Pina is well known in Brazil for producing world champions Bibiano "the Flash" Fernandes and Carlos "Esquisito" Holanda. It is also home to Carlos Diego, who was just with us at Axis Acaedmy this summer and shows great promise in the Jiu-Jitsu world - He just won the absolute title in the Northern Brazilian Championship. That said, the training will be tough and lots of fun! We are going there with clear minds and happy hearts, ready to soak in the Jiu-Jitsu of the Amazon.
For those who don't know, Carlos Diego (we just call him Diego) will be at Axis Academy in the spring and will stay through the summer with us. He will be training and teaching at our school while competing in the world's largest tournaments. This will be a great addition to our team and we look forward to building the Jiu-Jitsu team in Redding for upcoming competitions.

While we are gone, classes will continue on regular schedule. Professor John Dill and Rod Rice will be teaching classes and will be sharing their great insight and technique with you. We will be closed on the 26th of November through the 30th of November for the Thankgsgiving holiday and open again on December 1st. Use this time to reflect on everthing you are thankful for. We all, undoubtedly, have much to be grateful for and people to love. Reflect on this, medidate on positive things, share your passion with others.

If all you have is a gi, a belt, and a beating heart, then you have a family. Spend time with those that need your time. Be around those you need the most.....give thanks together!

I will be training hard on my trip to Brazil, and I expect all of you to do the same here on the homefront.

Path to the Black Belt

If you are training Jiu-Jitsu at Axis Academy then consider yourself on the path to Black Belt. This is a very long and arduous journey....Trust me, I know! On this path you will go through a lot of growing pains, frustration, plateaus, mental blocks, and the proverbial blood, sweat, and tears. Let me be the first to tell you that a Black Belt (Faixa Preta) in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a very difficult thing to achieve and for those that make it, the reward is great. Our belts are earned and never, EVER given. Each belt is special....Every promotion you receive puts you into a more elite group of athletes and earns you an immense amount of respect in the world of fighting. Here is a perspective on what you can expect.

You must spend your time as a white belt. At this level you will become familiar with every basic Jiu-Jitsu position. You will learn the basics here so pay attention, because the fundamentals that you learn as a white belt will be your foundation for all of the techniques you will learn later on. If your fundamentals are weak, then your entire game will be weak. As a white belt, you will get beat...A LOT! As you should...after all - you are a white belt. Make your defenses strong at this level. Worry about the offense later. Learn to survive first from every position, and then begin to work on your attacks. This will make you a much better blue belt.

As a blue belt, you begin to look like a Jiu-Jitsu guy. You probably throw a lot of "hang loose" signs, own a couple of different kimonos (gi), have shaved your head at least once, grown it out twice, and can pretty well thump any white belt that walks into the academy. It is at this level that you begin to learn the attacks of Jiu-Jitsu and how to chain one technique into another. As a blue belt, you can begin to coach newer students in their technique and your own technical knowledge and maturity should begin to show in the way you grapple. Once you get the blue belt, do not rush to learn fancier, more sophisticated techniques. Instead, polish up your basics and become really good at executing the smallest details in the fundamental techniques. Also, you should know the self defense techniques and be able to teach them to new students. You should also know the history of Jiu-Jitsu and understand the rules of sport competition. Remember......You are a target for every white belt and they are using you to track their own progress. In a white belt's mind, if he can tap a blue belt then he should BE a blue belt, so be prepared to back up your belt because those guys WILL be after you. They want what you have!

Purple belt is a very special level. At this point you have begun to develop your own "style" and game. You are a monster to every white belt, and the blue belts love to roll with you because they enjoy the tough challenge you provide. Purple is the first belt that gains you true credibility. Once you wear the it, people know you have paid your dues. At purple belt, you should begin to choose the techniques you like and really strengthen these techniques as your "bread and butter" moves. You will fall back on these a lot and begin to be known for your favorite moves. You should also be honest about your weaknesses and work to close those gaps through hard practice. You should now move ahead of your opponent by 3 or 4 steps - always ahead of him and knowing where he is in relation to you at all times. At purple belt, you become a master of escaping. Use this time to become an escape artist - someone who just can't get caught with simple techniques. If you can't be tapped, then you win. At purple belt you will also teach classes and be responsible for lighting the Jiu-Jitsu torches of new students. Let me warn you, though. Purple belts think they know it all and begin to slow in their learning. They think they have seen it all and often try and debunk the technique that others show them because they have a "better" way. KEEP LEARNING. I look back now at when I was a purple belt and I think I learned more during that time than I did in all of the previous years leading up to it.

At brown belt, you will refine every technique in your arsenal. You will polish each move, study every detail, teach every move and detail and have a thorough understanding of Jiu-Jitsu as a way of life. Your time here is a trial before you reach the coveted Black Belt. This is where your instructor will watch you closely to see what you teach, how you teach it, how you fight, how you live your life, how you love the art. Think of this as your probationary period before the next promotion is finalized. Relearn all of the basic techniques, all of the self defense techniques, and have a clear understanding of what works and what doesn't - always moving forward in the progression of Jiu-Jistu. Stay current with new techniques and cherish the old ones enough to not forget them.

Faixa Preta (Black Belt) is the greatest reward in the Jiu-Jitsu life. Your hard work and dedication paid off and you reached the end of the road, only to find that this is truly only the beginning and that the path does not end here but goes on forever. You now represent Jiu-Jitsu so represent it well. Always know yourself, your limitations and be true to yourself and those around you. Surround yourself with those that enrich your life and will push you daily to be a better black belt - a better person. Focus on your students more than yourself and give them the same happiness that you have in your life. Infect them with your positive outlook and listen when they speak. Teach your students everything you know but be able to discern when and at what pace to teach it. Be honest with your students and create a sense of trust with them. Learn from your students as much as they learn from you. The longer you practice Jiu-Jitsu, the more you understand the deeper meaning of the art. Understand Carlos Gracie's 12 teachings and apply them everyday in your life.

Congratulations on whatever step you are on....We are all on this journey together. Enjoy the ride!!

Carlos

New Schedule

Starting on Monday the 1oth of November, our schedule will undergo the following changes:

We will add an early morning Jiu-Jitsu class at 6:00am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This will allow students to get their training in before work.

There will no longer be a MMA class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Instead, Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals will run from 5:30pm - 7:00pm and Muay Thai will begin at 7:00pm and run until 8:30. Athletes who wish to compete in MMA will have to attend Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai classes, reach an acceptable level of competence in these styles, and THEN join the MMA Competition team which will practice at their own appointed times. Athletes who wish to compete in Jiu-Jitsu will now have more time available to train technique.

Thanks to all for bearing with me as we adjust the schedule to fit the needs of our students while maintaining the ideals and standards of Axis Academy.