Archive for June, 2009
Posted on June 29, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
Children’s Summer Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Martial Art, and Gymnastics
Children’s Summer Karate Jiu Jitsu and Martial Art Summer Camp Class Starts up at West Hartford and East Windsor CT Royce Gracie SuperKids.
Paul Bratslavsky, co-creator with Jim Hughes and Royce Gracie MMA, announces the opening of the 2009 afternoon and saturday summer camp. “Assistants, Katie and Janis are eager to help parents give their children a fun, safe, and meaningful summer experience” reports Mr. Bratslavsky.
Judith, a West Hartford parent from last summers martial art camp, said “my kids loved the SuperKids Karate Classes. They learned all kinds of martial arts like Brazilian jiu jitsu, judo, kick boxing, and kung fu. It was really neat because they also learned about gymnastics and tumbling and dance. I liked that I have an extended time on Saturday to get things done and have a coffee with my friends while my kids are at their Karate class. They really had a lot of fun and can’t wait for the new summer program.” More details can be found at superkids-karate.com or by calling 800 260 0981
Posted on June 22, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
World Series of MMA Sept 12 featuring STING GRAPPLING (TM)
World Series of MMA will be held Sept 12, 2009 at Sofias Plaza, East Windsor CT. A gi division, as well as STING GRAPPLING ™ will be featured and available for competitors to enter. this event is for members of Royce Gracie Network worldwide and invited guests. Go to www.WorldSeriesofMMA.tv for details
Posted on June 22, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
Happy Fathers Day! Members, Buy a Private Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA Lesson and Get 1 FREE
In honor of our parents and mentors we are extending a gift to our members of the Jim Hughes and Royce Gracie Self Defense and MMA New England Network. Please buy a a private Gracie Brazilian Jiu JItsu and MMA lesson and get one for free. You can bring a friend to your private. This offer is good for purchases for one week until June 28. STack up your private lessons now and use them anytime you want.
Its easy! go to www.gracie-jiu-jitsu.com click on the private lesson tab at the top. Make a note in the comment section of the order form that you are buying the Fathers Day Private Lesson Special. You can also give these as a gift. Just mention in the comment who it is for.
You can then schedule your time with the head coach of your choice by calling them directly or calling Janis at 800 260 0981. Josh Randorf has some available time to work with you on your stand up or ground game. He is very good at private lessons.
Bring your receipt to you first lesson and give to Josh, or, other coach you schedule your lessons with.
This offer is for members only. If you are not a member yet, what are you waiting for? Get in here and start training! Sign up in the next week (until 6/28) and get an extra bonus. Bring a copy of this email when you sign up and we will give you a free seminar class with Royce Gracie or Rodrigo Gracie next time they are in training with us. Members, refer a friend in the next week and get them signed up. they get the Royce Lesson and you get one too! plus, your get a FREE private with yours truly. You’ve got until 6/28 to refer you friends but you can use your private anytime you want (and you can bring a friend).
Have fun! Get amazingly good at Gracie Jiu Jitsu.
To your success,
jim
Posted on June 10, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
Connecticut Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA congratulates Jiu JItsu and SuperKids Karate Instructor, Paul Bratslavsky, to Purple Belt in West Hartford CT
It was a jam-packed seminar June 6 and 7 and it seemed an auspicious day. The “Strawberry Full Moon” was bright in the sky and three Black belts were present: Legendary MMA Champion Royce Gracie; Pride and Abu Dhabi Champion Rodrigo Gracie; and two-time Gracie Jiu Jitsu National Tournament Champion Jim Hughes.
More details can be found at www.gracie-jiu-jitsu.com
When asked about Paul Bratslavsky, Jason said “Paul is one of most technical instructors I have ever had the pleasure to train with, I’m lucky to have him as a training partner. He is one of the best children’s instructors that I have ever seen.”
