NEW YEAR SAME US!
We closed out the year strong with several new promotions, and started equally strong this week with an Open Mat on New Years day that saw over 40 people on the mats, 7 different academies, and every belt represented including people doing Jiu-Jitsu for the first time and a rare Open Mat promotion.
It’s our mission at Sanctuary Jiu-Jitsu to share Jiu-Jitsu with as many people as possible, and not just to make them good at Jiu-Jitsu: but to improve their overall wellbeing and life off of the mats. Our Open Mats are an embodiment of this ethos: welcoming, friendly, and always open and free to all! I’m so happy so many people in the local Jiu-Jitsu community come to our Open Mats, and always leave after two hours of hard rounds with a smile on their face.
LAST MINUTE PROMOTIONS
JIM LIECK
One of the most affable – and longstanding! – members of Sanctuary, Jim has been training consistently and diligently through his White and Blue Belt. He has competed at each belt level, fought through adversity on and off the mats, and has really come into his own game and style: developing attacks from the top and bottom that aren’t only challenging to deal with but also challenging to learn. It’s the true sign of a Purple Belt when one starts to develop their own game and responses, utilizing the Fundamentals as a groundwork to further develop their Jiu-Jitsu. In my opinion, Jim is really the epitome of this, and I’m so happy to recognize him as a Purple Belt.
ANDRE OLIVEIRA
Unarguably one of the most skilled rollers in the academy, Andre has been training with us consistently for years. Putting in the work and developing an incredibly strong arsenal of sweeps, passes, and attacks from the top. Andres hip movement and weight placement – as well as attention to fundamental technical detail – have really set him apart amongst the Blue Belts at the academy, and I’m really proud to recognize him as a CTA Purple Belt.
ERIC INMAN
Easily one of the most well-rounded, technical, and physical amongst the higher Blue Belts; Inman is the complete package. I often use Inman as an example of an exemplary student. He is imminently coachable, always looking to learn the technical details that will improve his game. Whenever he is training, I can see him working on the Fundamental techniques that we are studying and/or he’s trying to implement. This diligence, work ethic, and coachability has taken Inman all the way to Purple Belt, but will only serve to skyrocket his game through Purple and all the way to Black. Congrats, Inman!
HOLIDAY PARTY!
This week we announced our annual Holiday Party! This is an event that is free for all of our members and another way for us to show our appreciation for all of you – and hopefully a way for you to show your appreciation for each other! We will again be having Mediterranean food catered in from Banzo. It will be at the same venue as last year: the Evjue Room at the Goodman Community Center, on Friday, January 24th at 6pm. This is in lieu of our evening classes, so if you’d like to train on Friday, come to the 6:30am No Gi Drills class or the noon Fundamentals!
You will need to RSVP for this event by Friday, January 17th! We really hope to see all of you there!
Fundamentals: this week in Fundamentals we studied recovering our Guard from the Turtle position – from when our partner is in front of us, on our side, and behind us with and without grips, including connecting to X Guard. In the only remaining day of Fundamentals (due to the New Years Day Open Mat) we continued with the X Guard, studying ways to stay balanced and on top, as well multiple ways to disentangle ourselves and pass the X Guard.
Advanced: this week in Advanced class we reviewed the basics of the De La Riva Guard. We studied how to off-balance to both sides, and covered the basic movements and mechanics of the Berimbolo from the hip-on-the-mat position.
No Gi: this week in morning No Gi classes, Coach Andrew covered some Open Guard passing options including the Knee Cut pass. On Friday evening we connected our Gi study of the X Guard and learned how to counter the sliding pass by forcing our partner into the Y Guard and sweeping.
This week in Kids’ Class we studied the Turtle position – both recovering the Guard from the Turtle and attacking the Back position from top Turtle, respectively. On Saturday we reviewed the Keylock from Side Control; also learning how to escape the Keylock.