brazilian jiu jitsu

Ex-Navy SEAL Commander On Why He Trains Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Jan 1, 2018 ·

Jocko Willink talks about the importance of training BJJ, developing personal power, the mental and physical skill sets that allow athletes to compete in MMA at a high level.

Check it out. Great insight into a high level achiever.

https://youtu.be/qYPMwFemmIo

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu took off in the US when Royce Gracie entered the 1st UFC back in 1993.

In the US, this was the beginning of what is now known as MMA.

Royce Gracie went on to win 3 out of the first 4 UFCs, submitting all opponents in the process.

In 1995, our head coach Marc Hagebusch was fortunate to become one of the first Texans to train BJJ when Carlos Machado came to Dallas. Carlos Machado is a cousin of the Gracie family and the eldest brother of the legendary Machado Brothers.

Coach Marc was training Judo at the time under the legendary Vince Tamura.

He continued training both highly effective combat sports, Judo and BJJ.

In 1999, Coach Marc moved to Texarkana to take over a clinic and began sharing his Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, and Self Defense.

At the time, the only styles available in Texarkana were Karate and Tae Kwon Do.

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu began in 1999 and still continues today with popular kids and adult programs… plus Fitness Programs, Cardio Kickboxing, and Weight Loss.

If you’re interested in finding out more about what we offer OR if you would like to try a Free First Class, send us an email or call us and we’ll get it set up for you!

How To Achieve Like An Olympic Gold Medalist

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Dec 30, 2017 ·

How To Hit Major Goals and Achieve More In Your Life!

This is taken in part from an article by ’96 Olympic Gold Medalist in Wrestling, Kendall Cross.

Wrestling is a tough sport and considered the original combat sport that pits 2 people against each other in a physical contest. It pre-dates Brazilian Jiu jitsu, Judo, and MMA.

This post is re-written to simplify Cross’ thoughts on accomplishment, so that it can help you whether you live in Texarkana or elsewhere.

You can really learn a lot from high performers in any areas.

**There is a reason that high achievers are successful, it’s not by chance.**

What’s different?

Those that achieve the most, generally have a much different mindset from those that don’t achieve at a high level.

Here Cross talks about Goal Setting…

“In considering how you should approach the upcoming season, you must develop your long-term and short-term goals.”

Now here’s the twist.

We don’t all have a wrestling season or even a competitive season. This can create some ambiguity.

We may not have a hard, specific start and end point for a particular goal.

BUT we must think about hitting a target by a hard end point.

In Jiu Jitsu, this is one of the strong values of competing.

Once you sign up to compete, you are committed.

The end point will not change, you must change in order to be ready for that day.

This is one of the main reasons we hold regular in school competitions at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu.

BUT what if you’re not competing?

This is where we must exercise some real discipline.

You have to think of achieving your goals as a competition.

You can essentially set up a competitive season for yourself with a target end point, a specific date AND what you must do in order to be ready for that specific day.

If you need to lose 20 pounds in 60 days, do it.

If you need to be able to hit a specific takedown or guard sweep against a specific opponent or a group of training partners in 60 days or 90 days, do it.

Let’s look at how to hit those targets.

Going back to Cross’ plan…

Consider what you want to achieve this year, and then set a plan for achieving.

Think about what you need to do daily, weekly, and monthly in pursuit of your dream.

Follow that plan with specific training to accomplish your goals.

“…for the serious wrestler.”

OR for those that are serious about achieving more in their life…

Here’s the plan for you to hit those high targets, your dreams.

Set very lofty written goals for yourself. “If your goals are merely average, then your accomplishments will be merely average.” Makes sense.
Set a major end goal then break it into smaller minor goals necessary to hit the end date on that major goal.
Make a plan of what you have to do to hit those minor goal targets at specific dates. Cross calls the plan to hit those minor targets ‘the blueprint’ for achievement.
Do whatever it takes. Put in the hard work. “People that work hard toward their goals tend to attain their goals.”

In the article Cross goes on to talk about the importance of keeping those goals in front of you so you’re constantly reminded about what you want to accomplish.

Write your goals down on paper.

This will give you a visual reminder that you can refer to at any time.

“While training for the Olympics, I placed my goals all over my house. By doing this, I could constantly be reminded of my daily objectives.”

