Images courtesy of Gracie Technics
It's not often you get to meet your mentor's mentor.
Since I started training jiu-jitsu at Gracie Technics in Honolulu, I've known that my teacher, Professor Rylan Lizares, earned his jiu-jitsu black belt under a grappling legend, Pedro Sauer. But before this weekend he was little more to me than a photo of a guy on the wall whom we bow to before every class.
My respect for the man I call "Coach" has grown exponentially over the three years I've called this jiu-jitsu academy home, so I had a feeling this Pedro Sauer guy must be something special. A few minutes of Googling confirmed it -- an 8th degree black/red belt who started boxing at age 5, began his jiu-jitsu training with Royler Gracie at age 15, earned his black belt from Rickson and Helio Gracie in 1985, gave up a career as a stockbroker in Brazil to share his jiu-jitsu wisdom alongside the Gracie Family in California. He opened academies, founded the Pedro Sauer Association, and trains Navy SEALs, FBI, CIA, and SWAT teams around country. And he still finds time to visit protégés like Professor Rylan in Hawaii. Impressive to say the least.
After the seminar was announced, there was a lot of talk around the academy:
"Have you ever been to one of Master Sauer's seminar's before? It's life-changing."
"He's the real deal... a super Zen-like teacher and so smart. It's almost a spiritual experience."
"And he makes it really fun..."
In the weeks before Master Sauer's arrival, I grew increasingly curious to meet this legendary athlete who played such a significant role in our coach's jiu-jitsu journey -- and a crucial part in making him the man he is today.
For those of us who crave the mat like it's air, this was a monumental occasion. The first day of the seminar, I felt like a kid in a candy store, giddy and eager to learn. High-ranking belts from other academies showed up. A former female training partner flew in from Big Island just to hear Master Sauer drop some knowledge. And to add to the excitement, a teammate was getting his black belt today, the first ever to be given at Gracie Technics. The collective buzz was off the charts.
The first thing I noticed about Master Sauer was his cheerful smile. He had kind eyes that sparkled with enthusiasm when he talked about the game. His movements seemed effortless and he held a persistently proud posture. He had a lightheartedness to him that made him approachable. It was informal, conversational, like we were all in his living room catching up. But everyone listened intently when he spoke, a gesture of respect and gratitude. There's something really extraordinary about a room full of people sitting so still and quiet; you could have heard a pin drop. And the respect was mutual -- he listened carefully when one of us spoke and repeatedly thanked us for being there.
After he would show a new technique, Master Sauer made a point to not just walk around and correct us, but to work students through the moves with his own two hands. I think he spoke to everyone in attendance at some point.
He focused on body mechanics throughout both days and had us do before and after drills so we could see and feel how each small tweak strengthened or fortified the position -- a style Coach Rylan uses often. He presented broad concepts that combine with the minutest of techniques to create strategic advantages.
Master Sauer had a lot of nuggets of wisdom that seemed like small things but made a huge difference when we tried them out:
Keep your grips loose.
Don't stay flat, create space by moving to the side.
Find inches, not feet.
"Pray" to keep elbows tucked.
Inside guard, tuck the chin to keep the back straight.
I was having trouble with a guard break counter:
When our opponent's head moved to the side, we were supposed to make the opposite hip heavy to prevent them from standing up, but I couldn't get it, I felt too light. So Master Sauer noticed me struggling, put himself in my guard, and asked me to close my eyes to feel the difference.
"Put your head back on the mat, you can't make your hip heavy with your head up. Now think heavy."
Something clicked and my hip held him down. "That's it, you're doing it! See? Easy!" Pedro Sauer was in my guard and me, a 120-lb girl, was keeping a jiu-jitsu icon from getting to his feet. It was things like this that made me fall in love with this game.
My favorite thing about the two-day journey with Master Sauer was his reliance on the students to guide the flow. He checked in with us constantly and left plenty of time to talk out things we've been struggling with. I learned how to disengage from spider guard in a millisecond with virtually zero energy expended, and how to turn an opponent's transition to north-south into a sweep with the right timing. I saw how something as simple as moving your foot from flat to "frog" can mean the difference between a solid side control or getting swept. Simple phrases stuck in my head, like "crossing bones" to illustrate a bigger concept of positional physics. Master Sauer's moves were crafty yet beautifully simple, designed to reinforce the power of position over strength. He talked about Coach Rylan and his learning and teaching style, and you could just feel how proud he was of his student and the close-knit culture that Rylan has built from the ground up at Gracie Technics. And just like in Coach Rylan's classes, Master Sauer brought a sense of humor to the art of teaching that made challenging techniques more digestible.
Towards the end of day two, Master Sauer said something that perfectly sums up the drive, desire and dedication that truly separates those of us who call jiu-jitsu a lifestyle instead of a hobby:
"I admire all of you guys. You should be proud of yourselves because you're here. You are sacrificing your whole weekend when you could be napping or laying on the beach. You have that extra edge, and you're all a little bit crazy. You're already winning."
He reminded us that jiu-jitsu, like life, is not to be taken too seriously, that it's more about growing and learning than eclipsing your opponents, measuring your personal progress with patience, and appreciating your teammates along the way. That the energy efficiency, the playful attitude, and the ability to remain humble and flexible carry over to all aspects of life. And that like Coach Rylan tells us over and over, a true champion isn't someone who submits everyone in the room, but the guy (or girl) who keeps showing up. It's not about being king of the hill. It's about carrying the champion mindset to be your best self and elevating everyone around you in the process.
Professor Rylan Lizares and Master Pedro Sauer
Before this weekend, Master Sauer was just an image on the wall, an abstract idea of greatness. I knew he was a legend, I just had no understanding as to why. Spending six hours with the man who taught my teacher gave me precious insight into the philosophy of life principles that make our jiu-jitsu better, and the jiu-jitsu principles that spill over into life lessons. Master Sauer is proof of the adage that a rolling stone gathers no moss, and at the core of all his wisdom is the fundamental mantra of "just keep rolling." This weekend reminded me how important humility is in the process of learning, and how having respect and gratitude for your teammates shows respect for the game. Experiences like this help us all realize how crucial it is to maintain this culture of collaborative jiu-jitsu, where every one of us is both teacher and student. And to always enjoy the ride, whether you're the hammer or the nail that day.
Like Master Sauer said to us at the very end of the seminar, "Don't worry about tomorrow. Just keep playing jiu-jitsu."
