Annual Dinner Scheduled for Sunday, December 18

On Sunday, December 18, Valente Gracie Miami will be holding its Commemorative Annual Dinner.  This event is an opportunity for all students to celebrate a great year of training and the spirit of friendship and camaraderie among our family.  We hope to see you there.

This year’s dinner will be held at Chima Brazilian Steakhouse, where you can expect a continuous offering of different cuts of meat as many times as you wish (pasta bar and salad bar also included). Chima is located at 2400 East Las Olas, Blvd. Ste. R – Ft. Lauderdale.  The dinner will start at 5:30 PM.

Price per person - $50 (pay at the school)
CALL FOR RESERVATION: 305-354-2060

If you are reading this article, it is likely that you are a practitioner or at least an enthusiast of Jiu-Jitsu. Nice. However, I am sorry to say that – except for rare cases – what you believe Jiu-Jitsu to be has little to do with the martial art developed by the ancient Japanese and perfected (perhaps even re-created) by brothers Carlos and Helio Gracie, their family and disciples.

But how can that be? After all, you probably train with a black-belt who has fought in a number of tournaments, who has taught you how to do arm-locks, sweeps and so on. If he didn’t know Jiu-Jitsu, he wouldn’t be a black-belt, wouldn’t have ever won a competition and wouldn’t be teaching in an academy, right? Well, sort of.

Nowadays, when one speaks about BJJ, what immediately come to mind are competitions, like the World and Pan-American championships. That is because our art has been reduced to merely a competition sport. When a new student signs up in a gym to learn how to defend himself, he is only going to learn competitive Jiu-Jitsu (remember: there are rare exceptions) – even if he is never going to compete at all. I have nothing against sports, but whatever happened to the other elements that make Jiu-Jitsu the most efficient martial art of all times?

Why self-defense is fundamental

Many decades ago, the lessons at the first “Academia Gracie” in Rio de Janeiro were taught individually and following a structured program of self-defense. The idea was to give the students a real and practical knowledge of how to use the Jiu-Jitsu technique to defend against a bigger and stronger aggressor. In an interview given in 1998, Grand Master Helio Gracie explained this concept: “The Jiu-Jitsu I have created is not a competition sport. I was never a competitor. I have always been weak, weighing around 135lb. I’ve never had the physical characteristics to create a method for competing. Every competitor is an athlete. I was never an athlete. But I created the Federation so that Jiu-Jitsu had an official projection, to put emphasis on my art. The thing is that my Jiu-Jitsu is a self-defense art. It’s for actual fighting. It’s meant to protect the citizens, the old men, a child, a woman, a young lady from being beat up by some thug just because they have no athletic abilities to fight.”

If you are interested in competing, Jiu-Jitsu’s competitive side is undoubtedly an option. But this doesn’t mean self-defense should be left aside because it’s not very useful in competition. Here is a good example: how many ways of passing the half-guard do you know? And how many ways of escaping from an aggressor that is giving you a “bouncer’s headlock”? I wouldn’t be surprised if the answers are 10 and 0, respectively.

I learned this lesson during a curious episode that changed my way of understanding Jiu-Jitsu. I accompanied Gracie Magazine’s editor, Luca Atalla, in a visit to Grand Master Helio Gracie’s house in Itaipava, Rio de Janeiro, while he did one of the several interviews that wound up becoming the article on the master’s life. Hours into the interview, Helio put his hands on my neck and asked if I knew how to escape such common attack. I then tried to improvise something that didn’t work, and got reprehended right there. Quite in his style, he asked me to grab his neck in the same fashion. “Squeeze it as strong as you can,” he sternly requested. I felt awkward, but did as he said and witnessed one of the clearest examples of the philosophy behind Gracie Jiu-Jitsu: “minimum effort for maximum efficiency.” With an extremely simple move, master Helio escaped from my hands and opened a wide smile. Embarrassing. I felt like trash.

“Minimum effort for maximum efficiency,” have you ever heard of it? Well, I had heard of it, but it took me a long time to really comprehend the concept. Choose each and every move in an intelligent way; calculate the precise amount of force needed to execute it; make your opponent constantly waste more energy than you. Summarizing, find the easiest way to reach your goal. Therefore, let’s go back to the “bouncer’s headlock”: what use is it to be the best half-guard passer in the world if you are left defenseless when this funny named move is used against you?

Wait a second. Obviously, even without knowing the right way to escape, you might be able to break away from the headlock and use your competition Jiu-Jitsu to kick your aggressor’s ass. I don’t doubt it, but I’d like to point out that, just like you strive to find the most efficient technique to pass a half-guard in the academy or in a tournament, you should also try to have in your arsenal the most efficient way to get rid of a rough headlock, for example. Think about it: if your only concern is about techniques related to competition and not self-defense, then practicing Jiu-Jitsu, karate, ping-pong or volleyball end up being all the same thing: just a game.

