Archive for March, 2008

Why Train at Valko Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Academy?">
Why Train at Valko Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Academy? Sunday, March 16th, 2008

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is the fastest growing martial art today. Four of five UFC champions hold black belts in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Submission and ground-fighting skills are a must for self-defense, mixed martial arts (UFC style) fighting, and a huge part of being a complete martial artist.

The number of martial arts schools offering Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) in the Chicago area has ballooned over the last few years from three or four to over a dozen. With such high demand and so many choices of schools, why choose to train at the Valko Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Academy?

Our goal is simple: happy, ever-improving BJJ practitioners. In order to reach that goal we have to have quality INSTRUCTION, TRAINING PHILOSOPHY, and ACADEMY.

Instruction: Head instructor Jay Valko has been training in and teaching BJJ for almost a decade. He is a black belt with a competition record that is on par with the best in the Chicagoland area. He has numerous titles in both gi and no-gi competition. While teaching has become his main priority, Jay still competes on a regular basis.

In addition to BJJ, Valko Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Academy offers Boxing and Wrestling instruction. Boxing coach Mark Allen is a Chicago Golden Gloves champion and has an MMA record of 5-1. He is also a blue belt in BJJ. Mark stresses the importance of a good foundation in the art of boxing. Footwork, body movement and proper punching techniques are all taught every Thursday night. Wrestling coach Chad Surles has over twenty years of grappling experience. He is an accomplished wrestler and jiu-jitsu practitioner. Chad teaches wrestling throws and takedowns every Thursday night after Mark’s boxing class.

PHILOSOPHY: The philosophy behind the training at Valko BJJ Academy is that everyone, regardless of physical ability, can and will improve. All classes are beginner friendly and all students are encouraged to help each other to learn and grow as a team. The progress of the student is of the utmost importance at Valko BJJ Academy. The teaching method is simple and effective; one position is started at the beginning of the week and is expanded on for the rest of the week and often the week after. A student attending class on a somewhat regular basis can expect to learn basic techniques from any given position, expand on those techniques throughout the week, and drill these techniques until the student has a very solid grasp of what can and cannot be done from various positions.

Since progress of the student is top priority, a curriculum has been devised for white belts to reach blue belts. This curriculum can be thought of as a road map for advancement. Promotion is not based on time put in or amount of money spent, or some abstract idea of who deserves what. Ability to apply the techniques and to understand how and when these techniques work is the criteria for advancement.

ACADEMY: Valko Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Academy is located at 401 W. Ontario, inside the Symmetry Center in the heart of Chicago. Students of Jiu-jitsu need a clean, safe, and friendly environment in which to train. The mats at Valko BJJ are sanitized everyday, gym includes showers and sauna, and a gi washing service is available.

The first two weeks of training is free. We understand the importance of new students to be comfortable and confident in our academy, so a two-week trial is available to anyone interested. New students do not need to sign a contract and there is no start up fee. Payments are collected monthly. Gis, rashguards, and shorts are available within the academy.

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A Brief History of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu & Carlson Gracie

Sunday, March 16th, 2008

A Brief History of Jiu-jitsu & Carlson Gracie
The Martial Art known as Jiu-Jitsu (The Gentle Art) has existed in Japan for many centuries. Its exact origins are not entirely clear and some would argue that India is its rightful birthplace although there is not enough evidence to support this.
During the Feudalism period in Japan, warriors were taught jiu-jitsu as a form of combat which included throws, ground grappling and strikes. There were many schools that taught jiu-jitsu in Japan but as sociological changes took place, the art of Jiu-Jitsu began to decline.

Jigoro Kano (1860-1938), founder of the Martial Art known as Judo began his Martial Arts career studying Jiu-Jitsu. During his studies, Kano concluded that there were many problems with classical jiu-jitsu. One of these problems included unrealistic training methods where students learned by memorizing choreographed movements called kata. This method of training does not allow for testing your techniques with a resisting opponent, hence introducing his own Martial Art - Judo.

Judo allowed students to train using full force in their technique. These techniques included throws and submission holds. It became very popular in a short period of time. In his quest to spread the art of Judo, Kano sent representatives to the United States in hopes of the art becoming an Olympic Sport. One of the representatives was Mitsuyo Maeda (1878-1941).

Mitsuyo Maeda traveled to North, Central and South America and even Europe. In the Early 1920’s, Maeda traveled to Brazil to start a colony in the North. It is here where Maeda would meet Gastao Gracie who was involved with politics. Gracie would use his political contacts to aid Maeda and in return, Maeda would teach Jiu-Jitsu to Gastao Gracie’s sons.

Carlos Gracie (1902-1994), the oldest of Gastao’s sons learned from Maeda for approximately 2-4 years. When Carlos Gracie had children, each was taught Jiujitsu. Over the years they figured out what worked and what didn’t and eliminated what didn’t. The eldest son, Carlson Gracie, was taught Jiujitsu as soon as he could crawl. At the age of 17, Carlson entered in his first Vale Tudo (no rules) fight against Valdemar Santana. Carlson considered this fight as a defense of his family honor because Santana had defeated Carlson’s uncle, Helio Gracie, in a previous bout. He won on that day, beginning a career-long undefeated streak. Carlson started his own school of Jiujitsu in Rio de Janerio. Carlson’s school became know for producing some of the world’s greatest champions.

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