How Many BJJ Belts Are There?

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Like the majority of martial arts available in the world today, Brazilian jiu-jitsu carries its own distinctive ranking system to help sort grapplers based on experience level. How many BJJ belts are there? There are generally five belt levels available, but in special cases, a sixth, more prestige belt is also available. White Belt As… Read more »

What Does Muay Thai Teach?

Traditional Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a martial art that places a lot of emphasis on close-range striking. Instructors focus on areas such as elbow strikes, knee strikes, as well as various strikes from the clinch position. What does Muay Thai teach that can help you both inside and outside of the ring? Aside from increasing your health… Read more »

Can MMA Be Self-Taught?

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As a general rule, certain aspects of MMA can be practiced alone, while others must be practiced with an individual. For example, shadow boxing or heavy bag training are considered drills that you can performed alone, while sparring requires the inclusion of someone else. In theory, MMA can be self-taught, but it’s always better to seek… Read more »

Can Anyone Do BJJ?

Jiu Jitsu self defense in portland

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a sport that revolves primarily around grappling and submission-based moves. For this reason, it is often said to be one of the most efficient forms of martial arts for one-on-one self-defense situation. Can anyone do BJJ though? In short, yes. This isn’t a sport that discriminates against size, age, weight, or experience…. Read more »

What Do You Do in Muay Thai Classes?

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If you’ve always been interested in martial arts, but you don’t really know what to expect, then this article is for you. What do you do in Muay Thai classes? Despite what you might think, it doesn’t incorporate a constant 2-hour brawl where everyone is trying to knockout each other out. Quite the contrary, Muay Thai… Read more »

Is Muay Thai Good For Weight Loss?

Muay Thai Gym Portland

If you’re trying to lose a significant amount of weight, then turning towards a martial art is definitely a good idea. Is Muay Thai good for weight loss? It’s certainly possible to lose a lot of weight training in this sport – just keep in mind that it’s going to require more than just training… Read more »

Mastering the Mental Aspect of Boxing Competition

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Did you know that Portland boxing is just as much a mental sport as it is a physical one? In fact, most professionals would agree that the mental aspect of boxing is more important than the actual physical training. Once you start boxing, you’ll quickly realize that you are your own worst enemy. If you… Read more »

The Quarter Guard for Jiu-Jitsu Competition

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The quarter guard is a lesser known position that is actually quite powerful. It can lead to a variety of transitions, and was made famous by Eddie Bravo of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. When used in Jiu-Jitsu competition, it can provide you with the advantage that you need to defeat bigger, larger opponents, as well as… Read more »