MMA is another thing

Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts in general have changed a lot over the past ten years or so. In 1993 Royce Gracie opened the eyes of the world to the incredible efficiency of his family’s art in vale-tudo (“anything goes”) combats. It was clear then that in a hand-to-hand fight with almost no rules against a bigger, stronger opponent, the best weapon is definitely Jiu-Jitsu. And I’m not talking about sport techniques only, but also the “street Jiu-Jitsu” the Gracie family and its followers have developed. Myths and legends have gone down the drain in the USA, Japan and the rest of the world. But for Brazilians it wasn’t a new idea, after all Jiu-Jitsu has always reigned supreme in their country.

The vale-tudo – or No Holds Barred, as it was earlier called in the U.S. – fever swept the planet, and events started to pop up everywhere. It didn’t take long for “anything goes” to become “mixed martial arts,” taking an universal shape and following pretty much the same set of rules in every country. No matter what your favorite show is, whether it’s Pride (Japan), UFC (USA) or Cage Rage (UK), they all feature rounds, judges and gloves. It’s undeniable that these factors helped create a more marketable product for TV and the masses. But the essence of vale-tudo was lost.

Think about it: when there is a time limit for the match, you train to give your best during those 15 or 20 minutes of fighting. If there is no submission or KO, three “experts” will determine the winner. And how about the gloves, those hand pillows? Just imagine what would happen to Fedor Emelianenko’s hands after he launches his missiles onto his opponent’s skull and you will see my point here.

This vale-tudo mutation called MMA resembles the original idea, although it is in fact something very different. It has become a sport. And as such, its competitors strive to make the best use of the rules in order to win. Physical preparation is intense and fundamental, because, in order to enter a ring nowadays, one must have as much strength, explosion and endurance as possible during all rounds. When a fighter starts thinking he won’t be able to finish the match before time elapses, he begins to look for the best positioning to assure a decision victory. This usually translates into take down + stalling from the top, throwing punches to score points. This issue has become so serious that certain MMA professionals are specialists in winning that way. Professional competitors. Evidently, submissions and knock outs aren’t easy tasks, but there is nothing more subversive to the martial arts’ philosophy than a fight where the opponents want to win by points or judges decision.

Just like the first UFCs redefined the way to fight (barely) with no rules, the current success of MMA events has been strongly affecting the understanding of Jiu-Jitsu and the way it must be used during a fight. Original vale-tudo – no gloves, no time limit, no rounds, no judges, the only illegal moves being bites and eye gouging – is the closest you can get to a real hand-to-hand fight. Jiu-Jitsu’s efficiency under these conditions is more than proven. And that’s why nowadays there is no MMA competitor who doesn’t train Jiu-Jitsu or one of its sub-products, such as submission wrestling or grappling. In this professional arena all athletes strive to become complete. They also practice other arts like boxing, wrestling and muay thai. The more tools one has in the ring, the better.

But what if you have no intentions of ever stepping into a ring or octagon? Cross-training is only important to a MMA professional or to someone who decides to dedicate his life to the practice of several martial arts. For the common citizen who is not an athlete (the vast majority), only Jiu-Jitsu provides solid chances of successfully defending against a bigger, stronger aggressor on the streets. What takes place in the Pride ring, for example, is not applicable to me, my girlfriend, my grandfather or my 13-year-old brother. As a wise man once put it: “One thing is one thing, another thing is another thing.” Well, MMA is definitely another thing.

Jiu-Jitsu is fought with the Gi (Kimono). Period

 One of the myths that mixed martial arts helped create is that everyone has got to train with no gi on. It happens to be that Jiu-Jitsu is fought with the Gi, period. Training without it is interesting and fun, opening one’s eyes to different types of grips, variations of many moves and a much faster game. But it is far from fundamental to the ordinary student with no perspective of fighting in the ADCC World Championship. The Gi is made of a fabric strong enough to resist the rough routine of the mats. It simulates the clothes we wear in our everyday life. Even in a hot country like Brazil. And if one day you find yourself in a dark alley facing a sweaty man wearing nothing but Speedos, I suggest you simply run as fast as you can and do not engage him.

Therefore, since athletes these days train exclusively the elements connected to MMA fighting and its rules, the Jiu-Jitsu they take to the ring is a deformation of true Jiu-Jitsu. In order to better analyze it, let’s not take in consideration a fighter’s natural abilities and personal skills. Then it becomes clear that the reason of their success when it comes to ground fighting is due to two brilliant factors of Jiu-Jitsu: the efficiency of the techniques and the logical transitioning. The first factor is easy to understand. Chokes and foot locks, for example, when correctly applied, are very efficient. The second factor concerns the way of training Jiu-Jitsu and the sense of direction it offers the practitioner. First you shorten the distance to avoid kicks and punches. From the clinch you move on to the takedown. Once you are on the floor, you start looking for increasingly better positions, until you get to a situation where you can end the fight. Naturally, since the Jiu-Jitsu fighter trains following this logic everyday, he always possesses a clear sense of direction and the technical knowledge to implement his strategy the proper way. In contrast, other martial arts offer little more than the idea of hitting until the opponent drops.

