Excels' Grapplers Retreat Day 1 & 2

 First Annual Excel Grappler's Retreat!  Day 1 & 2...


Break down and glimpse into the entire Brazilian Jiu Jitsu game...

 Excel presents a 3 day seminar of the entire Jiu Jitsu game!  But more than just technique and mat time...it is the Excel Experience that students and participants will remember for the rest of their lives!

Coaches Charlie Grant & Michio Grubbs

 This 3 day seminar is guaranteed to take the participant to the next level of their very own, unique Jiu Jitsu presentation!

Coach Michio Grubbs pointing out some details to the Jiu Jitsu game...

 Research, Study, and Application...

Coach Charlie Grant showing crucial details to the Jiu Jitsu game...

The Excel Experience...Eric Rivard and Michio Grubbs....

 More than just technique...the camaraderie...the Jiu Jitsu bond...

Coach Jon Romero coaching and guiding.  The Man of Experience and attention to detail!

Coach Jon Romero working his magic

Open Mat...working the magic!

 Study + application + fun!  =  The Excel Experience!

cannot beat the BBQ!  with Max Shepard and Corey Bennin!

Jon Romero and Corey Bennin BBQ = this alone is worth the price of admission!

 Awesome outdoor cooking!  Jon and Corey =  Masters of BBQ!



one more day left!  not too late to sign up for Sunday training!



-Team Excel

Jiu Jitsu Promotions, Pako Gonzalez gets Blue Belt!

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Oceanside, Ca

 Every morning you have two choices; continue to sleep or wake up and chase your dreams.  The choice is yours.

Pako Gonzalez with coaches Michio Grubbs, Jon Romero and Charlie Grant

Congratulations to Pako Gonzalez on achieving his Blue Belt on Aug 1st!  The guy is a hard worker and always comes in with a smile.  Good job Pako!

Also, congrats to the following on their Stripe Promotions;

Eric Rivard = 4 Stripe Blue, Jason Mageo = 1 Stripe Blue, Nick Bogart = 1 Stripe Blue, Berto Alvarez = 3 Stripe White, Clay Dykes = 2 Stripe White, Junior Ramirez = 1 Stripe White, and Levi Summerlin = 2 Stripe Grn/Wht.

Eric Rivard with coaches Charlie Grant and Michio Grubbs

  Jason Mageo with coaches Charlie Grant and Michio Grubbs

Nick Bogart with coaches Michio Grubbs, Jon Romero and Charlie Grant

  Berto Alvarez with coaches Michio Grubbs, Jon Romero and Charlie Grant

 What a way to start off the month of August!  Everyone is working hard and making that push of improvement.

-Team Excel

The most happening place!

Excel Jiu Jitsu Oceanside

Come check us out! Guaranteed to have a great time!

Boys and Girls Club of Oceanside

Boys and Girls Club Oceanside working with EXCEL Jiu Jitsu

 Every Monday at 10am we work with the Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside.  The Kids love us!

Interview with Ray Sloan

Ray "Ray Gun" Sloan

 Ray has been training Jiu Jitsu for 8yrs + and currently holds the rank of Brown Belt.  He has a very smooth, flowing Jiu Jitsu game and is transitioning into MMA and currently holds a 2-0 record.  He has a fight coming up on July 20th, 2013 against a game opponent In the XPlode Fight Series in Valley Center, Ca. and he is ready to go!

 

Ø  When did you start Jiu Jitsu and why?

Ray:  Started Jiu Jitsu when I was 20yrs old.  I didn't understand how Jiu Jitsu worked and I started because I wanted to feel that magic that everyone talked about.  I kept hearing that Jiu Jitsu can beat anything and I didn't believe it until I tried it!

Ø  Did you do any other sports before Jiu Jitsu?

Ray:  I did football, basketball, I weight lifted, and actually that's what made me question Jiu Jitsu because I was bigger and stronger than everybody.

Ø  You get a lot of compliments about your ground game but I do remember, as your coach, the humble beginnings of first starting Jiu Jitsu.  You used to get the tar beat out of you!  Over the years, I've seen you grow and mature into quite the athlete with much skills.  Any advice to the beginning Jiu Jitsu enthusiast, that is just starting out?

