Englsih Version, Story of our Brazilian Jui Jitsu Master

Sydney Machado Ferreira de Brazil.

My name is Sydney Machado Ferreira and I am a master of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

From an early age I experienced the unpleasant part of life, in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil life is very fast. My family was working class, our diet was very basic so I grew up overweight, before bullying was seen as a simple interaction, many times I had to be quick with my words and use my mind so they wouldn't bother me.

Epiphany in front of the sea.

One day walking on the beach, I saw a teenager my age playing "the king of the mountain", in this game there is someone in the center who fights one by one with each of the people outside, who wins is who stay in the center and win. I soon realized that the fighting style this boy had was extremely interesting, he let them go to him and used his strength efficiently.

That day on the beach I realized that this was something I wanted to try, little did I know at that time that eventually that beautiful art would become a key pillar to enjoy my life. Years passed and I was able to acquire my black belt, after years of effort and dedication, my teacher Alexandre Soca, to whom I am eternally grateful for his teachings, allowed me to instruct others in the art of BJJ.

Pura Vida BJJ, Costa Rica.

"I am not afraid of the man who has thrown 10,000 different kicks, I fear the man who has thrown the same kick 10,000 times." - Bruce Lee.

Shortly after competing in my first Jiu Jitsu World Cup in Brazil, I decided to visit a new country, I never imagined that at 25 years old I was going to fall in love with Costa Rica, here I established my academy and my family. For years I have developed this subculture in this beautiful country, first hand I have seen how many young people and adults have managed to correct their lives. Today, from faith I consider Costa Rica as having one of the best levels of Jiu Jitsu in the world, you just have to look at the new prospects who have already won great international competitions.

This sport adjusts to any type of anatomy.

The nature of jiu jitsu is flow and low resistance, with little effort we can make big changes but to achieve this we will need to learn the technique, know how to analyze our skills and create a small space in our days to train consistently. Only those who genuinely want to improve can achieve their full potential, jiu jitsu increases self-esteem, provides vitality and makes life easier.

I invite all people to try even one class, they will never regret learning this modern art that makes us much stronger as a whole and as people. Be it a boy, a girl, a woman, a man, or an older adult, we all need a bit of Jiu Jitsu in our lives.