Jiu Jitsu Traveler

Connection Rio is basically a travel agency that caters to the BJJ crowd. They have locations in several different areas, and they'll schedule your training at whichever academy you want. Or if you're not sure where to go, they'll help you with that too. They make going to Brazil as easy as possible.

You'll have a pretty nice place to stay too. They have three different options sleeping arrangements: dorm style, private rooms, and actual homes throughout the city of you want to train at some other location. So if you want to bring a group and save on sleeping accommodations, you can. Or if you want some privacy, you can do that too. All the places seem to have gardens, pools and BBQ areas, so it's pretty hard to beat.

Founder Dennis Asche says :

 "Connection Rio provides training and accommodation services to BJJ practitioners. If you want to come to Rio and train BJJ, come and stay with us! We'll make your stay as easy and enjoyable as possible. We offer the choice of staying in multiple properties, we have connections to all the top academies, and we’ve got years of experience to draw upon. The hardest part of planning a trip to Brazil is committing to going. Once you’ve made the decision, thanks to Connection Rio the rest is easy. Live your dreams with Connection Rio!"

Great Vacation Plan

If you've been thinking about taking a vacation, why not try Brazil? It's a beautiful country, and you'll get some high quality training in. And Connection Rio seems to be the easiest way to train jiu jitsu in Rio. Pretty much everything is included in the price except for food, and they have numerous ways to accommodate any budget.  And best part yet, mention KnuckleUp or Morisson when signing up for exclusive discounts! Check out their site for more information, including videos from people who have already gone.

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Hey everyone, this weekend is shaping up to be a busy one! junior Assuncao, former UFC star and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blackbelt will be coming back into to town this week! If you remember his visit from last time, you'll know this isn't something you'll want to miss!

Belt Testing

And if you've been on the mat, make sure you come to Thursday's class (May 26) at 6PM. Junior will be belt testing everyone, so if you think you're ready to get a stripe or go up a color, come down and find out. You'll be testing with a master though, so you better have your A+ game ready!

Plus Seminars

Also, Saturday, May 30th, Junior will be teaching a self defense seminar at 10:30 AM followed by a BJJ seminar from 1 to 3 PM. If you were at Junior's last BJJ seminar, you know he taught us a lot of very handy techniques. Most of which I still see in use up at the club. If you missed it last time, or you're new to KnuckleUp since then, make sure you get in there. And you don't have to be a member to get in; they're totally open to the public!

Junior is from Northeastern Brazil originally, but now lives in the Atlanta area. He is a patriotic fighter: he has black belts in Jiu Jitsu AND capoeira, both native Brazilian martial arts. Unlike most MMA fighters who use May Thai or kickboxing as the base for their fighting style, Junior’s style is based in Capoeira. Junior has been undefeated since 2008, and he's about ready to get back in the UFC.

Don't miss what will definitely be a seminar to remember. It's not often we have them, but when we do, they're pretty awesome! Only at KnuckleUp, the best gym on the Outer Banks!

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Gary competed in the No-Gi competition and went through several opponents, before finally coming in second. Morrison said Gary's first opponent came of the mat muttering he "picked a fight with a warlock." Congratulations, Gary!

Different How? Tiger Blood!

But the big victory Saturday came from Morrison himself. Morison came in first for both his division and the absolute! Not only did he beat everyone in his weight class and skill level, he also beat everyone else in the absolute! When asked how he achieved such a remarkable victory, Morrison says, "I’m different. I have a different constitution, I have a different brain, I have a different heart. I got tiger blood, man."

I Win Here and I Win There.

This is two more medals in a recent string of victories for Morrison. “I probably took more than anybody could survive. Because that’s how I roll. I have one speed. I have one gear: Go."

Morrison and the rest of Team KnuckleUp are eagerly awaiting the next tournament. Morrison assures us they'll do even better at the next one. "I’m not fair game. I’m not a soft target. It’s over. There’s a new sheriff in town. And he has an army of assassins."

When asked about the secret to his impressive skills on the mat, Morrison says he has "magic and poetry" in his fingertips, and that jiu jitsu is almost entirely mental.“If you borrowed my brain for five seconds, you’d be like, ‘Dude! Can’t handle it, unplug this bastard!’ It fires in a way that’s maybe not from, uh… this terrestrial realm.”

Good Job, Team KnuckleUp!

So congratulations to Team KnuckleUp! You guys did an awesome job, and we're all proud of you. We can't wait to see how everyone does at the next tournament!

And remember, if you, too, want to live "the life of a rockstar vatican assassin", "partyin' in my oceanfront home in Duck", call someone else. But if you want to be part of one of the best grappling teams in NC, or you're looking for the best place for fitness on the Outer Banks, then KnuckleUp is your only choice!

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Can You Believe Shes a Mom?

First up, is Amy Eaton. Amy just won a National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship. She's 39 years old and a mother of two, and she beat out a bunch of 20 year olds. That's Amy in the picture, and there's not much doubt why she won. Congratulations Amy!

