Posts in Category: Motivational

Brazilian Black Belt BJJ CAMP 2019 is back in Europe 

for the first time to Italy, in the amazing Island of Sicily.

Brazilian Black Belt BJJ CAMP 2019 is back in Europe

Since 2004, when we were pioneers on the BJJ CAMP concept, where we did several CAMPs in the state Rio de Janeiro, we have been innovating, but keeping what we consider the most important aspect of this life time trip, which is creating a bound and making friends for a life time, in an amazing place, while doing our passion, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

After Rio we have been to other continent as well. 

This year we are going for the first time to Italy, in the amazing Island of Sicily. 

BJJ CAMP 2019 Italy Sicily

 

To keep the exclusive concept and make sure everyone will get full attention during classes and stay together on the outside activities we have limited to ONLY 16 students on the mat. The spots will sell quickly, so if you want to make a reservation, make sure to contact us right now at felipepcs@hotmail.com or via WhatsApp +55 21 99404-4567.

 

bjj camp felipe costa comprido jiu jitsu italy 

Once again, this CAMP will have  10 days. For the first time we will open space for those who can only come 5 days, but we will give preference for the ones who want to sign up for the total of 10 days. 

VALUE:

10 days- US$1140,00

5 days- US$740

(the ones who choose 5 days will have to arrive on first day of the CAMP, we will only open the option to stay the second half, once we full fill the first half. It's also important to have in mind that, as said above, the preference will be for the ones who want to register for the entire camp)

 

Due to characteristics of the location, at this Camp, the price does not include the hotel and food as we normally do in all our Brazilian Black Belt CAMPs, the price only include the training sessions (2 classes per day, that we may combined as a longer one, to leave space for outside activities), but we will make sure to recommend and assist you to find option where to stay, so you can choose a location that fits your pocket, transfer from hotel to the city etc.

 jiu jitsu camp

We will keep the most important values of our Camps, which is the relationships we build with the students and that includes spending time and doing activities together.

 

Remember that the Brazilian Black Belt CAMP is very exclusive, we will only allow 16 students to sign up.

 

Rodrigo Comprido and Felipe Costa will make sure you get a complete understanding of all the concept and techniques they explain. They also make sure to roll with the students and criticize their game and point out details that will help you reach a new level. 

 

Around half way during the camp, we take a day off, with only open mat, so the group can make activities together. The other days, as said, there are 2 classes. 

 

 

Here are the steps you need to know to join us and te most common question:

 

How do I secure my reservation?

To secure your spot we ask a 30% downpayment. Due to the limit of 16 students, we will ask that the remain balance is payed by August 27, 2019.

 

Where in Europe is the CAMP?

This camp will be in Italy, on the Sicily Island, on the city of Taormina/Giardini Naxos

 

What date should I arrive and leave?

You arrival date should be September 27, since the first day of the CAMP is saturday, September 28.

Your departure should be October 7, unless if you are not staying the full lenght of the CAMP.

Details about transfer we will give for those who reserve. 

 

Where should my flight arrive?

The closest airport is located in the city Catania, but Palermo is also an option, if perhaps you find a better deal to that airport. Depending where you are coming from, keep in mind that train, ferry and bus are also an option.

 

If you arrive in Palermo, your ride to the city will be longer than if you arrive in Catania, that is a information that may be important to keep in mind. 

 

Where will I stay?

Feel free to search the option that best suit you, ideally you should stay close to where our training facility is, the exact address is: 

Via Naxos, 63, 98035

Giardini Naxos

 

 

We recommend the following options:

-Hotel Tysandros

Lungomare

Tysandros, 22, 

Giardini Naxos ME

E-mail: info@hoteltysandros.it

 

- Villa Mora Hotel

Lungmare Naxos 47,

Giardini Naxos

e-mail: info@hotelvillamora.com 

 

- BJJ Hostel 

Via Naxos, 63, 98035
Giardini Naxos

email: email@bjjhostel.it 

 

- AirBnB Options:

 

We putted the address of where the training area is and many options have come up, with prices that fit all pockets. here is the link, but also feel free to do your own search: https://www.airbnb.com/s/Via-Naxos--63--98035-Giardini-Naxos--Province-of-Messina--Italy/all?refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Ffor_you&adults=1&children=0&infants=0&guests=2&toddlers=0&query=Via%20Naxos%2C%2063%2C%2098035%20Giardini%20Naxos%2C%20Province%20of%20Messina%2C%20Italy&place_id=ChIJl4FBc80RFBMRsSKdMijxMHU 

15 meses después de romper mi ligamento cruzado 

Video:

15 meses después de romper mi ligamento cruzado

 

De chico, competir era lo normal, por lo menos dentro de mi grupo, eso era lo que hacíamos.
 
