Royce Gracie, 6’1” and 180 lbs, breaks the arm of a much larger opponent, one of the tallest and heaviest sumo wrestlers in the world, Akebono Taro who is 6’8” and 514 lbs. This feat is only possible through the most effective martial art, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Jiu Jitsu translated from Japanese roughly
means “the gentle art.” This match, along with many others, may not seem gentle to those uneducated in the sport, but in reality it can be. Jiu Jitsu is not necessarily about the attack, but reacting to your opponent’s attack and turning it into your advantage. This is what makes Jiu Jitsu effective. The ability to be flexible and conform to your attacker until you can maximize on their weaknesses, is what makes it a perfect art. At Reflex Jiu Jitsu I have always been taught to first gain a dominant position, through feints
and exposing weaknesses so I can finish the fight quickly and effectively. The instructors at Reflex strive to teach you how to capitalize on your opponents through proper technique and discipline.

The old saying that “practice makes perfect” fits in with the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu very well. BJJ is the knowledge of moves that help you take advantage of any situation. These moves must be practiced on a regular basis or they will either be forgotten or useless, in the fact that they no longer work because you
cannot remember the proper mechanics. Let’s say that you get into a situation where a fight is imminent and you want to avoid confrontation, but the aggressor sees it differently. He takes a swing at you and lands a hay-maker. This is the worst case scenario in any fight, the aggressor wins and you end up either severely hurt or unconscious. The best case scenario would be that you have been training diligently for weeks and as soon as he gets ready to throw the punch, you instinctively protect your face and move in for a takedown into a quick submission, whether it is a choke to quickly incapacitate them, or a lock of some kind to subdue them. With diligent training and passion, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will allow you to make the best of any unfortunate situation you may come across.

One of the greatest features we have on our website ( Reflexbjj.com), is the page titled “Technique of the month”.  The page is dedicated to showcasing videos about Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  Each month a video will be posted showing technique, theories on technique, high level technique, basic technique, and even a discussion that involves the Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community/lifestyle.  The videos have the instructors from Reflex Jiu Jitsu explaining the technique in detailed steps for the viewers.  Some technique is filmed during class, this allows even new viewers to get an idea of what our Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes are about.  Some technique could focus mostly on something our students are struggling with and we will address it for a reference.  The videos will also range from cool highflying moves that seem fun or high percentage and the basic techniques that are used to build a solid foundation in Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  The videos may help or at least push you in the right direction for your next training session. So don’t forget to leave comments or even suggestions for the next technique of the month.

At Reflex Jiu Jitsu in Bloomsburg, PA you will notice we spend a large amount of our time “rolling”.  Rolling is a slang word used in Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to describe live sparring.  Half of our adult BJJ class is dedicated for this type of practice.  Rolling has been known to be a very important part in the learning process in Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  It allows our students to test the technique they have learned in class. You will roll with several students with different weight, size, leverage, speed, resistance and experience that can constitute to be an advantage or disadvantage.  Different technical moves will help you achieve submissions, escapes, sweeps, scrambles, and dominate positions.  All of these different variations will make your technique become more applicable in a real life situation.  The techniques you will be taught can be drilled over and over again but a true live match puts them to the test.

Now this is sometimes intimidating for new students.  That is why a very important system goes along with live sparring here at Reflex.  You must have completed a certain amount of classes or have had prior experience to be able to participate.  The matches are controlled by a timer set for five minute rounds with a minute rest in between to switch partners.  Times may be increased for such classes such as the competition class.  All students start their matches in a kneeled position.  Stand-up matches are also frequent but are for students that are experienced in falling properly (break- falling).   “Taping” is used for stopping a match when a student is caught in a submission or feeling in danger of being injured. The instructors at Reflex will be monitoring the matches also to prevent injury by stopping a match if they feel it is necessary.  Every member at Reflex will never be forced to participate in a live sparring match, only encouraged! So slap hands and get rolling. ossss

5. BJJ Promotion System – The ranking system in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is unlike any other belt system in martial arts today. Much like Karate, Kung Fu, Taekwondo, and most other forms of martial arts, there is still a colored ranking system that signifies the rank and ability level of each student. That is where the similarities end though. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, achieving those individual ranks can be much much harder and demanding. The average time for an individual to receive there black belt in BJJ is somewhere between 10 and 15 years. In fact most students will practice this art for well over a year and a half to be awarded the first rank of blue belt. Because of this ranking system and its long intervals, the instructor is able to evaluate each individual student and assure that they are absorbing all of the required techniques and theories to be efficient and practical with there knowledge in the art of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

