The Valente Brothers Facebook page, which recently surpassed the 4,000 fans mark, created an interesting debate this past week. Fans and students from around the globe were asked whether they prefer to be on the top or bottom guard position and what was their overall favorite position. After considering all the answers posted, Valente Brothers presents its views on the subject. To still join the discussion login to our home on Facebook and leave us your opinion on these important questions.  

Once again, great answers by everyone who posted. Thank you for participating. It is normal for different people to have different positional preferences depending on their body type, style, and experience. When it comes to grappling, there is a hierarchy of positions that culminates in the back mount (hooks), preferably with the opponent flattened out. This position creates a powerful combination of control and offensive opportunities, which include devastating choking and striking techniques. However, when it comes to a street fight, which is the Valente Brothers’ focus in teaching jiu-jitsu, many variables can affect this selection process. As some of you mentioned, conditions such as concrete floors, crowded venues, and multiple opponents might make it undesirable to be on the ground. It is important to note that often a fighter has no choice and for that reason ground fighting represents an integral part of the jiu-jitsu fighting strategy. But if presented with a choice, one might not prefer to be in a ground position during certain types of street fights. 

With respect to the guard question, the apparent right-answer would be that one would rather be on top in order to pass the guard and mount. Due to gravity, disengaging and striking can also be achieved more easily from the top, even though with a good knowledge of jiu-jitsu both can be done quite effectively from the bottom as well. Nonetheless, there is the possibility, as mentioned by one of our participants, that in some situations the bottom guard will provide more protection against possible strikes by a third party. 

The Valente Brothers Facebook page, that recently surpassed the 4,000 fans mark, is asking Jiu-Jitsu practitioners around the globe, whether they prefer the be on the top or bottom guard position.  To join the discussion login to our home on Facebook and leave us your opinion on this old and important question. Tomorrow Professor Pedro Valente will post his opinion on the matter. The Valente Brothers are on Twitter as well. To follow Valente Brothers on Twitter click here.

On March 30th, Instructor Roberto Fleischmann taught a special class to a select group of US troops stationed in Guatemala.  The men, stationed in an American Base in Guatemala, were all extremely pleased with the hand to hand training. One of the participants described the class as, “Outstanding and realistic training.” He continued saying that, “Jiu-Jitsu is an indispensable weapon on our CQC arsenal.” Roberto focused on self-defense and weapon defense techniques and was also very  happy with the opportunity, “The class went extremely well and I was honored to contribute with the training of United States soldiers.”

Roberto Fleischmann is the Head Instructor of Gracie Guatemala, a Valente Brothers representative and a Royce Gracie network member. Roberto and his students frequently travel to Miami to train with the Valente brothers. He has been training for over 15 years and is the only Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt in Guatemala.

To learn more about Roberto visit his website.

See what American troops are doing in Guatemala.

After Hannah made big news in 2009 and 2010, Regis started 2011 with appearances on CNN and Fox News.

The Giles sisters have been training with the Valente brothers since 2001. Both were always very committed and dedicated students. They became assistant instructors in the Youth program and currently Regis is an assistant instructor both in the Youth and Womens’ programs. Hannah is a brown belt and Regis a purple belt.

Regis Giles is a college student, Second Amendment Activist, the owner/creator of GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns.com and a contributing writer for NRA’s magazine InSights. She is currently working on her hunting show, Primal Urge, which will be airing on the Pursuit Channel in 2012. In addition, Regis has appeared on CNN’s Parker/Spitzer Show and has been a speaker at CPAC, the Nation’s largest conservative activist gathering.

On April 9thth, the Ultimate Fighting Champion and Hall of Famer, Royce Gracie, will return to Miami to teach a super seminar at the Valente Brothers headquarters in North Miami Beach. The seminar starts at 2PM.

“Royce’s reputable career as a fighter began in 1993 after defeating three opponents in the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in Denver, Colorado. His brother Rorion came up with this innovative challenge as a way to show Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to the world. Discipline after discipline was defeated by the slight 6’1”, 180 pound Royce Gracie. The viewers were in awe. His opponents consistently outweighed him by more than 50 pounds. He went on to win 3 UFC titles and today is the only man in the history of no holds barred matches to successfully defeat four opponents in one night. After leaving the UFC Royce went on to compete in MMA events in Japan and is a huge icon in this country.” 

Professor Joaquim Valente, took advantage of his spring break at Barry University to visit Rio during a very special week. Carnival (Carnaval in Portuguese) in Brazil is probably bigger than in any other country and although it is celebrated in towns and villages throughout Brazil and other countries, Rio de Janeiro has long been regarded as the Carnival Capital of the World. Every year around 500,000 foreign visitors come to Rio to witness this event. During the festivities, Joaquim met some of Rio de Janeiro’s most important figures. The youngest of the Valente brothers, had the opportunity to speak to the Mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, about the role of Jiu-Jitsu in education and the upcoming UFC Rio in August. Also, Joaquim met Rio’s Secretary of Security, José Mariano Beltrame, the man most credit as being the key figure behind the operations that are banning the most dangerous drug lords from the favelas of Rio. Secretary Beltrame, an enthusiast of Jiu-Jitsu, expressed the importance of Jiu-Jitsu in preparing police officers to better perform their jobs.

To view the video’s page and watch it in high definition click on the link http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=479166223062

Message from Professor Pedro Valente Sr.:

“This belt ceremony, where our disciples are promoted, represents in a very important symbolic way, the evolutionary process of the human species.  In the case of jiu-jitsu, within the Valente Brothers philosophy inspired in Grandmaster Helio Gracie, it signifies not only technical development, but our physical and spiritual evolution.