Ray:  It takes time to grow on that mat.  Jiu Jitsu is like life...it doesn't happen in one day.  Show up to practice...stay focused, & no matter how many times you get beat up or tapped...you need to come back for more!

EXCEL MMA

Ø  There is much to be said about loyalty and everyone has the right to choose where they train and with whom.  Why choose EXCEL?

Ray:  I choose EXCEL because I started Jiu Jitsu with Michio Grubbs, a friend brought me to Michio & I've doing it ever since...I wouldn't go anywhere else!  Where Michio goes, I go.

Ø  Tell the readers about your experiences in MMA up to this point.

Ray:  At first, It is a big, BIG difference **laughing** I love my Jiu Jitsu and for self defense, it may be enough but for MMA, as a sport, you need to know a lot more!  You need to learn the all around game.  It is a world of difference!

Ø  what weight do you fight at?

Ray:  I fight at 205, light heavy-weight.

Ø  How is the striking and the wrestling coming along?

Ray:  Striking is coming along very well.  I started with Bubba Pugh in MMA working boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and now along with Bubba, I have Sio Makihele to work my hands.  Sio has given me a lot of confidence in my hands to go along with what I already know.

Ø  How do you see your future in the combat sports?

Ray:  As long as I take care of myself, my body and my mind...I see it going very well.  Keeping a good teammate attitude is a big key.  Can't train by yourself.  Need good teammates.

Ø  what inspires you to train day in, day out...knowing that with the intense training comes a lot of pain and fatigue?

Ray:  What inspires me is that I love the fact that I never, ever thought that I could do any of this.  When I seen it on TV, it looked magical and I thought I couldn't do it.  But now, I'm in the cage and training every day.  Learning technical things and learning about the Art of fighting.  It's not just about...Get 'em, GET 'EM!  It's about the Art of fighting and I want to learn everything I can, to help me prepare for competition.  I know if you're not training hard...you are not going to win!

 

Ray Sloan getting the win!  EXCEL Mixed Martial Arts

How does your rest and nutrition help your training?

Ray:  In pre fight mode, I cut out all the junk food, the bad eating habits that I have and work a schedule for my eating patterns.  And it helps!  I call it a cleanse.  Cleaning out all the bad habits.

Ø  What all do you do to prepare for competition? 

Ray:  I train hard.  Get good rest.  Focus on keeping up good spirits, keeping my spirit up.

Ø  take us through a typical day of training?

Ray:  Typical day of training...after working all day, I come to class...do cardio, cardio, cardio...then we'll spar but it's up to the coach.  To tell you the truth, I let me coaches choose how I train.  And I don't ask questions.  They tell me what to do and I do it.

Ø  Are you still working two jobs?

Ray:  Yes!  I actually am.  I do what is necessary. 

Ray Sloan with BJJ Coaches Corey Bennin and Michio Grubbs

Ø  What are your hobbies and what other interests do you have?

Ray:  My hobby is training and fighting.  I'm interested in teaching in the future, opening up a branch of EXCEL where I live.  I do not live close to my gym, I travel a long way to train but wouldn't trade it for the world.

Ø  how supportive is your family & friends about you putting it on the line to compete?

Ray:  Everyone in my life understands what I'm doing and what I'm about.  It went from no one believing that I was going to do it, thinking it was a fad to everyone knowing...This is what I do!  I don't want to be old saying I should have done it.  My family & friends understand this.

Ø  What shout outs do you want to throw out there?

Ray:  I would like to throw a shout out to first of all, my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, the gyms I go to, the sparring partners that come to train with me.  A special shout out to Corey for having us, Michio for bringing me up...I feel like I was his baby in Jiu Jitsu and he has raised me up to this.  Bubba Pugh, he doesn't have to do what he does, but he does...and I'm proud to have him in my corner.  He is the voice in the corner that I listen to when it comes to fight time.  My other coaches...Charlie, Jon, Sio, so happy to have them.  And with Sio, my boxing coach, I want to give him a special shout out to his gym.  Sio, is the Michio of my hands!

Ø  What do you want to say to your teammates, your brothers & sisters in arms that are reading this?

Ray:  Never give up.  Life happens and there are always going to be issues pop up.  Family issues, work issues, personal issues.  There are going to be times where you'll ask yourself why?  Why am I going to this class, why am I doing this?  You know what?  Don't even ask why.  Just get up and go.  If you catch yourself sitting down and thinking about training?  You should be going to go train.  If you're thinking about it...you should be doing it.