The secret is in the philosophy

The genius in Jiu-Jitsu goes well beyond the amazing moves used. It is exactly the way of facing a combat that puts Jiu-Jitsu way above all other arts. Our goal is not to score points, but to make the opponent surrender. With this in mind plus the philosophy of “minimum effort for maximum efficiency,” the technique of Jiu-Jitsu adapted in Brazil by the Gracies got more and more refined. And using this combo to determine the sequence of moves and the general strategy that runs each fight, the BJJ fighter gets, consequently, very close to victory. Master Helio, who tested his art in the battlefield for many years, goes beyond: “To beat Jiu-Jitsu, only if you know Jiu-Jitsu or by accident. If you fight 100 times, you may lose once or twice, but you’ll win all the others.” Once, during an interview, Fabio Gurgel, one of the greatest names in the sport, made a keen observation on the subject: “Jiu-Jitsu is a perfect art, but the human being fails at times.”

Many years ago, during a seminar in the USA, Rickson Gracie explained the BJJ philosophy through a nice example. In order to demonstrate the efficiency of the mount position during a fight, he placed a student of his on top of some spectators, all of them practitioners of other martial arts. On purpose, all the chosen people were bigger than his student. The first one tried hard but could not escape from the bottom. The second one exploded like a mad bull, and eventually reversed the situation. Rickson then asked the guy to try again, this time against him. In a few seconds, the big fellow had given Gracie his back and was trapped in a rear naked choke. The master explained that the only thing that’s worse than being mounted is to offer your back. And he resumed the exercise, this time choosing to only keep the opponent on the bottom. After one minute of insistent attempts, the guy finally gave up. Rickson then sat among the group of almost 50 people and said:

“Well, this is what I wanted to teach you people. Because he is tough (points to the big fellow), even without Jiu-Jitsu. I’m not saying you only have a chance of escaping using Jiu-Jitsu. I try to give a certain problem, and then I offer the easiest solution. He is tough and I think it is hard for anyone to keep him on the bottom, but suppose it’s a 240lb man on top. Then it’s different. Suppose he is recovering from a cold and has no endurance. He will fight for a while then get exhausted. The point is: if we can use leverage in every occasion, it will make things easier. And what we want while facing a stronger opponent is the easiest way of fighting him. You shouldn’t come here (to the seminar) to try and do like he did. That’s a waste of energy. It works, but if he is in a worse situation, if he’s in adverse conditions, he is going to need other options. And you are here to learn the best way. Some people are born tough; they are fast, strong or have a good heart for fighting. These qualities alone represent 50% of a win in any street fight. But in adverse conditions, it is just not enough.”

In other words, it doesn’t matter whether you are an athlete or not. By following the Jiu-Jitsu philosophy, you’ll become a more efficient fighter. Apply this same philosophy to every other aspect of your life and a new universe will open up before you.

BY: BJJ BLACK BELT JOAO PEDRO
 

The Effects Of Hurricane Wilma

Pedro, Jimmy and Gui relieved	The mall sustained some damage
Gracie Miami escaped	Jimmy celebrates
Parking under water	The sign was intact
This happened across the street	Hundreds of boats were destroyed

10/28/2005 5:07 PM

Dear Students:

The school will open SATURDAY for the 12 PM Fundamentals class and a special      1 PM advanced level session. We are still experiencing a power outage. The access to the locker room facilities will be limited.

We will get back to the normal private and group class schedule as soon as power is restored and the curfew is lifted.

To keep informed of the latest Gracie Miami news, visit www.graciemiami.com or call (305) 354-2060.

Sincerely,

Gracie Miami Staff

10/27/2005 9:07 PM

Dear Students:

The school will open Friday for the 10 AM Fundamentals class and a special 11 AM advanced session. We are still experiencing a power outage. The access to the locker room facilities will be limited.
We will get back to the normal private and group class schedule as soon as power is restored and the curfew is lifted.

To keep informed of the latest Gracie Miami news, visit www.graciemiami.com or call (305) 354-2060.

Sincerely,

Gracie Miami Staff

10/26/2005 3:07 PM

Dear Students:

Gracie Miami is without power and sustained minimal damage.  Miami-Dade County has very little power and phone service; there is also a county-wide curfew at 8:00pm in effect until further notice. We are working diligently to get information out to you.
The school will be re-opened as soon as power returns and the curfew is lifted.
We will continue to provide updates on this page as often as is necessary.
To keep informed of the latest Gracie Miami news, visit www.graciemiami.com or call (305) 354-2060.

Sincerely,

Gracie Miami Staff

Grand Master summarizes his 94 years of age, reveals with exclusivity his philosophical writings and claims to have no fear of death.

 

Helio has got a card index with a black cover on his lap. That’s where he keeps his philosophical writings, a treasure never before revealed to a report team. Running across the index, the current patriarch of the Gracie family finds a page concerning one of the texts he likes the most. It’s called “The Man and the Dog,” from which the following aphorism is worth mentioning: “If the man walked on all fours, he would be an animal that deserved to be castrated and put away.”

