(20 Questions)
1. Brief Bio
a. Where are you from? (If from outside of Atlantic Canada, when did you relocate to the region?)
"I’m from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I moved to Nova Scotia 3 years ago, December 2020."
b. When not doing BJJ, what do you do? (Hobbies/Interests, etc...)
"I have a degree in History but I’ve been working with Jiu Jitsu since 2016. I still have great interest in History but Jiu Jitsu is really my profession."
2. When and why did you start training BJJ?
"I started Jiu Jitsu in 2013 motivated by a friend of mine who had just started training BJJ too. I got interested in trying it for the first time in 2004 because there was a BJJ school in the same building I went to in High School but I didn’t take that wish seriously until years later, when I realized I needed to learn self-defense and also stop being sedentary."
3. Do you train in any other martial arts? (Or have you in the past?)
"No, in fact I have never practiced any other sports other than Jiu Jitsu."
4. When did you receive your black belt and can you describe how you felt when you received it? Did you face any hurdles or setbacks/challenges? For any challenges, how were they overcome?
"I was lucky enough to get my black belt at the podium of the IBJJF Worlds Championship in California. It felt unreal just being surrounded by so many important people to me and having that happen in such a remarkable place too.
The biggest challenge for me was realizing that it is a whole new level regarding competitions. I think for most competitors it is like “Ok, now it actually starts to get serious”. Then the mindset plays a huge role in that too. So it pushed me to train and learn even more."
5. Belt lineage:
Mestre Oswaldo Fadda -> Monir Salomão -> Julio Cesar Pereira -> Jake
Mackenzie -> Melissa Britez Costa
6. Where do you train currently? Other past locations?
"I train at mine and Jake’s school, Jake Mackenzie School of Jiu Jitsu, in Halifax NS."
JAKE MACKENZIE SCHOOL OF JIU JITSU
Owners/Head Instructors:
- Jake MacKenzie -
- Melissa Britez Costa -
7. Competition
a. History:
"AJP Rio de Janeiro Grand Slam Champion
AJP London Grand Slam Champion
AJP World Pro Medalist
AJP World Pro Trials - Sydney Champion
IBJJF South American Champion
IBJJF Pan American Medalist 3x
IBJJF Worlds Championship Medalist
IBJJF South Brazilian Champion
IBJJF PRO Rio de Janeiro Champion
Multiple time IBJJF Open Champion (Brazil, USA and Europe)"
b. Are you still competing?
"I do. I just got back from France. I went there to compete at the IBJJF PARIS OPEN. I got 1st place at the tournament."
IBJJF PARIS OPEN
2023
8. Do you teach/coach and what does a good teacher mean to you?
"I do teach classes at our school, mainly when Jake is away traveling to compete or to teach a seminar somewhere else.
I believe a good teacher respects each student's goal and pushes them to be better but without taking away the fun from the learning process. Regardless of how hard the session was, you always want the students to leave the gym feeling better than they were when they walked in."
9. Preference GI or NO GI? Why?
"I prefer Gi. I’ve been training Gi all these years and only a few times I took the gi off to train No Gi. No gi is super fun, but I really enjoy the complexity involved in the Gi training. The grips and the lapel make you have to think thoroughly in every single move."
10. How often do you train now versus in the beginning of your journey?
"In the first 6 months of my journey I would train 3 times a day from Monday to Friday. But then my schedule had a drastic change and I would not be able to train a lot. Since then I try to train as often as I can. Sometimes that means 2 times a day, sometimes that means 2 times a week. I have the privilege to learn from a high level super experienced black belt everyday, even when I’m not on the mats. Jake always has some new detail to show me."
11. Advice you would give to your white belt self from yourself now?
"I’d say “Believe in yourself”. As cheesy as that sounds, it took me a long time to actually build up confidence in myself.
12. Advice to anyone contemplating joining a BJJ club?
"Do yourself a favor and give Jiu Jitsu a try. Jiu Jitsu is really a democratic martial art. Everyone at any age can do it. You will find a game that works for you and the endless learning process is something that will keep you motivated."
13. Advice to anyone feeling like they are not progressing in their training or become fixated on belts?
"The plateau is something very common in this sport. But it goes away. We all have been through this before. You just have to keep showing up. You can also talk to your coach about it, maybe they can show you something different for you to work on. That can help you to switch the focus a little.
The belt should reflect your progression, how much work you put in every step of your journey. Honestly, earning a belt just to show off is not what Jiu Jitsu is about. Of course we all like to be recognized by our effort but the rank is simply the consequence of our continuous work."
14. Your top go to/favorite submissions?
"Katagatame (head and arm triangle) and Ezequiel."
15. Your game/guard? Any advice to someone in early stages looking for their style/game?
"Half Guard is my game;
I think at the early stages, focusing on basics is the most important thing. Basic Jiu Jitsu well done will always win. Having a good base of Fundamentals will help you to build whatever game fits you best. With time, you will be able to find out what kind of game better suits your body style / pace."
16. How do you feel about the evolution of leg locks in BJJ? Also, what are some of the most significant changes observed in the art since you began training?
"It is pretty amazing how Jiu Jitsu is in constant evolution. I think it is great for the sport to always force its practitioners to study new things in order to get up to date with the new moves / games. The biggest change I observed in over a decade of training is how much Jiu Jitsu has grown all over the world and how many more girls are training nowadays."
17. Who to you is the Greatest of all time BJJ athlete/competitor? If not the same, current fav competitor/practitioner)
"I’d have to split that between Roger Gracie and Ronaldo Jacare.
But my favorite competitor to watch was Leandro Lo. He was such a legend on and off the mats! Whenever he was competing you knew it was not going to be a boring fight to watch. Great Jiu Jitsu and great attitude."
18. Why do you feel BJJ is so addictive?
"I think it has to do with the fact that there's always room for improvements and there is so much to learn! Jiu Jitsu is a problem solving game. We just want to be on the mats trying to figure answers for the problems we face when training."
19. What has BJJ taught you or done for you personally/development outside of the
gym/off the mats?
"It taught me to be more confident and to not underestimate anyone."
20. What keeps you motivated to train once you achieve that milestone of black belt in
BJJ?
"Knowing that there is a long road ahead of me is what motivates me the most. I feel that now I really have to push myself out of my comfort zone because I want to be as complete as possible technique wise."
