Renagado Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

09/15/2026

Progress looks different for everyone — but it always comes from showing up and putting in the work.

Congratulations to Jake and Agnes, who each earned another stripe tonight! 👏🥋

Stripes are a small marker, but they represent a lot: time on the mats, improved technique, better decision-making, persistence, and becoming a better training partner along the way.

Proud of the progress both of you are making. Keep going.

No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/14/2026

A lot of people assume Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is something you need to start when you’re young.

But some of the people who benefit from it the most walk through the door for the first time in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

Why do they start?

Sometimes they’re looking for a way to get back in shape that’s more interesting than going to the gym.

Sometimes they want to learn a practical skill and challenge themselves mentally as well as physically.

Sometimes they miss having a team, a goal, and something they can steadily improve at.

And sometimes they simply want something that belongs to them—a couple of hours each week away from work, responsibilities, and the usual routine.

The great thing about BJJ is that you don’t have to be 20 years old, incredibly athletic, or already in shape to begin.

You start where you are.

You learn at your own pace.

And little by little, you become more capable, more confident, and probably a lot more fit than when you walked through the door.

At Renagado BJJ, many of the people on our mats have careers, families, responsibilities—and plenty of birthdays behind them.

That’s exactly why we’ve built an adult-focused, beginner-friendly place to train.

You’re not too old to start.

You may just be at the perfect age to appreciate it.

🥋 Renagado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/13/2026

100 five-star reviews. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When we opened Renagado, the goal was never just to fill a room with people.

The goal was to build the kind of place where people enjoy coming to train. Where beginners feel welcome. Where experienced athletes can continue to grow. Where hobbyists and competitors can share the same mats. And where people genuinely want to help their training partners get better.

Tonight, Renagado reached 100 Google reviews — all five stars.

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review, but even more grateful for the students who have created the culture those reviews describe.

100 reviews didn’t build this community.
This community created 100 reviews.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of it.

Renagado Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/12/2026

A while back, two jiu-jitsu athletes were in town for a wedding and reached out to ask if they could drop in and train. One was a white belt, and the other was California brown belt Brandon Correa.

They came in, trained hard, were respectful, and fit right in with the room.

Brandon runs his own BJJ gear company, Ground Gamer, and after visiting Renagado he sent me this rash guard and pair of shorts as a thank-you. That was a very classy gesture, and I really appreciate it.

It also reflects something that matters to us here:

We believe cross-training is good for jiu-jitsu.

If you’re a legitimate visitor, traveling through town, or just looking for a place to get some good work in, we want Renagado to be a place where you feel welcome.

Good training, good people, and a healthy jiu-jitsu community matter more than pretending we all have to stay in our own little corner.

Thanks again to Brandon Correa and Ground Gamer for the gear and the generosity.

No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/11/2026

One of the things new students don’t always realize is that “Fundamentals” and “Advanced” aren’t just labels on a schedule.

They’re part of a path.

When you’re brand new, you shouldn’t have to walk into a room where everyone is preparing for competition, moving at a pace you can’t follow, and already understands things no one has explained to you yet.

That’s why we have Fundamentals classes.

You can learn the positions, movements, terminology and basic decisions that make Jiu-Jitsu start to make sense.

Then, as your skill grows, the training can grow with you.

You don’t have to leave Renagado to find harder rounds, more advanced techniques, deeper strategy or higher-level training partners. Our Advanced classes are already there waiting for you.

Start where you are.

Build a foundation.

Then keep climbing.

At Renagado BJJ, the goal isn’t just to help you begin Jiu-Jitsu.

It’s to give you somewhere you can keep developing for years.

09/11/2026

No Open Mat this Saturday, Sept 12th, due to the Valparaiso Popcorn Festival 🍿

09/10/2026

GI AND NO-GI: TWO WAYS TO BUILD BETTER JIU-JITSU

At Renagado, we train both gi and no-gi — and we treat them as more than just a change of clothing.

The gi gives you grips, friction and control. It rewards patience, precision and learning how to manage layers of defense.

No-gi changes the equation. There are fewer handles, movement is faster, and controlling position often requires different connections, pressure and timing.

There’s plenty of overlap between the two. Good posture is good posture. Good pressure is good pressure. Escapes, positioning, balance and decision-making matter everywhere.

But there are differences too — and we think those differences are worth actually teaching.

That’s why our gi and no-gi classes have their own place in the weekly schedule rather than simply removing the jacket and calling it the same class.

You can train one.

You can train both.

There’s no requirement to choose a “side.”

Our goal is simply to help you understand jiu-jitsu well enough to adapt when the grips, rules or circumstances change.

Different tools. Same problem-solving mindset.

No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/09/2026

Jiu-Jitsu is supposed to be fun.

That doesn’t mean the training isn’t challenging.

We work hard. We put each other in bad positions. We learn how to stay calm when things aren’t going our way. We tap, reset, and try again.

But somewhere along the way, you should probably be smiling too.

At Renagado, we want to build good Jiu-Jitsu — but we also want to build a room where people genuinely enjoy training together.

Work hard. Help your teammates get better. Laugh a little.

Then get back to trying to choke each other. 👍

Renagado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/08/2026

A year ago, I was sitting at #1. Now I get to chase it again.

In September of last year, heading into the IBJJF no-gi season, I was ranked #1 in my weight division and #1 overall among all Master 6 black belt no-gi competitors.

Since then, competition has taken a back seat.

I spent some time away early this year because of injury, and then another six months focusing much of my energy on getting Renagado BJJ off the ground and building the kind of training environment I wanted to create.

I don’t regret that trade at all.

But I’m starting to feel the pull of competition again.

The rankings won’t look like this when I return. I’ll have ground to make up, tournaments to enter, and matches to win.

And I think I actually like that.

There’s something exciting about having a mountain to climb again.

Time to see how far back up I can get.

09/08/2026

This is what makes Kirt’s promotion especially meaningful.

Like most of the people who train at Renagado, Kirt has a full life outside the gym. He’s working long hours, raising a family, keeping up with kids’ sports and everything else that comes with being a busy adult.

He doesn’t have unlimited free time to train. He makes jiu-jitsu fit into the life he already has.

That’s true for a lot of our students. They’re parents, professionals, business owners, tradesmen and people with demanding schedules. Training doesn’t have to take over your life to become an important part of it.

You come when you can, keep showing up over time, and progress happens.

Congratulations again, Kirt. Blue belt well earned. 🔵🥋

No Masters. Only Mentors.

Congratulations to Kirt Holaway on earning his blue belt today at Renagado BJJ. 🔵

Kirt began his jiu-jitsu journey training under one of my black belts, Eric Liss, and today I had the privilege of promoting him to blue belt at our noon class.

One of the things I value most in jiu-jitsu is seeing that lineage continue—not simply through belts, but through relationships, mentorship, and years spent helping one another improve.

At 37, Kirt is another reminder that there is no “right age” to be making progress in jiu-jitsu. You show up, put in the work, keep learning, and eventually those small improvements add up to something significant.

Well earned, Kirt. Congratulations on the next step. 👊🥋

No Masters. Only Mentors.