Y F*ck Cancer You must celebrate Your wins in life just like we do Jiu-Jitsu. You have earned it and fought for it, literally. I recently finished six weeks of Chemo and Radiation treatment in my fight against brain cancer. At the end of the treatment, it is the tradition of ringing a bell to mark your win in that grueling fight for your life. Today, I mark another win after getting my MRI results to tell how well the treatment worked. Jen and I were frightened as we entered the Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Hospital in Miami. I had 4 weeks off any drugs after treatment to evaluate how m ..read more

Caregivers need to practice self-care and mat time plays a large role in mine. Today’s gratitude list includes early morning classes that allow me to keep training while I support Tom in his fight.   7:30 class has become one of my regulars The post Jiu Jitsu Therapy appeared first on Jiu Jitsu Family. Related posts: No related posts ..read more

Last year we introduced Simba “The Jiu Jitsu Dog”. Today we introduce Odin his partner and buddy. We got Odin at the local animal shelter. We were looking for a friend for Simba and stumbled across Odin who supposedly was the same breed as Simba. He was labeled as a Labrador/Ridgeback, but he seems more like a Ridgeback/Bull terrier. He was very affectionate upon our first meeting and captured my Daughter Logan’s heart.   A FIGHTER AND LOVER CUDDLING WITH OUR BOYS Odin was a street dog before we got him. He was not neutered, had a burnt muzzle, kennel cough, and no t ..read more

My protector odin After nine years of training, my Jiu-Jitsu training has been suspended indefinitely. I was recently diagnosed with grade 3 brain tumor I have 5 tumors in my head from a rare form of cancer known as anaplastic astrocytoma which is fast growing and aggressive.  five months ago I was in Peak condition for a fifty-year-old male, I ran 100 flights of stairs a day and trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu  3 times a week.  My yearly physical was superb and the Docter had nothing for me to improve. My symptoms started small, little things like occasional ..read more

We are grateful for so many things including the opportunity to strengthen our family through Jiu Jitsu, the accompanying smiles, experiences and life lessons, as well as the friends, coaches, mentors & professors we met along the way. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! The post Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving appeared first on Jiu Jitsu Family. Related posts: No related posts ..read more

There is no denying the smile on my face when I’m on the mat. A higher belt once told me that there would be periods along my jiu jitsu journey where my motivation and love for the game would be lacking.  As an eager blue belt, I laughed this off and swore it would never happen to me. But that’s just where I found myself for the last 18 months.  I trained less frequently, lost my hunger for learning and competition, and stopped attending open mats.  And it showed in my jiu jitsu. There were a lot of contributing factors to this slump – and over the last few months, I took a de ..read more

Finding Joy In The Open Air My morning run – on some days I dream up answers to all the world’s problems or process the day before.  Others, I may simply take in all the sights, sounds, and smell of the beach and count my blessings. When I began running about 10 years ago it was all about time, distance and 5k medals, but those things no longer mean much to me. South Florida Sunrise Brings Clarity This past summer I dusted my running shoes off after a two-year break – just one byproduct of some recent and significant changes in my training regimen. The family has moved to a ..read more

Welcome to What’s Hot, a collection of some of the best Brazilian Jiu Jitsu articles from around the net. This collection talks about grip strength, overcoming addiction and depression with BJJ and how to invest in your BJJ future. Enjoy. Here’s How To Increase Your Grip Strength For BJJ BJJ Evolve Vacation There’s no doubt about it, a vice-like grip for BJJ is definitely an advantage. Not only does it help you control your opponent, it also opens many avenues for transitions as well, by ensuring that you are in a stable position. There is a popular misconception that grip strength is just ..read more

Bam!  Pow!  Smash! Zap! Tap? Part 2 Yes, super heroes train Jiu Jitsu too.  For the sake of this article, we are going to ignore the label “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu” and refer to the art in it’s original form as the Japanese hand to hand art of the Samurai.  I will also include a few heroes that have Judo listed in their profiles under “Powers and Abilities”.  I used several sources to gather the information about the martial arts training of the Marvel Super Heroes.  The first resource is the “Marvel Encyclopedia” which is a hardback coffee table book covering the s ..read more

    Welcome to What’s Hot, a collection of some of the best Brazilian Jiu Jitsu articles from around the net. We especially enjoyed the following article showcasing actors who train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Also included in Bjj becoming the new exercise fad and BJJ better than dieting for losing wieght. Enjoy! Actors You Never Knew Trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu       From action movie icons to superheroic stars, Hollywood is filled with A-list actors who train Jiu Jitsu. Whether it’s for a blockbuster role or just a personal fitness goal, stars have begun training ..read more