And this is just one of Helio Gracie’s theories. His favorite pastime nowadays is thinking, reflecting on life. Consequently he writes. “I’m 92 years old [he adds the nine months of gestation to his age]. It is hard to find a head that works as fast as mine. I’ve never had this much good sense in my whole life,” he reveals. If the wrinkles show that Helio is suffering from this inexorable opponent called time, the irreverence and brilliancy of his words make it clear that the Jiu-Jitsu monarch walks hand in hand with the years.

Perhaps the simplicity is a strong ally of Helio’s in reaching this late well-being, as he approaches a century of living. The out-of-line Casio wristwatch tells time on the guru’s left wrist. The pair of sneakers he wears is worn out, with no famous brand left to be seen. The white t-shirt, bearing the family name chest-high, is tucked into the loose gray pants that go way above the waist.

But it is not only for being alien to the latest Sao Paulo Fashion Week that Helio Gracie can be defined as simple man. That becomes much clearer when one listens to the humility of his self-criticism (“I’ve always been a skinny guy, a nobody”) or the objectivity of his decisions (“With me there’s no halfway, it’s either yes or no”), besides the elementary lever techniques he used in order to perfect Jiu-Jitsu: “Any crippled is able to learn from the moves I created.”

For years interview-unfriendly, the legendary Jiu-Jitsu professor speaks spontaneously to the Gracie-Mag team. “I like the magazine,” he explains. Helio could earn a lot of money giving motivational seminars at great enterprises – you’ll notice this interview resembles a class. The reporters, professionals paid to ask questions, spend most of the time quiet, listening.

But when they do ask…

“Are you afraid of death?” “Do you regret having or not having done something in such a long life?” “Don’t you feel lonely in this far away ranch?” In the following interview, you’ll learn how Helio Gracie faced every one of these questions, treating them as if they were the weakest of white-belts. He still found the strength to lead our team to the house back of the ranch, where there’s a dark-green mat, and showed us some of the positions of the martial art he reinvented: Jiu-Jitsu.

You are nearly a century old. Do you regret having or not having done something in so long?

Funny, I don’t remember anything I disapprove. I was always a normal kid, except for one flaw: I liked to fight. At least until I got two important life lessons. I remember the first as if it were today. I used to walk up and down, still very young, before I got acquainted with Jiu-Jitsu. I weighed about 70lb, but I’d tell anyone: “What the hell are you looking at?” Well, one day a friend called Gugu told me: “Hey, there’s a certain Benigno around who wants to beat me up.” In order to defend Gugu, I decided to fight the guy without even knowing who he was. I asked him: “Do you want to hit Gugu?” and punched his face right away. Then he punched me about 20 times. My face was all swollen. People would enquire what had happened to my face. I told them I had fought Benigno and they replied: “Benigno, alright; that guy is malign, look at the beating he gave you!” [laughter]. In the end I realized it was a deserved beating. Lesson one: don’t be unfair, don’t fight for no reason.

What about the second lesson?

Well, years later I was on a bus, going to Copacabana beach, and there was a stern, strong young man, looking in my direction. I approached him and said: “Why are you staring at me? Do you think I’m a queer?” But he didn’t give a damn, didn’t even pay attention. He lowered his sight and spoke: “Go away, kid.” It was such great contempt that I never again disturbed anyone else. Soon afterwards I met Jiu-Jitsu and never fought in the street again. The fellow fights in the street because he doesn’t believe in himself, he wants to challenge people to prove something. But after he learns Jiu-Jitsu, he strengthens himself in such a way that he starts to treat street fighting with the same contempt that guy on the bus had for me.

So you hold no grudge whatsoever?

Let’s say all of you [he points at the seven members of the GRACIE team] kicked my ass right now, broke the hell out of me, so that I’d have to spend the next six years in bed recovering. Suddenly a cop calls me saying he arrested the gang that beat me up. “I can kill or cripple every single one of them, no one will ever know about it, it depends solely on you,” he would tell me. I’d simply reply: “Do nothing, leave them all alone.” I believe nature charges a fair price that perhaps I would not be able to reckon. I don’t avenge myself on anyone. Nature will get them for me, and that makes me sleep peacefully, with no fear of anything. I usually say that nobody gets what they don’t deserve, be it punishment or reward. A brick fell onto your head? Thank God for it, because you owed something that was paid by this. It ain’t easy to think like this, it’s hard, but one day you’ll get there and understand it.
 

Speaking of punishments from nature, how do you look at natural disasters such as tsunamis?

I have never thought of it. I don’t intend to convince anyone, this material is nothing but my way of thinking. I don’t want to influence anybody; the fellow either agrees with me or s/he doesn’t. I don’t believe in religion or anything of the sort. I believe nature controls everything in the universe [Pause for reflection]. Am I boring you?

Of course not, Master.

