Introductions

FitFeden

I started this group after searching for a BJJ group on here and not finding one. If one already exists we should fold this and I'll gladly join the working group. That being said:

My name is Nick Feden, I train BJJ at Maxercise in Philadelphia under John Desimone, a Saulo Ribeiro Black Belt. I've been training on and off for over a year and used to train Judo 10 years ago. I love BJJ and one of my goals is to get my weight down so I can be a bit quicker and flexible. I started training seriously in 2011, but that got interrupted when my wife and I move and had our baby boy. During that time my weight shot up to 220lbs. By cutting refined sugar out of my diet I have gotten my weight down to 195 and I was able to return to Maxercise in May of this year. I don't get to train as much as I was before, so it's even more important that my diet led the way in weight loss.

I started this group so that others who practice and love BJJ can support eachother in our training and weight management.

Nick

LondonBat57

My name's London Bateman. I train at West-side Academy in Ogden, Utah under Mark Johnson, a Pedro Saur black belt. I've been training for a few years in Gi and no-gi. I've competed in a few tournaments here and there. I joined this group because I love BJJ more than life it self and would always love to meet new and like-minded people. Jiu'jitsu changed my life. I used to be 220lbs, but after training for a few months (and with the help of the Gracie Diet) I've lost 60lbs and compete at around 160-170.

Jay214

I read MJ's book, great book! I haven't got the new one yet but I'm sure I will before long

amiearonson

I just found this group after joining my fitness pal. I am a gold belt in Wado Ryu karate. My sensei is also as white belt in Gracie BJJ
and introduced us to BJJ in class. I really really like it and want to learn more. I completed Gracie' s Woman Empowered and am ready to start more training in BJJ,. I love it even if I am the only female in class.

Jay214

Just a heads up, a white belt is not qualified to teach you BJJ. That sounds like a injury waiting to happen.

FitFeden

Hey guys. I don't get alerts when someone posts in here, so I completely forgot about the group! lol

Anyway, glad to see some other guys who train and want to stay fit/lose weight. My own training has taken quite a hit. We recently bought a house (November) and I'm in the leaving my job in Center City Philadelphia, so I've not made it to my gym in a while. The good news is our new house has enough space for me to create a large mat room and I already have the mats. Also good news is that the new town I'm living in has a great gym, BJJ United. Incredible black belt instructors, one of whom is Wilson Reis, former Bellator lightweight champ! Once I have some extra income, I'm joining up.

FitFeden

Also, for the person who was introduced to BJJ by a white-belt: that's all a white belt is qualified to do, introduce you to BJJ. From there, you really should have instruction from at least a purple belt, preferably brown or black. Fundamentals are so crucial, to fail to learn proper fundamentals can lead to injury and time wasting.

dwphelan

I'm a Blue belt UK Champion under Rafael Lovato Jr. and train with Ribeiro Jiu Jitsu Ireland under Darragh O'Conaill, a brown belt European and UK champion who also recently competed in Lloyd Irvin's BJJ Kumite.

I do Bjj to compete and compete multiple times per month. As my day job involves sitting at a desk all day, I've been finding it increasingly harder to make weight. This all culminated in me missing weight at a recent IBJJF tournament, weighing 76.2kg for the under 76kg division. With the Abu Dhabi pro trials coming up at the end of February, I have to weigh in NoGi at 74kg the day before. On Saturday I weighed myself NoGi and was 76kg, the heaviest I've ever been. Now I'm on a mission to make 74kg comfortably by the 24th of Feb and get down to 73kg, where I can comfortably enter all competitions at lightweight, without having to worry about cutting.

Great to see other Bjj heads here, Osssssss!

FitFeden

Welcome! I'm also in the Ribeiro family. I train at Maxercise in Philadelphia, under John Disimone. White belt, 3 stripes. Like you, I'm sitting at the desk most of the day. Keep up the good work.

AlbionOakley

UK blue belt under Gary Savage, who is a blackbelt uner mario sukata

Have been training for 2 and a bit years, and competed 6 times. Only training once a week at present due to
a) being a new father
b) newfound focus on strength training.

desantis09

Hello,

My name is Louis DeSantis, I am also currently training BJJ under the Easton/Gracie Schools out here in Colorado. Currently hold the rank of Blue Belt been training about 1.5 years in BJJ. Prior to coming across BJJ I wrestled for about 13 years from High School through College.

Right now I am training for my second go at the Pan Ams 2013 this year out in Irvine, Last year in my first tourney I took 2nd Place at Middle weight only 4 months into training BJJ.

If anyone has any great training drills or exercises, I would love to hear them.

