This week, our beginner students continued our 12 week rotational fundamental program with learning how to retain the back, escape the back control and a few submissions from back control. For our advanced students, we covered the 50/50 guard. It is vital to learn this guard as it can used to stall a lot and therefore you need to learn how to pass it. I would not suggest 50/50 as a primary guard option but it needs to be study to be an all around.

In this picture, you can see Stuart certificates. He is now a certified first degree black belt from the IBJJF and a Nidan (second degree) in Judo. Stuart qualifications symbolize our club. It is no secret that we teach out of the Auckland University Judo club. see their website for details http://www.judokong.com/ or facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Auckland-Uni-Judo-Club-223686871051584/ The Judo club is currently looking for new members so check them out if you want to learn an Olympic martial art. Our BJJ and Judo students can train together and the cost for 6 days of training is $20 per week. Students that cross train are nicknamed the hybrids and currently we have 4 Judo black belt attending our BJJ classes. Both our instructors are now  black belt 1 degree certified by the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation. However, we decided to not raise our fees accordingly as our goal is to remain as an amateur BJJ club with a strong influence of Judo.

On Thursday 01 June, we are concluding our first semester with a graduation. As we already have reach our quota of new beginners for semester 2, we will start a waiting list and might have a new intake in August. Or in case, we have a vacancy with a student leaving the club. We will make exceptions for advanced students (blue belt and above) and women (as Sophie and Victoria need female training partners. If you are already training in semester 1, you are already included in semester 2. Also, the doors are always open to our old students. Send us an email if you are interested. We keep this policy to ensure a good quality of teaching and training on the mats.

This week, we were to have a question and answers topic but we covered the position of mount instead, The reason is that we have 3 new students in the beginner class and it made more sense to cover this topic instead of addressing some potential questions on BJJ that they have not learned as yet. So Serge taught 2 mounts escapes and 2 submission from mount while Stuart taught single X guard to the advanced students. We are winding down for the semester after the Regional GI competition and the graduation is just around the corner; Thursday 01 June.

6 medals. Well done.

The beginners continued on their 2 weeks program of half guard. This week, they learned how sweep from the half guard. The advance students learned x guard and the kimura trap. Please note that the last day for registering for the competition is on Wednesday 10 May. http://nzgrappler.co.nz/

We already have 2 police officers training at our club and we offer them 25% discount on their fees. If you are a police officer and would like to learn and train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, come down for a free class and you might want to stay and take the opportunity to use this specific discount.