Well then. I am convinced that we are also all controlled. We receive from nature according to our thoughts, words and works. There are people who do nothing wrong, say nothing wrong, but thinks wrongly like there’s no tomorrow. To this day there hasn’t been a single human being who didn’t think wrongly. I am even trying to correct that in myself, not to think bed things anymore. When a bad thought comes to me, I punch its face and send it away.

What was the most negative thought you ever had?

When I was younger I was the worst person in the world. If someone did anything wrong to me, I immediately wanted to kill them. I would never have reached the fighting level I got to if I was a good guy… When I started there were only criminals to fight against, I confronted a human jungle. And to kick an animal’s ass I you must be worse than it, which is my case. Man is the worst animal on the face of Earth.

Are you afraid of death?

Death? [Laughter.] Why fear death? I don’t need anything, I don’t have anything, I don’t want anything. I think it’s silly for somebody to be scared of dying. One should be afraid of being born. I have already told my children when I die I want a party, with no alcohol, no hell raising [general laughter]. But I want a party with music, food… I don’t know if you guys believe in reincarnation, but we all go and come back until the day we no longer have to return. My brother [Carlos Gracie, already deceased] used to say the fellow only stops returning to Earth when he mingles with the Whole. Even when you’re thinking just a little bit wrongly, you come back to continue evolving. Hell, my friends, is right here on Earth.

Why have you isolated yourself from the city and come to live here on this far away ranch in Itaipava, Rio de Janeiro?

I’ve lived here for fourteen years now. You are aware of the crap it is to live in a big city, aren’t you? There is not enough gold in the world to make me leave this place. In Rio [capital of the state] you leave your house and don’t know whether you’re coming back alive.

Don’t you feel lonely here?

Lonely? Do you know what loneliness is? Loneliness is a person not liking his/herself. Loneliness is not having a mental activity. It is hard to find a head that works as quickly as mine. I am 92 years old and none of you can think or discuss more quickly than I. There’s no reason to feel alone. Solitude is a man getting older and not having any friends. Loneliness is a man not having anything to do or think. It’s hell, a disgraceful death. I like living here, no one annoys me, I have no neighbors, the property is huge, I am miles away from the street. For my age, my health condition, the lucidity I have today… That is very rare, may God give you all the same. I have never such good sense in my entire life. It’s hard to find a happier man than me. [Helio lives in Itaipava with his wife, Vera Gracie.]

What are your pastimes here on the ranch?

When there is no student coming to take Jiu-Jitsu lessons, I write, play solitaire… I’m an utter vagabond [laughter]. I even watch television, but find most of the shows awful.

Few people get to your age with so much lucidity. Is there a secret formula for that?

The sternness of age makes me see things as right or wrong. With me there’s no halfway, it’s either yes or no. Try from now on not to answer “maybe,” “more or less,” “who knows.” Simply say yes or no, you’ll see how tough it is.

After all, which is the best move in Jiu-Jitsu?

That depends on the attack the guy is under, but when I fought my favorite move, because against it there’s no tough guy, was the “sleeper,” that is, the choke. I think to this day I have only won one fight with an armlock, the rest of my opponents would go to sleep. Since I was thinner than my adversaries, I was always on the bottom, doing guard, and from there I would give the choke. Therefore, to me, the greatest move is the choke-in-guard, for there’s no man who can resist it, they all fall asleep. Or give up.

By Raphael Nogueira - Photos by Gustavo Aragao From Gracie--Magazine

Professor Gui Valente Teaches At The Miami Police Academy

Last Friday, October 14, Professor Gui Valente taught a women’s defensive tactics workshop at the Miami Police Academy.  The 4-hour class was open to officers for all departments in South Florida.  Aventura, Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Miami, and Key Biscayne were among the departments present.  The work shop covered basic stand up self-defense strategies and a variety of ground weapon retention techniques.  Many of the female officers who had never experienced the Gracie techniques were impressed with the simplicity and effectiveness of the solutions presented. 
We would like to thank Sgt. Gentry and student/officer Troy Lee for the opportunity to, once again, share Gracie Jiu-Jitsu with Florida’s law enforcement community.

Master Pedro Valente Utilizes The Gracie Diet
To Rejuvenate Soccer Legend

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Master Pedro Valente Sr. is currently Vasco da Gama’s Vice President and Chief Doctor. Vasco is one of the world's most recognized soccer teams.

Valente who has trained under Grandmaster Helio Gracie for over fifty years is adapting some of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’s principles to the club’s training regimen, particularly to the nutritional program of the athletes where he is implementing the Gracie Diet.  World Cup champion and super star Romario is among Vasco’s players.  He is currently forty years old and had been missing many games due to injury in the past few seasons.  In recent months the soccer legend has been showing signs of rejuvenation.  He has been scoring multiple goals and hasn’t missed a game due to injury in several months.  Much of this success is credited to his new “Jiu-Jitsu” diet introduced to him by Doctor Valente.

