Carlson Gracie Jr Interview

[tf]

Just posted the interview one of our columnist did w/ Carlson Gracie Jr.

Check it out.
Carlson Gracie Jr. Interview : Inside BJJ

 

[lechien]

great interview. I like his opinion about his requirements on "they deserve".

 

[J Sho]

Nice stuff.

The columnist's nickname is spelt mamute (iirc) in portuguese by the way.

 

[MickCollins]

Junior rules.

Wee Junior in his Gi

 

[JNick]

Interesting read. Does he mean great fighters cannot be great teachers?

 

[Deleted member 56619]

Interesting read. Does he mean great fighters cannot be great teachers?

I highly, highly doubt that is what he meant. 99% sure he means great fighters do not automatically make great coaches. You can be both, but being one doesn't mean you are the other. I.E. im MMA Greg Jackson is a great coach, but not a great fighter. Pat Militich is both a great coach and fighter. BJ Penn is a great fighter, but I saw an interview where he says he doesn't really like teaching, so he leaves that to Charuto.

 

[Ninjamurf]

Can anyone post the interview or is it too long? It keeps trying to open some java script which gets blocked here at work?

 

[bnosam]

Inside BJJ
How old were you when you started training Jiu Jitsu?

Carlson Gracie Jr
I started when I was three years old. I was taking my daddy’s class, and it was fun! We used to play soccer in the academy. We used to fight in the academy. I spent most of my infant time in the academy.

Inside BJJ
So, your dad made it fun for you? It was just games, or did he emphasize training at that age? At what age did it become more than just being fun and hanging out with your dad?

Carlson Gracie Jr
After 15. Before, it was more fun.

Inside BJJ
So, at 15, it’s like, “Okay, we got to go to tournaments. We got to start training serious and eating right?”

Carlson Gracie Jr
No, I used to go to tournaments before, but you know there was not many kids back then. There wasn’t a lot, but tournaments were just once a year so it wasn’t like it is today. So, tournaments once a year made it really tough because everyone wants to win.

Inside BJJ
Growing up in Brazil, you started training at age three. A lot of people I asked, especially from Brazil and Judo players from Japan, all started at age five or ten. In the United States, guys like myself start at age twenty-five and older sometimes. Do you think at age thirty, a person that starts training at age three, versus the guy that starts at age twenty-five , when they’re both thirty, do you think they can be equally competitive?

Carlson Gracie Jr
I think so. You know, it depends on how much sports the guy practices. I think what is going to count is if the guy was a sports guy; if he kept his life healthy. So, I don’t think it makes much difference, I mean experience wise, yes. But it depends, too. Compared to the guy who starts at three years old and never competes and just trains; I think what it is when you start too young if you don’t have good motivation you won’t train as much.

Inside BJJ
How old were you when you got your black belt?

Carlson Gracie Jr
Twenty-two.

Inside BJJ
Twenty-two. So, you started training at three, so now I don’t feel so bad.

Carlson Gracie Jr
I think I could have gotten it before, but my dad never gave it to me.

Inside BJJ
Why did he wait?

Carlson Gracie Jr
Oh, he was rough at giving belts!

Inside BJJ
Are you that way with your students?

Carlson Gracie Jr
So, so. I mean, I think if you deserve it, you deserve it – but you have to work for it. You know it’s not like “Oh, he’s my friend.” There is no friendship involved. I have a guy training for me for a while and he’s been a brown belt for a while and it’s like, “I don’t think you train enough so you’re not getting a black belt.”

Inside BJJ
So when you say, “If they deserve it, they deserve it, what do you mean? Winning?

Carlson Gracie Jr
If they train, if they are a part of the team, go to tournaments, if they help other students, if they are always around the academy, not just being good, is he on time coming to class, this all counts.

Inside BJJ
Right. We all know your father, the great Carlson Gracie, has influenced many people in Jiu-Jitsu. Obviously, he’s influenced you. Besides your father, is there anybody else you can think of, whether it’s a student, training partner, or instructor that you can say influenced your over all game?

