I started jiu-jitsu in my early 50s searching for a way to manage stress
and get some exercise. Our oldest son was going away to college and
I was starting to feel anxious. I was always interested in sports and
exercise, but I had never had any interest in martial arts despite
having lived in Japan for 3 years in my early 30s. I walked into Renzo
Gracie Academy in NYC; met Magno; started training jiu-jitsu; and,
as they say, the rest is history. I was familiar with jiu-jitsu and
grappling in general, but my impression of what jiu jitsu actually was
could not have been more different. Jiu-jitsu is a martial art and it will
teach you how to protect yourself in a physical altercation, but for me it
was the best therapy I had ever experienced. Jiu-jitsu taught me to
frame problems and develop techniques to address those problems.
This changed my life. It made me a happier and more productive
person. A better father and husband. The bonding that occurs at a
good jiu-jitsu school fills a sense of community that is hard to have
especially in a large urban setting.