We will be posting the new schedule for the New Year during the last week of December.  Changes will be made to the Kids Program incorporating more MMA training with the Pankration curriculum and to the Jiu Jitsu program.

More to follow….

With the downturn in the economy, crime will grow rapidly, and the people who live in wealthier areas (i.e. Orange County) are very susceptible to this danger.  Criminals will look for easier targets, and will come to these neighborhoods to stirke.  Home break-ins are becoming more popular among these criminals, so self defense is especially important.

The added stress also needs to be relieved during these times. It is really hard to motivate yourself to go  to the gym, so our instructors are more than happy to push you to achieve greater health. Working out with a partner and learning self defense is killing two birds with one stone.

Learn self defense and get fit. You won’t regret it. It is also a cheap insurance policy.

Having a long term goal is the only thing that keeps us on track. If the goal is realistic, chances are that it will come to fruition. There will be obstacles, diversions, and failures - but that is part of having a successful life.

With the recent market debacle, having a long term plan will make you a winner. Warren Buffett, the richest stock investor in the world, is a shining example of patience.  At these stock market levels, Buffett is on a bargain hunt and knows, with great probability, that he will make money - lots of money. It was only 9 months ago that he said there were no bargains in the markets; he kept to the sidelines, and waited for an opportunity like this.

If you think the US will go into a severe recession or depression, then you need to move to a Third World country. Let the optimistic individuals live with this great opportunity at hand.

In the martial arts, having a long term goal is attaining a Black Belt. The benefits (weight loss, great self defense skills, and a healthier lifestyle) outweigh anything I can think of .

Keeping on track on attaining a Black Belt will buffer you from panic situations - most often from a surprised attack or even health problems.

It is your choice on what to do with your life - you only have one, and it is short indeed. Use it wisely, and protect yourself and live a healthy lifestyle.

The state of the economy is a result of greed and lack of forward thinking. When things are good, little is done to refine the status quo and self-evaluation is postponed.

With your physical well being, taking practical martial arts that work (like Brazilian JIu Jitsu and MMA), and exercising your body is a cheap insurance to protecting yourself, when you need it, and giving yourself more years of life.

Regarding “practical” self defense, there are many martial arts out there. There is only one that works, and it has been proven over the last 10 years in the ring - Mixed Martial Arts. Taking anything else raises the risk of injury when you need it.

Only when facing adversity, do people realize what works and what does not. Don’t put yourself in that position when you need the skills to defend yourself. Being overweight, can place great burden on your health as well. Somehow we ignore this fact - either we are too busy with work, the family, or something else.  All this goes out the window if you experience a heart attack, get diabetes, and cancer.

Life is more fragile than you think.

With the recent debacle of the stock market, the funds that have diversified their risk, will be the winners in the end. 

Diversification of risk is something that should be thought in earnest. Even eating one type of  food (i.e. a large meat diet) will put your health in risk.

When is comes to self defense, you really need to diversify your risk. The one time that you need it, you really need to cover all aspects of an attack. If you just train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you will be at risk against an attacker who is skilled in stand-up. 

The UFC has shown us that the fighter with the complete skills are the ones that win. George St. Pierre, BJ Penn, and others who have diversified away from their core martial arts have remained winners.

This is why at OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA we put beginners through a program of MMA and Jiu-Jitsu. You never know where you are going to end up when attacked, but at least you will have all your bases covered.

OCJJ and MMA student, Andrew Lang, fought in the professional JG and TKT Promotions - Fighting 4 Kidz fight several weeks ago. Although he lost by decision, it was an exciting fight for him and the school.

Andrew is a graduate of UCLA and works in marketing for a company in Orange County. Most of our students are business professionals and take advantage of the great training at the school.

OCJJ and MMA is also the Number One team in Pankration (Amateur MMA). The team beat out the highly established Marines from Camp Pendleton, Cleber’s BJJ school in Huntington Beach, and several other established schools in Orange County.

The school has been in existence for over 2 years,and has already established itself as the number one school for MMA and Jiu Jitsu in Orange County.

Here is a pic of Andrew’s fight:

If a martial arts academy is offering private lessons, chances are that you are not really learning the art. You should, as a student, learn everything you need to know in a regular class. If you have a problem, the instructor should be available to correct your technique.

Instructors that offer privates are often arrogant, and feel that their knowledge requires people to pay multiples of the school’s  monthly fees. There is a famous Brazilian Jiu-jItsu academy that took over 25 years to promote their students to black belt. This is not only ridiculous, but a pathetic display of taking advantage of people who are passionate of the art.

The 12 pm Saturday class will be changed from Advanced to Basic/Advanced BJJ. Members of the Black belt or Master program with limited martial arts are invited to take this class.

OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA has made an affiliation with the Rigan Machado Association. All belt rank courses and upper belt promotions will be overseen by Rigan Machado.

The road to a black belt is a hard journey. Many Brazilian black belts joke that you will lose a couple of body parts to get there. Well, I have suffered many injuries (some serious) and have vowed that it will not happen at OC Jiu Jitsu and MMA.

There is always a smarter way to approach problems - it depends where your vantage point is. Peering from the black belt, I know that more technical training, a slower introduction to free training, and  analysis can circumvent any need for constant hard and injury prone training.

What is the goal? If you want to be the baddest fighter in the world, you have a very long journey. It is only a journey of satisfying your ego since there is really no financial rewards.

Some students, like many other students at other academies, gauge their progress on who they beat that day.  This day-to-day progression will lead to humiliation (yes you will get tapped by a lower belt and it is normal), frustration, and finally, that student will quit in the end.

So what is the goal of getting a black belt? Like anything else in life, it is about not quitting and accomplishing that goal. Whether it is in business or life, accomplishing goals is a powerful way to succeed in life. Having caring instructors can also help with that journey.

It is our goal to help you attain a black belt, but not to compromise your life.