One of my clients is a Gracie Jujitsu black belt under Pedro Sauer and tonight he taught a self-defense class using techniques from Gracie JJ. Gracie Jujitsu is not the same as Brazilian Jujitsu even though the both came from Brazil. The Gracie system was designed first and foremost as a real word self-defense system whereas BJJ is primarily a sport.

It was very well done, we spent three hours covering about 15 techniques. Some were new to me, some were very similar to what I have done in the past. There was no ground-fighting but several techniques ended in throws. 

Obviously you can't really learn self-defense in 3 hours, this was a beginners course designed to show some basic principles and give the participants something to go home and practice and as such it did what it set out to do.

 For myself, as a 5th degree black belt in Shaolin Do KungFu, it let me see some new ways of doing things, a different perspective on protecting oneself using some different concepts than what I'm used to, and applying them.

It's always good to see someone else's approach to any type of movement and it is good to learn to move outside your normal parameters. It was also good for me to get a chance to practice with strangers, especially those that come from a different MA background. You get so used to training with the same people all the time. You get used to their little idiosyncrasies, so playing with new people makes you better.

Of course I still think Shaolin Do is better , this gave me a better understanding of Gracie Jujitsu.

 So thanks to Allan Manganello of Louisville Martial Arts Academy , it was a very good workshop!