The Indy 2008 Summer Training Pre-Registration is closed. You can still register for the event here, but “at the door” prices will apply. This event is shaping up to be a huge success, so don’t miss this last opportunity to join us!

Dr. Ryan Johnson is one of our purple belts in the Mario Roberto Jiu-Jitsu Association. Here is what he has to say about training at our school:

I came to Rochester, MN, as a physician to complete a medical residency in anesthesiology. Since I was 8 years old, I have been involved in martial arts, training in a variety of disciplines for many years (with multiple rankings and a black belt), and I began looking for a martial arts school at which to train. I have always found the martial arts to be a great outlet for the stress and anxiety that comes with a difficult profession, and feel it helps me to better focus and have more energy in all aspects of my life, from work to personal endeavors.

I visited each training facility in the area I could find, with none offering exactly for that which I was looking. I then called a school in Minneapolis (over an hour away), and they recommended Mario Roberto’s academy. As it turns out, people frequently travel long distances to train with Mario, and he was only a few blocks away from where I worked! Interestingly, Mario was also a medical doctor from Brazil, but stopped practicing medicine to devote his life to his passion of training and teaching the martial arts.

Since my first visit to Mario Roberto Jiu jitsu Academy, I knew that I had found my home. Mario Roberto is by far the most technical and knowledgeable fighter with which I have trained. He has been a black belt in Brazilian Jiu jitsu for many years (a rare find in the Midwest). He has competed at the top level and won against well known fighters. He has also trained competitors who have done well in tournaments ranging from local competitions, to PRIDE, to the UFC. He has never been content, however, to rest on his laurels and is constantly improving both is own abilities and that of those around him. His devotion to his student’s progression in the martial arts and life in general is unmatched; it is his number one priority inside and outside the gym.

In spite of his accomplishments and ability, Mario is both humble and unassuming, qualities which are refreshing and admirable but have not helped with the marketing of his Jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts academy. In spite of this, his classes have grown substantially by word of mouth and the high recommendations of those who know him (and multiple schools from other states have joined his association to add his knowledge to their training programs).

Class size itself is perfect for a good mix of competition with training partners and individual attention from Mario. The atmosphere is one of support and collegiality, with everyone working to improve their own skills and those of their friends at the gym. Everyone is helpful, friendly, and no large egos can be found. The technique and skill at the academy is superior to any location I have seen, sometimes going unrecognized by the humility of Mario and his students. The atmosphere is informal, but the respect among students and instructor is genuine. If you are interested in dramatically increasing your martial arts skills and self-defense abilities while getting in good physical condition, this is THE place to train.

Unfortunately, I no longer train with Mario as I have finished residency and moved a long distance away (this was my biggest regret about completing my medical training). However, Mario’s influence on me in the last three years has been remarkable and long-lasting, much improving my technical abilities, my conditioning, and my overall physical and mental health. Each time I am close to Rochester, I never miss an opportunity to train with Mario if only for a few days. He is no longer only my Jiu jitsu instructor, but my friend as well.

- Ryan Johnson MD

The 14th of July marked my 10 year black belt “anniversary”. I have now been training Jiu-Jitsu for 18 years (it took me 8 years of hard training to get promoted to black belt). Wow, time flies. I decided to retire my old black belt and get a new one to celebrate the occasion.

Our gym was featured in Today’s Post-Bulletin. You can check out the story here.

I’ll be in Texas this Friday teaching a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu workshop organized by my good friend Scott Sullivan.

I’ll also be helping out Scott with his new grappling tournament, the Houston Jiu-Jitsu Championships. You can check out the tournament website here.

Rochester classes will still take place normally, and I expect all students to attend. Keep training hard!

Travis Wiuff vs. Leopoldo Montenegro in Manaus, Brazil. Thanks to whoever posted this on youtube.

We had another “field trip” this Saturday, this time to Zumbro Falls. We rented some canoes and went downriver to Hammond. It’s a 7-mile trip, and since we started early we managed to avoid the drunken crowds. The weather was good, and we had a very relaxing trip.

That is, until the last 3 miles, which were dedicated to what I will refer to as “boat wars”, for lack of a better term. Apparently the other crews decided on a secret alliance to attack our boat. If it wasn’t for the expert seamanship of the Irish coxswain or the amazing dexterity of the Brazilian rower (yeah right!), we might not have been able to parry the numerous oar strikes coming our way! I’m happy that we all got back without any permanent injuries.

Everybody had fun; we should do this more often. Thank you for participating!

Crew #1
- Dan Leckel
- Adam Anderson
Crew #2
- Ryan Rhodes
- Bert Rivero
Crew #3
- Gary Ryan
- Mario Roberto

Our second Summer Training Camp will take place this August! This is the first time that we are having an intensive Summer session away from our Rochester dojo, and we chose Fishers, IN, as our location this year. 

Our last Summer Training was a huge success, so don’t miss out on this opportunity! Not only will you have the chance to meet other members of the Association, but also this might be the most intense training you will ever experience! We will have NINE hours of classes throughout the weekend, covering an array of topics that are sure to make you a better grappler. The pre-registration prices are RIDICULOUSLY LOW, so take action now before you miss out on this opportunity (limited slots are available)! Please click here to register online with Paypal and to check a list of the scheduled activities.

I’ll see you guys there!

From wikipedia:

Toshihiko Koga (古賀 稔彦, Koga Toshihiko?, born November 21, 1967 in Kitashigeyasu, Saga, Japan) is a retired judoka who competed in the -71 kg and -78 kg divisions.

Koga began judo in elementary school, and traveled to Tokyo during junior-high school to enter Kodogakusha, a judo school later attended by Olympic gold medalists Hidehiko Yoshida and Makoto Takimoto. He continued his education at the Nippon Sport Science University, and captured several awards including five consecutive championships at the Kodokan Cup and six consecutive championships at the All-Japan Judo Championships (all in the 71 kg division). He placed 3rd in the 1987 World Judo Championships held in Essen, and was chosen to participate in the 1988 Summer Olympics, where he lost in the 3rd round of the competition. Koga returned to the Olympics in 1992 after winning the 1989 and 1991 World Judo Championships, but seriously injured his left knee during a randori (sparring) session against Hidehiko Yoshida, which prevented him from using his best technique; the Ippon Seoinage.[1] He won the gold medal overcoming this injury, and was given the JOC Sports Award by the Japanese Olympic Committee.

Koga briefly retired from competitive judo after his victory at the Olympics, but made his return with a gold medal at the 1995 World Judo Championships in Chiba, Japan. He suffered a surprising defeat by ippon in a qualification match for the 1996 Summer Olympics, but was chosen as the representative anyways because of his past experience in the Olympic games. He ended his third appearance at the Olympics with a silver medal in the -78 kg division.

Koga announced his final retirement from competition in 2000, and became the head coach for the All-Japan women’s judo team. In April, 2003, he founded the Koga Juku, a judo school for young children, in Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki. One of his pupils, Ayumi Tanimoto, won the gold medal in the -63 kg division at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He became the head coach of the International Pacific University’s judo team (located in Akaiwa, Okayama) in April, 2007, and has enjoyed celebrity status in Japan as a 7th dan rank holder in judo, appearing on several national television shows.

Thanks to whoever posted this video on youtube!

I’ll be in Houston, TX, on July 25th teaching a 2-hour Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu workshop. The event is being organized by my good friend and black belt student Scott Sullivan.

You can get more information about the seminar here.