Dear Legion,
This edition marks two years of sending out the Letters, keeping you informed and hopefully a little entertained as well. Let’s talk about the main column for this month…
One of my big interests outside of grappling has always been studying history. Within history, I particularly enjoy war history, from antiquity to the recent past. Another interest of mine is writing. That’s why in this edition we are combining jiu-jitsu, war history and writing with three different passages about achieving victory with the art of war.
I answer a question that I get a couple of times per month, if I take any supplements and which ones. Sadly, the accusations of PED are not coming my way, so we talk about over-the-counter normal stuff.
We look at several events that we have coming up, highlight a class and more!
Main Column
Art of War: Jiu-Jitsu Edition
Three principles from the battlefield, applied on the mats
Principle I
Counterattack Strategy
“A rapid, powerful transition to the attack, the glinting sword of vengeance, is the most brilliant moment of defense.”
Carl von Clausewitz, Prussian General
Going on the offensive and imposing your will on your opponent is a great path to victory, but it’s not the only option and sometimes not the best. It can be just as viable to stay patient and poised, turning your opponent’s attack into his demise with a well-executed counter, especially if you have a good idea of what approach the opponent may take.
A common scenario where the counterattack could be a better option is when facing a bigger and stronger challenger, who’s not as technically skilled. Staying defensive for the first few minutes could be the better strategy. Being big and strong means muscles need a lot of oxygen, and when that supply starts to run out, the time to strike back and take over has beckoned.
The counterattack can also be much more immediate. On the feet, you can hand fight and wait for the shot. As soon as it comes, you sprawl and start an immediate counterattack with front headlock attacks or by spinning for the back.
This strategy works best against those who almost impatiently launch into attacks. Against a very patient and calculating opponent, another strategy may work better. Same goes for opponents who know that all you’ll try to do is counter, they can turn that into an advantage for themselves.
Principle II
Know Thy Enemy
“He who knows the enemy and himself will never in a hundred battles be at risk.”
Sun Tzu
Let’s be honest, there aren’t really that many enemies in your jiu-jitsu class at 6:45 PM on a Friday. Bruce, the purple belt realtor, isn’t really Napoleon Bonaparte over there. That 17-year-old blue belt that you know is going to make you fight for your life isn’t exactly Alexander after Philip of Macedon passed away.
However, knowing your opposition and being able to play the game accordingly does have its uses. Competition is an obvious example, you may fight a rival multiple times and strategy should play a part in that.
Most of us also have a nemesis in the training room. This is typically the person you’ve also rolled against the most and usually someone who’s very close to your level. The more experience that there is between you, the more strategic the rounds will get. This is why you can have plenty of fun, even when training with a small group of people. Use your creativity to create a battle where it’s your strengths against their weaknesses.
Principle III
Use Guerrilla Warfare Against More Experienced Opponents
In warfare, a weaker force is wise to avoid meeting a larger, stronger enemy in an open field of battle. The odds of winning such a battle are minuscule. But if you blend into the forest, harass, ambush, and terrorize the conventional army, only to disappear before it can retaliate, there’s a path to victory or prolonging the conflict.
In a similar way, engaging a much more experienced opponent with common attacks that they know well on the mats will be difficult. Knee-cutting through a higher belt’s guard, taking side control, progressing to mount, and securing an arm triangle choke will be challenging because they’ll know exactly what’s happening and have a prepared defense.
Meanwhile, doing something unpredictable yet technically sound could have higher odds of success. For example, attacking the legs with a cutting-edge leg entanglement could throw off an experienced opponent who hasn’t yet learned the specific mechanics.
Putting yourself in the guerrilla mindset can offer at least a temporary advantage and increase the odds of success. The tricky part is not taking it too far and employing a tactic that makes your opponent angry. If they’re able to defend it, they may drag you out of the metaphorical forest and into the middle of an open plain, where they can go to work.
Watch & Learn
Matches of the Month
This month, the matches of the month are all gi. The first is your coach Fellipe’s first match at the World Championship this past weekend.
Gi | IBJJF World Championship
Fellipe Trovo: First Round at Worlds
Coach Fellipe’s opening match from this past weekend up in Long Beach.
Watch the Match →Gi | IBJJF World Championship
Every Match From Tainan Dalpra at 2026 Worlds
Nine minutes long, four full matches. In a sport where a single match without a submission can be 10 minutes long.
Member Question
Supplements
One of the biggest benefits of jiu-jitsu is that it promotes a healthy lifestyle. If you want to improve enough, you start tweaking the small things and the habits stack. We’re particularly interested in recovery and staying healthy to be able to train normally. I get questions regularly about which supplements you should take if you’re doing jiu-jitsu. The first thing I say is that you don’t really need supplements if your diet is taken care of with the right macro and micronutrients. Eating too much or too little, or too much or not enough of a macronutrient (typically not enough protein) is not something that a cabinet full of pills can overcome.
Also, since I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist, just a little wannabe biohacker, I’ll list the supplements that I personally take and highlight the most important ones with a brief description of what they (allegedly) do. I’ve had periods where I took little to no supplements; currently I’m doing quite a few because I did a blood panel with Marek Health and I’m trying to see if these make a difference on the re-test in some of the markers that I need to improve.
My Essentials
Whey protein:muscle repair and recovery. Almost impossible to hit the 1g per pound of bodyweight protein intake goal without it.
Creatine:boosts strength, power output, and cognitive performance. The safest, most studied supplement. Personally I feel absolutely no difference if I take it or not; I just do it because smart people tell me to.