“For example, on my fridge, I placed a sign that said “Eat right & you will win!”

Over my bed, I placed a sign that said “Get up & work out while your opponent sleeps!”

You do not win an Olympic Gold Medal by chance.

You also don’t hit your goals by chance… whether it’s losing weight, developing a new technique, winning a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition, OR anything else that is important to you.

What YOU need to accomplish is much more important. Your life is much more important.

As the New Year rolls in, make a solid commitment to set big goals and get serious about hitting them.

You’ll be shocked at what you can accomplish in your life.

It’s never too late.

Get started, stay the path, see what you can really do in your own life.

We’re holding a Free Workshop about how to hit health, fitness, and weight loss goals in Texarkana. Click Here to sign up for it.

What is Ju Jitsu (vs Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)?

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Oct 1, 2017 ·

Japanese JuJutsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), and it’s Evolution As A Combat Sport. Texarkana Martial Arts

Jujutsu is a traditional martial arts style which originated in Japan.

We often think of Japanese Jujitsu visualizing a little guy dancing around throwing attackers effortlessly as they come at him with choreographed attacks (similar to karate kata).

This was partially a function of the practices. The reality is though that in the old days of Japanese JuJitsu, it was not taught in a safe manner. Often severe injuries and even deaths occurred in training.

This is in contrast to the way many Japanese JuJitsu practices are run today. Most emphasize the kata-like movements and others integrate resistance sparring in an intelligent way. It really varies widely from school to school.

Pre-Organized Katas and Forms

These were often practiced relentlessly without resistance in Feudal Japan.

In the olden days these choreographed katas and ‘forms’ allowed masters to pass the movements down to their students in a time when so many couldn’t read and they weren’t filming everything to put up on their Facebook page.

Many styles of Japanese Ju Jitsu were modified and consolidated into the style of Judo by Jigoro Kano.

Kano organized techniques from various Ju Jitsu styles into a logical system and developed a way of training that allowed practitioners to practice safely so that they could continue training over longer periods of time in order to develop higher levels of skill.

Several other styles continued on as individual styles of Japanese Ju Jitsu and Aikido (which also grew out of the style).

Ju Jitsu was the martial arts style originally developed as a foundational martial art of samurai combat fighting techniques.

The samurais used the style as a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent. This was used against armored opponents that had no weapon or a short weapon.

Judo and JuJitsu / Jiu Jitsu Spreads Throughout the World

Many styles of Ju Jitsu were taught in Japan. Some of these styles made their way out and to the rest of the world as Japanese practitioners migrated to other countries.

Brazil was on of the locations that attracted many Japanese settlers. It still has a fairly large Japanese population today.

Old school Judo was a fighting style that spread to the world including Brazil where it ultimately gave rise to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

It happened when one of Jigoro Kano’s students migrated to Brazil and spread Judo/Jiu Jitsu to the local Brazilians, including a young man with the now well known last name of Gracie.

The most well known Jiu Jitsu style today is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu because of it’s rapid spread throughout the world since giving birth to the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) in 1993, where the style proved it’s effectiveness in combat.

All styles of Ju Jitsu and Judo focuses on using the opponent’s aggressiveness, energy, and momentum against him.

This concept is essential in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

This type of re-direction and use of opponent’s energy allows a smaller person to defeat a much larger one in combat or self defense.

JuJutsu focused it’s techniques primarily on throws, chokes, and joint locks. This was because of several factors. The samurais were often wearing armor, making most striking less effective.

The samurai also discovered that grappling allowed smaller fighters to defeat larger ones by placing the opponent in a position where they would no longer be a threat and could easily be defeated.

Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu have kept much of these emphasis as the styles evolved into both systems of martial arts and very popular sports.

Want To Try A Texarkana Jiu Jitsu Class?

We offer classes for everyone ages 4 through adult. No experience necessary!

Call Us: (903) 793-1085 Email Us: TexarkanaJiuJitsu@gmail.com

Chuck Norris, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Sep 12, 2017 ·

What Would Chuck Norris Do?

You may know that I started my training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 1995 with Carlos Machado, a cousin to the Gracies (his mother was a Gracie). Coach Marc Hagebusch with Carlos Machado BJJ 2000

Carlos’ first studio was on the set of Walker, Texas Ranger.

I started my training there, on the set of Walker as one of Carlos’ first students in Texas.