Congratulations also to new Purple Belt Paul Bratslavsky. “Paul is one of our best coaches. He really knows the art of teaching Gracie Jiu Jitsu and he is really great to train with, as we saw in his exhibition match with Charlie McShane recently at the World Series of MMA 109: The Gauntlet, in Hartford Connecticut” reports Jim Hughes. Many of his Jiu Jitsu and West Hartford CT and East Windsor CT Super Kids Jiu Jitsu and Karate class students were there to see his Sting Grappling demo”I am so happy for him” said his student Abby, about his promotion to Purple Belt.
“The guys did good,” said Royce Gracie regarding the seminar. Royce’s cousin, Rodrigo Gracie, flew in to Connecticut on a red eye flight after a long teaching tour, which included visits to Australia and Mexico. “Rodrigo Gracie has been a great supporter and mentor for me and I am very grateful for his dedication to helping us here in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He is a great example of the Gracie Family’s dedication to helping people learn their amazing system of Self Defense. Rodrigo could have stayed at home resting before his next teaching tour, but instead, he flew all night and invested 4 days of his own personal time to show up here and help out entirely out of the kindness of his heart,” says Jim Hughes.
Its not often you see 3 black belts standing in the same room. It is also rare to see 3 brown belts in the same room. Jim Harpe, Agawam MA Gracie Jiu Jitsu coach, Joe Pascucci, West Hartford Gracie Jiu Jitsu coach, and Jeff Reese, Jessup PA Gracie Jiu Jitsu coach were all on hand for the seminar and Promotion. Also in attendance was long time friend and student of the Gracie Family, Mark “Cave Man” Brunetti. Mark and his brother Steve were the original guys in Jessup PA and pioneered the way there by representing the Gracie Family in a very deep and Soulful way. There would be no Gracie Jiu Jitsu in northern PA without the efforts of Mark Brunetti, and, he has been a big influence on me personally. We were honored that he joined us at the seminar for the promotion of Paul Bratslavsky. All around, it was an historic day in a number of respects,” says Jim Hughes.
Posted on June 8, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
CT & MA Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA Seminar Photos Are Up
Check out jiu jitsu training pictures from the seminar at the East Windsor and West Hartford CT Jiu Jitsu & MMA schools Royce Gracie June 2009 seminar weekend. If you had your picture taken with Brazilian Jiu JItsu and MMA legends Royce Gracie or Rodrigo Gracie, you should be able to find them in this group of photos. If you are a ROyce Gracie Jiu JItsu member in CT, MA, NY, RI, or PA looking to download a larger size photo, you can also access the photos on flickr here. Thanks very much to Royce and Rodrigo for teaching us!
Posted on June 3, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
Royce Gracie June 6 and 7
Learn Gracie Jiu Jitsu Self Defense and MMA with the father of MMA, Legendary ROYCE GRACIE:
Its open to members of the worldwide network of Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu, Self Defense and MMA schools. If your not a Royce Gracie Network member just send me a note of introduction and I will let you in (after I check with NASA to confirm you’re not an astronut). Come and train with Legendary Royce Gracie, the father what everyone seems to be calling MMA these days.
Here’s the Royce Gracie seminar schedule:
1. Saturday June 6: EAST WINDSOR, 2 North Road
ROUTE 140 & 5, EXIT 45 OFF I-91
10 to 12: Fundamentals of Self Defense and MMA the Gracie Family way. White Belts and above. Open to public via advance note of introduction to jim at gracie-jiu-jitsu dott comm
2 to 4: Intermediate Self Defense and MMA strategy. Blue Belts and above. Open to public via advance note of introduction to jim at gracie-jiu-jitsu dott comm
4:30 to 6:30 Advanced Self Defense and MMA principles. Blue belts with one stripe and above. RGJJ NETWORK MEMBERS ONLY.
