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Gerson Sanginitto

Generation X-cellent

When the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu took the world in early ’90s, the two most significant families to spread the art and serve as a source of worldwide knowledge were the Gracies and the Machados. A decade after Royce Gracie won the first UFC, however, a second generation of capable instructors has taken on the responsibility of sharing and updating the technical aspects of the art. Many things have changed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, due to the highly charged competition atmosphere, and new technical developments have made some of the techniques used as recently as 10 years ago obsolete!

Gerson Sanginitto is one of the second generation of Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructors, and has been teaching in the United States for over five years. His knowledge of the grappling arts is not just limited to the coveted rank of faixa preta (black belt) in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but also holds a black belt in Japanese judo. This is a combination that many top Brazilian fighters and instructors consider exceptional, due to the different emphasis the two arts put onto throwing techniques (judo) and ground techniques (Brazilian jiu-jitsu).

A direct student of the president of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Carlos Gracie Jr., Sanginitto has shared many hours of training with some of the top-names of jiu-jitsu, including both Rigan Machado and Renzo Gracie. In many ways, it is safe to say that the future of the Brazilian art is in the hands of this new generation of young teachers who still have the passion and drive to teach a first-day white belt with the same motivation they have when they impart knowledge to a class full of brown belts.

Q: How long have you been practicing martial arts?

A: I started in 1973 and I haven’t stopped since. I haven’t specifically trained in any other styles than grappling. I started judo first, and then began jiu-jitsu in 1984. As far as other martial arts systems like kung-fu, taekwondo, and karate, I never trained steadily, although through friends I have been exposed to them. My teacher is Carlos Gracie Jr. but there are also many people who have taught me a lot about jiu-jitsu. These include Paulo Cesar Mulatinho, Rigan Machado, Renzo Gracie and Antonio Rodrigues.

Q: Have you ever had to use jiu-jitsu in a real fight?

A: Back in the ‘80s, in my early 20’s, a friend of mine invited me to go to Ipanema to visit a karate academy and learn some of their moves. At first, we were only exchanging techniques in a friendly manner. But when it came to free training, things changed a little. I started to train with one of the instructors. He surprised me and came after me and really wanted to beat me up. I was thinking that this was going to be just an easy practice of the punches and kick I had just learned. But instead, the guy came at me right away and surprised me and gave me a fat lip. After his punch I went after him to tap him out. I was not trying to punch him back, but I was enraged and wanted to prove that my technique was more effective than his. So I went for a double leg, took him down, mounted him, and then all of a sudden changed my mind and started to punch the guy in the face! I kept going until my friends finally made me stop. I guess that was my first vale tudo and the end of my karate training!

Q: Were you a natural at jiu-jitsu?

A: I don’t know if I would say it that strongly, but I did learn the movements very easily. I remember that when I got my blue belt, I became an instructor for beginners because I always had a certain skill for teaching. It was probably because I always liked to teach, and I truly enjoy doing it. I guess the main reason why I was fast at learning jiu-jitsu was because of my judo training. I really think that my previous training in judo helped me a lot in my jiu-jitsu evolution. I was very comfortable with the idea of grabbing an opponent and grappling them on the ground. My transition to jiu-jitsu was very smooth and easy. Of course, there were aspects that were more difficult to absorb, but the idea of the grappling game was already in my body.

Q: Do you like vale tudo events such as UFC and Pride?

A: It’s great exposure for jiu-jtsu fighters and for jiu-jitsu itself—these events demonstrate the effectiveness of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Groundwork was something that nobody knew before the UFC. Royce Gracie opened doors for a lot of people because he showed martial artists from other styles how much it helped to have a knowledge of grappling. In general, I believe that all mixed martial arts events are positive. They bring publicity to all the martial arts and they help the sport of grappling to be recognized and to grow. When it comes to the athletes themselves, they acquire the added bonus of personal recognition and a little extra income. Fighters who participate in these events have to be extremely dedicated professionals. It is a job that requires hard training and full concentration. Besides building inner strength, the athletes learn different styles so they can understand and defend themselves against all attacks. So I feel MMA helps the technical aspects of all martial arts to improve.

Q: Do you think that jiu-jitsu in America has caught up with jiu-jitsu in Brazil?