We used to have to walk through the set to the back room through the little gym area that is often shown on Walker to a relatively small matted room.

It was amazing to be able to train there with such an amazing instructor and I did have the great fortune to meet and speak with Chuck Norris there.

Chuck has been a lifelong martial artist and began training in BJJ when it became obvious that the style was so effective as a form of self defense and critical to becoming a well rounded martial artist.

Chuck choose one of the best in the world to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under, Carlos Machado.

Chuck is a black belt in BJJ under the Machados.

He also requires Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training in order to become a black belt in his style of martial arts.

What would Chuck Norris Do?

Train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, of course!

The Truth About Martial Arts

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Sep 7, 2017 ·

News Team takes a group of Martial Artists to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school so that they can demonstrate the effectiveness of their art. The results are shocking, but not in the way you might imagine…

Martial Arts, Realistic Application, Self Defense, and Honesty

Check out the news video below that shows a reporter going to a pressure point school and then taking the pressure point advocates to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school.

I think you’ll come away with a better understanding of what I was describing above, plus you’ll get to see…

The power of placebo.
A pressure point attack on the female news reporter, “You just hit me in the head.” LOL
A lot of confused Brazilian Jiu Jitsu students… “Are you feeling dizzy?” “No, not really.”
A pressure point attack against a UFC fighter.
Plus, you get to hear the Master himself answer the question, “What went wrong?” You’ll be surprised to hear his answer.

“Special” Self Defense Martial Arts Video…

I was talking with a couple of Texarkana Jiu Jitsu students recently.

One of them mentioned that an acquaintance of his keeps asking him to go to a seminar so he can learn pressure point knockouts.

I really believe that there are a lot of things that people can get out of various martial arts.

Most martial arts, regardless of style offer something of value to the people taking them.

Some of the benefits will be physical like exercising and getting into shape, other benefits might revolve around mental benefits like reducing stress, improving discipline, joining a group of positive individuals, creating new positive habits, setting (and accomplishing goals), etc…

Other people enjoy learning about another culture (some traditional martial arts emphasize history and the culture from which the art originated, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tends to place a little less emphasis on this).

All of these can be good reasons to train in a martial art.

Really there are many different reasons to train in martial arts and if someone finds something that they really enjoy doing that provides them with the benefits that they want, then they should keep training in it.

Having said all that, some martial artists are frauds.

I’m sorry, it’s the truth.

You can’t claim that something works and then completely fail to back up your claim when it’s tested… Just be honest about what your teaching.

I could tell you so many stories about students that have some in from other martial arts and attempted to use pressure point attacks during training with me and my students.

Never once has this resulted in anything but a quick loss to the person attempting to use this tactic.

On one occasion a pressure point expert was grappling with James, who was a blue belt at the time. He kept reaching up with one arm from the guard attempting to use a pressure point attack on James’ neck… with the intention of knocking him out, I guess.

Who knows, maybe he was trying to kill him.

It’s really hard to say, but what I can tell you is that he was armbarred over and over again.

It’s often not really the students fault as they were taught and sold something that did not work and would likely get them seriously hurt in a real confrontation.

In some cases, who knows… maybe even their instructor may have believed what he was teaching.

This is the problem in untested martial arts.

The truth is found in martial arts techniques when the techniques are used against an opponent that is using his/her skills and techniques to try to defeat you.

It may be done in sparring and it may be done in a ‘real life‘ situation.

Combat Sports like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, Sambo, MMA (mixed martial arts), Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Boxing all train techniques that can be used against a resisting opponent. If it doesn’t work, then it won’t exist in these combat based martial arts.

Other martial arts may not adopt this same philosophy.

Often techniques are trained as part of tradition or because of speculation that the techniques may work. There is no problem with tradition, the only thing I would like to see in arts like that shown above is honesty.

It’s ok if you’re training something that doesn’t work. It might be fun to do so or maybe there is some other type of benefit… just be honest about it. If someone enjoys the training, then they should continue doing what they enjoy.

At Texarkana Jiu Jitsu, we do not train techniques that will not work against a resisting opponent. We do it in a safe way, so that everyone can enjoy the training and constantly improve.

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for Everyone Ages 4 and Up!

Call Us: (903) 793-1085 Email Us: TexarkanaJiuJitsu@gmail.com