 In a segment featured below from the Fighters Advice YouTube channel, world-class competitor, coach, and historian Robert Drysdale—5th-degree black belt under Léo Vieira, IBJJF World Champion (2005), and ADCC Absolute World Champion (2007)—shares powerful insights on what truly shapes success in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Drysdale, who is widely respected across the global BJJ community—including here at RSA—challenges the belief that success depends on elite training environments. Instead, he emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining the right mindset, getting your values straight, taking full accountability, and resisting the influence of today’s feel-good, self-esteem-driven culture that can often hinder real growth. His message thoughtfully reflects themes we’ve explored in our earlier post, while offering a candid and timely perspective. Full credit to the Fighters Advice channel for producing and sharing this valuable conversation.  Congrats to everyone who competed at the June 7, 2025 Hawaii Triple Crown—every competitor earned a medal. Great job! RESULTSGold Medals x7
🥇 Eli 🥇 Eli 🥇 Finn 🥇 Noa 🥇 Noa 🥇 Noah 🥇 Styles Silver Medals x4 🥈 Brison 🥈 Ken 🥈 Peace 🥈 Styles In a culture shaped by trends, the value of loyalty can quietly fade. This exploration, grounded in psychology, philosophy, and lived experience, suggests that lasting growth is less about variety—and more about depth.
 “In the crucible of challenge and responsibility, gratitude may deepen into humility, or entitlement may harden into pride. We invest deeply—in time, care, and belief—but there are no guarantees. And still, day by day, we continue—not out of naivety, but from steady conviction. Because there are those, solid to the core, who rise above the ego—proving that light still breaks through the abyss of disappointment—and our spirits are lifted by hope in a newer generation, one shaped by a culture purposefully grounded in the timeless values of honor, loyalty, respect, and enduring promise.”  
We are honored to announce a truly special event at RSA. Since Relson Gracie’s return to Brazil a few years ago, our appreciation has only deepened for the rare privilege we had in learning from him here in Hawai‘i. As one of the original Gracie brothers who helped ignite the global martial arts revolution, Relson Gracie remains a living legend and a direct link to the roots of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This is a rare opportunity to learn from the source, and we strongly encourage everyone to mark their calendars and be part of this moment in our academy’s history. We will also be holding a special promotion ceremony during the event, and your presence and support will mean the world to all those celebrating their journey. Thank you for being part of the RSA family — we look forward to seeing you there!
In our BJJ classes, I’ve sometimes observed that some students deal with frustration and the desire for perfection—especially during challenging drills or competitions. These feelings are natural, yet they can sometimes hinder progress and enjoyment.
To shed light on these experiences, I’ve curated a series of videos by Dr. Patrick Cohn, a mental game coach specializing in youth sports psychology. These resources explore emotional hurdles young athletes may face and offer different ways of understanding them:
Understanding the Impact: Three Key Concerns 1. Increased Risk of Anxiety and Depression Children who feel pressured to be perfect often experience heightened levels of anxiety and depression. This can stem from fear of failure, comparison, or external expectations. 2. Heightened Frustration Leading to Performance Decline Excessive frustration can negatively affect performance. When kids focus more on outcomes than learning, it can lead to tension, mistakes, and loss of motivation. 3. Burnout and Loss of Interest in the Sport When perfectionism and pressure persist over time, some young athletes feel mentally and physically exhausted—often losing interest in the activity entirely. 4. Disruption of Flow — the Optimal Learning State The constant stress of needing to perform perfectly can prevent children from entering flow—a deeply focused mental state where learning, enjoyment, and peak performance converge. As highlighted in my master’s thesis on peak performance, flow is essential for meaningful development. Without it, learning becomes forced and mechanical rather than natural and fulfilling. These examples highlight common psychological challenges that come up in youth sports, particularly in BJJ. Parents and coaches who understand these emotional responses may be better positioned to support long-term growth and enjoyment. With over two decades of experience teaching kids and a background in psychology focused on growth and performance, I’ve found these topics to be especially important. Still, you know your child better than anyone. These videos and ideas are just shared as food for thought—something to consider and adapt however feels right for your family. Thank you for your continued support and for trusting us with your child’s development. Your involvement plays an important role both on and off the mat. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools vary widely in structure, goals, and culture. This overview offers a clear look at how RSA’s mastery-focused approach differs from more commercial models, helping students and families better understand what defines the training experience.
We are pleased to announce that our small kids (ages 5-7) classes are now open for new applications. Intermediate level classes will commence at 5:15 pm and continue until 6:15 pm. Beginner students (ages 5-7) will have their sessions from 5:15 pm to 5:55 pm. For a detailed overview of the updated schedule, please visit our Schedule Page. Aloha!
BJ Penn: The Legend Who Embodies Hawai‘i A tribute to Hawai‘i’s fiercest icon—his unmatched skill, fearless spirit, and lasting impact on the world of combat sports.
My brother Dr. Shiraki has had some great local commercials for HBC for over two decades, this is my favorite. Congratulations to Juno, Kevin, and Rich on receiving their Brown Belts tonight. A great accomplishment for three great guys. 
 Congratulations to the latest Jiu-Jitsu Hawaii Black Belts: Sean. Wade and Craig. All of your dedication and hard work has brought you to the next phase of your journey. Thank you for all your service in helping the next generation and the "class" you've all demonstrate in your activity. A true honor to say the least. Congratulations to Justin and Kalani also received their second degrees on their Black Belts and to Johnson who got his Purple Belt. Amazing Job guys. No short cuts. Remember your lineage/roots and many will be inspired by your character for years to come.
We are also very stoked for Harold, Richie, Daniel, and Kaven on their amazing performance at this weekend's tournament. Amazing job guys. Special seminar tomorrow 6:30-7:30 pm with Relson Gracie. $40 per (Kids $20 per).
We will also have 5 high ranking promotions at 7:30 pm. Please come and honor one of Relson Gracie's most revered students, Sam Mahi. This is a once in a lifetime event that you do not want to miss!
Mahalo Diane Ako and the KITV News Team  CLICK ON IMAGE TO WATCH STORY Congratulations Nainoa Abreu on attaining the rank of Purple Belt tonight. We are very grateful to have the Abreu family as an important part of our team and family. Keep training hard guys and we look forward to all the success in the years to come.  Congratulations to all the guys showing awesome technique in today’s tournament. Amazing performance!
KIDS Noah Kaven Richie Niko Alex ADULTS Nainoa Isa Dylan We are grateful for all of you guys! Beginning in January 2024, Friday adult open mat will no longer be on the schedule. Friday Intermediate / Advanced Kids classes will run until 6:30 pm for ninety minutes total.
Saturday Competition Kids practice will resume on January 6th from 1:00 pm to 2:40 pm for an increased total of one hour and forty minutes of mat time. We hope you have a wonderful New Year holiday and look forward to seeing everyone back on the mats. Competitors please gear up for the next tournament in Mid February. Congratulations to RSA Participants:
Chauncey Gold Dylan Gold Kaven Gold Richie Gold x2 Koa Silver Also congrats to all the Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Association student’s who entered the tournament. Jean Vandesteen is one of Relson ‘s most revered instructors in the world. Support this rare RSA event! Register today. Congratulations to all the Relson Gracie Association Competitors on a job well done. We are grateful for all the support and for the special visit from the Grandmaster himself. Let’s all get ready for November 18th.
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