Team USA BJJ - United Submission Academy Creates "Pinnacle Jiu Jitsu"

We have some big news at our little studio. Team USA BJJ (United Submission Academy) is embracing a new banner to unify our sister schools under a single unified fighting front: Pinnacle Jiu Jitsu: www.bjjtraining.com.

Each individual school maintains their autonomy but our competitive focus is now unified under one name, one team and one purpose.

Our first official tournament as a unified team will be California Classic. This is a well managed tournament presented by Rommel Dunbar of Riverside, CA. In certain regard some may think of it as our local tournament as it is close to our home gym and surrounding sister-schools.

Be sure to look for our patches and participants at BJJ tournaments across the Southland.

Happy Training,

KK

Empty your cup... a note on humility in martial arts.

One tenet I feel no longer receives proper focus in some martial arts studios concerns the nature of martial arts learning and practice and it is; Humility. In today's MMA infused reality I have noted a great lack of respect and utter lack of humility among even the youngest of neophytes. Beginners spout their indifference to competitors, their dislike of instructors, they puff up their chests and roar loudly their victories.

I feel this quote reveals nature and reality of humanity:

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
~ George Washington Carver

Knowing this simple truth concerning your life experience wouldn't it be prudent to attend to our ability to show and embrace humility in all our dealings?

If one is pride filled and lacking even the most rudimentary ability to respect ones fellow students, instructors and competitors hasn't the honor in combat study and practice been lost? Isn't the greatest lesson humility to truly understand and appreciate the fragility and glory of life?

Even the mighty Grey back eventually is dethroned by a younger challenger. Even the mightiest champion will fall one day. Shouldn't we then prepare for our demise by maintaining a vast appreciation for others and an understanding that we are but a very small part of this world and a mere footnote in the thousands of years spent in developing the systems we study today?

I encourage any student of martial art who reads these simple lines to reflect on your experience in martial arts and learn to embrace humility to deeply understand, appreciate and enjoy your path in martial arts and the discovery of self that comes with it.

Creating without claiming,
Doing without taking credit,
Guiding without interfering,
This is primal virtue.
~ The Tao te Ching

Happy training.

Kenneth Knapp