Runners!

Last weekend was the Flying Pirate Half Marathon and Matt Costa and several of his masochi- er,...bootcampers were in the race. Once I get everyone's times, I'll post them. But I was looking through the results, and I saw several people from the club in the top 100, including Super-Trainer Matt, who cam in an impressive 75 in mens and 93 overall! Congratulations bootcampers! You worked hard and it paid off. You should be proud!

Let's Roll!

Also, this Saturday, Morrison Butler is taking Team KnuckleUp to Williamsburg for a grappling tournament. They've really been cleaning up lately, and I know we've all seen how hard they've been training. We have no doubt that they'll clean house at this one too. Good luck guys!

Also, this weekend I'll be talking to Devin Saylor. Devin recently joined the staff at KnuckleUp, and is starting the Outer Banks Paddle Board School. Follow the link to check out his Facebook page and make sure you hit the Like button! After I talk to him, I'll put up all of the details. This gives us yet another option for fitness on the Outer Banks.

All right guys, make sure you check back for the updates, and until then,

Hands Up, Chin Down!

If you like the photos above, then you should consider professional photography for your next big event.  We recommend the best Outer Banks Wedding Photographer for all of your professional photography needs.

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Master Kazeka Muniz. Notice the awesome gi.

Next Friday, October 15th, Master Kazeka Muniz is flying all the way from Palmdale, CA to teach a seminar in Norfolk. If you have any interest in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, or grappling in general, you really need to be at this seminar.

Why? Because Kazeka Muniz is the man.

If you know Chris Stolzman, you've probably heard of Kazeka. He's Chris' BJJ coach and used to work for KnuckleUp in Atlanta. He now runs a fitness center in Palmdale, Premium Fitness. And there's plenty more reasons he's awesome!

• He's a black belt under Carlos Gracie Junior at the Gracie Barra Academy.
• He trained with the Russian AND Georgian Olympic Wrestling teams.
• He coached the Cuban Olympic Wrestling team, including 4 gold medalists. He is still welcome on the mat with them at the Olympics.
• He coached both Michael "The Count" Bisping and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
• He trained at the Wolfslair.
• 2x World Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Champion.
• 5x Brazilian National Champion.
• He's gotten gold medals twice for Sambo.

Kazeka "demonstrates" a triangle on Chris.

Are those good enough reasons for you to hop in the car and take a ride to Norfolk? I was ready to go just because he's Chris' coach. The rest of it is just gravy. But really, Kazeka's achievements are pretty damn impressive.

So if you think you'd be into it, and if you read this far you probably are,  here are the details. The seminar is being hosted by Kobukan Karate and it is being held at the Norfolk Masonic Temple. The address is 7001 Granby street, Norfolk.

It starts at 7:30 PM. Bring your gi. Tickets are $10.00 for general admission, and $15.00 for hands on floor seating. Participants on the floor must be 8 years old or over.

So if you like grappling of any sort, there's no reason not to go.And even though you work out at the best fitness gym on the Outer Banks, it's still a great idea to see how other people are doing it.

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Hey, if you missed these seminars, you missed out, and I'm sorry for you. Johnny Ward and Carlos Rodriguez taught an amazing Muay Thai clinic Saturday, May 29th, which was followed by an excellent Brazilian Jiu Jitsu clinic with Michael Nunes.

And if you didn't come, you have no one to blame but yourself. We had a blog post on this very site about the Muay Thai and BJJ clinics, as well as it being all over the Knuckle Up Facebook, AND the Boot Camp Facebook.

Johnny and Carlos were clearly very good at what they do, both as professionals in the sport, as well as instructors. The class began with some various warm-ups, all of which were pretty different from the norm. When Johnny had us pair up and purposely try to stomp on each others feet, with the loser doing 10 burpies, it became clear that we were in for some fun. And we were not mistaken.

The class was split into to groups by skill level, Johnny with one, Carlos the other. one group focused on punches and elbows, the other group worked on knees and kicks. After a while of that, the two groups switched.  Both Carlos and Johnny were quick to help out individuals who were having problems, and to give them pointers on technique.

Michael Nunes with our own Jeremiah. Finally, someone that can make Jeremiah sweat!

After the Muay Thai clinic, those who wanted to stay and work a little longer with Johnny were able to, while Carlos went upstairs with Michael to teach the BJJ clinic. Unfortunately, they asked us not to film that part, and naturally we respected their wishes. But I am still free to talk about it.

Michael, with Carlos translating, was quick to have us up and moving on the mats. Michael also didn't take "No" for an answer. Some of the words and phrases he was fluent with included "Keep moving", "faster", and "one more".  After being wore out in the Muay Thai clinic and then immediately bouncing upstairs for Jiu Jitsu, I heard each of these phrases repeatedly.

And he definitely meant them too. To start off, we were alternating take downs without completing them, then he had us start completing them slowly. Then he had us break, but we had to keep walking even during the break.