2. Sunday June 7: WEST HARTFORD, 262 Park Road.
10 to 12: Fundamentals of Self Defense and MMA the Gracie Family way. White Belts and above. Open to public via advance note of introduction to jim at gracie-jiu-jitsu dott comm
3 to 5: ADVANCED Self Defense and MMA strategy. Blue Belts with TWO STRIPES and above. RGJJ NETWORK MEMBERS ONLY
Posted on June 2, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu & MMA of CT and MA Train Hartford Police Explorers
On May 31, 2009 about 20 members of the Hartford Police Explorers attended a seminar at Jim Hughes and Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in West Hartford CT spear headed by long time Royce Gracie Network member and coaching assistant Jim Cambell. The ages ranged from boys and girls 13 to 19 years old. The special seminar included basic Police Self Defense such as knowledge of surroundings, gun retention, and take downs with a combative suspect. Several escapes from bad positions were also shown including the back mount and headlock positions. The Explorers were extremely attentive and enthusiastic while learning the moves. The Police Officers in charge stated that they had not seen the Explorers so happy after a training session in a long time. Jim Hughes and Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts of New England is a proud supporter of the Hartford Police Department and has provided numerous training seminars serving the Police Department over many years.
Posted on June 1, 2009 - by Jim Hughes
Congratulations Jeremy Pavlik and Julian Papasian: World Series of MMA Champions
The World Series of MMA 109: The Gauntlet, congratulates Open Division Champion Julian Papasian and College Division Champion Jeremy Pavlik. www.WorldSeriesofMMA.tv for more details
May 23 was a historic day for MMA in Hartford Connecticut. It was the first ever televised MMA event in the state of Connecticut outside the tribal nations. Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Self Defense and MMA’s Jim Hughes and Perry Siegel put on the event, taking over Hartford’s Union Station by converting it to an full scale, pro level appearing MMA show, like what one might see at larger venues such as UFC, Pride, WEC, or K1 events. The house was packed with MMA enthusiasts and Fox News was on hand reporting on the event. Coors Lite and Harley Davidson, Whitford Security, Hot Tomatos, Coaches, and Yard Tavern, www.RoyceGracieMMA.com, www.roycegracie.tv, and www.virtualgracie.com were the primary sponsors for the event.
The World Series of MMA held a Grappling oriented competition which is legal in Connecticut. As Fox News reported, “it was a day and evening of non stop exciting action.”
Promoters Hughes and Siegel stated “Congratulations to the World Series of MMA US MMA OPEN Division Champion Julian Papasian and College MMA Challenge Division Champion Jeremy Pavlik. Mr. Pavlik represented the University of Connecticut Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club.” Competitors traveled from all over New England to compete. The next World Series of MMA is schedule September 12, 2009. Legendary UFC champ Royce Gracie is tentatively schedule to appear at the event.
In a phone interview from China where Mr. Gracie was attending the Art of War 12 on the same evening as World Series of MMA 109 The Gauntlet, he said “tell all the guys good job getting in there and competing it makes us better at what we do!”
“The event was strictly the Grappling portion of Mixed martial Arts,” says Mr. Hughes in an interview following the event. Mr. Hughes is a long time brazilian jiu jitsu student of legendary UFC, Pride, and K1 Fighter Royce Gracie. Mr. Siegel, the event director added, this is our 9th event, it was a very smooth running competiton where fighters got a lot of matches and there was great competitiveness as well as camaraderie. We had an important demonstration match of the World Series of MMA “Sting Match” between long time martial artists Paul Bratslavsky of West Hartford and Charlie McShane of Norwich. The “Sting Match” is as close to all out MMA as you can get without crossing the line in places like connecticut where MMA is not yet regulated. “Sting Grappling” concept is based on the intention of fighters to learn from their matches and gain experience rather than harm their opponents just to win.” Siegel continues by saying the WOrld Series of MMA “STING GRAPPLING (TM) and “STING MMA (TM) is a competition method where many fighters can come to the mat and have many matches throughout the day and walk away having really progressed in their skill level while minimizing the risk of injury.” The “sting match” demonstration may be viewed at www.WorldSeriesOfMMA.tv.
Seminar Info
