Ben is a student in our juniors bjj class at el dorado hills. This is a class for kids age 10 to 17 and is a time when we begin to really challenge the students mentally and physically in class. Ben is never afraid of a challenge. He takes on a difficult task with courage and a humble attitude to learn from challenges. To Ben training with others who are much bigger or stronger than him is an opportunity to improve.
His natural talent to move on the mat was very apparent when he first started. Especially his good body control and balance. With time, he developed more skills that gave him the ability to control others using technique. In his technical development Ben has embraced attacks from all positions and continues to be “well balanced” in his Jiu-Jitsu development! Congrats!
Tag Archives: martial arts
Professional Jiu Jitsu Competitors in Reno, NV
On the last weekend of January, Tanner Ford and Eliot Kelly made their presence felt on the stage of Fight to Win Pro 60 in Reno, Nevada. This was an exciting night for the two competitors where over $30,000 were paid to the many competitors of the night. Tanner made his Submission only debut on the fight to win card and won via heel hook. He had a dominant performance and was able to execute to precision what he had been training. We are excited to see him again on the stage!
Eliot wasn’t as successful as Tanner in his match. Eliot lost a unanimous referee decision. Needless to say he made an effort to put on a show of takedowns and hand fighting looking to gain advantage starting from the feet.
We are excited to have been a part of another Fight to Win pro card in the Nevada area! This was an exciting opportunity to compete and perform on a professional stage in the art of submission grappling. We look forward to seeing these competitors in action again on the fight to win stage!
Belt Promotion: Jarrod moves up to Blue
Jarrod is the first generation with our new white belt curriculum to move up in belts. This has been a long process that has been in effect for a little over a year and a half. It’s been very beneficial in giving the beginners a sense of direction and task oriented learning opportunities in addition to the lessons they experience through their rolling and situational drilling.
Jarrod brings an analytical game to the mat to train and understand the technique and concepts behind martial arts efficiency. Coming from a background in pharmacology, he is very scientific in his approach to analyzing and understanding his game. His enthusiasm to improve and challenge himself exists in him going to competitions, training at 6am, 11am and the evening classes, and in thee process of him getting comfortable on the mat he has gotten his family involved in training! In December Jarrod led a community sock drive, collecting over a thousand pairs of socks for the homeless. He brought an awareness for a need that the community might overlook. We appreciate his attention to detail in noticing where different needs exist in our community and finding ways to fill them!
We appreciate Jarrod’s enthusiasm to train and improve. It is contagious as he mentors the newer students on the mat, encouraging them to challenge themselves. Congrats Jarrod!
New Jiu-Jitsu Class for ages 4 to 6 in El Dorado Hills
We are starting a new section for our Pee Wee aged (age 4-6) Jiu Jitsu class. The class is on Tuesday and Saturday and therefore, it’s titled TS PeeWee Jiu Jitsu. We are open for enrollment and look forward to new trials starting on their fun jiu jitsu adventure.
In the class we focus on learning through fun and play and make special care to emphasize collaboration, teamwork, and learning through social play. Our curriculum is set with an understanding that consistent training of 2 times a week will lead to technical improvement but more importantly, an improvement in their ability to learn how to learn.

