Tag Archives: tae kwon do

Kids Jiu Jitsu

Belt Promotion: PeeWee Gray White Belt Sam

Congrats Sam! PeeWee jiujitsu class gray white belt promotion:

Sam brings focus to the peewee class where things can get kinda crazy at times. His leadership is in his ability to focus, concentrate, and show others how to train. Even in a class with four year olds with are brand new to the art of jiujitsu, Sam’s actions speak for the coaches. When Sam speaks every body listens.

Sam started jiujitsu with the invitation from his friend, and you will find them challenging each other, laughing, learning, and growing into the mat as a martial artist. Friendship on the mat is an incredible experience. Your friend becomes a person you want to beat, a person who will encourage you, and someone you will respect more each and every day you train.

Adults Jiu Jitsu

IBJJF SF Open Results & Reflection from EDH BJJ & Self Defense

On February 25th we took a small team down to compete at the San Francisco Open. The event was held at the historic Kezar pavilion. Driving into the city on clear Sunday morning, I felt a mixed sense of nervousness for the competition and nostalgia from living there over two decades ago.

I was the first one from our team to compete, and I was pretty nervous. It was my first tournament at Black Belt and my first match was against a former training partner of mine. I was happy to pull guard cleanly and have to opportunity to play my game. As I was pummeling for grips he pressed my guard and kept me on my back. I was getting passed and I bridged and came on top… well sort of. He locked a triangle and did my best to defend it and he was able to secure a nice wrist-lock. It was a hard first lesson at Black Belt, but you have to start somewhere.

After my match, I walked down Height Street and placed this experience in the context of my life. Even when you lose, there is a special place in your past as a person that put it all out there.

The tournament was a great learning opportunity for everyone. There were people competing for the first time in their jiu jitsu journey, and others for the first time in 2018, after the holidays. One of our students Brad made his competition debut at the IBJJF SF Open this weekend and he documented his experience on his blog on linkedin. “How competing in a combat sport taught me more about how to improve myself and help others do the same.” Give his article a read and let him know what you think!

Tournament Results:

Blue Belt:

  • Jamie – Bronze
  • Jarrod – Silver (in his first competition at Blue Belt)

White Belt:

  • Ryan – Silver
  • Brad – Silver (First Competition)

by Coach Aaron

Photography By Aiza Tengan

Adults Jiu Jitsu, Kids Jiu Jitsu

Van Robertson Seminar in El Dorado Hills Jiu Jitsu & Self Defense

Last month we had the honor of hosting a seminar at the academy for Van Robertson. It was a really neat experience as the attendees were mixed with adults and child practitioners.

Van taught variations of the Bull Fighter (also known as the Toreando) pass, with a very reactive and systematic approach. The passes primarily dealt with the guard player maintaining both grips on the sleeves of the guard passer. Using both sets of grips (on the guard player’s pants and their grips on the passer) she anchored their guard and switched grips on the legs in a specific manner that killed their ability to make space. There was more to it than that, but that’s what I took away from it in essence, besides the specific techniques that she taught.

The seminar was a donation based event where all the money made was donated to a non-profit brazilian jiu jitsu program in Oakland called Guardian. Guardian Jiu Jitsu is a martial arts program that funds children to train under the age of 18 with donations from their adult members and community events. We were able to raise just about $400 for the event.

If you have the opportunity to train with or learn from Van in the future we highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity. She is detailed, thoughtful, and engages with learners in a fun and active way.

Van now lives and trains in Auckland, New Zealand, but we are lucky that her parents live here and that she comes and visits when she is in the area!

Coach Aaron

Adults Jiu Jitsu, Tournaments

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!