4. Jiu Jitsu is True, Tried, and Tested – Its no secret that Gracie Jiu Jitsu is responsible for what we see today as the UFC and any other mixed martial arts promotion. Back in the early days of UFC, it was created for one reason and one reason only… to showcase the brilliant and wonderful techniques of Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I would say that there was an overwhelming success in there motives. Even today as we watch The Ultimate Fighter, Pride Fighting Championships, Strikeforce or any other promotion in MMA we continually hear the term Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The days of other traditional martial arts being relevant in MMA are long gone. The Gracie family did a good job of overwhelming all other said masters of arts like Karate and Tang so do and quickly removing them from the vocabulary’s of commentators across the globe.

3. Real Live 100% Sparring – While practicing your techniques in martial arts it is not common to ever really train with your partners at 100%. This in in big part because of the fear of injury and in some cases even death. One of the most beautiful things about BJJ is the fact that this is not the case at all. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes all across the globe students are able to engage in full contact sparring every single day. Jiu Jitsu literally translates to the “gentle art”. Practicing the “gentle art” makes it possible to practice what you are learning with out the worry of injuring any of your training partners. Not that there are never any injury’s or accidents in Jiu Jitsu but they are definitely far less common allowing you to maximize your training and your practice

 2. Leverage and gravity – When you were in elementary school you learned about simple machines. One of those simple machines was a lever. You also learned about the elements and characteristics of our planet Earth. Remember Issac Newton and the infamous apple incident? That’s right, gravity. Now you put those two things that you learned about while in grade school and you have the two of the most simple but effective and proven concepts known to man. Guess what? Both of them are used and mastered in Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. How can you go wrong with that? No other martial art uses these two concepts with the accuracy and theory that BJJ does. Need I really say more about this subject?

1.Uses Only the Most Effective Techniques – Over a period of time some of the techniques that we learn in all types of martial arts become a bit of a mystery, or moves that we just end up assuming work. In other situations the moves we learn are just that, moves. These moves or techniques never take into account any variables that may happen during an altercation with an aggressive attacker. Plain and simple, things don’t always go as planned. Unlike martial arts such as Karate, Taekwondo, Tang so do, etc, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu addresses these variables. You never just learn a move and a move alone in BJJ, you learn the technique, how to use the technique in a large number of situations, you learn how to counter the technique, and you learn counters for the counters and so on. In many cases the moves that don’t have a very high percentage of effectiveness have been omitted from the lessons that you will receive in a typical Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class or Gracie Jiu Jitsu class.

Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has become a well known martial art used for effective self-defense.  Another side of Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the highly competitive competition circuit.  We have members here at Reflex Jiu Jitsu that have the “itch” and want to test their Jiu Jitsu skills in competitions.  Even know you compete individually, we are setting up practices to form a strong team.  We want to motivate ourselves to reach our best potential when it comes time to compete.

So for us to have a strong team, we must be able to rely on each other.  Making sure we help each other train and train hard.  So guidelines are set and must be met in order to compete with the Reflex Team.  One of the most important guidelines will be your attendance.  Three competition classes are scheduled every week.  At least one class must be attended each week to meet the team requirements.  If you are faced with an emergency, or illness that restrains you from attending all three classes in the week, a call must be made to provide a reason for your absences.

The Reflex competition Team also has many incentives and advantages along with our requirements.  Some of the benefits are well organized competition plans or arrangements, Gi/Kimono whole sale account prices,  personal training with all the veteran grapplers and instructors at Reflex and much more.  With every dedicated member that joins, the stronger our team will grow towards success.  If you would like more information on joining the team, feel free to ask the head instructor Jay or assistant instructor Paul at anytime after/before class, by phone, or email.  Thanks guys, see you at the academy. osssss

