Welcome to Defend Yourself. Im glad you’re here. As Rickson Gracie's uke (assistant), I am lucky and grateful to be guided by the GOAT 🐐 on a daily basis. In this group I share the lessons I’ve learned over decades of martial arts training, competition, weapons training, and self defense scenarios. I encourage you to share your experience as well so that we all may learn from and support each other. Step 1: Please introduce yourself by commenting on this post. Share your rank, your martial arts experience, a photo if you like, and where you train. Step 2: Click here to enter the "Get Started Classroom."

As the year comes to a close, what’s the #1 thing you improved most in your jiu-jitsu this year? For me, it’s definitely my sense of weight disturbution and understand how to use “disconnection” to my advantage. Please share yours 😁

Who is the smoothest person you’ve rolled with and what made them feel that way? Mine was Mica Galvao and Henry Akins. Two different styles!! With Mica I always felt late, and with Henry (though it was positional) I felt like I couldn’t even get things going. Great experiences that I learned a lot from!

Share some wisdom with the group. I’ll go first. My opponent is my teacher, my ego is my enemy. Leave yours in the comments. 🙌

I’m teaching a seminar focusing on self defense and invisible jiujitsu next Saturday at Splendid Savage in Miami. Send @Carlos Carlos Reyes a message to reserve your spot. Jan 18th 2026. Splendid Savage Jiu Jitsu Miami https://www.instagram.com/p/DTIxUw8gErs/?igsh=MW4xZnZ6bzJ6ajRxMA==