CAGAYAN de Oro’s top Jiu-Jitsu instructor Paul Clarence "Popo" Juarez will hold Jiu-Jitsu classes starting on September 27 at the YMCA-Cagayan de Oro City along Julio Pacana street.
The classes will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. every Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Registration for YMCA members is P1,000 while non-members is P1,500.
The registration is for 12 sessions in a single month. Interested martial arts enthusiasts who want to learn Jiu-Jitsu can contact the YMCA office at 856-9624 or 323-1978.
According to Juarez, Jiu-Jitsu is a martial arts derived from judo but emphasizes on ground fighting and submissions.
"Its most popular form is the Brazilian Jui-jitsu. Japanese judoka Mitsuyo Maeda brought the art to Brazil. Its popularity rose because of its success in the Unlimited Fighting Championships (UFC), showing its effectiveness against other martial art forms," he added.
According to Wikepedia, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu promotes the concept that a smaller person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger and heavier opponent by using proper technique, leverage, and most notably by taking the fight to the ground.
Jiu-Jitsu proponents usually then apply joint locks and choke holds to defeat opponents.
Juarez has been training for seven years now and has been granted affiliation with Atos Philippine for three years as a recognized instructor. "We are the only Atos Philippine branch outside Metro Manila and we have produced champions in local and international tournaments.
"Atos is an international Jui-Jitsu team consistently ranked among the best Jui-Jitsu schools in the world," he said.
Juarez is under professor Ali Sulit, head of Altos Philippines, a Judo 4th degree Black belt, and a Brazilian Jui-Jitsu Blackbelt. He is also the head coach of the Ateneo de Manila University Judo and Jiu-Jitsu program.
(l.biantan@gmail.com)