Carlos Terrinha

Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhaes -

"Terrinha is one of my most accomplished students in competition. He has won the Pan Ams 15 times and the World's Masters 3 times, besides others gi and no-gi titles. His experience as a competitor has made him a very good teacher and coach. He has a very intelligent way to adapt and modify techniques to be better suited for his students. I'm very lucky to have him as a student and friend."

Carlos Terrinha was born in in 1969 to a low income family, the 10th child with 11 brothers and sisters in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.

In 2003 Carlos moved to the USA and became a resident of Hopedale Massachusetts. He teaches BJJ at Gold's Gym in Milford, adults 6 times a week, kids 2 times a week.

Passionate about the Martial Arts, he not only teaches BJJ but also plays a little at Judo, has dabbled in Capoeira and American boxing and has trained 8 years of traditional Jiu Jitsu from professor Juse Adilson Ferreira, his master was Takeyo Yano. For 12 years Carlos worked as a Civil Police Detective for the state of Minas Gerais.

Terrinha worked his whole life to find a way to pay for his classes to learn Jiu Jitsu, travel and compete. This champion began to train Jiu Jitsu 1989 when he was 19 years old with professor Jose Adilso.

He started competing as a white belt and never stopped. He was 3 time State champion in Minas Gerais , 3 time Brazil National champion and 2 time World Champion.

In 1998 Terrinha had a chance to meet Vinicus "Draculino" Magalhaes from Gracie Barra BJJ. Professor Draculino had moved from Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte around 1986, Terrinha started to train with him and his students at Gracie Barra Belo Horizonte. and it changed Terrinha's life.

"Training with Draculino changed my Jiu-jitsu because I had the chance to see a new style of Jiu-jitsu of Gracie Jiu Jitsu and I had the opportunity train with a great competitors from his team, students who want to be a champions. Those guys do not play for fun any time and it changed my way to see Jiu-jitsu."

With so many compitions under his belt Terrinha has his share of bad calls. In 2005 finals the referee simply raised the wrong hand.

"I have won Pan American's 14 times officially and 1 time unofficially. In 2005, the referee made a mistake, I had won the fight and he put up Franginha's hand. Afterwards Franginha told me that I won but the referee give to him. Also the referee told me that he made a mistake, this is why I consider myself a 15 time champion."

Here's the stats:
Pan American
Gi
Med Heavy 2005
Med Heavy 2010
Med Heavy 2012
Med Heavy 2014
Med Heavy 2015
Med Heavy 2016
Open Class 2016

No-Gi
Med Heavy 2008
Open Class 2008
Med Heavy 2009
Med Heavy 2010
Med Heavy 2012
Med Heavy 2013
Med Heavy 2014

April 2012 Terrinha was moved up to #1 in the World at IBJJF ranking in Senior 2 division and keeped it until 2015. In January 2016 Terrinha went to Portugal to participate in the European Championship and won his medium heavy division making him a 2 time European Champion. It did not stop there, Terrinha came back home and went to California in March 2016 to participate at the Pan American Championship and he won his medium heavy division and Open class and became the first American to win the Pan American Championship 15 times.

Terrinha says to anybody who wants to do sport, "You do not need to be a champion but you should train with a champion because they test the technique at the competition that they teach their students."

Carlos would like to thank his kids Ana Carolina and Carlos Eduardo, his girlfriend Pollyana Carbone, Professor Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhaes, the Gracie Barra team and his students for always pushing the level higher. A very special thanks to his boss and sponsor Jose Farah Jr.

Come to be part of this lifestyle and if you have never participated in Jiu Jitsu, come to try a class and get to know it and see for yourself how it will change your life. http://www.carlosterrinha.com

 Leticia Ribeiro is one of the most revered female BJJ athletes of all time.  Come read about this prolific athlete and how she continues to contribute to the art of Jiu-Jitsu.

Tactician (n):someone good at planning tactics: the specific means of accomplishing goals.   When it comes to BJJ, Professor Ribeiro is like the keenest tactical general.  She leads her garrison into battle with the most efficient and effective strategies in order to dominate their opponents on the mats.  Her troops are prepared for what they will be facing and there is not one angle that anyone could approach from for which she is not ready with a counter.  Although an adept tactician in her field of BJJ today, once upon a time even Professor Ribeiro was an eager apprentice.  It’s time to take a look back and see how this sharp woman has become the heroin we have all come to admire.

BJJL:  Where did you grow up, what was your childhood like?

LR: I grew up in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. My childhood was great!  I still have a lot of great memories, back then we played a lot in the streets.  It was safer more so then than it is today.

BJJL: What did your family think when you decided to start practicing BJJ?