Throughout this season, Valente and Romario have been developing a very positive relationship and Valente slowly advised him to alter many of his eating habits.  Instead of soft drinks, Valente recommended juices.  Fish and vegetables substituted red meat, a constant choice in Romario’s diet.  The player now limits his consumption of red meat and has stopped eating pork.  In addition he is also utilizing the Gracie Diet’s principles of certain food combinations and spacing of meals.

The Brazilian press has given wide coverage to the successful implementation of Gracie Jiu-jitsu’s philosophy in the daily routine of Vasco’s players.  These articles have featured Grandmaster Helio and Royce’s amazing health and vitality for their respective ages.  Interestingly, Romario and Royce are both the same age and still at the top of their games.  Royce’s recent spectacular victory over sumo legend, Akebono inspired Romario to pursue the philosophies and principles of the Gracie family. 

Doctor Pedro Valente Sr. is the father of professors Pedro and Gui Valente who operate one of the most successful Gracie Jiu-Jitsu schools in the United States.     

A Night To Remember

Last Friday, September 30^th, Gracie Miami celebrated its 10^th anniversary.  The party was huge success, staff and students joined forces to make for an unforgettable night. Through the works of Professor Jimmy, students Felipe Lay, Roberto Fleishmann, Asim Zaid, and assistants’ Inaja and Denise the school was beautifully decorated and suited for this very special occasion.  Our student/chef Juan provided a delicious combination of sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, and the party’s cake, all prepared following the guidelines of the Gracie Diet.

Professor Gui Valente opened the ceremony by thanking all for coming and recognizing the presence of UFC champion Royce Gracie and no-holds-barred fighter Rodrigo Gracie.  Professor Pedro Valente continued with a fine speech narrating the history of the Valente Gracie relationship that ultimately led to Gracie Miami.

Following the speech, students Asim Zaid and Roberto Fleishmann performed a spectacular demonstration of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’s complete system.  Professors Jimmy and Gui demonstrated the success of our youth program with junior students Brandon Flores and James Gillette. 

Pedro and Gui presented commemorative plaques to the individuals who provided precious contributions along these years.

Next, everyone gathered to watch the tribute video by Eric with Neris Gonzalez’s musical background of Gracie Miami’s and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’s story.  Finally, it was time for the cake and everyone sang happy anniversary to Gracie Miami.  Together, all our young students blew the candle. 

It was with great pleasure and joy that we celebrated these ten years of hard work, sacrifice, and friendship.  We hope to continue this successful story for many more years to come. 

The recipients of the plaques were:

Royce Gracie Convention
Pedro and Gui Valente teach over 100 Royce Gracie Network Members

Following our 10th Anniversary's night Gracie Miami hosted the Annual Royce Gracie Network Convention.  On Saturday, Royce requested Professors Pedro and Gui Valente to teach a GJJ stand-up self-defense workshop for over 100 students.  Following the seminar Royce awarded three new black belts to students Mark Baumeister, Kendal Goo, and John Crouch.  On sunday, Royce conducted a sparring session among all his affiliates and concluded the event with a massive belt promotion ceremony.  Multiple blue, purple, and brown belts were awarded.

Check out the Picture Gallery

10th Anniversary of Gracie Miami
A story of success between Gracies and Valentes

On September 30th, 1995, Professor Pedro Valente taught his first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu group class in South Miami. Pedro moved to the US in 1993 to attend the University of Miami School of Business. In the absence of a Gracie Academy, Grandmaster Hélio Gracie advised Pedro to start teaching the art as a form to maintain his practice and contribute to the increasing demand for authentic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. With the help of Rorion and Royce Gracie, Pedro began teaching his first students. After ten years of hard work, sacrifice, and loyalty to the principles of this incredible art, our school is the official home of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Florida and is among the most successful Martial Arts organizations in the country.

We would like to celebrate this special date with our students who throughout this decade have given us the opportunity to transmit the result of three generations of loyalty, respect, and friendship between the Gracie and the Valente families.

Please join us on Friday, September 30, 2005 @ 6:30 PM to celebrate with us.

Professor Pedro Valente teaches in Guatemala

September 9, 2005 - Together with throwing techniques specialist, Ramon Sanchez, Professor Valente taught the "III Seminario Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" in Guatemala's Roberto Fleishmann Academy.  Roberto who often comes to our school is doing a magnificent job, sharing Gracie Jiu-Jitsu with his students.  Pedro was very impressed with their brand new facility and congratulated Roberto for his excellent work.    
 

Katrina Reaches Hurricane Strength; Winds At 75 MPH
Category 1 Storm Nears Coastline
Updated: 5:44 p.m. EDT, August 25, 2005

MIAMI -- Katrina strengthened into a hurricane Thursday, dumping steady rains, kicking up the surf and blowing gusty winds ashore as it chugged toward an overnight landfall on the state's densely populated southeast coast.

