On the mat with 9th Degree Red Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Master Mauricio Strauch
Sports“Open your eyes. Don’t get so focused on one thing. Take a step back and look at the big picture. When you do… that’s when you’ll start learning Jiu Jitsu.”
These are the words that Master Mauricio Strauch, 9th Degree Red Belt, left me after my private training with him.
It’s not often that you get the chance to meet a living legend, let alone train with one.
It is understandable that I might have been a bit nervous when I walked through the door of his academy in Rio de Janeiro. He is, after all, one of the few men to have achieved such a high rank, and it was an honor to meet him.
My Jiu Jitsu mentor, I had a mentor. Caio Terra is one of the best competitive BJJ practitioners in the world. To hear him talk about his instructor, frankly it made me a little nervous meeting you.
As part of Professor Terra’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Camp in Rio de Janeiro, we were lucky enough to be able to train at the academy of Caio’s instructor, Master Mauricio Strouch.
We were 35. I think the whole group was on pins and needles that first day when we entered Master Strauch’s school. There was a narrow corridor to enter the academy, and we all entered the room in single file.
When you got to the front of the line, you were greeted with a friendly handshake and a smile. However, that smile was charming because while it was welcoming, it served as a distraction for what came next. As they all entered the room, after shaking hands with him, Master Strauch gently tugged at his hand and his foot swept over it, causing him to lose his balance.
It was a friendly gesture intended to help him feel comfortable. He sensed that we were all nervous and took the tension out of the room with this simple tactic. As each new person walked through the door, each one we had already passed, we would giggle big as we watched them bump into the next person.
This gesture spoke volumes about who this man is. While he is an amazing practitioner and master of martial arts, he is a cheerful man with a fun spirit.
Do not misunderstand. While he is cheerful, he is a true martial artist who demands the best of you while in his class. He doesn’t let the little mistakes slide and calls you out for anything but your best.
But, he is also a bit of a joker and In fact he loves what he does. As an example, upon leaving the academy, everyone was ‘ready’ for the foot sweep. Summarily, she gave you a hug. As she did so, she pulled your hand to her chest and the wrist locked you. It happens so fast that you can’t stop it. He’s so good at it that it doesn’t hurt. The smile on her face afterwards lets you know that she was just playing. Like I said, his smile is charming.
As a group we received some amazing nuggets of information from Master Strauch which I am sure will benefit our entire Jiu Jitsu game when we return home.
After the session, we were informed that he was available for private lessons while we were in town. My wife and I immediately signed up for one.
Not knowing exactly what to expect, we were a little tenuous about the shoot when we arrived the next day. We arrived a little early and when we entered the academy there was a class. We were surprised to see a lot of people (about 15 people), all trying to submit to each other. They were all smiling and laughing and having a great time. I remember being nervous for them, hoping Master Strauch wouldn’t walk in and surprise them playing in the study, until I looked up and saw Hey he was the leader of the ring.
Later, the class had a small rubber basketball that they used to try to dunk it over the top of a pull-up bar. If he did, he could choose a classmate, who in turn had to demonstrate a technique. They were drilling and having fun!
A quick look around the studio showed a life-size painting of Woody Woodpecker wearing a Jiu Jitsu gi, on the ceiling among all the diplomas and Martial Arts paraphernalia. That was emblematic of the tone and atmosphere that exists in his academy. His students are very good, but they have a great time learning and training there… Unlike any other gym I’ve been to.
When the class ended, Master Strauch immediately invited us up on the tatami. I found it remarkable that this 9th Degree Red Belt Master of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu taught all of his classes. He taught them with amazing energy and enthusiasm. He’s having the time of his life doing it, and the contagious energy from him is remarkable. He didn’t take a 15-minute break between sessions as expected. Rather, he immediately went to work with us and did the same with another couple immediately after our session. I have no idea how he maintains his energy level?!?
When our session started, he immediately started sharing some amazing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Portuguese, with one of his students as translator. I’m 100% sure we didn’t need the translator, as Master Strauch’s Jiu Jitsu is so crisp and clean that all we had to do was try to emulate his moves.
We learned some really amazing sequences that day. But the most lasting impression I had was the words he said to me after class. First of all, I found out that she actually spoke English all the time. Second, she really gave me a deep message. I have always been an overly laser-focused person. I struggle to relax and flow. His words of advice served as a better lesson than any of the techniques she had learned that day.
Master Strauch is truly a Master of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but his mastery of the human spirit runs even deeper. I had the privilege of having met him. Given the opportunity, I highly recommend any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner to make the trip to Rio de Janeiro and experience what an amazing instructor he is.