Lobo Academy Seminar Recap

With a small crew that included Jerry Cunningham, Paul Heatherman, Chris Acarregui, and Donald Bowerman, RDA journeyed from Bend to Clackamas Oregon for the grand opening celebration of the Lobo Academy.  The facility is fantastic, spacious and well laid out, clean and coordinated with the official colors of yellow and blue.  The seminar was grade A, and each of the 50+ participants grew from the exposure to high level teachers.

Kicking off the four part seminar weekend was Rey Diego, a fourth degree Carlson Gracie black belt with an Academy in Los Angeles.  Saying hello to the Professors in the morning, I was surprised that Professor Diego remembered me from a visit to his school as a purple belt, with my friend Andre Anderson, who was at that time a brown belt under Rey (he has since received his black belt and is very generous with his knowledge in the online BJJ community). 

His seminar was a treat for me, going over single leg variations, a fantastic sweep with the De La Riva Hook, followed by a beautiful choke/armlock submission chain from the S mount .  I had studied his DVD’s before, but nothing is like seeing an instructor in person.  Professor Diego is dynamic in his techniques, and a very powerful man.  Technically, this was the most intensive seminar of the weekend, both in the numbers of techniques and their level of difficulty. 

When partnering up, I worked with several white belts during the weekend.  It was fun to be a student, ask questions, and just train. As a black belt, I was included in the line of instructors, and it was an honor to stand next to Relson Gracie (9th degree), Pedro Sauer (7th degree), Luis Heredia (4th degree), and Rey Diogo (4th degree).  Allen Hopkins, a second degree black belt instructor under Professor Sauer, was also there, along with Rylan Lizarus, who was awarded his black belt by Pedro Sauer himself on the first day of the seminar.  Professor Gracie and Sauer both wore the coveted red and black belts, while Luis and Rey’s black belts looked faded and worn.  Mine looked very dark in comparison.  One could almost say it was brand new.

I watched Rylan roll a bit with one of the purple belts from the club he founded in Corvallis, before moving to Hawaii. I was duly impressed, as it was light, technical, with plenty of hand feints and true economy of movement.  Rylan and I got to have a smooth and fluid roll at the end of the first day, when the colored belts were asked to demonstrate live jiu jitsu for the white belts, with a few different partners.  Professor Sauer frequently used the term “very talented” to describe him while awarding him the black belt, which should say it all!

Professor Sauer led the afternoon session, and after years of hearing how exceptional his instruction is, I was not disappointed.  Articulate and professional, he radiated positivity and I instantly knew why he had been voted “Best of the Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor” in a worldwide poll conducted by the renowned Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC), and is considered to be one of the most technical BJJ professionals in the world.  If you haven’t seen it already, his fight against Mr. Utah is a classic in Gracie Jiu Jitsu history.

Luis Heredia was Rickson Gracie’s right hand man for many years, coming with him to the United States as a blue belt.  The techniques he showed on Sunday morning were high percentage, including a nice inside trip to ankle pick combination that I often use, followed by a double drop knee seionage, which was the cherry on top.  Limao, as he is also known, was a very warm man, who shared not only his techniques but his story of how jiu jitsu is his lifestyle, affecting every aspect of his being, and shapes how he relates to others. He also spoke encouraging words to those beginning the BJJ journey, telling them there will be good and bad days of training, and that at every belt level, even he considered quitting.  Professor Heredia was humble, inspiring, honest, and openly gave the a secret of jiu jitsu away:  always control the head and hips.

Finally, Professor Relson Gracie shared his wealth of experience on Sunday afternoon.  He shared “basic” techniques, but in a way so perfect, it made me rediscover them.  His palm up palm up collar choke, which I asked him to perform on me, was unlike any other I had experienced.  Fast and biting, it felt more like metal hooks than flesh and bone cutting off my blood supply.  The mount defenses he showed were elegantly simple, and also took questions on the half guard, showing a few techniques I had actually never seen.  His depth of knowledge and vitality were unparalleled, and I was grateful he made the journey from Hawaii to Oregon.

I also bumped into old friends, including Miguel Morejohn, who was an old training partner from Claudio Franca’s Academy.  I also made new several new ones, including Chris LeBlanc, who recognized me from posting on Aikiweb.  We had a quick discussion on the internal skills debate ongoing in the Aikido community, and shared a roll before lunch.

Thanks go out to Professor Anibal Lobo and Mario Sifuentez, program director for the Academy, for the invitation to participate and for running such a large event so smoothly.  I will do my best to support their future seminars and continue to develop the relationship with the Lobo Academy and all the black belt instructors who generously shared their time and knowledge.