OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA news

Industry Obession with Black Belts

The martial arts industry for kids is very flawed. Black belts are given to kids within 3 years (some as young as 7 years old) and these kids are under the impression that they know how to stop being bullied, and possibly a school fight.

The 3-year black belt program seems like a 2-year online college degree. Yes, you may have the degree but it is worthless.

Today, people are forgetting what it means to do hard work and the rewards that comes with it. We are a society of plastic surgery, where you don’t have to exercise, and just pay to have the fat removed from your body.

We are also a society of delusion. The recent stock market and real estate market crashes are a result of our linear thinking that prices would continue higher.

At OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA, we try to show people that if you put in the work you will get what you want. On the extreme side, some students believe that they should be kept at a certain belt level. This is delusional as well since there will always be someone (younger, stronger, more skilled) who will defeat you as a lower belt.

Weeding the delusional is the result of the culture of the academy and the student understanding humility.

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What OC Jiu Jitsu Can Do And Not Do For Your Kid

I see many martial arts academies that advertise that they teach life skills, discipline, and respect. I find it amazing, that many people believe this can be accomplished 2-3 times a week for an hour each session.

Life skills, discipline and respect is taught by the parents not by the martial arts academies. If you believe that the martial arts academies can, then I have a snow hut to sell you at a great discount.

At OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA, we can teach your child skills that they can use for the rest of their life. These are real and practical self defense skills that can help them cope with the fights (that every kids gets into once or twice before college) that they may encounter.

Think of us as cheap insurance that will help them prepare for something (school bullying or fights) that could change their life. I still remember my schools fights and wish I had martial arts training at that time.

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Don’t Join A School That Offers Privates

If a martial arts academy is offering private lessons, chances are that you are not really learning the art. You should, as a student, learn everything you need to know in a regular class. If you have a problem, the instructor should be available to correct your technique.

Instructors that offer privates are often arrogant, and feel that their knowledge requires people to pay multiples of the school’s  monthly fees. There is a famous Brazilian Jiu-jItsu academy that took over 25 years to promote their students to black belt. This is not only ridiculous, but a pathetic display of taking advantage of people who are passionate of the art.

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Learning An Art Through The Next Hot Thing

MMA is not really the next hot thing. It has been around since the late 50’s, and is finally getting noticed. Many martial arts consultants are starting to criticize MMA, and I guess that is a good thing.

When you watch George St. Pierre  on the UFC you are watching a complete fighter. There are really no holes in his game, and that is why he is successful. No art - from TKD to Judo-  can compete where MMA is going as a martial art. Think of combining the best of everything and you have MMA.

Many other martial artists criticize the lack of tradition and etc., It really depends on the academy how the “tradition” is implemented. You still can have a rogue karate school - so what is the difference?

Life is about change and people do not like change. Strange isn’t it?

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Thomas Bunbury - American Gladiator

Thomas Bunbury, OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA fitness coach, has been chosen as an alternate in the American Gladiator series. After many interviews Thomas has managed to break through in Hollywood and land this coveted role.

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Kung Fu

One of the students at OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA is a Kung Fu sifu and will conduct an interesting array of Tai Chi and Kung Fu training Saturday mornings.

More information to come.

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Saturday class

The 12 pm Saturday class will be changed from Advanced to Basic/Advanced BJJ. Members of the Black belt or Master program with limited martial arts are invited to take this class.

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OCJJ affiliation with Machado Jiu Jitsu

OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA has made an affiliation with the Rigan Machado Association. All belt rank courses and upper belt promotions will be overseen by Rigan Machado.

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Our Future Champion and Black Belt

Steven Kroesen, OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA student, recently won his weight division in the NoGi division at the last NAGA championships in Las Vegas. Top winners won a samurai sword which Steven is proudly displaying with his instructor Roger de Freitas.

Steven trains 6 days a week. Hard work does pay off. While other martial arts schools have 2 or 3 kid classes a week, OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA has the most comprehensive MMA program for kids. The California Pankration Association (MMA for kids) holds class at the academy every Sunday at 12pm.

One of Steven’s other instructors is World Abu Dhabi Champion Rani Yahya. How many kids have an opportunity to train with top level competitors? Usually it is with a blue belt instructor with under 1 year of training.

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Creating Black Belts

The road to a black belt is a hard journey. Many Brazilian black belts joke that you will lose a couple of body parts to get there. Well, I have suffered many injuries (some serious) and have vowed that it will not happen at OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA.

There is always a smarter way to approach problems - it depends where your vantage point is. Peering from the black belt, I know that more technical training, a slower introduction to free training, and  analysis can circumvent any need for constant hard and injury prone training.

What is the goal? If you want to be the baddest fighter in the world, you have a very long journey. It is only a journey of satisfying your ego since there is really no financial rewards.

Some students, like many other students at other academies, gauge their progress on who they beat that day.  This day-to-day progression will lead to humiliation (yes you will get tapped by a lower belt and it is normal), frustration, and finally, that student will quit in the end.

So what is the goal of getting a black belt? Like anything else in life, it is about not quitting and accomplishing that goal. Whether it is in business or life, accomplishing goals is a powerful way to succeed in life. Having caring instructors can also help with that journey.

It is our goal to help you attain a black belt, but not to compromise your life.

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