No existían grandes pretensiones al respecto, no había sueños de conquistar la fama más allá de un apretón de manos con aquel compañero de entrenamiento, de playa, o de calle que admirábamos mucho o a quien le teníamos mucho respeto en el colegio. No teníamos ese sueño de vivir del Jiu Jitsu, ni de recorrer el mundo gracias a eso, de que nos pidan permiso para tomarse una foto con nosotros en la calle, o en los eventos de la modalidad. También no existía, ni en el más distante de los pensamientos, siquiera soñando despierto se nos cruzaba la idea de pensar que alguien viajaría desde el otro lado del mundo para conocernos o nos invitaría a su país con el mismo fin. 

Competíamos porque entrenábamos, y entrenábamos porque competíamos.

Había quienes parecían haber nacido para competir, con excelentes resultados; estaban aquellos que demostraban nervios antes de entrar a luchar pero a la hora sabían qué hacer, y luego estaba yo: aterrado a la hora de la lucha, y siempre obteniendo pésimos resultados.
Según mi punto de vista, de mi grupo, yo era el único así. Ahora, en retrospectiva, tengo la seguridad de que no era tan así. Yo era el único de los que obteníamos malos resultados, a quien no le importaba perder, e inclusive después de cada derrota, seguía intentando, incasablemente. No tengo la menor sombra de duda de que el hecho de poder lidiar tan bien con mis derrotas me ha tornado en un gran vencedor. 

Pequeño detalle, en esa época, recuerdo mi profesor (a quien admiraba profundamente) siempre diciendo que él competía para servir de ejemplo.
En esa época me parecía muy honorable de su parte, pero hoy, su frase me toca aún más profundo

Recientemente unos alumnos se pronunciaron interesados en competir, entonces, aunque no estuviese entrenando propiamente para eso, me inscribí en el campeonato con la intención de servir de ejemplo. Por circunstancias más allá de mi control, mis alumnos desistieron de competir pero mi nombre ya estaba en la planilla, entonces porque no asistir igual? Llegue a pensar que no tenía mucho sentido, pero si a fin de cuentas, competir es lo que hago, porque no hacerlo una vez más?

Termino siendo una mala decisión. En la final, cuando iba venciendo y a un minuto de terminar la lucha, mi adversario torció mi rodilla ocasionando una severa lesión que me obligó a parar inmediatamente. Ahí fue cuando me di cuenta que esta lesión no era como ninguna otra, esta era severa. 
Poco tiempo después mis sospechas se confirmaron, había sufrido una lesión de ligamento cruzado (LCA) y lesiones en el menisco. Ambas lesiones que me dejarían seis meses sin entrenar y aproximadamente demoraría un año en cicatrizar por completo

Prepararse psicológicamente para una recuperación como esa es tarea para pocos. Casi tocando los 40, la motivación no es la misma que la de un joven, entonces mi mente se puso en piloto automático, intentando no pensar, sino hacer. Cumplía mis tareas diarias buscando recuperarme, un día después del otro, sin dejar que la pereza me gane, sin faltas, sin atrasos, como lo he hecho durante toda mi carrera de atleta. Hasta que un día el piloto automático dejó de funcionar y el colapso fue total. 

Ahí fue donde simplemente paré con todo, y cuando una reacción amenazaba de volver, duraba pocos días y el desánimo asumía control de mi nuevamente. Si hubiese hecho todo en tiempo y forma, hubiese vuelto en 8 meses. Pero vuelto a dónde?

Un día, un amigo me dijo algo relacionado a otra situación, por la cual él expresaba frustración ya que no conseguía cerrar un negocio con un grupo de personas, y me comentó “de nada sirve ofrecerle comida a quien no tiene hambre”. Sin ninguna pretensión, era la mejor metáfora que describía mi situación actual. Ya no tenía más hambre de gloria en lo que respecta a competición, ya que afortunadamente había conquistado todo en el pasado. Entonces, ¿cuál era mi motivación para dedicarme al máximo a mi recuperación y llegar nuevamente a un nivel de atleta?
Fueron meses de batallar con mi cabeza, momentos en donde decidía volver a entrenar seriamente y momentos en los cuales pensaba que ya estaba bien así, que no había necesidad de más.

Este sería el punto para comenzar el Grand Finale diciendo que conseguí encontrarme con mi mismo y que estoy de vuelta, dispuesto a enfrentar mis mayores desafíos, pero no es el caso. Aún tengo la cabeza llena de dudas y todos los días pienso en desistir o direccionar mi foco a otras metas.
Dentro de este torbellino de ideas, intento entender que tal vez no haya nada de malo con el hecho de tener otras prioridades en mi vida y que el Felipe competidor va a convertirse lentamente en una memoria, pero les aseguro que es muy difícil aceptar que eso puede ser una realidad, capaz no de ahora, pero de aquí a un tiempo. Una parte de mi sigue queriendo exprimirme al máximo, para que no quede duda de que di todo lo que tenía para dar.

Hoy, me exprimí un poco más, después de 15 meses de haberme lesionado, competí y gané en un campeonato local (Aberto de Verão FJJ-RIO), vea el video.
 