Ø  Have you ever done any fitness modeling?

Ha, Ha, Ha!  **We both bust up laughing!**  Ray:  For the right amount of money...I would!  Ha!

Thanks for the Interview Ray!!!

Ray:  Thank you!

-Team EXCEL

Oceanside Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

 Come in for a great Experience...make friends, get a great workout, and grow as a person!

Oceanside Jiu Jitsu Free Classes

After a tough workout!

 Congratulations to Paolo on his 2nd stripe White Belt Promotion!  This man works hard and has made big jumps in his game!

Paolo Rendon and Instructor Charlie Grant

Hard Work + Dedication = Success!


-Team EXCEL

Why I train at Excel Jiu Jitsu -Joe Pugh

Joe has been with the team for a long time and represents the nice guys that like to get in and mix it up and get that combat athletics  training.  Joe is 50 years young and continues to train hard every week.  Here is a short article by him...

Joe Pugh, EXCEL Jiu Jitsu Oceanside

 I was first introduced to Jiu Jitsu by my son, he would set up mats in the garage and have some friends over. I couldn't resist the urge to roll with them, I am heavier than my son so how bad could this go? His Jiu Jitsu was so effective and efficient that I was saying hey that hurts within the first couple minutes! He laughed and said "I know". I joined a gym that offered Jiu Jitsu the next day. My intent was to get better, build cardio, strength and be able to roll with both my son's. So off I went training at a different gym than where my son trained. I did that for awhile but I couldn't get to the level of training that I was happy with. I wanted to be as good as my son. So I talked to him about his gym and joining him with his training. His response was "I dunno it's kinda rough there" he was right. I was pushed further than I thought I could go. I would go into training thinking, ok don't embarrass your son today, try to survive. Every session was exhausting, exciting, extremely educational. Every person I've met has been extremely polite, humble and caring. I am older than most of the guys I train with, actually I may be the oldest guy at the gym right now. I have these young guys and girls training me, coaching me and pushing me to be better. It's actually fun to see a group of young men and women setting and exceeding their goals.

Joe training hard, at EXCEL Jiu Jitsu Oceanside

So my first reason to train Jiu Jitsu was so I wouldn't get beat by my son. I still get beat.... I didn't factor into the equation he was going to get better too, now both my sons train... Yea that's not any better for me either but I'm lasting longer during our rolling sessions now at least Along they way Jiu Jitsu has introduced me to some of the best people I've met

Joe Pugh, gets the win, EXCEL Jiu Jitsu

Now I train at Excel Jiu Jitsu for many reasons, I love watching both my boys be amazing men even though I will pay for their progress it's what I love to do most, I enjoy Jiu Jitsu, it's a great workout, its healthy, it's a it's a workout for your mind, body and soul, my best friends and family train at Excel. Training at Excel under these coaches is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

-Joe Pugh, TEAM EXCEL

What Brazilian Jiu-jitsu means to me - By Mathew Liebovitz

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training in Oceanside

            To me Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is more than a hobby, its more than a sport; it’s a way of life, a true martial art. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is a constant challenge that I present to myself on a daily basis; it’s the challenge to eat healthy foods, to keep my mind sharp, and to keep my lifestyle clean. The challenge from Brazilian Jiu-jitsu comes from within; the true source of the challenge is not external.

BJJ Oceanside, Ca

For me, I do not compete with my training partners, but with myself, to be the best grappler that I can be, the hardest worker that I can be, the best version of myself in the moment, in every moment that I can be. In Brazilian Jiu-jitsu one cannot hide from themselves, from the reality of who they are, as ones true self comes out on the mat. Those who cannot be constantly humbled never seem to make it, but those who are secure with themselves spend a lifetime perfecting the art.

Mat with Michio Grubbs and Corey Bennin

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu has given me more than I can ever give back to it. It gives me the confidence to reach my goals in life, and the ability to protect my family without any pretense. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu has also given me the confidence to reach all of my goals in life, to live what I believed once were just far away dreams. What does Brazilian Jiu-jitsu mean to me? It means everything.

 

By Mathew Liebovitz