Morumbi Camarillo Jiu Jitsu

This week at Morumbí Jiu-Jitsu Academy Camarillo, we will be focusing on one of the most important positions in all of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Closed Guard.
The Closed Guard is often the first guard students learn, yet it remains one of the most effective positions at every level—from white belt to world champion. It teaches control, patience, timing, and the ability to attack while in a seemingly defensive position.

This Week’s Focus:

✅ Proper Closed Guard Position and Posture Control
✅ Breaking Opponent’s Posture
✅ Hip Movement and Angle Creation
✅ Grip Fighting and Control
✅ Basic Sweeps
✅ Basic Submissions
✅ Maintaining Guard Under Pressure

There have been times when the mats were full and times when they were nearly empty. Times when the academy was growing and times when challenges seemed to come from every direction. Yet the answer has always remained the same:
“Open the dojo. Bow onto the mat. Train.”

When I first stepped onto a Jiu-Jitsu mat many years ago, I felt something I could not fully explain. There was no thought of belts, recognition, or teaching. There was only the desire to learn. Like many before me, I simply showed up and trained.

The old teachers often believed that students had to “steal” the technique. Not because they were secretive, but because they understood that true understanding cannot simply be handed to someone. A student must watch carefully, pay attention, and discover through sincere effort. The instructor can point the way, but the student must walk the path.

Years later, opening Morumbí Jiu-Jitsu Camarillo brought a new responsibility. Now I was responsible for preserving the culture, maintaining the standards, and helping others discover the art for themselves. That responsibility teaches humility.

You may think you understand Jiu-Jitsu until you try to teach it. You may think you know a technique until you must explain it to someone who learns differently than you do. Your students become your mirror. They reveal both the strengths and the weaknesses of your understanding.

Every class becomes a form of polishing. The dojo itself becomes a forge.
The mats test our patience. The rounds / rolls test our courage. The repetitions test our discipline. Every escape, sweep, pass, and submission removes a little rust and reveals something underneath.

At Morumbí, we often speak about the importance of etiquette, bowing, respect, and proper conduct. These are not traditions we maintain simply because they are old. They exist because they remind us that we are students first. The process never ends.
As we age, this truth becomes even clearer. Physical strength changes. Speed fades. Recovery takes longer. Yet the art becomes deeper. Technique becomes more refined. Timing becomes more important. Efficiency replaces force.
We begin to understand that Jiu-Jitsu is not simply for the strong or the athletic. It is for ordinary people seeking to improve themselves through extraordinary dedication. The goal is not perfection. The goal is continuous refinement.

In Japanese martial traditions, there is a saying that resonates deeply with me: “The sincere mind itself is the dojo.”
The dojo is not only the building.
It is not only the mats.
It is not only the classes.
The dojo exists wherever we continue the work of improving ourselves.
Another chance to bow.
Another chance to learn.
Another chance to become a better training partner, a better student, a better teacher, and a better human being.

At Morumbí Jiu-Jitsu Camarillo, this is our way.
We show up.
We train.
We help each other grow.

And when class is over, we return the next day and continue the process.
Gassho
Professor Raul

As our Kids Program continues to grow, we are excited to celebrate two of our students earning their Grey Belts!
Their hard work, dedication, positive attitude, and commitment to learning have paid off. Most importantly, they continue to have fun while developing their Jiu-Jitsu skills and character on and off the mats.

Congratulations, boys! Keep training, keep learning, and keep enjoying the journey. We are proud of you!

🥋 Great work and well deserved!

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the mats this week!

“The purpose of today’s training is to defeat yesterday’s understanding.” — Miyamoto Musashi

Every class is an opportunity to improve, refine our technique, and deepen our understanding of the art. See you all in training!

Back from the long weekend and ready to train! 💪
Our Kids Program is excited and looking forward to the upcoming Morumbi Inter-Academy Tournament. The hard work continues as we sharpen our techniques, build confidence, and prepare for competition.

Let’s get back on the mats and get ready! 🥋🔥

In Jiu Jitsu the goal and the process are not separate realities.
In Jiu-Jitsu, many students become consumed by promotion, stripes, and belts. They focus so intensely on the destination that they forget to enjoy the path.
Yet every class attended, every repetition completed, every difficult roll endured, every lesson learned—that is Jiu-Jitsu itself.

The black belt is not a reward waiting at the end of the journey.
The black belt is built in each class.
It is built in every drill, every bow, every act of discipline, and every moment of attention.
The process and the goal are one.
Professor Raul

No classes Memorial Day. Have a great Memorial Day weekend ! See everyone back on the mats next week!

At our academy, cleanliness and hygiene are not optional — they are part of our martial arts culture and a sign of respect for your training partners, instructors, and the dojo itself. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts training involve close physical contact every day, which means keeping your gi, rash guard, and personal gear clean is essential for the health and safety of everyone on the mat.