Then it was back to the mat to learn the techniques, and receive the individual help. Michael is a brown belt, and he definitely knew what he was doing.  The class was very informative, and I think everyone who took part in it immediately noticed improvements.

So there's the breakdown of the clinics. If you came, you know how awesome it was. And if you didn't come, well, better luck next time.  But seriously, what's the point of being a member of the most bad ass fitness club on the Outer Banks, if your not going to take advantage of these opportunities to learn something awesome?

On behalf of everyone at Knuckle Up, we want to thank Johnny, Carlos and Michael for the fantastic instruction, and a really great time!

Also, if you're ever in Colorado, there's a great place for Muay Thai Boxing in Littleton that you won't want to miss!

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Muay Thai

Just a brief reminder : All regularly scheduled classes for Saturday, May 29^th are cancelled. You may have seen the signs and notices up around the gym, but just in case you missed them, Saturday we are having a Muay Thai clinic followed by a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu seminar.

The Muay Thai clinic will kick off at 8:30 AM and run until 10 AM. After a brief half hour break, the BJJ class will begin at 10:30 and end at noon. The cost is $30 for the day, and the event is open to guests and members alike. The Muay Thai class will be taught by Johnny Ward and Carlos Rodriguez. The BJJ class is being taught by Michael Nunes.

Johnny Ward has been involved in MMA since 1996. He was the 1997 East Coast Middleweight Shoot Fighting Champion under Bart Vale of Florida. Johnny is also a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu, and has been trained in Sambo and Muay Thai, which he has practiced for the past ten years. He now teaches Muay Thai and assists with MMA training at Richmond Fight Club.

Carlos Rodriguez has been training in Muay Thai for 5 years and is also a blue belt in BJJ. Michael Nunes is from Curitiba, Brazil and is a brown belt under Jiu Jitsu champion Rodrigo Feijao.

It’s going to be a lot of fun, and there will be plenty to learn. This is why you belong to the best fitness club on the Outer Banks, so why miss it?  Make sure you sign up now, because space is limited.

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KnuckleUp Fighters Competing at Coastal Combat Circuit

This Saturday 30th, KnuckleUp Fitness Outer Banks is taking its A-Team to compete dominate the Coastal Combat Circuit grappling event in Elizabeth City.

The event, the first Grappling event in Northeastern NC, takes place at the old Elizabeth City Middle School gym and promises to bring the area's big names of MMA and Grappling.

The KnuckleUp team will be coached by Jeremiah Lancaster and General Manager Morrison Butler, who will also be competing.

The entire team has been training really hard, and for some of the fighters, this is their very 1st tournament. Coaches Jeremiah and Chris Stolzman want to invite everybody to come and support our group during the fights.

No-Gi Jiu Jitsu - Submission Wrestling

The competition will be grappling only - no punches or kicks. Fighters start standing up, and win points for dominant position acquisitions, takedowns, and reversals. Matches range from 3 minutes to 6 minutes, depending on the skill class, and of course, the ultimate goal is to catch the opponents in a choke, arm lock, leg lock, or any other submission.

For this event, fighters will wear only shorts and rash guard - no special garments (GI or Kimono), which makes the matches even more similar to wrestling - only the fight doesnt stop when the opponent has its back on the mat.

Because of the tournament, our BJJ classes have been taught without the Gi. We apologize for the inconvenience that may have caused to some of our more traditional members - regular classes start again on Monday at 6pm.

Yeah - because a majority of our BJJ students are competing, as well as both of the coaches, there will be NO SATURDAY MORNING BJJ CLASS. Instead, come support our team, study their matches, and you'll get hands-on teaching!

We'll see you there!

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The videos will be available free either here or on KnuckleUp OBX YouTube channel.

On the first video, master Kazeka shows a fundamental Brazilian Jiu Jitsu movement called the Grambi Roll:

On the second video, master Muniz demonstrates the famous Mata Leao choke (the rear naked choke):

We sincerely hope you enjoy the videos - they'll be here for everybody - members and non-members.

If you really like them, leave a comment. We always appreciate the feedback!

See you soon.

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This is a quick highlight of yesterday's evening class with Head Instructor Chris Stolzman drilling everybody on open guard passes. Notice the nice "cartwheel" that Morrison Butler (white Gi, brown belt) pulls on Leo Saraceni (blue gi, blue belt).

Below you'll see the first two videos of an exclusive KnuckleUp Fitness series with Head Instructor Kazeka - these two relate jiu jitsu and self-defense in 2 escapes from the good-old Headlock:

The first video shows how to defend a headlock choke

And the second video shows how to keep from being punched in the face and defend the headlock.

We've got a ton of videos from master Kazeka coming up soon - just as we have a ton of videos of Chris Stolzman's classes coming up soon as well.

Our Outer Banks jiu jitsu class has been filling up almost every day, and we'll soon start an advanced class, according to instructor Stolzman's criteria.

Stay tuned for more videos and more news. And dont forget...

Sign up on the right to get a full week of BJJ free

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