Vitamin D:bone health, immune regulation, and hormone balance.
Omega 3:cardiovascular, brain, and anti-inflammatory support.
Boron:reduces sex-hormone binding globulin, which increases free testosterone.
Things I Also Take
Lactoferrin:iron regulation, gut health, immune defense.
Nattokinase:promotes healthy circulation and breaks down fibrin.
Vitamin C:antioxidant; supports immune function and collagen synthesis.
Stamets Brain Power (Lion’s Mane):supports nerve growth factor, focus, and cognitive clarity.
Saffron extract:mood support; linked to better appetite control.
Red yeast rice:supports healthy cholesterol levels.
Magnesium glycinate:relaxation, sleep quality, muscle recovery (before bed).
Apigenin:calming flavonoid; supports deeper sleep and hormone balance (before bed).
Jocko Fuel Good Night:blended sleep aid with melatonin, magnesium, and calming herbs (before bed).
These end up being two fistfuls of pills and some powders during the day. What do you take? I love to talk about this stuff, so let me know by replying to this email or talking to me at the gym.
Mark Your Calendar
Upcoming Events
June 6th
Self-Defense Workshop for Healthcare Workers
Coming up this weekend. We organized this after hearing the frightening statistics about violence in these settings, levels that exceed those experienced even by security and law enforcement professionals. Taught by Pablo, Paige, and Miha. There’s still time to invite any healthcare workers you know!
June 13th
Jiu-Jitsu for Firefighters
The firefighter community is grappling mostly with flames, which are pretty impervious to submissions, but we’re putting on a workshop for them for other reasons. As our great ambassador for firefighters Adam Johnson explains, firefighters need things that can help them cope with some of the horrifying things they see as a part of their job. Jiu-jitsu is a great tool for that. Invite a firefighter you know!
June 15th – 19th
Kids Summer Camp #1
The kids are out of school and the first of two summer camps is almost upon us. There are more than a dozen kids already signed up. If you have or know one that needs to get out of the house and away from a screen, follow the link.
July 11th
UFC McGregor vs. Holloway Watch Party & Matthew Rangel Tribute
A few months ago we were saddened by the news that one of our members, Matt Rangel, passed away, far too young. His family visited and we were able to award them with a very deserved, but unfortunately posthumous blue belt. Eric W. has been working on organizing a get-together in Matt’s honor and we settled on opening our doors to watch UFC 329 together on the projector at the gym, get some rolls in, have some food and remember Matthew. More details and poster coming soon.
Anniversary Offer
Lifetime Membership
Not many people know that Legion has a lifetime membership, which several people have already taken advantage of. The investment amount is $15,840. This sounds like an unreasonable amount, unless you know for a fact that you want to train for another 5+ years, and of course, you have the funds available. This applies to membership here in Miramar and at any other location we open up in San Diego.
The reason we’re putting this offer out there is that the members already on this tier are doing great and are model members of the academy. They were all members who upgraded, and we’ve prorated (discounted) the total amount. If you’re in the category where you know you’re in this until the wheels fall off and you have the means, talk to me or Will at the front desk.
Schedule Update
Parents Class Expansion
The 5 PM parents class has been one of the best things we’ve done at Legion. We leveraged the size of the mat space into making training at the same time as the kids a possibility, and the program has grown into an incredible community. Currently it runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (which is now a no-gi class per popular request).
Starting June 29th we are adding Monday and Wednesday options at 5 PM as well. On that Monday, the class will kick off with a Beginner Course curriculum, which will run for the next 5 weeks. After that, it will transition into a Fundamentals curriculum.
The goal is to make it easier for parents to get into jiu-jitsu, without having to do a 6 PM Beginner Course. However, this class is not exclusive to beginners, every parent already training is more than welcome to join it. It will just have a Fundamentals-level curriculum, consisting of techniques that work from white to black belt.
Instructor Update
Change to Tuesday / Thursday 6 PM Gi
It’s with a heavy heart that I have to announce that coach Dom Bell will no longer be teaching his great 6 PM classes on Tuesday and Thursday. He has announced (or will soon, depending on when you read this) that he is opening his own academy sometime this year.
As many know, we had an instructor departure at the end of last year, which had a more sour twist to it. I feel like we didn’t do the best job communicating and being forthright at that time about what was happening. So this is an attempt to be more transparent with the news.
Dom has been a great addition to the team, and a great culture fit. We will miss him and we wish him all of the best going forward on his own path!
As for the substitution, Fellipe will be taking over the class, bringing his own world-class skills and passion for teaching to Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will be involved as well as an assistant coach, with my role being to roll with you and help you with your game. See you this Thursday.
New on the Schedule
Women’s Class
The women’s class is making a return to the schedule. Paige had taught a class for women only before, but it was at 5 PM, which is a hard time to make for many. Paige is now joining forces with Rafaela in a collaboration that is hard to find on any tatami, anywhere. Both have accomplishments in the sport too long to list, and will now turn them into a women-only class.
The class will be no-gi on Mondays, taught by Paige, and gi on Wednesdays, taught by Rafaela.
The first class is Wednesday, June 17th. See you ladies there!
That does it for the 2-year anniversary edition of the newsletter. As always, feel free to reply to chat or find me at the academy. Have a great month of training.
See you on the mats.
P.S. If you’re looking for strength training, our black belt member Rob Wood is a personal trainer with 15 years of experience, check out his flyer here. I can tell you from personal experience, strength training does not hurt your jiu-jitsu, unless it replaces it.