Reflex Jiu Jitsu,

info@reflexbjj.com

Reflex Jiu Jitsu was recently visited by Ryan Brinkman.  Ryan is a two striped Brown belt instructor from the Daniel Moraes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school in Jacksonville, Florida.  He has been studying around 13 years under the multi-champion Daniel Moraes.  Everyone here at Reflex Jiu Jitsu was super excited to have Ryan come in and train with us.  He was nice enough to come in and share some of his Jiu Jitsu knowledge that he has complied through out the years,  including a great tip he picked up from a Rickson Seminar.  Ryan spoke of possible future training sessions and even throwing around the idea of a seminar with Daniel Moraes.   So everyone at Reflex would like to thank Ryan for taking time out from his travels so he could stop by  for a visit.  You can check out the website DanielMoraesbjj.com to see more information on Ryan and where he instructs.  We hope to see him back soon. osssss

looking at the picture above you will see a white belt student named Rico Mancino.  He is one of our most dedicated students here at Reflex Jiu Jitsu in Bloomsburg, PA.  Rico is a prime example on how hard work pays off.  Rico trains multiple times a week including mornings at our affiliate school Scranton MMA.  So no matter how busy Rico’s life might seem, he always finds time for some Jiu Jitsu. Rico is more then just a student and a great training partner but also a great friend.  That is why we are proud to announce that Rico earned his Blue belt this month.  Rico was awarded his Blue belt by our head instructor Jeff Reese after winning the under 200 division at this years bragging rights 3 competition.  Everyone here at Reflex Jiu Jitsu would like to congratulate Rico on his accomplishment and We all look forward to seeing him succeed in the future.  So it only seems right to show a picture of Rico now wearing his Blue belt proudly below.

Reflex would like all of our members to try and compete or come watch at the upcoming tournament held by our affliate school Scranton MMA on December 10th.  Its only 10 dollars! it starts at 11 a.m. and is a full day event.  In the past the divisions were also under and over 200 lbs.  Now for the 3rd annual bragging rights competition a purple belt division has been added along with white and blue belt.  Every year their are highlighted matches and friendly competitive challenges.  If you are not able to compete we suggest you watch all the exciting action.  Hope to see you all there! ossss

Friday the eighteenth and Tuesday the twenty second of November, Reflex Jiu Jitsu was at Bloomsburg High school.  Head Instructor Jay Moore and assistant Instructor Paul Kunkel took a full hour to educate students on Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in gym class.  Not only did the students learn the history, physical, and mental benefits but were also able to try the moves/techniques taught in class.  Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is helping the new generations around the world by keeping children healthy, active and safe.  So we would like to thank William Perkins  for giving us the opportunity to show the students.  The Bloomsburg students did several warm-up exercises followed by techniques used for self-defense purposes. Every student was very respectful and we were honored to teach them.  We hope to come back soon, we are always excited to spread the good nature of Jiu Jitsu.  If you need any information on the class or would like to have us teach at a school near you, feel free to contact us.

(570)-854-3444
info@reflexbjj.com

                    Daily operations at Reflex Jiu Jitsu in Bloomsburg, PA keep our academy safe and clean for everyone. The gym space used to train is kept clear and cleaned after every session/class.  Members and visitors are educated on the proper hygiene necessary to participate.  Instructors monitor class to help prevent injuries from occurring.  We are “built on pride”, staying clean and safe is one part that makes us a great place to train.

                    When it comes to gym space, Reflex Jiu Jitsu tries to keep everyone organized. Right from the entrance you will notice chairs for visitors to watch safely on the side followed by a cooler filled with drinks to replenish your thirst and keep you hydrated. Next is the shoe rack for anyone that needs to remove their shoes before stepping on the mats.  In the back we have a bathroom, changing rooms, and lounge area.  The lounge area has a place to sit, shelves and lockers for personal items and a fully padded floor.

                    Since everyone trains together at Reflex Jiu Jitsu, personal hygiene is an important part of keeping our environment clean and safe.  Instructors will inform you with the necessary procedures.  Some procedures are; washing your uniform after every class/training session, showering before and after class, maintaining cut/trimmed toe/fingernails and keeping any cuts or scraps covered before participating.  We try to make every one’s experience safe and enjoyable.  So don’t forget to help and keep your hygiene procedures frequent to benefit yourself and everyone around you.

                 Reflex Jiu Jitsu has instructors that spend countless time instilling our members with the proper technique/moves. We also monitor class so that injury can be prevented.  One part in our Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class that is watched thoroughly is when members are sparring (rolling).  We can pin point the right time to stop a match to ensure the safety of the participants.  We want everyone to learn in a progressive atmosphere with the option to stop at any point to make sure that it is always practice and never a situation that turns into someone getting hurt.

                  So if your are looking to visit, become a member, or even looking for an academy nearest you remember to take your safety seriously.  Reflex Jiu Jitsu will uphold an environment that can provide for anyone.  Reflex would also like to take this time to thank all of our current members for following the correct procedures that make it possible for all of us to train safely every class.  For any other information email us at info@reflexbjj.com or call us at (570)-854-3444.