Cheers!

jasonpclement

Hello all. glad to have joined. I've been training about 4 yeras and am a purple belt under pete roberts (you all might know him as the owner of bjjweekly/origin gi co.) Bjj got me into health and fitness, and since, I'm now arguable more into health and fitness than I am BJJ. However its always going to be a sport i love.

cepopowski

Hey guys,
I've been training BJJ for 3 1/2 yrs at Carlson Gracie Ct

Looking to add some friends on MFP

aps81

I've been training BJJ on and off for many years in southern California (really more off than on)...after trying all kinds of exercising (from gym/weights to boxing), I've realized training BJJ is the best way to get an all body workout that puts me in my best shape. I do want to get back in (currently purple belt), but am feeling extremely rusty and not ready to jump into a class. Suggestions on drills and pre-training are also something I've looking for and any other advice on getting back into training.

donnasilvadelao

Hi my name is Donna,
I currently have a pink belt in Gracies Woman Empowered, a blue belt in BJJ and a Blue belt in Judo under the USJF. I started training 4 times a week 2 years ago. So far I have lost 30lbs from BJJ and Judo. I'm interested in finding out what kind of training others are doing.

NateWill18

Hey my name is Nate,
Im a 3 stripe white belt at American Top Team in Atlanta under Roan "Jucao" Carneiro. I've been training 4 times a week for about 5 months now and I have the Atlanta Open tom. at Super Heavy Weight. I started out in BJJ at a bulky 245 and now am competing at a slim 217 not including the gi. This site really helped me focus on my cut for the competition

Kev_Red

Hi all,

4 stripe white belt training at Eduardo Fraga, black belt under Ralph Gracie training in Bangkok Thailand.

Trying to drop down a weight division but hold on to my strength & not finding it easy. lol

rubenmorgan

My name is Ruben Morgan. Purple belt under Mauricio Zingano.

I just competed at Masters/Seniors Worlds in Long Beach, CA earlier this month. I was the smallest competitor in my bracket (Masters/Purple/Ultra Heavy) and am looking to drop down to 215 for upcoming tournaments. I went 1-1 there and feel like I'd do better at a lower weight.

garryhashman

Hi,
My name is Garry, and I am a Relson Gracie Blue Belt training in Athens, Ohio. I started GJJ in February 2012 weighing 268 lbs and in 2 weeks I will compete at 184 lbs. I LOVE JIU-JITSU! I am a little fanatical. Hope to learn from you, get to know you, and grow my Jiu-Jitsu family.

Wronkletoad

Hey all,

drf here. An on-again ,off-again due to work (consulting for big pharma, healthcare, medicine). love doing BJJ. in chicago at Brazil 021. Looking to get into shape and being able to manage my work schedule to be able to actually, you know, work out!

jcallejabjj

BOA!!!!!

Peter_Brooklyn

Hey,

I train jiu jitsu 3 to 4 times a week and either boxing or mma twice a week, work permitting. I'm a CCIE and I travel a lot. I am a blue belt under Renzo Gracie. I compete in NAGA, Grapplers Quest and the ibjj opens a couple times a year. I love the ever changing challenge of jiu jitsu.

PlumPetalsFit

Hi! I just joined MFP and am glad to see a BJJ forum here. I've been training on and off for a year. With lots of travel and recently moving to England, my training has been thrown off. I'm currently doing the Gracie Combatives Course but I'm also hoping to find a training academy here that will help me prepare for a competition along the way. I haven't been training for long, but whatever I have done I have really enjoyed. It has done wonders for my confidence!

Kev_Red

Hi PlumsPetal welcome to the group.
It would be great to see this group more active again with more chat, always up for speaking about BJJ.

How's everyone training going, any promotions or medals won lately...please share


Osu

rayfu75

Not sure why I haven't posted in here before. I'm a BJJ blue belt and have been training 4 years. My whole family trains including my wife (who just was promoted to blue last week) my three sons (20, 9, & 5) We train under Gustavo Dantas black belt Chris Lopez and are part of Nova Uniao Arizona.

Matt200goal

Hi to all. Matt, 43 years old, a recently promoted blue belt that started jiu jitsu wanting to do an athletic activity with my teenage sons (14 & 12). Currently 263 - goal to get back to 200, to help my jiu jitsu and most importantly just live a healthy lifestyle. Looking for an "accountability buddy" to help me stay on the path!

stinkyshirt

I'm am very new to BJJ. I train in Gracie BJJ under Jerry Montes. I am not good at it but damn it if I don't try. I used to kickbox a few years back but life took over and I quit and gained SO much weight. I know this is going to help me cut down on my weight.
Mainly, I am doing BJJ because I hear it's easy on the knees (I have a knee injury after a recent trampoline accident). Anyway, glad to make your acquaintance.

jacknikon

Hi everyone!
I'm Jack, 37-year-old female. I've been training BJJ about 5 months (I'm a white belt at Easton Training Center) and I'm completely obsessed (of course). I've always been relatively healthy, and I'm definitely not looking to lose any weight, but I know I could do better with my nutrition to help me train harder and recover faster. So, that's why I'm here: to hold myself better accountable for the food I eat. I'm very happy to make all of your acquaintance!