Congratulations to Owen, Jordan, Scott, and Ty on their promotions this week. Great job!

Our teammate, BJJ student and all-around nice guy Jimmie Lobley, today rolled for one hour straight — i.e., without a break — to raise money for cancer research. This fundraiser was part of the Tap Cancer Out initiative being sponsored by multiple Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools. Jimmie rolled in support of his wife, Tina. From an initial goal of $1000, Jimmie raised $3000. And hey, you can still donate!

We were honored to support Jimmie on this noble endeavor. To spar for one hour straight, with new opponents cycling in every three minutes, is a advanced-belt thing, and Jimmie is a white belt. His dedication and willingness to do something like this for cancer patients is heroic. We applaud him on on his accomplishment.

Here are some photos of Jimmie and everyone who participated.

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Gym owner and head BJJ instructor Brian Rose and FMA instructor Jay Haynes were interviewed for tonight’s 5 o’clock news on WHSV 3. You can watch their interview below and read a brief recap:

“Having tools and knowledge to protect yourself in self-defense situations is key, martial arts instructors say”

Several classmates in the 7th-9th grade class at Staunton Montessori School (SMS) have recently joined our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program and are having a wonderful time. SMS has graciously allowed them to supplement their training during their regular PE time.

Two weeks ago, the students had this to say on their blog:

Jiu-Jitsu class

First we got the mats down from the solarium loft and put them in the community room. We did that because Owen, Kira, and Daniel taught us a few Jiu-Jitsu basics. First, they taught us how to do a backwards break fall. This is important because it teaches you how to fall backwards and not get hurt. Everyone practiced that for a bit while they went around and told us what we were doing wrong and showed us to do it right. Next, we learned standing in base. This is teaching us how to stand up without getting punched. Then, we did the backward breakfall and then standing in base, while they went around and showed us how to do it right. Then they taught us how to shrimp, which is important for a lot of moves in Jiu-Jitsu. Then we put it all together and did a backwards breakfall then shrimped across the mats, then stood in base.

Last week, the teachers blogged this update:

Jiu-Jitsu

This week we had another Jiu-Jitsu lesson. Last week we learned about shrimping at the end of class. This class, we learned the shrimp escape and side breakfalling. Holden recently joined the Jiu-Jitsu class with Kira, Owen, and Daniel. We got out the mats almost every day this week, and we practiced and learned the trap and roll, both side shoulder-rolling, and we did some rolling during open mat time in the lesson. At the end of today’s class, everyone got gift certificates for a free week at Jiu-Jitsu.

We thank SMS for recognizing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a life skill and for allowing these delightful young men and women to train as part of their school curriculum.

If you would like Total Defense to give a martial arts demonstration about BJJ, Filipino Martial Arts, or American Boxing at your school, please contact us.

Here are our upcoming holiday closures:

• Thursday, November 25: Closed
• Friday, December 24–Saturday, December 25: Closed
• Friday, December 31–Saturday, January 1: Closed

Stay safe!

Please note that Total Defense will be closed next Monday, September 6, in observance of Labor Day.

Stay safe!

Please make a note for your calendar:

Friday, June 2
Normal class schedule

Saturday, June 3
NO Yoga class
YES BJJ class (10am)

Monday, July 5
Normal class schedule