Cuando me lesioné, mi primera sensación fue de miedo ante el diagnóstico y subsecuente recuperación que demoraría un año. Doce meses parecen una eternidad si se los mira hacia adelante, pero cuando se los recorre y se mira para atrás, parecen un instante. Piense en eso cuando le suceda algo parecido.

Curioso por descubrir lo que está por venir!
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Posted by Felipe Costa Feb 06, 2018 Categories: BJJ Felipe Costa Jiu Jitsu Motivacional Motivational

15 months after my knee injury (ACL ligament torn) 

Watch a video

15 months after my knee injury (ACL ligament torn)


Competing was the rule, at least among the people I grew up with, that was what we did. 
 
We did not create major expectations about it, there was no dream of conquering fame beyond a firm handshake with great admiration for that academy friend, a guy at the beach, on the street, or a school friend we highly regarded.
We did not even dream of making a living out of Jiu Jitsu, travelling the world, having people taken a picture with us in tournaments or on the street. Even less so to think about people willing cross half the globe just to meet us or invite us over to their country with the same purpose.

To us, we competed because we trained, and we trained because we competed.

There were those who seem to have been born to compete always having excellent results; those who seemed nervous but when the time came, they knew what had to be done; and then there was me: a nervous guy, completely scared at the time of the fight and always getting terrible results.

At the time, to me it seemed that I was the only guy like that from the group. Now, in retrospective, I realized it wasn't like that. I was the only one, among the worst, who did not really care about losing a tournament or been defeated, I would still kept on trying relentlessly. I have no shadow of doubt that because I was so good at dealing with defeat, I became a great champion.

My professor at that time, someone I deeply admired, really marked me with something he said, that he still competed because he wanted to set an example for us.
At the time, I thought it was really cool, but today, that phrase reaches me more profoundly than ever before.

Recently, some students wanted to compete in a tournament, and even though I was not properly training for a tournament, I signed up for it with the purpose of setting an example for my students. Due to circumstances beyond my control, all of my students decided to withdraw from the competition. But my name was already on the sheet, so I thought, why not? I even thought it was pointless to compete in that tournament, but if competing is what I do so, then, why not?

It turn out to be a terrible decision. At the final, with only a minute left to finish the fight, I was up in points when my adversary tried a twisting knee lock (which is forbidden in the sport) and caused my knee to bend forcing me to stop immediately. That is when it hit me, this was not just another knee injury, this one was without a doubt, the worst.

After a while, my suspicion was confirmed, it was a complete torn of the ACL and the lateral meniscus showed some damages as well. This was an injury that would prevent me from training for six months and it would take a year to fully recover.
Prepare yourself psychologically for such a recovery is a thing only few people can do. Closing up to my 40s, motivation is not the same as it was when I was young, so I went into automatic pilot, I was not going to think, I was going to do. So I basically fulfilled my daily duties seeking a full recovery, one day after the other, chasing laziness away, no absences, no delays, basically displaying the same behavior I have had throughout my entire professional career as an athlete. Until one day the automatic pilot stopped working and a major breakdown happened.
I simply stopped attending the therapy sessions and, whenever a slight reaction would appear, it would last only a couple of days and discouragement would take over again. If I had done everything by the book, I would have been back within 8 months of the surgery. But, back to where?

I remember one time a friend was frustrated for not closing a deal with a group of people, and said to me: “there is no point in offering food to someone who is not hungry”. Without a doubt, that was the best metaphor that pictured my situation at the time. I had no desire to conquer anything in terms of competition, since I had already conquered them all in the past. So what was the point in dedicating myself to full recovery as a professional athlete? 

I had to battle my own thoughts for months, rambling between going back to training to compete and keep doing things the the way I was without seeking anything else.

That should have been the point I found myself in the Grand Finale, thinking I was back and getting ready for all of the challenges to come, but that was not the case. Every day, I still find myself with a head full of uncertainties and, every day I think about quitting or focusing my energy somewhere else.

In a whirlwind of doubts and thoughts, I am still trying to make peace with the fact that I may have other priorities at present and that the competitor, Felipe,  will slowly become a memory, but believe me when I say, is a reality very difficult to accept perhaps not tomorrow, but some day. A part of me still wants to squeeze out every part of myself, to leave no room for doubt, to know that I gave my best.

Today, I squeezed myself a little further, after 15 months of my knee injury, I fought and won in a local tournament (Aberto de Verão FJJ-RIO), see video.

When I injured my knee, at first I was scared with the fact that it was going to take a year to fully recover. If you are looking ahead, twelve months seems like an eternity, but when looking back, it is more like a blink of an eye. Think about it whenever you are going through something similar.

I am curious to find out what lays ahead!
 
 

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Posted by Felipe Costa Feb 06, 2018 Categories: BJJ Felipe Costa Motivational Video BJJ