sport

Sligo's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Alliance Jiu Jitsu host World champion Training Camp with Michael Langhi

A 6 day Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) Training Camp with black-belt world champion Michael Langhi, took place at the CRIB, Rockwood Parade, Sligo, home of Alliance Jiu Jitsu Ireland, and ran from Mon. 20th -  Sat. 25th August.


Left: Learning Spider Guard from the best in the business!


The purpose of the camp was to create an opportunity for Irish Jiu Jitsu practitioners to train for a week with a top BJJ World Champion competitor, and experience what it feels like to train at the highest level. Opportunities such as this are usually reserved only for those who can afford to travel to Brazil or the USA where many of the high level BJJ champions live and train.  

Such was the interest in the camp over forty BJJ practitioners participated, many of which traveled from across Ireland, from places such as  Donegal, Mayo, Kildare, Dublin and Limerick and some from as far as Lisbon and Amsterdam.

For those not familiar, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art, self-defence system and a dynamic combat sport. This discipline promotes the principle that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant, using leverage and efficient technique. BJJ is currently growing at an enormous rate all over the world.

Michael Langhi, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) black-belt under Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles also a member of World team Champions, Alliance. Langhi is a  World, Pan, Brazilian, and European Champion at Black Belt and trains professionally at the Alliance Academy in Sao Paulo with renowned BJJ coach Fabio Gurgel.

Main Achievements/Record

    2x World Champion (2009, 2010)
    3x Pan American Champion (2009, 2010, 2011)
    2x Brazilian National Champion (2008, 2009)
    3x European Champion (2009, 2010, 2011)

The first impression you get when you meet the 27 year old Michael Langhi, is that of a happy, energetic and positive young man with a great passion for the sport he loves. This passion was present throughout the camp as Langhi never for a moment appeared tired or fatigued regardless of the intensity of the training as he strived to push everyone to their limit.

The Camp consisted of two (1.5 hour) classes per day; Morn & Evening; Monday to Friday and finished with a 3 hour seminar on Saturday 25th August. Each training session was made of three portions; Warm up and Sport specific Conditioning; technique training; and sparring, spending about a half hour on each.

Michael demonstrated  many important game changing details, the like of which one may spend many years trying to figure out. His attention to detail and knowledge of the art  was outstanding, akin to a having a living BJJ encyclopedia on hand. As for the sparring sessions, Michael put on display day after day of the skill and athleticism of a world class athlete, that he is. Many experienced participants remarked that they "felt like a beginner" when they sparred with Langhi such was his skill level.

                    Michael Langhi and some of the Sligo based participants

On the last day a three hour seminar was held, focusing on the technical aspects of Michael's game. Langhi demonstrated many of his signature moves, such as his renowned "Spider Guard", this was to the delight of of all who gathered. With all watching on intently in attempt to absorb every possible detail. The event concluded with some by now requisite hard sparring, which is a surprisingly good way to get introduced to new people. Afterwards the participants were treated to a buffet, giving all some time to relax, refuel, discuss the events of the past week and to get set up for the journey home, some of which had a longer journey than others.

Morgan Smyth, instructor at Alliance Jiu Jitsu in Sligo, when asked for his thoughts on Langhi, he remarked; "Michael Langhi is an excellent instructor, a superb athlete, a true BJJ Legend… and above all… he is the most humble guy with huge respect for everybody he meets. It was a true pleasure to have Michael Langhi here in Ireland."

David Conway of the Irish Defence Force had this to say "Best week of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so far. Don't no if we can top that. Thanks to Michael Langhi a true gentleman. And well done to Alliance for organising the event, a very well run camp"

Michael Langhi pictured with Alliance Sligo Instructors Micky Downs, Ryan Smyth & Morgan Smyth

Alliance Jiu Jitsu would like to thank all the BJJ practitioners from all over Ireland and some as far as Portugal and Holland for making the trip to Sligo, and big thanks to all the Alliance Sligo team for their continued support. Thanks for the support of the CRIB Youth Centre and The Peppermill restaurant. And a special thanks to the magnificent Michael Langhi for delivering an amazing camp.

When the curtain closed on the event all agreed that they "Really enjoyed the atmosphere, the technical details on display, and most of all great times with some great people…"

The camp was deemed a success by the organisers having achieved their objective. The feedback from the participants was extremely positive, so much so the Alliance team will be hosting two similar events each year, the next one expected in February. So stay tuned!

If you wish to find out more about Alliance Jiu Jitsu, Contact us

Tel: Ryan  086-8759056 / Micky 087-6296933.

E-mail: info@sligobjj.com

Web: www.sligobjj.com

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