A: American students are definitely improving, but they are not quite there yet. Jiu-jitsu has been a mainstream martial art in Brazil since the early ‘80s and has been practiced since the early ‘20s. Also, the number of practitioners is a lot higher and the number of competitions is incredible—there are events every weekend. However, now there are many top Brazilian instructors living in the U.S. and they have American students who have a natural ability for the art. I’d say that pretty soon the Americans are going to get even with Brazil. But for now, Brazil is still number one.

Q: Do you feel that you have more to learn?

A: Definitely! A big part of jiu-jitsu is learning something every day—especially since jiu-jitsu is a growing and evolving art. It is in constant development. This is true not only in techniques, but also in regard to new strategies and tactics to use against different opponents. Skillful and creative fighters are always creating new positions and improving the game. So, we are always learning and implementing our knowledge with each other. As a practitioner and as a instructor, my schedules are different. As a practitioner, I use more time to building my physical conditioning, while as an instructor I have to dedicate time to planning out the best strategy for teaching a class. It is important that my students fully understand the principles of the art and consequently keep improving their game, endurance, and confidence. That takes planning on my part.

Q: What are the major changes in jiu-jitsu since you began training?

A: Brazilian jiu-jitsu has evolved a lot since the early ‘80s. Initially, BJJ was made up of just the Gracie family and their friends. Nowadays, the media has shown the world how great this martial art is. It started as a small community, but it has now become one of the greatest martial arts in the world. All this has happened without breaking or changing its principles, which proves its strength and effectiveness. A few years ago, the art of jiu-jitsu was more aggressive than it is today. The rules have changed a lot, so all practitioners, including myself, had to adjust our game accordingly. My game had to become extremely strategic and aggressive, since now a single mistake can be lethal. The level of the game is so high that any little mistake can cause you to lose a match. In the old days, for instance, there was a huge difference between a purple belt and a brown belt. Nowadays, you see purple belts giving a real hard time to both brown and black belts! The purple belt may lose in the end, but they give the top guys a run for their money. I think this is good for the art and the sport, because it means the technical level is going up.

Q: Who would you like to personally train with?

A: I would like to train with Rickson Gracie—or at least get on the mat with him just to feel his technique. Carlos Gracie Jr. took us to his academy a few times, but I have never trained with him personally. Everyone is a little different in jiu-jitsu, so it is good to train with all the top people. The strength of jiu-jitsu is in its differences. A person should find the style that best fits their aptitude and their desire. It is very important for students to find a place where they feel comfortable. Only in the right environment, can the right learning and improvement occur. Even now, my passion for the art and for teaching is what keeps me going. It brings me great fulfillment to see my students successfully applying a technique that I taught.

Q: Do you think it is necessary to fight on the street in order to try out jiu-jitsu self-defense techniques?

A: Not really, because nowadays a fighter can have specific training in his own academy and also test his skills in no-holds-barred events. However, if someone has fought a lot in the streets, this person does learn what they are capable of and might have an advantage over a person that does not have such experience. These real situations teach you how to effectively deal with the adrenaline rush, which can work in your favor or against you.

Q: What’s your opinion about mixing styles?

A: I think it is good to know more than one style. The goal of an athlete should be to become a complete fighter. However, a person should specialize in one style and enhance his skill with some training in other styles. Brazilian jiu-jitsu requires great dedication and steady training. I don’t believe that a student should jump from art to art, because in the end they won’t achieve full proficiency in any style.

Q: Has Brazilian jiu-jitsu been of personal benefit to you?

A: It brings me great joy and has brought me many new friends. I feel like I’m a part of a big family. It brings discipline, confidence, and attitude. Also, the challenge of competition helps to keep me fresh and excited about the sport. A successful competitor in Brazilian jiu-jitsu has discipline, dedication, persistence, and passion for what they do. Natural ability is the start, and these qualities will keep you in the game. But you have to work hard. I guess these qualities are common not only in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but in any serious competitor from any legitimate sport. It takes these qualities to become a good competitor.

Q: Is supplementary training important?

A: After grappling students have committed themselves to BJJ, they can complement their skills with other types of training. In particular, cardiovascular conditioning is crucial for the jiu-jitsu athlete. Weight training and stretching are also effective tools that with greatly help a fighter. But I always stress the fact that nothing replaces time on the mat. Technique is your main thing everyone needs to develop and that only comes from mat time. Hours spent pumping iron won’t improve your jiu-jitsu if your technique is not good. Focus on technique first and then later move to supplementary aspects to enhance your technical skills.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

A: I want to keep teaching for as long as I can.