Katrina's maximum sustained wind speeds increased from 50 to 75 mph on Thursday, making it a weak Category 1 storm, said hurricane specialist Lixion Avila with the National Hurricane Center in Miami. It is expected to make landfall later Thursday or early Friday.
 

Hélio Gracie in Miami

Thursday August 4, 2005 - Grandmaster Hélio Gracie arrived in Miami last night coming from his hometown in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  In his third trip to Gracie Miami this year the 93 year old Grandmaster will stay in South Florida for few days and then head to the Gracie Academy in Los Angeles.  

Pedro Teaches Seminar in Atlanta

Sunday July 31, 2005 - Instructor Eddie Camden, head of the Tiger Academy in Atlanta, invited Professor Valente to teach a seminar to over 40 students.  Mr. Camden is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt and owns one of Georgia's largest martial arts academies.

Gracie Miami Teaches the FBI and the Miami Dade Police

Gracie Miami was recently invited to host and teach defensive tactics courses both to the FBI and the Miami-Dade Police. During two weeks Gracie Miami was host to the FBI’s Defensive Tactics Instructors Certification program. Professor Pedro Valente was awarded a beautiful plaque for the school’s commitment and assistance to the FBI. Following the seminar Professors Pedro, Jimmy, and Joaquim Valente taught a 3-day course at the Miami-Dade Police Institute. The seminar was open to all Police agencies in the state and the turn out was very good. Gracie Miami is very proud and honored for the opportunity to share Gracie Jiu-Jitsu with the Law Enforcement community.

Picture gallery [+]

Street Fighting Techniques by Relson Gracie

Over 30 Gracie Miami students participated in Relson's class. The Red & Black belt Master taught several of his unique street fighting techniques and shared many of his famous stories.
Side Note - Relson Gracie is Grandmaster Helio's second son and was responsible for dissiminating Gracie Jiu-jitsu in Hawaii. He currently runs Gracie Hawaii in Honolulu.

Relson Gracie Seminar in Miami

Master Relson Gracie will be teaching a class at the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu School of Self-defense.

Street Fighting Techniques

Date: July 23,2005
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Where: Gracie Miami - 3165 NE 163st

Limited availability.
Call to make a reservation - (305)354-2060

Eagle Express Article

The Valente Brothers, Pedro and Gui, are featured on the cover of the prestigious martial arts industry magazine "Eagle Express".  The article titled “The Valente Brothers – The Protégé of Grand Master Helio Gracie” talks about their relationship with the Gracie family and the philosophy of the Gracie method of teaching self-defense.

Read Complete article on PDF format.

 

Royler Victorious at Hero's Event

Royler moves on to the next round on September 7th after beating his opponent Koji Yoshida. Royler attempted numerous submissions and had opponent caught in a tight choke as the bell rang. Congratulations to Royler in this important win.

Watch highlight video.

 

PROFESSOR PEDRO TEACHES CLASSES IN HOUSTON

Over the last few years Professor Pedro has been teaching seminars at the TNT Ju-Jitsu Academy in Houston, Texas.  TNT is mainly a traditional Japanese Ju-Jitsu school.  At least every six months professor Pedro visits TNT to demonstrate Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and train several students.  Pedro is always very pleased to see their interest and dedication to learn our style of Jiu-Jitsu.
 

BOOK SIGNING WAS AN IMMENSE SUCCESS

Over 300 people attended Grandmaster Hélio’s Book Signing. Gracie Miami was beautifully suited for this historic event. A red carpet over the main mat guided students to the stage where the Grandmaster and his son Rorion signed the books. Royce, with his charismatic personality mingled with all present as he also signed many copies of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Around 6PM the number of students and visitors already waiting in line was such, that Grandmaster Helio began signing copies at 6:30PM. In less than 2 hours over 200 books were sold and close to 360 admirers of Helio Gracie witnessed this memorable night.
Professors Pedro and Gui Valente, and Jimmy were joined by several Gracies, Hélio’s sons Rorion and Royce, grandson Renner, and Carlos Gracie’s granddaughters Lyra, and Kyvia Gracie. Also in attendance were Jiu-Jitsu black belts, Carlos Villares, Anire Okupaku, Ramon Sanchez, Jorge Pereira, and Daniel Montanha.

See the pictures of the event. [+]

ROYCE'S SEMINAR PACKS GRACIE MIAMI

Over 70 students were in attendance for Royce Gracie's annual seminar in Miami.  Professor Pedro welcomed Royce and introduced the seminar with the live Japanese TV transmission of Royce versus Akebono.  With everyone pumped up,  Royce opened the class with a striking&clinching drill, followed by an intense 90 minute guard, omoplata, and triangle technical exercise.  To finalize, Royce answered a variety of questions involving his career, training, family, and signed copies of his latest book, Ultimate Fighting Techniques.

See the pictures of the event. [+]

THE GRACIE MIAMI BOOK SIGNING OF GRACIE JIU-JITSU IS THIS MONDAY, MAY 23 AT 7PM.