LR: In the beginning it was hard, back then Jiu-Jitsu was a male sport.  We had very few women training and competing.  Soon as I started to train I fell in love with the sport and I knew that it was what I wanted for my life.  After my mom really understood how I serious I was and what this meant to me, she gave me her full support.

BJJL:  What was your first competition like?

LR:  My first competition was the Copa Gracie.  It was in 1995.  I was a blue belt.  I had three fights and three submissions by arm bar.

BJJL: Who or what motivates you and pushes you to achieve your goals?

LR: In 1996, that was the first time I knew I wanted to be a world Champion. I went to watch the first world championships ever.  They didn’t have a women’s division but it was great to watch the black belts competing for the first time, especially Royler Gracie.  I dreamed that one day I would be there and I worked for it.

BJJL:  What has been your biggest challenge since you began BJJ?

LR:  I think my biggest challenge and goal was to help develop women’s BJJ programs all over the world and to make the female divisions stronger.  WE DID IT!!!

BJJL: What matchup would you like to have that has never happened?

LR:  I have fought ALL tough fighters from my generation and after mine.  I can SAY THAT I’m really happy, satisfied with my career.  I have achieved a lot as an athlete and a teacher.

BJJL:  What is your pet peeve as an instructor?

LR: I don’t have anything bad to say about teaching, my students, I love what I do so that makes my job REALLY easy.

BJJL: How does your tournament prep differ from your normal training?

LR:  My routine changes, my day completely changes that’s why I decided not to compete so much lately.  I’m focused on my gym and my students.  If I decide to compete again, I will dedicate my whole day, my whole life, towards training. 

BJJL:  Any charities that you support?

LR:  Right now, we are trying to support young talents from Brazil.  We are helping them to have a better life living with the sport, just like us.

BJJL:  What are your thoughts on the Equal Pay issue in BJJ?

LR:  I think it is time for that.  I talk about myself and many other fighters that I know.  We train hard, we changed and dedicated our life for the sport.  We do all that we can to see the sport grow and we ALL DESERVE better opportunities.  I know how things once were and how they are, they are MUCH BETTER and getting better and better.  I’m so happy with all the progress, even if it is slow but continuous.

BJJL:  You truly fight for your students.  You walked out onto the mat during World’s in 2014 (blue belt match).  You wouldn’t let your student leave the mat (time had expired) until you had the ref correct his error.  This led to your student winning when originally the ref had sided with her opponent.  I’ve NEVER…seen anyone else do that.  What prompted you to do it?

LR:  Yes, I fight for them now.  I know how hard they train and how much they want to be champion.  I know being a referee is hard, they have to think fast and mistakes are going to happen.  As instructors our jobs are to help referees also.  Mistakes at worlds are sad for the sport and for athletes. 

BJJL:  How has BJJ for women changed in the last 5 years?

LR:  I moved to the USA 8 years ago since worlds came back to the US.  Things changed a lot for the better, the IBJJF is doing a great job.  I can see the progress of the sport at each tournament and seminar that I teach and am so happy to be part of that.   

BJJL:  Would you like to see BJJ return to submission only?

LR:  I would like to see more submission only tournaments, it’s fun.

BJJL: Are there any IBJJF rules you would like to see changed or completely removed?

LR: I think right now, the double pull.  If they give two points for whoever gets on top, it will stop that a bit.  It’s boring.  They should do something to block it.

BJJL: So many are apt to return to the mat even though they are injured and they reinjure themselves (often worse).  What advice can you give on injury prevention and proper recovery? 

LR:  I’ve had some injuries in my career but nothing serious thank God.  I think the best way to prevent injuries is to workout in order to make your muscles stronger and keep your joints safe. 

BJJL: As one of the female legends and pioneers for up and coming female BJJrs…what advice can you offer up?

LR:  Believe in yourself, give 120% when training, keep going, dedicate yourself to what you want, DREAM…ACHIEVE.

BJJL:  Proudest Moment?

LR:  It was 3 years ago when I opened my first academy here in America and now I am opening my 2nd_.

BJJL:  Long term goals?

LR:  I want to change people’s lives with Jiu-Jitsu and to be happy.

BJJL:  Any regrets?

LR:  No.

BJJL: Is there anyone you would like to thank, that you have never had the opportunity to thank for helping you get to where you are today?

LR: I’m thankful for many people in my life.  First God, my family, my partner Morango, my friends, my students, and everyone that helped me to get to where I am today. 

William Ward said, “the mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” Professor Ribeiro started out on a journey 2 decades ago.  Along with her peers she ushered in a brand new era for BJJ.  She is a pioneer in the game, a brilliant professor, and a remarkable inspiration.  Her contributions to BJJ will be felt for years to come.  She has had a hand (be it directly or indirectly) in developing each generation and helping elevate the game and its competitors to ALL new heights.