Coming to class with unwashed or dirty uniforms, long nails, or poor hygiene increases the risk of skin infections, bacteria, and unnecessary illnesses spreading throughout the academy. A clean academy begins with disciplined students who understand that taking care of their uniform is part of taking care of the team.

Training hard is important — but training responsibly is equally important. Wash your gi and rash guards after every class, air out your gi immediately after training, keep your nails trimmed, and maintain proper personal hygiene before stepping onto the mats. These habits reflect discipline, awareness, and consideration for others.

In traditional martial arts, respect for the dojo has always been deeply connected to cleanliness and order. A clean uniform and clean training environment demonstrate pride in one’s practice and seriousness toward the martial path. The way we care for our uniform often reflects the way we care for our training itself.

At the academy, we strive to create a safe, healthy, and professional environment for every student. By maintaining clean and hygienic training gear, we protect not only ourselves, but also our teammates and the culture of the dojo we are all helping build together. Please review some tips to ton proper care of your Morumbi Gi.

I’ve talked about Mindfulness in Training this week in most of my classes and the Spirit behind Jiu-Jitsu and the influence of Zen in my view.
Jiu-Jitsu is not simply physical training. It is not only about techniques, submissions, or winning rounds. True training goes deeper than movement. It is the cultivation of awareness, discipline, presence, and character. At the center of this path is mindfulness.
Without mindfulness, training becomes mechanical. The body moves, but the mind wanders. Technique becomes rushed, careless, and shallow. But when mindfulness is present, every movement gains meaning. Every grip, every escape, every breath, and every moment on the mat becomes part of a deeper study.
This connection between mindful awareness and martial training has existed for centuries and is deeply connected to the influence of Zen Buddhism on Japanese martial traditions of where our hart originated.
Zen places strong emphasis on direct experience, awareness of the present moment, and clarity of mind. Zen teaches that one must become fully attentive to what is happening right now — not trapped in the past or distracted by the future.

Historically, many Japanese martial traditions embraced Zen principles because combat demands complete presence. A distracted mind hesitates. A cluttered mind reacts poorly. A calm and aware mind sees clearly. This same principle exists within Jiu-Jitsu.
When rolling or drilling, one cannot truly improve while mentally elsewhere. If the mind is consumed with ego, frustration, anger, or distraction, then learning stops. One begins forcing techniques instead of understanding them.
Mindfulness allows the practitioner to truly observe. To feel balance. To recognize timing. To sense pressure. To understand movement.To remain calm under discomfort. Jiu-Jitsu itself becomes a form of moving meditation.

When someone is applying pressure from side control, when one is trapped beneath mount, or when fatigue begins to set in, the mind naturally wants to panic or escape mentally. But mindfulness teaches us to remain calm and aware even in difficult moments. This is where growth begins.
A mindful student learns faster because they pay attention to detail. They listen carefully. They observe the instructor closely. They become aware of small adjustments in posture, leverage, timing, and breathing.
The inattentive student sees only “moves.” The mindful student sees principles.
In many ways, mindfulness is what transforms technique into understanding.
Mindfulness is also connected to etiquette and conduct within the dojo.
-Bowing.
-Listening when others speak.
-Lining up properly.
-Taking care of the training area.
-Being aware of one’s partner’s safety.
-Controlling ego during sparring.

These are not empty traditions or ceremonial habits. They are practices of awareness and humility.
Zen teaches mindfulness not only during meditation, but in every action — how one walks, speaks, eats, cleans, and trains.

Likewise, in the dojo, mindfulness should extend beyond technique itself. It should shape how we conduct ourselves as martial artists and human beings.
Zen Buddhism often speaks of “beginner’s mind” — approaching practice without arrogance or assumption. This is extremely important in Jiu-Jitsu.

The moment someone believes they already know everything, their progress stops. Mindfulness requires humility. It requires the willingness to continue learning no matter one’s rank or experience.
Even advanced practitioners must return to the fundamentals with attention and sincerity.

A mindful practitioner understands that mastery is not found in collecting techniques, but in refining awareness through years of disciplined practice.

The purpose of mindfulness in Jiu-Jitsu is not limited to the dojo.
The calmness developed during hard training carries into daily life.
The patience developed during difficult rolls carries into relationships and work.
The awareness developed through disciplined practice carries into how one responds to adversity.

This is why martial arts, when practiced correctly, become more than fighting systems.
They become methods of self-cultivation.
In our dojo, mindfulness is not optional. It is part of the training itself. We strive to develop not only technical ability, but awareness, composure, humility, and spirit.
Technique without mindfulness becomes empty movement.
But technique guided by awareness, presence, and sincerity becomes something much deeper — a true path of study!
Professor Raul