On the mat with 9th Degree Red Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Master Mauricio Strauch
“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’s understandable that he might have been a little 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 its instructor, frankly it made me a little nervous to meet him.
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.
There were 35 of us. I think the whole group was on pins and needles that first day when we walked into 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 on his hand and his foot swept across him, causing him to lose his balance.
It was a friendly gesture that was meant to help put him at ease. He could tell we were all nervous and he took the tension out of the room with this simple tactic. As each new person came through the door, each of us who had already passed, we let out a big giggle as we watched as they bumped into the next person.
This gesture said a lot about who this man is. While he is an amazing martial arts practitioner and master, 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 you are in his class. He doesn’t let small mistakes go by and calls you out for anything that isn’t your best.
But, he’s also a bit of a joker and Really he loves what he does. As an example, on the way out of the academy, everyone was ‘ready’ for the foot sweep. Summarily, she gave you a hug. In doing so, she pulled your hand to her chest and the wrist locked you. It happens so fast you can’t stop it. He’s so good at it, it doesn’t hurt. The smile on her face afterwards lets you know that she was just playing around. 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 dim 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. Everyone was smiling and laughing and having a great time. I remember being nervous for them, hoping Master Strauch wouldn’t come in and catch them playing in the study, until I looked up and saw Hears he was the leader of the ring.
Later, the class had a small rubber basketball that they used to try to spike 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 amongst 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 to go up on the tatami. I found it remarkable that this 9th Degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Red Belt Master taught all of his classes. He taught them with amazing energy and enthusiasm. He is having the time of his life doing it, and the contagious energy of his 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?!?
As our session began, he immediately began sharing some amazing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Portuguese, with one of his students serving as translator. I’m 100% sure we didn’t need the translator as Master Strauch’s Jiu Jitsu is so sharp 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 on me 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 delivered a profound message to me. I’ve always been a very 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 knowing him. If given the opportunity, I highly recommend any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner to make the trip to Rio de Janeiro and experience how amazing an instructor he is.