Jiu Jitsu classes in Portland,
Also known as the friendliest, most qualified, and authentic BJJ in the area. It's hard to make mean, serious, faces at the camera when everyone is such good friends. Our community of students always tell me they feel like a family. People build relationships on the Jiu Jitsu mat, in part because of the present mindedness and proximity of training and because if you're going to get past white belt you'll be around for a couple years.
There's no shortcuts to training in Jiu Jitsu, and thankfully after you realize you're learning a real skill a lot of the rush to progress diminishes. Your confidence goes up, the ego drops off a cliff, and your belly fat goes down. Good BJJ really works against opponents of all sizes, it's great for self defense, a fun workout, and actually gentle. Notice I said good BJJ there, because the imitators are still out there roughing it up.
Lucky for me in 2007 I heard about a first generation black belt that was moving to Oregon. In July of the following year I met Anibal Lobo and Relson Gracie at a seminar in Portland. Anibal rescued me from terrible Jiu Jitsu filled with bad mechanics, muscling people, mouthpieces, and cauliflower ear. I had been training at a place that taught "grappling" but it wasn't real Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Anibal made me start again at white belt, and now almost 9 years later I'm a week away from taking the brown belt test with one of my favorite training pals. It's a journey and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
Besides being a first generation black belt, what sets Anibal Lobo and our BJJ apart from the rest in Portland is his willingness to keep learning at 57 years old. Anibal teaches at RCW every week, but he also travels to the best JiuJitsu in the world, or brings his friends from Brazil up to our academy.
Here's list of people Anibal has trained within the past year:
- Rey Diogo - Luis Heredia - Pedro Sauer - Rickson Gracie - Kron Gracie - Rener Gracie - Riron Gracie - Rigan Machado
We've personally had he privilege of training with the top 3 on this list fairly frequently. Anibal brings in a lot of seminars each year to keep the bar high, in fact in early November Royler Gracie will be doing a workshop for our team.
I've been dong Jiu Jitsu in Portland in some way or another since the late 90's. Trust me if you want s clean journey where you develop from the ground up with good mechanics, a safe technical training, and awesome training partners you'll get the best results in our program at RCW. We are always proving it with free trial classes so when you're ready to see what BJJ can do for you give River City Warriors a call.
- Coach Joe