FOLLOW PROFESSOR RIBEIRO AT:

www.leticiaribeiro.com

Ah, drilling. Some people love it, most people hate it. Generally, those who love it see its

purpose and those who hate it don't get its purpose and so “get bored.” Like any other element of

training there is a degree of preference in what percentage of your training involves drilling primarily,

but as a general rule you're going to be doing a lot of it. The value of drilling – in both the physical and

technical dimension – is often under-appreciated.

The most rudimentary motive for drilling is usually the refinement of a specific technique. It's

bone-chillingly obvious that by focusing on a small range of techniques – or even one technique or

combination – you will improve in your ability to hit that technique, perform it under pressure, hit it

with maximum speed or power, etc... For this reason drilling is invaluable to any athlete, never-mind

combat athlete.

Many of the top athletes I've had the good fortune to interview have found drilling to be more

than an exercise to increase efficiency, but a laboratory for innovation. Ben Askren – one of the

NCAA's most well-known champions – once explained some of the differences between how he

drilled and how most of his peers drilled. For Ben, each series of reps gave him an opportunity

to imagine and “feel” the opportunity for new moves, sequences, and combinations. He'd be able

to see – in his minds eye – the different variations that might spur from the technique (even

when he didn't actually hit them – he just imagined them). Through this process he'd

leave each drilling session with a handful of good ideas.

In addition, Ben would focus on more than just burning his current technique into muscle

memory, he'd focus on details so small that most people didn't pay attention to them. He'd focus on the

speed, angle, power, and positioning of each element of the move. Then, each 20 reps or so he'd tweak

these nuances to make his movement perfect. As you can imagine, these strategies made drilling more

engaging and fun for Ben, in addition to making him pretty good at that whole wrestling thing. Andre

Galvao touted identical benefits in his Jiu Jitsu game during our interview.

Again when we talk about obvious benefits of drilling, cardiovascular capacity is one that jumps

right out at us. We think of a room full of wrestlers shooting up and down a mat endlessly, or Thai

kickboxers pounding away on a heavy bag with the same kick over and over and over. Badabing –

cardio and endurance come to mind. Certainly this is another one of the true best physical benefits to

drilling, but it doesn't cover the entire scope.

The great thing about drilling is that it allows you to control the muscles you use and the

intensity to which you use them. If you want to keep things light so as to not tire yourself out for an

upcoming tournament, you can drill your go-to moves lightly and barely break a sweat in half and hour.

On the other hand you can completely exhaust yourself by drilling striking combinations and

takedowns as hard as possible for ten minutes strait.

Similarly, if you want to get an explosive workout with your lower body, you can throw

powerful kicking combinations on a heavy bag or repetitively work on a double leg and lift. If you

want to feel the burn on your shoulders and arms you can focus on pummeling, hitting hand mitts with

punching combinations, or specific clinching and grip-fighting moves.

Lastly, most drilling is a lot easier on the body than sparring. John Smith – one of America's

best wrestlers in history (multi-time Olympic champion) – used drilling extensively to keep his body

safe (but still strong and fast) over his many, many years of competition. Any combat sport involves a

lot of inherrent risk, and by focusing on drilling a lot of the physical risk can be offset while the body

and library of techniques can still improve greatly.

If you are interested in even more of my thoughts of drilling then look no further, just click this

link and you'll find an article on 7 Ways to Improve Your Current Drills!

Its my belief that people dislike drilling (or get bored of drilling) because they don't see enough

benefit from the activity of drilling. Once the depth of the activity is opened up, people end up doing

more (and more effective) drilling. Hopefully with some additional expert perspective on the deeper

benefits of drilling, you'll not only have more fun – but get a lot more out of it as well.

The first step of your journey in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu begins with the first time you take a bow and show your Professor all the respect he/she is due.  That is who will provide you with the tools you need to succeed every step of the way.  

"All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line.  Many a man has taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first."Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Your rise in BJJ begins the moment you first dawn your white belt and continues as long as you are willing to learn.  In order to ascend to the next skill level you need to conquer the last.  With each new belt that encircles your waist, your climb becomes all the more satisfying.    

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt promotion system is not difficult to understand. The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) provides general guidelines that can be referenced worldwide with minimum requirements for moving students to the next level:  http://ibjjf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IBJJF-Graduation-System-Poster.pdf.  Keep in mind, those guidelines are just that, not everyone progresses at the same rate.  Promoting a person per IBJJF standards refers to a timeframe in which an individual could reach the next level.  A one-on-one with IBJJF certified referee and 3rd Degree Black Belt Bruno Alves, (Pinnacle MMA/GFT) helped shed some light on how he handles the promotion process. Professor Alves’s point-of-view on this is simple.  The journey is yours but your promotion is contingent upon whether or not you have mastered your current skill level and whether your are in fact, ready.  Basics and technique are the bread and butter of BJJ.  Once you begin your ascent up the ladder to where the journey begins the basics are what help a student hone their technique.  

