One of the hardest-working students at Kimura, Tho Vu, will be moving from Boston to France on July 7. He will be having a BBQ on July 4^th (12pm – 9pm) and all are invited. Address: 279 Summer St. Arlington, MA 02472. Phone: 781-558-0057. For those who can’t make the event because of the holiday, Tho will be coming to the evening practices on Monday, July 6. If you want one more chance to roll with Tho, this is it! Tho has been an inspiration to us all, quickly becoming a purple belt under Jean’s tutelage and winning more tournament medals than any of us can count. He will be missed but will surely continue his training in Europe and will stay in contact.

Got takedowns? Master Jean will be teaching a new takedown class on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30pm. Classes will focus exclusively on jiu-jitsu, judo, and wrestling takedowns. This is a great opportunity to add a new dimension to your game!   

Just a few Kimura competitors took part in the NAGA East Coast Championships in Rhode Island June 27, but they still have two medals to show for it. Digao took third place in a highly competitive adult purple belt division. Marcello took second place in an adult blue belt division. Thang also won two fights as a white belt, only losing in the semi-finals. Eric fought for his first time and fought well. Parabéns!

Kimura BJJ Academy will be closed Friday July 3rd through Sunday July 5th in observation of Independence Day.  We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

The belt promotion at Kimura Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy has been rescheduled to September 26, as many students will be on vacation during August. Continue to train hard and consistently and you will be eligible for promotion. More details will be posted later in the summer. There will also be a promotion at the end of the year on December 12. This offers students an unprecedented opportunity to participate in two promotions over just three months. All the more reason to stay focused and keep training in the second half of 2009!

Master Jair (center-left) receives his gold medal

Master Jair Lourenco has won his fourth jiu-jitsu national championship. Master Jair, who is the founder of the original Kimura Academy, recently competed in the black belt 181-pound division of the national championships held in São Paolo, Brazil. Four straight impressive victories earned Master Jair his fourth national title. The prestigious tournament was sponsored by the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Esportiva. Congratulations, Jair. Parabéns!

Kimura competitors scored several wins at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships held in Long Beach, California June 4-7. While the eight Kimura competitors fell just short of winning medals, they recorded several wins and fought competitively at the prestigious tournament, which was held by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Stanley Chen won three fights and narrowly lost his fourth fight by advantages. A victory would have guaranteed him a finish in the top three places for a medal. Jeff Hsu recorded two victories before being defeated in the third round and Diego and Bruno earned first-round wins as well.

Eight Kimura competitors will head to the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships held in Long Beach, California June 4-7. As hosted by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), the tournament is one of the most prestigious in the world and draws thousands of international competitors. For more information and results, check out the IBJJF site (www.ibjjf.org). Everyone wish the best of luck to Jeff, Diego, Stanley, Thang, Ky, Tho, Lucas, and Bruno. Go Kimura!

Competitors from the Kimura Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy won a total of 22 medals at the New York International Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Hosted by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the tournament was held in New York City on April 18. The academy captured the most medals out of all teams from New England that competed at the championships. “Everyone exceeded my expectations and competed with heart,” said Master Jean Kleber. Jean added that Lucas Lowry put on an outstanding performance, winning a silver medal in the middleweight blue belt adult division and a bronze in the open class. He also noted Dave Keefe, who won a gold in the senior middleweight blue belt division and a silver in the open class. Vitor Luis took home a gold in the master heavyweight blue belt division and Marcos Silva also won a gold in the master heavyweight purple belt division. Jean said all competitors are to be congratulated.