Visiting Hawaii. Okay to visit Relson's school?

We're going on a vacation to Hawaii. Even though I'd like to still get some training in during the vacation (maybe two sessions). I was thinking of visiting Relson's.

I'm totally fine with paying the daily drop in fee I see on his site. I take Sambo, but still consider myself a novice when it comes to grappling. I have a plain blue judo gi (no patches) that I can wear.

Anyone train there? Being in a vacation spot like Hawaii do you get many other drop in people? Do you guys mind them? I promise to keep my mouth shut and just give you guys another person to workout with that day. Just want to make sure 'its cool' if I do a drop in.

Thanks.

 

844 Queen street........brah, it's cool no worries. Relson is the highest ranking (red-black) Jiu-jistu instructor in the pacific. We have all comers, japan, russia, switzerland, canada, guam. All you guys are welcome. When you coming down?

 

Late Sept. Just wanted to check. You don't want to walk in and have everyone collectively sigh and say, "Fricken drop ins wasting all of our time. Dammit!!!"

See you in late Sept.

 

Nothing like that.....When you meet relson he'll make you feel right at home.

 

Of course it is okay to drop in and take a class, watch or just roll.

Relson is not here right now because his son Rhalan is training / competing on the mainland but he should be coming back. In the meantime, we got senior browns teaching the class and everyone is super cool.

This year, at the academy I met people from Australia - Hugh? he wore a bright orange red gi and said he trained in a Jean Jacque Associated school, Spain - Robin Gracie school? , Japan, Russia - sambo guy, Korea, Rickson's school, Miami, and right now we got someone from a Royce Gracie affiliate with us training.

Its hot in Hawaii right now so bring a summer weave gi if you got one and a bottle of half frozen water / half unfrozen to drink (as the day and night goes on the half frozen will melt - fast giving you some cool water to drink), so you can continue training in this Hawaii weather.

Oh yeah, bring a camera just in case. You never know who will stop by the academy when you training!

 

If you have more time and would like to get some sessions in at other places (care to roll with Charuto?), then say so or try to give me a buzz (Delta's PM box is ocassionally flooded with tons of msgs). I will help you out here on the ground if you care; just depends on what my sked is looking like at the time.

E

 

So far as I've been here, drop ins are encouraged by Relson to not only watch but to participate. The "regulars" don't mind the drop ins because we all know that we are like brothers training our minds and bodies. One day we might be at your place and have a friend in you. So its cool.

Sometimes people drop in and just watch then Relson will ask them to participate, borrow a gi and take the class. He is an ambassador (?) and loved to teach people from everywhere. He also loves to take pictures with visitors at the academy with his dad's picture above him in the shot.

I know you probably got your room all set up in a air/room/car deal but in case not, one of Relson's brown belts "Keone" runs the Waikiki Sand Villa and probably could hook you up with a nice room. Plus got a fitness room in the hotel with mats for "stretching" hahaha.
Rooms are tight right now in Waikiki.

Just check the internet for the website or check www.onzuka.com website (they are Relson Gracie Brown Belts too), click on News and Rumours and look for the Waikiki Gateway / Waikiki Sand Villa banner and email him direct.

See you in September. I hope to learn some moves from you.

 

Whatever JJMTG said.........

Yep, would love to learn some sambo leg locks.

 

Ha ha...you won't learn crap from me. I' m serious when I say I'm a novice. And it is fine if Relson isn't there. I'd learn just as much from a blue belt as a black belt at this point. I just need to keep working on fundamentals and getting whatever mat time I can. That is why I really won't want to watch. I figure you need to get your ass kicked for a long time before you get any good. I'm just going to show up for more of my alloted punishment on my way to getting competent.

I think we already have our hotel booked, but I'll check with the wife. She'll think all this is crazy. For her vacation is sun and sand.

 

We'll see...... . First time in Hawaii?

 

Yeah...you guys will see. You'll be saying, "That dude weighs like 200 pounds and yet he spent almost the entire time on squirming on the bottom in all his matches. He sucks."

I've been to Hawaii twice before. But I'm not a sun and sand sort of person. The highlight of the trip for me will be making it out to your classes. Although maybe not when you consider how hot it will be rolling in your school at this time of year.

BTW, do you guys wear a mouthpiece or a cup when you roll? I've been to one school wear that kind of gear is mandatory.

 

Nah everybody has some knowledge to share.even you. That's what I ment be we'll see. LOL.
Mouthpiece, cup, optional. But our Vale Tudo class I would wear at least a mouth piece.

 

Protection is not mandatory but more of a personal preference. Who knows you might have knowledge that can help my game. If I never saw it before, its different and knowledge and experience is power in the submission world. Don't discount your training. I rolled with an "expert" self defense guy from Canada who taught in the CMP. I tapped him a whole bunch of times grappling gi and no gi but he still taught me some things. The guy was just "visiting" too but I think I saw him more in the academy than his wife saw him at the beach. Hahaha. He actually signed up and joined the Relson Gracie Association so he could train in Hawaii and other associations. He bought a whole bunch of Gracie shirts, photos and stuff for his law enforcement buddies. We became friends and he is coming back this November for a month just to train.

Bro just freeze a large water on its side so that you can add tap water to the other half and get some cool water. If you got a light gi, bring it. I got me two summer gis an Atama and a Mizuno and they both rock in this heat.

I am going to Europe next year on some package and everywhere we stop I am "dropping in" at the local BJJ places there, paying mat fees or taking classes while my gf looks at old paintings, old buildings and old waterways. Me? I'm rolling and may even enter a BJJ tournament if I can find one. I'll be there for two damn weeks! I'll go crazy if I'm not training. Six months or so after, flying to Brazil for the Worlds, thats the plan anyway.

 

I used to always wear a cup, but one day we were practicing kneebars in Sambo and I was almost making myself tap because of the damn cup! The instructor kept saying, You gotta squeeze that leg harder with your legs and I was like, "This cup is killing me. I can't squeeze any harder."

So I stopped wearing the cup. That was the last time we ever drilled kneebars. Go figure.

But I'll bring both a mouthpiece and cup just in case.

 

One of my buddies droped in and trained there last summer . He said everybody was cool , have fun ...

 

IMO, the cup makes those submissions like kneebars and armbars easier (doesnt hurt my balls as much when i bridge to crank the limb).

 

Relsons schools are great environments to be in i suggest you go there opposed to anywhere else.

 

Relsons schools are great environments to be in i suggest you go there opposed to anywhere else.

 

Definitely going to make it. I'm looking forward to it. Probably learn more in the few classes I take than I've learned in months.

Looks like I'll be there Sept 15th to 21st...

 

Actually that will be perfect time. Hawaii NAGAs are September 25, 2005 so Relson should be there getting our school ready for it. Besides bringing a gi, water and camera, I suggest you write down some weak parts of your game that you want to work on and ask Relson to focus class on it. No one will complain and some people will probably welcome your questions. I am usually there Monday, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I train other places gi / no gi and muay thai so when you come so pm me or just look for the biggest blue belt in the school. Take care bro, happy training.