Time is not always reflective of one’s skill-set.  One student may take a year to truly get an understanding of what techniques work for them and how to apply those to their game.  Another may take six months and another two years. The chatter in the BJJ world regarding how long a person takes to receive their next stripe or belt will always be around.  The truth is we become what we become when the time is right, it is going to take as long as it takes.  A BJJ student’s progression is no different than the preparation of a meal.  You must follow each step for the optimal results.

When asking Professor Alves is it possible to take away rank from students that may regress in training, move from one academy to another, or take years off due to other obligations.  His response was clear “the student cannot lose their rank once their band has been gained even if the teacher wants to take it away.”  Injury, life, or sometimes complacency can get in the way of ascension but it is part of the process.  You will either adapt or overcome the obstacles you incur or you will fall to the wayside as so many often do.  Nothing worth doing well is easy.  Every journey is unique, each step on the ladder defines you.  As you begin your ascent or continue your climb up that ladder remember your purpose.  When you inevitably run into an obstacle, face it and keep climbing.  Each rung will hold the key to the next. 

The first time you set foot on the mat could be described as coming upon a yearling in the woods trying to take its first steps.  It's a sight to see.  It's human nature to stare at a spectacle.  The little thing is slipping and sliding all over the place.  Whatever is in it's immediate path is going down.  The longer you observe the more entertaining it is. Then something happens.  The watcher starts to root for that yearling as it stays the course and inevitably succeeds.  Being part of such a moment makes one want to return to that very spot in the woods to find that bumbling yearling, and watch as it grows.  BJJ ascension is no different than the first steps of a newborn yearling.  We are slow to catch on, often winded, falling all over the place, and amusing to watch.  If you are in our path you are likely to become collateral damage one way or another.  Inevitably those that stay the course will ASCEND, those that stay the course will BECOME.  Their climb will be limitless and what the galaxy holds for them is what keeps them climbing.  If you remember nothing else, remember this,

"when the way comes to an end, then change - having changed, you pass through."-I Ching

In the storied career of the iconic Royce Gracie, there have been many memorable moments and fights that have defined his career.  Be it the Gracie Challenges that began the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu rise, his UFC 1 match against Ken Shamrock, or maybe his phenomenal litmus test against Sakuraba that lasted roughly 90 minutes, Royce has provided some fantastic moments for the fans of Mixed Martial Arts.

However, one moment that seems to go unnoticed was his fight against Bobby Ologun.

What made this fight so unique was Ologun himself.  Born in Nigeria, Ologun was on a Japanese gameshow, and through his charismatic antics, became a big star in Japan!  He had his own show, where he would try out new activities and sports.

He would eventually give Judo a shot, and the running joke was that he’d be ready to fight in an actual MMA fight by year’s end.  Ologun continued to train, and 8 months after he began his experiement, he was slated to fight against the pioneer himself, Royce Gracie!

The dynamic was fantastic: the icon vs. the TV star!  Seeing the fight was held in Japan, Ologun had a strong fan base in attendance.  Despite the vast experience gap, the fight didn’t play out as you would assume.

Dealing With The Element Of Surprise In Stride

Be it by luck or by skill, Ologun was actually able to control the pace of the match early on the first round.  Was Royce taking him lightly?  Was he toying with him?  Whatever the case may be, Ologun had the dominant position on one of the most notorious men in Mixed Martial Arts history!

With the fans on their feet in shock, Royce showed the signs of a true veteran by not overacting.  The much more athletic Ologun clearly had a more impressive frame that could probably pack a nice punch, but Royce wasn’t about to find out.

Keeping his wits about him, Royce did the smart thing and kept the arms—at least one most of the time—pinned to his own chest.  By establishing a high closed guard, Gracie was preventing Ologun from posturing and reigning down shots.  By eliminating the hands or his opponent, Royce not only saved himself from unwanted damage, but also limited the ground game of Ologun.

However, Ologun continued to dictate the match and where it went.  Maintaining top position, Bobby had the legend in the corner, and was ready to unload.  Again, being the crafty vet, Royce was aware enough to angle off to the side, while maintaining a grip on the arm of Ologun.  This bought him time to fend off any serious strikes, and allowed him to get his right hand on the calf of Ologun.

From here, Royce was able to adjust Ologun’s footing, bringing him back to the mat.  This eliminated the posturing advantage Ologun had, and brought the fight back to where Royce was most comfortable.

Trusting In The Foundational Skills of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

The bell would eventually ring without any major damage being done, but clearly something special was happening, and it’s hard to argue that Ologun didn’t win the first round.

