CTA CAMP 2025
Apologies for the delay of the Academy News! I was in attendance at the Caio Terra Association (CTA) Affiliate camp at CTA Headquarters in San Jose, California. Every year Professor Caio holds a camp around the IBJJF San Jose Open, welcoming all of his many affiliates to HQ to train, learn directly from him in dedicated affiliate-only classes (sometimes three hours long!), and compete – or support our teammates! – in the IBJJF Open.
This year – like every year – we were exposed to incredibly high-level Jiu-Jitsu and instruction. What struck me most this year, however, was the culture at HQ. Like at Sanctuary, everyone is incredibly open, friendly, and welcoming. Walking through the front doors to attend evening Fundamentals (CT-A/B) and Advanced (CT-C) classes is like walking into a party. People gather in groups around the very large and open lobby, lounge, and bathroom area talking, laughing, and generally having a great time. The mats are packed with people already warming up, drilling, rolling. The atmosphere is charged with energy not just for training and socializing, but for learning. It’s truly unique and hard to describe. Everyone is so focused on learning and drilling the curriculum: and it shows in their Jiu-Jitsu.
The other thing that always hits me when I’m at CTA Camp is that we at Sanctuary are a part of something much larger. We have a network of academies, instructors, and students that can support us in everything that we do and that come together every year to meet, train with, and learn from each other.
I had a great time this year, and learned a lot. Thank you so much to Karen, Ryan, JJ, and Jim for teaching all of my classes and keeping the academy together while I was gone. Next year I would like to make an effort to bring a large group of people from our academy to represent Madison at HQ. If you’re interested in going next year and have any questions about it, please reach out and let me know!
COMMUNITY PARTY!
Thank you so much to everyone who came out to our Holiday/End of Year/New Year/I-don’t-know-what-exactly-to-call-it party! Every year is bigger and better than the last. It’s exciting, humbling, and inspiring to see everyone in community and in normal clothing, socializing and having a good time off the mats.
During and immediately after the party I was reminded of – and musing about – the fact that the best Jiu-Jitsu academies aren’t “just gyms.” They are communities. Even more than your average fitness gym; because in Jiu-Jitsu we need to work together to improve. In order to improve we need to implicitly trust each other – and in a very elementary way. During training, our lives are quite literally in each others hands. At your place of work and even in your friend groups, you will most likely be surrounded by people of a similar social, political, economic, and/or cultural background. That is not true for Jiu-Jitsu, and furthermore: those things don’t matter on the mats. We are able to touch our basic humanity, and that of those we share the mats with. You will meet, support, and be supported by people with whom you would never come into regular contact were it not for this art. We are all here to help each other grow, support each other, and keep each other safe. These bonds we build on the mats carry over into our lives. I have seen friendships, marriages, and business relationships start on the Jiu-Jitsu mats. Jiu-Jitsu is the reason we all come together, but sometimes – often – the reason we stay is the community.
I love you all and am so proud of everything that each and every one of you contributes to the community and culture here at Sanctuary.
THE RETURN OF AARON BROOKS
Aaron was our very first Guest Instructor, and for good reason! Aaron and his entire crew at Pica Pau Jiu-Jitsu are such incredible people doing really great and special things within the Jiu-Jitsu community. We both prioritize and champion a people-first philosophy in our academies and really emphasize the importance of a healthy culture. He was the first person I wanted to reach out to do this series and I’m so happy we saw eye-to-eye and he was able to come out and share his Jiu-Jitsu with us.
Fast forward more than a year later and he’s back! This time doing a Topside Omoplata/Monoplata clinic in the Gi. We’re super excited for this, last time was a blast and so many people have requested Aaron’s return.
This clinic will be free for all Sanctuary and Pica Pau members! Non-members will pay our $25 drop-in fee. The clinic will be held on Friday, February 7th at 6pm. All other classes will be canceled this evening, so to hit up the Fundamentals lesson of the day, make sure to come out to the noon class! We look forward to seeing all of you there!
Fundamentals: this last week in Fundamentals we studied the Rear Naked Choke from the Back and then moved on to studying two sweeps that utilize the same function of trapping our partners’ ankle and opening their knee to force an off-balance: the SLX Double Ankle sweep and the Catucada sweep from Closed Guard.
Advanced: in Advanced class we studied the Omoplata, focusing on the details of maintaining pressure to keep our partners broken down and forcing them to defend by taking greater risks, and ultimately advancing to the Omoplata Crucifix when our partner defends by rolling.
No Gi: in No Gi we studied connecting the Knee Slide to the Leg Drag pass from Open Guard and also attacking the Waiter/X Guard from Deep Half.
In Kids’ Class we worked on the Rear Naked Choke, with a focus on making our chokes nice and tight without hurting our partners. We then moved on to study some sweeps in the SLX Double Ankle and Closed Guard Double Ankle (Kids!) Sweep, with some further study on how to open the Closed Guard.
Also CONGRATS! to Gwen on earning a new stripe and to Cordelia, Lincoln, River, Gabe, and Lars on their new belts! You’ve all been doing such a great job applying yourself, working hard, and being great teammates. Let’s keep it up!