Parent participation is not mandatory, but we welcome parents who are interested in coaching to join us on the mat. All we ask is that you wear proper uniform attire and are willing to work with all of the students in the class.
Blue Belt Promotion in El Dorado Hills: Javen
Blue Belt Promotion
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January 2018
Javen has been training for six years and he is finally eligible to be promoted in the “adult” belt system since this is the year he turns 16. His passion for martial arts has been pivotal in his growth and maturity on and off the mat. He is a role model for students in the peewee, kids, and juniors jiu jitsu classes. He is patient, kind, and takes time to listen. He has such an impression on some of the students that they even follow his nogi style of wearing a rash guard with gi pants. Javen is looked up to by the students he coaches as well as the parents who notice him in action.
Javen has embraced learning both skills of training and implementing jiujitsu as well as the art of teaching and leading. In addition to jiu-jitsu, he excels in his academics at Oak Ridge high school and pursues his passion in music and the language arts in his spare time.
El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense is lucky to have such an outstanding individual! Congratulations Javen!
New Classes & New Schedule at El Dorado Hills Jiu Jitsu
EDH Jiu Jitsu is adding two new classes during the weekly training cycle in 2018! We welcome students with a curiosity to learn and understand the grappling arts of jiu jitsu, wrestling, judo and the like. Our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu martial arts program is a one of a kind in El Dorado Hills, with age appropriate curriculums for toddlers, kids, teens, and adults. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to start with a FIVE day FIVE dollar trial!
TS Pee Wee Jiu Jitsu Class (age 4-6)
The PeeWee Jiu-Jitsu Class is a class for toddlers to learn through fun, work with different coaches, socialize with their peers, and develop skills that will help them off the mat. The new class is on Tuesday at 3:30pm and Saturday at 9:10am.
MW Adult Basics Jiu Jitsu (age 17+)
The Adult Basics class is a perfect class for adults that are beginning jiu jitsu or looking to get back into jiu jitsu but need a little time to get the body back in shape before training in the advanced class. Our jiujitsu program makes an emphasis in learning and drilling the technical positions and movements before participating in any uncontrolled sparring situations. This allows the student to build a skill set of moves and develop an understanding of what is possible on the mat. Once these skills are acquired, the adult student is welcome to engage in different sparring situations.
We have students with successful weight loss testimonies, students who have found ways to deal with stress, and others who finally found a life long hobby. All are welcome to start with our five day five dollar trial!
Fight to Win Pro Sacramento featuring 2 EDH Black Belts
Fight to Win Pro 58 is coming back to Sacramento on January, 12 2018. This professional brazilian jiu jitsu and submission grappling competition is a one match grappling super fight with no points. The victor is determined by submission or referee decision. The
From El Dorado Hills, competitor Eliot Kelly is us against Jason Butcher, a seasoned MMA competitor and title holder. Eliot, who has been competing mostly in NoGi for the submission only competitions will be making his submission only debut wearing the Gi for this bout. In his previous fight to win bout held in Sacramento, Eliot won by rear naked choke against MMA competitor Luke Stuart in the last few seconds of the bout.
Another competitor from El Dorado Hills, Aaron Martinez will be making his black belt debut and fight to win promotion debut in NoGi submission grappling. Aaron Martinez, who recently received his black belt from Master Claudio Franca in Santa Cruz, CA will be brining his mixed grappling game of wrestling and submission jiu jitsu to the mat in Sacramento.
Purchase your tickets to the bouts online! Visit Cagetix.com and select one of the fighters name to support their profession jiu jitsu career and watch all of the 30 super fights of the night!
Purple Belt Promotion at El Dorado Hills Jiu Jitsu

Congratulations Mathew on earning his Purple Belt! @matheweckhardt serves our community as a full-time firefighter and family man. He does an excellent job of balancing his schedule and life to accommodate for consistent training. In the past year he has excelled in both, traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Only NoGi. His dedication to the Art and the focused presence he brings to class serves as ideal modeling for all the other students at El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Mat has overcome the difficulty we all face in life. Finding balance in a constantly changing and traveling boat of life. In his weekly routine, constantly changing as a result of his shift schedule, mat has found the ability to schedule training sessions at least 2 -3 times a week. He is diligent in in drilling and brings a sense of optimism and enthusiasm to each class. Thank you and congrats!
Community Service: Making & Giving Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches




Black Belt Promotion in El Dorado Hills: Sean Gonsolin
Here are some words from Sean after his promotion to black belt. “I was first introduced to BJJ in 2008 by a blue belt neighbor who showed me some BJJ in exchange for me helping him with his boxing. I ended up starting about a year later in late 2009, and started competing 3 months later. I met Allicia when I was a white belt. And we tried to be each other’s training buddy and motivator. The main reason i train Jiu-jitsu is for the self defense application; particularly with regards to controlling and understanding movement and body mechanics. My ultimate goal with BJJ is always longevity, to train for life.”
Black belts in attendance were (from left to right) Eliot Kelly, Julio Veliz, Marcus Boness, Sean Gonsolin, Marcos Torregrosa, Borston Marc, Jerel Tengan.