At the start of the second, Ologun was able to stuff a takedown and even plow Royce over, regaining dominant top position.  This would not last long, as Gracie was soon able to hit a series of sweeps, bringing him back on top in full mount position.

Aware of the power and athletic ability that Ologun brought to the table, Gracie was smart and was quick to get high up on Bobby when he mounted him.  By establishing the mount closer to Ologun’s chest, Gracie didn’t have to worry about Ologun getting his hips under him and exploding and bucking him off.

The full mount is known in the MMA world as the most dominant position, one that would bring some vicious punches and elbows to the poor soul trapped underneath.  However, it was clear that Royce had an agenda, as he didn’t throw a single punch from this position.

Rather, he methodically worked his way towards the armbar.  Once he had it applied, his top leg had slipped off Ologun, and was on the mat for the most part.  Even with a little kink in the process, Royce was able to work around the technical flaw and earned himself the submission victory in round two.

Royce has proven to be very influenctial on the BJJ scene. For more thouhts on HOW important Royce really has been check out this article!

Dan Faggella

Buy Luciano T-shirt here -> JamminBJJ.org 

Designed by Seattle-area artist Javier Villalpando of Revolver MMA to support Luciano Mariano and his first trip the United States to compete at the IBJJF World Championships.

JamminBJJ is a non-profit affiliate of the CarlyStowellFoundation that brings gis to athletes that need them, both in Brazil and the US (Give the Gift of a Gi). We also provide financial aid so that all athletes can experience participation in BJJ.

Luciano Mariano is a blue belt BJJ fighter from the municipality of Japeri in Rio. He lost both of his arms at the elbow after a crib fire and competes despite being a double-arm amputee.  He will be competing in his first ever international tournament in the rooster-weight division at Worlds next weekend. His trip was made possible through JamminBJJ, The Challenged Athlete Foundation and donations from the ever-supportive Jiu-Jitsu community. Jiu-Jitsu can change lives, build character, give hope and help athletes fulfill their lifelong dreams.

Questions? This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Leo D’avila is an Atos team member, competitor, coach and IBJJF referee.

Leonardo Henrique D’avila Correa, known only as Leo D’avila. is 5’ 8” and 195 pounds. In the last two years he’s has medaled 27 times in IBJJF sanctioned tournaments in weight classes ranging from Medium Heavy, to Heavy to Super Heavy to Ultra Heavy. He in an elite group of competitors who regularly get on the podium, gi and no gi.

He was born in 1985 in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro. Leo just turned 29 today. (Happy Birthday!) He graduated from university with degrees in Physical Education and Sports Science. Leo received the black belt when he was only 20. While living in Brazil he competed and won many competitions like the State Rio de Janeiro Championship (seven times) and the Brazilian National Championship (two times.)

He is now training in San Diego at the home of Atos headquarters and Andre Galvao.

As an Atos black belt, he has taught 30 seminars in 13 different countries (Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa) including a seminar for the US Navy at Naval Base San Diego.  He has traveled to Sweden many times to teach a seminars  and twice the UFC fighters Gustafson Alexander and Nicholas Musoke attended.

In 2013, he was Cris Cyborg’s Jiu-Jitsu coach for her title fight at Invicta FC 6 against Marloes Coenen. Cyborg won. He also cornered Andre Galvao in the 2012 IBJJF Pro League and at the first two Metamoris (vs Ryron Gracie and Rafael Lovato.) At Metamoris 3 he cornered the athletes from Atos; Keenan Cornelius and the Mendes Brothers.

But you probably recognize him as a referee at IBJJF events. He’s at a lot of them.

As for the rest of 2014 Leo plans to keep competing and getting better until he can say he's ranked number one in the world. Then in the a few years maybe try his hand at MMA, at least once.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leodavilabjjpage
Instagram: http://instagram.com/leodavilabjj#
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leo_davila

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BJJ Daughter drops the challenge and dad picks it up and runs with it. Cobrinha, Fabbio and David are there along the way.

"Have fun and do your best" has been the mantra for our family pertaining to BJJ tournaments ever since my daughter, Skylar (Sky), started competing. It was after her 4th or 5th tournament we had a heart to heart about her not living up to the aforementioned mantra, never mind that her placing's were not what she desired. She told me she was scared of being submitted, so she just rolled defensively. I gave her some wisdom I had over heard from black belts, 'if you are playing defense you are losing.'

She looked me in the eyes and said, "Dad, the Pans is coming up, why don't you show me?"

I had to think fast, and to be specific I had to figure out how to not accept what was clearly a challenge, but make it seem like I was open to it. I quickly reminded her that I only roll twice a week, I have never competed and I'm old enough to be the father of the vast majority of the students at Cobrinha's academy. Her expression showed me she wasn't buying it, so I went to my contingency plan and told her that if she medaled at the Pan Kids (2014) tournament I would do it. We shook hands and I felt pretty safe, not because I thought she wouldn't do well, in all honesty I just didn't think she would medal.

