Academy Info
Techniques
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s techniques were refined and innovated by Master Helio Gracie who weighed no more than 145 lbs. Master Gracie focused on using only techniques that involved the use of very little strength but emphasized leveraging and positioning the body to defend attacks and control a harmful situation.
Pura Vida Jiu Jitsu is a proud affiliate of the Pedro Sauer Jiu-Jitsu Association (www.pedrosauer.com). Professor Sauer is a Certified 5th degree Black Belt under Rickson Gracie and was voted as "Best of the Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor" in a 2006 World-Wide Poll.
Facility
We work out on a 2000 square feet matted tatame and walls. Our walls are also padded to maximize safety. We also have two changing areas as well as sitting area which you are welcome to come and use to observe a class. Health and cleanliness are out top concerns and our facility is cleaned professionally twice a week. Our mats are cleaned and bleached after every use.
Walk-ins are always welcome, so don't hesitate to come down and check us out!
Instructors
Robert Couillard
Robert Couillard began his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu career in 2008, and earned his Blue Belt from Sensei Henry Matamoros. A prodigy in the sport, Rob earned first place in both of his divisions at the Arnold Classic in March of 2010, winning every one of his matches by submission. He continued his streak of victories at the Combat Corner Grappling Championship Vol 4, winning his Gi division, and placing second in a tough Intermediate bracket. In the most recent Combat Corner tournament, Rob placed second in his Advanced division and won the Absolute Division (under 170 lbs), submitting his way through a bracket of ultra-tough competitors! Rob finished a remarkable amateur Mixed Martial Arts career with a 6-0 (1 NC) record. He was undefeated in kickboxing fights, and is Pura Vida’s current professional MMA fighter. Rob has experience in Karate, Muay Thai, and wrestling, and often works knowledge of these sports into his instruction. Rob is a student at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee majoring in Psychology, and enthusiastically leads a very entertaining Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class.
Jake Klipp
Jake Klipp has been practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2008. Also a Blue Belt under Sensei Henry Matamoros, Jake has competed in grappling tournaments locally and on a national level, and has placed in and won multiple competitions around the country. He has a tremendous wealth of wrestling experience, and utilizes that knowledge to help him evolve his own grappling techniques and to teach his students. Jake began wrestling at age five and continued to compete in the sport for the next fourteen years. He has played competitive football on a semi-professional level, and spent the spring of 2009 in camp with a professional arena football team. Jake spent six years in the United States Marine Corps, including a combat tour in Iraq in 2004, and currently holds a grey belt in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Jake has been fighting amateur MMA bouts since December of 2010, and is hoping to go professional sometime in early 2012. His diverse experiences and abilities have lead to an exceptional teaching style that really works in all of Pura Vida’s class, from the family class to the Jiu Jitsu classes to the kickboxing class.
Henry Matamoros
Introduced to wrestling at a young age in Costa Rica, Mr. Matamoros became a 2 time national wrestling champion and studied Japanese Jiu Jitsu with Master Instructor Henry Steinberg. A scholarship brought Mr. Matamoros to America. While attending college he studied Judo, soon after in 1995, he was introduced to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the art quickly became his passion. He eventually earned his black belt under Professor Pedro Sauer, a first-generation Gracie Black Belt, recognized by the Gracie Jiu Jitsu Association. Mr. Matamoros has competed in and won many Jiu Jitsu events as well as MMA matches. He has competed in events held all over the World: Costa Rica, Spain, Brazil, Japan and the USA. This has created a vast amount of techniques that work in competition as well as in real life self defense, and has shared his skills while instructing at the much recognized - Team Curran MMA. He is currently living in Colorado where he is the Jiu Jitsu instructor at Denver Fight Club.