Carlson Gracie Jr
I think over all, the academy, because we have what we call the Dream Team. Everybody in the academy is real good, so we have everybody in the academy motivated. We have many people, all weight classes, and we have all types of training, so everybody gets a little bit of everything; people who are good at guard and good at passing. We have a good team so I think everybody influences each other.

Inside BJJ
What do you think the difference between Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) styles? What sets it apart from the others?

Carlson Gracie Jr
I think my dad is the innovator of making Jiu-Jitsu a part of the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) style. Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is very close to MMA. I think that’s the difference between our style and others. You can use it to fight MMA. It was proved by the fighters that fought for my father. We’ve had a bunch of Jiu-Jitsu fighters that have fought MMA. That’s how Jiu-Jitsu became famous in America.

Inside BJJ
This brings us to the next question. Why do you think there are more Carlson Gracie Black belts, or even not black belts, but students of yours or your affiliates, who have had more success in MMA than other guys like Nino Schembri who was a super star in BJJ, but had little success in MMA?

Carlson Gracie Jr
Because their style relies so much on the Gi. So, their style has a different way of gripping and my daddy’s style has different grips than theirs and is more aggressive. I think that’s what it was, kind of rough you know? (Laughs) Rough style, we like that! The Jiu-Jitsu is good but roughness is good, too. People respect that!

Inside BJJ
Now that MMA has gotten more popular worldwide, do you think that MMA is pushing Jiu-Jitsu out of the way? Do you think we are seeing more MMA schools popping up than Jiu Jitsu schools?

Carlson Gracie Jr
Well, I think it’s pretty even right now. The only difference is that people can make more money in MMA than in Jiu-Jitsu, so I think that a lot of Jiu-Jitsu fighters try to get into MMA. Jiu-jitsu is kind of tough if you are not a good teacher. Not a lot of fighters are good teachers. There are good fighters and good teachers. If you don’t know how to teach, my friend, you are not going to keep students. If you don’t know how to talk to people, they are going to walk away from you.

Inside BJJ
Back to what you just said, and regarding teaching kids and keeping students, if you had one piece of advice about keeping kids interested in Jiu-Jitsu, what would you say?

Carlson Gracie Jr
You have to give space to the kids. You cannot run a class too rough. It has to be a fun time. Play games. You have to play with the kids. Like my dad used to do a bunch of different things like running and jumping over things. You have to make a challenge for the kids; different things, not too much obligation for the kids.

Inside BJJ
What age would you advise for kids to start competing? I see a lot of parents pushing their kids to compete in tournaments, since there are more tournaments for kids. Even the Pan Ams have a kids division. What do you think is a good age?

Carlson Gracie Jr
Five years old is good. I started younger, but I think 5 is good. I don’t think you should push kids too much to compete. Just let them get a taste for it.

Inside BJJ
So do your children train?

Carlson Gracie Jr
No, my son isn’t training yet but he will. He’s barely three years old. He does swimming and soccer now. He’s a good swimmer.

Inside BJJ
What is your son’s name?

Carlson Gracie Jr
Carlson Gracie the 3rd.

Inside BJJ
The 3rd huh? And he’s 3?

Carlson Gracie Jr
He’s 3 now, will be 4 in November.

Inside BJJ
Congratulations! You enjoying being a father? Has it changed your life?

Carlson Gracie Jr
Yes, he is in Japan right now, but it did change my life. It is something to look forward to; watch him grow and getting him where he wants to go. I’m not going to push him to do just Jiu-Jitsu. But I think he’s going to get a taste for it. He watches Judo on TV and Sumo. He knows to stop and bow, so he understands already.

Inside BJJ
Is there anything you want to say to the fans out there at Inside BJJ?

Carlson Gracie Jr
I want to say thanks to everybody for supporting Jiu-Jitsu, MMA and the Gracie family. Keep focused and whoever wants to contact me, I have a school in Temecula, Chicago, and you can look for me on the internet.

Inside BJJ
Maybe twitter someday?!

Carlson Gracie Jr
Maybe twitter. I’m not good at those things, but I will get somebody to do it for me.

Inside BJJ
Okay, this is Ernest,”Mamute”, for Inside BJJ with Carlson Gracie, Jr.

Carlson Gracie Jr
Mamute! (Means Mammoth in Portuguese, spelling is probably inaccurate.)