Fast-forward to the Pan Kids and there she was on the podium with a silver medal, smile from ear to ear. I had forgotten about our agreement (on purpose), Sky did not! Soon after she left the podium, she looked me in the eyes and said, "Next month is going to be your turn dad." What she didn't know was I had an ace in the hole, a sure-fire way to not have to compete and not take the blame.

I talked to my instructor, David de Souza, with the goal being to get confirmation on my inability to be tournament ready by Pans. Thankfully he agreed with me and before he could tell me why, I adroitly led him to where multi-time world champion and head instructor Rubens 'Cobrinha' Charles was standing by the mat. I asked David to tell him his thoughts on whether I was prepared to do the Pans, he said, "No, you don't have enough mat time, you have to start coming in to drill, just doing Monday and Wed. morning class is not enough time on the mat." I looked at Cobrinha to get verbal or visual agreement and he had a poker player expression, didn't show his thoughts either way. I chose to believe he was on board with what he heard.

After Sky's Friday class, I took her into the office where Cobrinha and his wife, Daniela were sitting, I pointed and said, "Sky, go ahead and ask him about whether I can do the Pans. I want to do it. But I have to get approval. And well... you'll see."

Before she could ask, Cobrinha smiled and told her, "Yes, I think your dad can do Pans. He will get a chance to see how you feel when you compete. It will be great. What do you think?" She looked at me, and then him and with the biggest smile nodded her approval. I quickly rushed her out of the office, did a U-turn back in prepared to confront him and was met with both of them cheerfully telling me, "Have fun Marlon!"

Later that evening I went to the IBJJF site and a couple things stood out, it only went as high as Master 2 for white belts and the weight division for me, at 234lbs, placed me with the heaviest of the heavyweights. I signed up for the 222lb (super heavyweight) division, without giving full thought to the fact that I had not been below 230lbs in over a decade. As a laid in bed it started to sink in, there was approximately 13 days till show time, and the last thing I wanted to do was let my daughter down. Not long after, I'm talking 1:00am, the physical reaction commenced. I woke up ran to the washroom and found myself with stomach trouble for the next hour, no further description needed. Just to get it out of the way, I will say that this 'stomach trouble' was an ongoing theme up until the tournament.
I spent the rest of the early morning wide-awake and nervous as hell, what to do?
Turned on the computer and researched all of the names in my division, Google, Facebook and YouTube. I had been transformed into a BJJ stalker or something weird like that.

Understand that I had two goals going into this, make weight and win one match and you better believe every minute I spent at the academy I bombarded Cobrinha and every higher belt with questions, some stupid some stupider.

My mind was in overdrive as my thoughts centered on not wanting to embarrass myself and it started with losing weight and fast. First things first I had to take a hard look at what my diet consisted of and figure out what needed to change, pretty easy, everything. So as not to talk extensively about food and put people to sleep I am going to show a sample of what my average eating was before and after.

Eating Habits prior to Challenge Accepted:

Breakfast: Sugar with Coffee: My motto was if the spoon does not stand straight up, then there is not enough sugar, two banana nut muffins, bagel with cream cheese.

Lunch: Coffee (with sugar), Chipotle burrito and chips.

Dinner: Pasta, turkey meatballs.

Snacks: Kettle chips: Salt and Pepper, Club crackers,

Eating Habits After Challenge Accepted:

Breakfast: Two scrambled eggs with black beans, water

Lunch: Salad (tomato, lettuce, almonds, carrots), water

Dinner: Salad with chicken breast, water

Snacks: Strawberries, watermelon, grapes

Yes, this was a drastic change and as the date drew closer, I found myself dreaming about food, everything from In-and-Out Burger, to most all other fast food places, many I have never even been to.

BJJ TRAINING

My normal training consisted of the Monday and Wednesday fundamentals class taught by David de Souza from 9:00am-10:30am. I knew that I needed to train more, so I asked Cobrinha and he suggested I come to the night class, I assumed it would be the 6:00pm or 7:00pm class, but he meant the 8:00pm advanced class. I went begrudgingly and with concern about getting injured, not so much physically, I am referring to my ego. I was fortunate that a few of my teammates (James, Roman, Evan and Mike) drilled with me during the week while Sky trained in the afternoons. I also invested in some private sessions with black belt extraordinaire Fabbio Passos, I was leaving nothing to chance.

Outside of the academy, I added something I have rarely if ever done in my lifetime... running. I dressed in layers; put the leash on my loving blue nose pitbull, Samurai, and we hit the sidewalks sprinting, which is jogging to most. One thing Samurai loves is going outside, but as the tournament got closer, he went from jumping up and down when I rattled the leash to running to his bed and refusing to go out. He was not a fan of running and he let it be known by refusing to move soon after we hit the sidewalk, which made for a lot of funny stares from drivers and walkers.

