News

It's summer time... which means it's also "suns out, guns out" time. That is, at least off the mat. On the mat, that gets a little tricky, because the jiu-jitsu gi really isn't a jiu-jitsu gi unless it has sleeves. 

What to do, what to do? Well, you could sweat it out all summer long in the same mid-weight BJJ gi that you wore all winter. Call it an extended weight-cutting experience, if you'd like. Or, you can opt for a lighter weight, "summer" gi. Will you still sweat like you've just been caught nicking a biscuit from the biscuit jar? Yes, but probably a little bit less than you would have in that standard weight gi. 

In case you don't have a summer weight BJJ gi, here are our few lightweight gi options in the Kingz lineup... 

Read more

If you've been training for any amount of time, you're already hooked on this thing called jiu-jitsu. And if you've been training long enough - and especially if you've been competing - you may have already felt drawn toward those big, flashy academies.

You see their logos splashed across all the major televised events. You've seen their athletes filling the rosters at all the local tourneys. You might even have thought about mats so full of students that you could train with different people every day of the week. This is all very nice, but for as many benefits as a larger academy might have, a smaller academy has just as many. Depending on your individual jiu-jitsu journey, that smaller academy might even be more suited to helping you achieve your goals. 

Here are just a few pros of training at a small academy that you might struggle to get at a larger one... 

Read more

These days, the competition season never really takes a break, but the IBJJF World Championships have long been considered the apex of the season, the event everyone waits all year for. This year did not disappoint! 

Athletes from around the globe gathered to that iconic venue - the Walter Pyramid - to compete among the best of the best, in hopes of earning the coveted title of "world champion." The divisions were packed with well-known faces of the sport, as well as fresh up-and-comers. Newly minted black belts were hungry to take the title from established veterans. 

And boy was it exciting! We saw crazy matches, close calls, and incredible upsets. There were a lot of tears - of sorrow and joy - spilled on the mat. But win or lose, we felt like the Kingz team showed up and gave their all, and we can't be more proud. Congrats to everyone who compete, for you represented your teams and us so well! 

Read more

The breadth and speed at which jiu-jitsu had spread across the globe is absolutely mind-boggling. Several decades ago, you'd be hard pressed to run into someone who knew what it was. Anytime you mentioned your favorite hobby, you'd have to spend a few minutes explaining just what it was about... and good luck trying to convince anyone to try it with you. 

Now, thanks to black belts (and even colored belts) opening academies in nearly every major city in the world, as well as the growing popularity of the UFC, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't at least know a little bit about it, if they don't themselves train.

But what seems to have stagnated is knowledge of the history of jiu-jitsu. Yeah, we all know that the Gracies were somehow involved and there was some Japanese bloke, but for many, that's the extent. So we decided we should arm you with just a tiny bit more... 

Read more

It's about that time again... promotion season. In jiu-jitsu, promotions aren't tethered to any kind of rigid timetable. Yes, there are guidelines for when someone might be expected to advance to the next belt level, but in reality, everything happens a lot more organically, reflecting individual progress and dedication, as well as individual academy tendencies or policies.

Really, promotions can occur at any time, but these days, many academies have opted for semi-annual ceremonies, typically held in summer and winter, allowing for more organized celebrations (and easier to remember promotion dates). 

As we approach the summer promotion season, you might be wondering to yourself: what should I be focusing on to advance my own jiu-jitsu journey? We've got you. Here are some tips on how to rank up in BJJ... 

Read more