| Interview with: Jacare Cavalcanti.
System: Brazilian jiujitsu Interview conducted by: Salim Badat CJ-How did you get started in Jiu-jitsu?
JC-I started when I was about 12 years old with Jaildo Gomes a brother of a famous NHB fighter Ivan Gomes in Copacabana, Rio De Janeiro where I grew up, it was a small school and I trained there until I got my yellow belt then I quitted for a little while and then started again at Carlson Gracie school when I was 16.
CJ-Please tell us about Rolls Gracie?
JC-I met Rolls when he began to teach at Carlson school in 1971, then I moved to NY in 72, and he went there to visit his mother in a regular basis and we became good friends, later I moved back to Rio and him and Carlson were sharing a school, I went to one of his classes and became his student until he passed way in 82.
CJ-What is unique about your style of Jiu-jitsu?
JC-My style is based on what I have learned from Rolls, Carlos Gracie, Crolin Gracie, Reyson Gracie and Rickson, mainly from Rolls and a lot hard work developing new ways to train my students and giving them the resources to be succesful not only in competition but in life too.
CJ-What are the most important basic elements of Jiujitsu?
JC-All Jiu Jitsu elements are very important: a good guard, a good mount, side control, escapes, passing, taking downs, etc.... You have to be good all round. Do you conduct seminars abroad?
We have affiliated school around the world and I teach seminars in North America, South America and Europe all the time. CJ-What is your diet and personal training routine?
JC-Well I am 57 years old now and dealing with some health issues now, but I always took care of myself, I eat very clean with lots of fruits and vegetables, I train and exercise almost every day all my life.
CJ-Where you a natural at Jiujitsu?
JC-Not really, but I loved to train and was very flexible and athletic, I lived on the beach and that helped too, always surfing, running, playing soccer, swimming, in Rio we have a very healthy life, close to nature all the time with nice beaches and mountains and of course growing up with the Gracies and training with them all the time in the their house in Teresopolis made me understand the principles and the philosophy of the art. CJ-Do your students cross train and compete in mixed martial arts?
JC-I have been teaching for almost 25 years and there are times when I had students competing in MMA but most of my students are really focused in training jiu jitsu, competing in jiu jiutsu with gi or no-gi tournaments, we won the world championship (Mundials) 4 times in 98, 99,08 and 09 and that is more rewarding than anything is a proof of your style and your team being the best. CJ-What is the most important advice you can give a student?
JC-Well first of all they have to connected with our philosophy of life, they have to know who we are where we came from and what we expect from them, they just have to be respectful, train hard and pay attention to the details when we teach, that’s all.
CJ-What attributes and qualities make a good Jiu-jitsu teacher?
JC-Treat jiu jitsu as science, be very patient, have passion to teach and observe how you can get the best of each student, you have to water the plant everyday to grow.
CJ-You head two strong teams .Please tell us about them and their achievements?
JC-I head only one team the Alliance the others split from us and wish them the best but my team is the Alliance.
We won many titles 4 world championships, many Pan am tournaments, brazilian and state tournaments, MMA challenges, Naga events here in Georgia, Abu Dhabi individual titles, man there is so many that I can’t keep track, but for sure we are one of the most important teams of all times and we already have secured our place in history, I can say for sure that I helped to build the house.
CJ-Who are some of your top students in the USA and Brazil?
JC-They are so many but just to name a few: Fabio and Fernando Gurgel, Alexandre Paiva, Leo and Rico Vieira, Roger Brooking, Chris Moriarty, Ian, Ryan, Bull Shaw, Ratinho, Felipe Neto and Felipe Costa, Alec, Jamanta, Darren, Chace,Pinduka, Toti, Telo, Paulo Bodas, Peck, Meme and the new generation like Cobrinha, Marcelo Garcia, Gabriel Goulart, Lucas Lepre, Batista, Tarsis, Tati, Gabi, Luana, Thiago, Rafa, etc.. some don’t train with me in a regular basis but are all part of our team, In fact I have or had so many good students that I forget sometimes. CJ-Do you accept foreign students to come over and train with you?
JC-Of course we have students from all over the world training here in Atlanta with us all the time, they are very well treated and learn a lot, all they need to do is contact us at the school 404-843-0606 or send me an email tomasterjacare@gmail.com or checking our site at www.alliancebjj.com. CJ-Please tell us of your future goals and achievements?
JC-My goals are always to try to be a good instructor, have a good team, stay healthy and make my students successful inside and outside the mats, take good care of my family, help as many people as I can and win as many important championships as possible and most important live a good life.
CJ-Thank you for allowing us to interview you.
JC-It was a great honor to share a little bit of my life with you, thanks.
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