PANS TOURNAMENT

The day of the tournament my kids, Tyler and Skylar came to show support and make sure I got on the mat. They found front row seats in front of the mat where my fate would be determined, as Skylar had her Canon ready to shoot. I was scared to death about making weight, so I dressed in the layers mentioned earlier and I did not eat or drink anything up until I weighed in at 7:00pm at an astounding 215lbs with the Gi on. I had just accomplished one goal, but there was a problem, my energy level was on zero.

I recall walking with my opponent to mat 2 and I wasn't so much walking as I was floating, which may sound strange. The feeling I had when the referee waived us to come onto the mat was surreal, as I have seen that so many times at tournaments and never imagined I would be experiencing it. I wish I could explain with words how it felt shaking the ref's hand and then shaking my opponent's hand before the fight began, it was addictive and exhilarating.

I won my fist match and lost my second, but overall I learned a great deal.

My kids made it down from the stands and as I looked them in the eyes the first thing I did was apologize for not winning the gold. They both hugged me and said they were proud of me. I was overwhelmed with emotions and shed a few tears. I looked at Sky and I could finally grasp what she goes through, what determination and courage she displays every time she goes on the mat. I felt a flicker of her burning desire. I understood how difficult it is to learn from loss and to be humble in victory.

On the long drive home from Orange County, the kids slept as I reflected on my brief two-week stint living the BJJ lifestyle in preparation for my first tournament. Two very distinct thoughts were embedded in my mind. One of the most notable things to me was exactly how all consuming it was. I found it very difficult to do or think about anything else other then attending class, watching my diet and doing drills!

The second thought was a total about face on what my prior thoughts had been in regards to the topic of BJJ tournaments and those who devote so much time and effort to them. They are not shirking life but living a life devoted to an emotionally intense roller coaster and to being the physically best person they can be. These BJJ players I have seen at countless academy's training for hours upon hours, these men and women are ATHLETES. Their work ethic and sheer dedication to their craft is on par with and in some cases exceeds other professional athletes in my opinion. There should be a professional organization that pays these athletes to compete and allows them to make a living, just like other athletes. The ability to get sponsor money and conduct seminars should simply be additional perks to pad their salaries.

Well when I pulled into my parking garage and Sky was the first to wake up, she looked at me with a sly smile and said, "You can make up for not wining all your matches at the next tournament, and I know you will have fun and do your best." She is right, I will and with that there is an intriguing question, can a middle-aged man, manage to earn a living, be a great parent and find the time to train in order to become a BJJ champion?

SIDEBAR
A Few Memorable Quotes from teammates and friends:
*Be a lion stalking your prey (Stephanie)
*Make sure you weigh your Gi with you belt (Monica)
*Have fun (Cobrinha and Daniela)
*Believe in yourself (Kennedy)
*Just that you are doing this is all that will matter to your kids (Nyjah)
*You are good you can win the gold (Fabbio)
*If you jump guard tuck your chin to your chest (Mikey)
*Take Imodium: (THANK YOU KRIS SHAW)

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Gabi Garcia
3:30pm PST near Jardim da Saude, Brazil
Sao Paulo, March 27th. 2014.

In will to provide further information, and in order to explain my situation about a notification, at the USADA's panel, accomplished this Wednesday, march, 26th. 2014, regarding the presence of Clomifen, in a Urine sample provided by me, at the 2013, Worlds Championships – Long Beach / CA.

Despite all the ongoings, I coudn't be happier with the results. One more victory in my career.

For months, I've been spending astronomical $ values, in wich I don't have available, with the best attorneys in the sports business (Jorge Ibarolla e Claude Ramoni / Libra Law – Lausanne / CH), all that to make it clear my innocence. And I'm very happy to finally prove that. Together with USADA and my attorneys, for not acting negligent,for having no fault due to this contamination.

We've pulled up all data, and it was detected the presence of the substance due to contamination, during the manipulation process of a gynecological medicine.

For the uninformed, the substance, Clomifen, is not an steroid and does not even mascarate one. In the female body, it only not increase sports performance, but it only prejudices it. Womans get slower and sensible. Then, it makes it obvious of the 'why' not to be used.

During my career, I've Always had (have) all the caution possible with every single medication and supplements ingested by me. I've never utilized of illicit resource to increase my performance. I always fought and still fighting for a clean sport.

I believe that all athlete's merit is the result of hard training, dedication and seriousness. My honesty is what took me to be the athlete and person I am today, and what took me to be the champion I am are, my will to be always the best I can to the sport, my family and the few friends I have always by my side. I don't compete to collect titles, I compete to the growth of the female sport.