This 8.5 x 11 inch 275-page hardbound full color masterpiece is packed with over 1,200 photos! A collector's quality first edition will be released in Miami on Monday, May 23 at Gracie Miami.
The book addresses different aspects of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Grand Master Helio will be present signing all copies.

The signings will be open for the public.

For more information call us at 305 354 2060.

AFTER BEATING 470Ib SUMO LEGEND ROYCE RETURNS TO HIS HOME IN FLORIDA

The only UFC Threepeat champion will be in Miami for the first time after defeating Sumo legend Akebono. Royce will display his technical approach to a variety of grappling, striking and throwing maneuvers. The seminar will take place on Saturday, May 21, 2005 at 2 PM.

Watch Royce in Action:



Royce is also scheduled to attend the release of Grandmaster Helio Gracie's first ever book, "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" on May 23. Rorion and his son Renner Gracie will also be at Gracie Miami for this very special occasion.

For more information regarding the seminar and how to secure your copy of "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" please contact us at 305 354 2060.

THE PREMIER BOOK SIGNING OF GRACIE JIU-JITSU WAS A HUGE SUCCESS

Monday, May 16, 2005 - The premier Book Signing of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was a huge success. Over two-hundred people were in attendance. Grandmaster Helio, his eldest son Rorion and photographer Thomas De Soto did an unbelievable job. The book, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, impresses readers in many different ways. The book's quality is first class, Grandmaster Helio at 89 poses for some incredible shots, a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu history chapter with pictures never seen before, and an easy to follow Gracie Diet guide are some of the highlights of this historic book.

See the pictures of the event. [+]

GRACIE JIU-JITSU TO BE RELEASED TOMORROW IN CALIFORNIA

Saturday, May 14, 2005 - Pedro and Gui will attend tomorrow’s premier book signing of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at the Gracie Academy in Los Angeles. Next week Grandmaster Hélio will return to Gracie Miami for a final book signing.
Master Rorion and Professors Royce and Ryron Gracie will attend the ceremony in North Miami Beach. The Gracie Miami book signing is scheduled for Monday, May 23, at 7PM. 

GRANDMASTER HELIO GRACIE'S GRAND SEMINAR

Monday, May 2, 2006 - The seminar was a huge success and exceeded expectations. Over eighty students participated, making it the largest class ever at Gracie Miami. The seminar initially scheduled from 2-4PM lasted 3 hours; Grandmaster Helio Gracie made a point to answer all participants' questions.

His presence brought together students from Gracie Miami, Royce Gracie Sarasota, Gracie Barra, American Top Team, Caique Academy, and Academy of Martial Arts. The highlights of the seminar included a guard demonstration by GM Helio Gracie against a resisting 6.3ft 360lbs student and an inspiring Gracie Jiu-Jitsu philosophical question and answer session.

See Grandmaster Helio in action. [+]

GRAND MASTER HELIO GRACIE IS ALREADY IN MIAMI

Thursday, April 28, 2005 - Grandmaster Helio Gracie arrived today in Miami at 5:00 AM. After the 8-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro he stopped at Pedro and Gui’s house to prepare his banana water melon breakfast smoothie and headed straight to Gracie Miami. When asked by Pedro if he wanted to stay home and rest after the long trip he replied, “You guys can stay; I am going to the school right now to check how everything is going.”
His Seminar is this Saturday, April 30th at 2PM at Gracie Miami.
The 92 year old Grandmaster is expected to leave for Los Angeles early next week to conduct seminars at the Gracie Academy and release his first ever book on May 15th. He will be back in Miami on May 23 for the East Coast release of this much anticipated “Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Master Text”.

GRAND MASTER HELIO GRACIE'S ANNUAL GRACIE MIAMI SEMINAR

The father of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu will be back in Miami on Saturday, April 30th to conduct his annual Seminar. Following the Miami seminar GM Helio will go to Los Angeles for the signing of his first ever techniques book, what's being known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu's Bible. In addition, GM Helio will also conduct seminars at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California on May 14th.

For more info. regarding the seminars please contact us at 305 354 2060 or go to www.gracieacademy.com

PROFESSOR ROYLER GRACIE CONDUCTS GREAT WORKSHOP AT GRACIE MIAMI

Royler Gracie resumed his North American seminar tour this past weekend at Gracie Miami with long time students Pedro & Guilherme Valente.  During the course of 15 seminars and several privates, the multiple time Abu Dhabi and World Jiu-Jitsu champion had the opportunity to share some of his technical knowledge with over five hundred students. Royler kicked off his tour in the midst of two gigantic snow storms teaching at many of his RGDA (Royler Gracie- David Adiv) associations in the North East and Canada and finished off in sunny Miami Beach’s Gracie Miami and Mauricio Villardo’s Wellington Academy.

MASTER RORION GRACIE TEACHES AT US MILITARY BASE IN GERMANY

Grand Master Helio Gracie's fist son Rorion Gracie recently spent several days teaching US soldiers at a Military Base in Germany. Master Rorion was very pleased to see the popularity of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu among American soldiers.