Inside BJJ
Thank you very much for your time!

Carlson Gracie Jr
Thank you sir, have a good day!

There you go, Ninjamurf.

 

[Escabar]

Cheers for posting the interview.

 

[lechien]

I am actually surprised that no one complained by his statement:

"Inside BJJ
What do you think the difference between Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) styles? What sets it apart from the others?

Carlson Gracie Jr
I think my dad is the innovator of making Jiu-Jitsu a part of the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) style. Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is very close to MMA. I think that’s the difference between our style and others. You can use it to fight MMA. It was proved by the fighters that fought for my father. We’ve had a bunch of Jiu-Jitsu fighters that have fought MMA. That’s how Jiu-Jitsu became famous in America."

 

[Amiro]

I am actually surprised that no one complained by his statement:

"Inside BJJ
What do you think the difference between Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) styles? What sets it apart from the others?

Carlson Gracie Jr
I think my dad is the innovator of making Jiu-Jitsu a part of the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) style. Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is very close to MMA. I think that

 

[lechien]

why?

because lately some of Helio sons have been talking about their true JJ and self defense and their dis-content versus sport JJ.

while, Carlson Gracie jnr is talking about his Dad JJ which can be used for MMA.

Just interesting to read different point of views and the reaction of the public about them.

 

[Vector_X]

Jr. is a great guy. The statement about his style of BJJ being well suited for MMA is kind of hard to explain but I guess I would tend to agree, albeit I'm a bit biased. The reasoning is that his style really isn't very flashy at all and is more of a grinding rough style that does seem to translate well.

 

[Jdonw]

because lately some of Helio sons have been talking about their true JJ and self defense and their dis-content versus sport JJ.

while, Carlson Gracie jnr is talking about his Dad JJ which can be used for MMA.

Just interesting to read different point of views and the reaction of the public about them.

Well I think Carlson and Jr. both think about jiu jitsu as fighting and what is going to work in fights. If you are going to do bjj tournaments you're going to learn things that will work. If you are going to fight mma your learning gets directed to what works for that. I've heard about one of Sr's black belts that a cop, so he got taught all the "dirty" moves because it fit his situation. My point is they find what works regardless of style and teach you what's effective.

 

[curb1850]

Great read, thanks for posting.

 

[bigraydaddy1]

I don't think Helio's side would get offended, because to them MMA is sport, not a real life self defense. Of course we saw how well their self defense worked when Royce got raped by Hughes.

Jr. is cool as hell.

 

[kingwilly]

I don't think Helio's side would get offended, because to them MMA is sport, not a real life self defense. Of course we saw how well their self defense worked when Royce got raped by Hughes.

Jr. is cool as hell.

Lol, that's funny. Royce is lucky Matt Hughes isn't gay. Royce must've been absent the day Rorion shot Rape Safe(TM)...

ttt for Junior.

 

[mat worm]

Jr told me once that if you got into a real fight and you ended on top of the guy in good position, you wouldn't try to submit him, you would beat their face in. HAHAHA.

 

[Il Wop-O]

I don't think Helio's side would get offended, because to them MMA is sport, not a real life self defense. Of course we saw how well their self defense worked when Royce got raped by Hughes.

Jr. is cool as hell.

Yeah. Royce's BJJ sucks because he got beat by a younger, stronger, more athletic, legendarily dominant UFC champion with dominating wrestling skills and a thorough understanding of submission grappling.

Idiot.

And Lechien, I always thought it was just kind of common knowledge that Carlson's branch of BJJ was more athletic, aggressive, top-game oriented and more geared for vale tudo. I would be surprised if too many people were upset by that statement of Jr's.

 

[SuperSuperRambo]

because lately some of Helio sons have been talking about their true JJ and self defense and their dis-content versus sport JJ.

while, Carlson Gracie jnr is talking about his Dad JJ which can be used for MMA.

Just interesting to read different point of views and the reaction of the public about them.

Well, Carlson Sr. was a fighter. His students were fighters. He taught some top notch sport competitors, but his lineage always seemed very Vale Tudo and MMA oriented. I don't think there are tremendous differences in the technique to be honest, though. I just think Carlson placed an emphasis on fighting.