For my innocence and my absolution, warrior as I am, I wont be affected by any of the accusations and fingers pointing at me. I wont stop training hard, never surrendering because everything I've conquered was with my own sweat and a lot of training.

In any moment I acted with negligence or reckless.

One month and a half before the test, I've done one same test and resulted NEGATIVE, test wich was developed by USADA.
This result was a isolated fact. I develop periodic control tests, gather with my physiologist. I don't ingest any kind of medication or supplement without be certified of the security of it's use. Anywhere I am, I always take all my supplements and medications my self, all manipulated and of my own trust. I don't buy anything for my use. Always consult my doctor about all everything I ingest, even my food.

I'm extremelly caution with this and absolutly sure that I've never done anything to increase my sports performance. If I had really ingested clomifen on purpose, I would be doing that to harm my own performance , and NO contious athlete would never do that.

Inspite of my idea that something odd happened, because IBJJF brought up a new weight category (Super-Heavy) just at the same day that I've been declared ' No Fault' at the test,and simply BAN the anti-dopping test (until now at the PAN'MAS) on 2014, and not have tested some world champions, I WILL COMPETE at the WPJJC (in bu-Dhabi) and also WILL COMPETE at the WORLDS 2014. I'm 100% eligible to compete in any event in Internation/National character.

About my fans,friends and Family, now worries. ' Nobody throw rocks in trees that don't grown good fruits'. To all that sent me and continue to send me affection messages, thank you so much.

Due to the respect, trust and regards I have for my fans, Family, friends and all the general Jiu-Jitsu community, I'm clarifying the situation.

Gabi Garcia

View post here www.facebook.com/gabi.garcia.1460/posts/10152330179828735

Anti-Doping Results Updates for 2013 World Jiu-jitsu Championship
27/03/2014 No Comments Total Comments

While we are not a WADA Code signatory, IBJJF recognizes the importance of clean competition, and has taken an unusually proactive stance in implementing an anti-doping program on behalf of clean athletes and the integrity of our sport, which includes adherence to the WADA Prohibited List. No one ever wants to see a rules violation, but we are all committed to, and fully stand behind, the anti-doping program and what it represents for fair and honorable competition, and for clean athletes. In this case, it was determined through the full and fair legal results management process that there was a credible explanation for the presence of clomiphene in Ms. Gabrielle Lemos Garcia's sample, and that the athlete was found not to be at fault. She has accepted the findings, and the loss of results will be carried out by the IBJJF. Her eligibility for competition has not been affected. We are committed to ensuring that our athletes, our sponsors, our fans, and all of those who love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can have the confidence that we will carry out the highest level of professionalism and integrity.

The Comments are closed.

View post here: http://ibjjf.org/2014/03/anti-doping-results-updates-2013-world-jiu-jitsu-championship/

Source: http://static.ibjjfdb.com/Campeonato/000177/en-US/Results.pdf

As of this posting the 2013 Worlds results and the Ranking had not changed. Last I saw the points, Gabi was so far ahead it would not have affected her ranking.

Source: http://ibjjf.org/black-belt-female-ranking/

NEWS RELEASE

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Athlete, Garcia, Accepts Finding Of No Fault And Loss Of Results

Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 26, 2014)- USADA announced today that Gabrielle Lemos Garcia of São Paulo, Brazil, an athlete in the sport of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has tested positive for a prohibited substance, which was determined to have been ingested by her without fault or negligence, and will lose competitive results.

Garcia, 28, tested positive for Clomiphene as the result of an in-competition urine sample she provided on June 2, 2013 at the International Brazillian Jiu- Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Long Beach, Calif. USADA was contracted by IBJJF to conduct testing for the event and collected Garcia’s sample in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency International Standard for Testing.

Clomiphene is a prohibited substance in the category of “Hormone and Metabolic Modulators”  under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the “Code”) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. Clomiphene is classified as a Specified Substance, and therefore the presence of Clomiphene in an athlete’s sample can result in a reduced sanction.

After a thorough review of the case, USADA was able to conclude, to a comfortable satisfaction, that Garcia had not acted negligently and was not at fault for the positive test. Although Garcia was not found to be at fault or to have acted negligently, in accordance with the Code, a violation of the anti-doping rules in connection with an In-Competition test automatically leads to the disqualification of all results obtained in that competition.  While her results from the IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championships shall be disqualified, Garcia did not receive a period of ineligibility and, in accordance with the Code, remains eligible to compete.

In an effort to aid athletes, as well as all support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (www.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, periodic newsletters, and protocol and policy reference documentation.

USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.

CONTACT:

Annie Skinner, Media Relations Manager
Phone: (719) 785-2046
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Link to News Release on USADA site: http://www.usada.org/media/sanction-garcia32614