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If you are a student, click here to pre-register now.

Congratulations, Ezra Hoffman! March 2025’s Student of the Month!

7-year-old Ezra was born into Jiu-Jitsu and was the youngest of all his siblings to train at the Academy. He watched countless classes from the sidelines as a toddler. Watching his Father, Rick, who’s a black belt, and his siblings, Sariah (blue belt), Eliana (blue belt), and Josiah (orange/white belt).

Early in Ezra’s Jiu-Jitsu journey, when the Instructors walked by and tried to interact with him, he would refuse to give high fives or handshakes and occasionally growl.

Over time, with the persistent coaching of older brother Josiah, Ezra would give the Instructors reluctant handshakes with strong eye contact.

Ezra started his Jiu-Jitsu journey in October of 2023 in the 4-6-year-olds’ program, and he was all business from day one, with the support of his family watching from the sideline and his older sister Sariah as an assistant Instructor. He was at home. Now, the roles are reversed, and he is the one being watched!

Ezra works extremely hard, is always on task, and elevates his partners with his focused intensity. When he partners with someone who isn’t on task, he looks at them with a quiet stare, and his teammates get the message: “Back to work!” He leads by example.

In this double-leg takedown drill, designed to help improve reaction time and natural responsiveness in a match or fight, @kiviangracie started by practicing the technique with full vision, focusing on proper form and timing.

To take it up a notch, we had her close her eyes and rely only on feel. The goal was to sense where Ryan’s head was when he shot in and react based on touch rather than sight.

This helps improve body awareness and reflexes, which are key for high-level grappling. By removing vision from the equation, the body learns to react faster and more instinctively, making movements second nature when it counts the most.

This type of drilling builds muscle memory, awareness, and sensitivity to pressure, all crucial skills for hitting counters and staying in control—whether in grappling, MMA, or self-defense situations.

👉🏼 Key Points for Each Rep:

1️⃣ Face the head side and lower level.

Bottom side control is one of the most difficult positions to be stuck in during a fight. With gravity working against you and an opponent looking to apply pressure, strikes, or submissions, survival and escape require a blend of patience, technique, and strategy.

Avoid flatness at all costs; staying on your side, even slightly, allows for better mobility and escape potential. A well-timed bridge, shrimp, or underhook can create space to recover guard or initiate a reversal, but these movements must be efficient and calculated, as reckless energy expenditure can leave you more vulnerable.

The key to excelling from bottom side control lies in the patience game—staying composed, absorbing your opponent’s pressure intelligently, and waiting for the right moment to escape. Many practitioners panic in this position, leading to reckless movements that expose them to submissions or being mounted.

Using deceptive movements—faking a bridge to elicit a reaction or baiting them into shifting weight incorrectly—can set up effective escapes. A strong defensive mindset, combined with a willingness to ride out the storm and capitalize on small windows of opportunity, can turn a bad position into a winning strategy.

Makena Mathews began her Jiu-Jitsu journey at just nine years old in August 2020. Coming out of lockdown, she was part of a small, tight-knit group of students eager to train, connect, and grow together. From the start, Makena stood out—not only for her coachability and strong work ethic but also for her humor, patience, communication skills, and willingness to help her teammates.

Her dedication quickly became evident. In April 2021, she was recognized as Student of the Month, and just two months later, she earned a spot in the Kids Black Belt Club. That December, she achieved her Yellow Belt. Over the years, Makena has competed at high-level tournaments, including the U.S. Open, the American Cup, and the Jiu-Jitsu World League.

In the summer of 2023, Makena expressed interest in becoming an Assistant Instructor, a role that suited her natural leadership and mentorship qualities. She officially began her journey on August 8, 2023, committing to 100 volunteer hours. Despite her packed schedule—including school, sports, and work—she remained consistent, professional, and dependable, regularly communicating with staff and steadily contributing to our younger students’ growth.

Watch the Reel.

View the photo album.

From families training together—whether siblings, parents with their teens and adult children, or high school and college students—to professionals across law enforcement, healthcare, business, tech, legal fields, and more, where else will you find an environment that fosters growth, empowerment, positivity, and success, and brings out the best in everyone?

We are continually inspired by our students’ drive and commitment to personal development and community building.

Thank you to everyone who attended our seminars this past weekend during our 20th-anniversary celebration!

View the photo album.

What an incredible day it was to celebrate 20 years of empowerment and success in Brentwood with the people who matter most—our dedicated staff, our wonderful students, and their families.

There’s nothing more rewarding than watching our students grow in confidence and strength through their training—except perhaps witnessing the friendships and connections they build along the way.

We are beyond grateful for the love and support we received this past weekend. It was a day filled with training, laughter, delicious food, raffles, and fun.

Thank you to everyone who is part of Crosley Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’s journey! 😃

Watch the Reel.