MARTIAL arts instructor Stewart Moulden has brought a wealth of knowledge back to Bendigo after training overseas with the world’s top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu experts.
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Moulden spent six days at the Jean Jacque Machado Academy in California last month, developing his teaching methods under the school’s seventh degree black and red belt master.
But the undoubted highlight was a “once-in-a-lifetime” invitation to an exclusive workshop with legendary Master Rickson Gracie, son of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu co-founder Helio Gracie.
“I have been training for well over 17 years and that was the biggest moment of my life - to actually train with him,” the 38-year-old said.
“I am constantly searching for original sources of information and he is direct linage from the original source. It’s not diluted at all.
“I was the only Australian in the workshop and he absolutely changed the way I think and made such a huge impact in just three hours.
“He gave us better understanding of how the body moves and taught us to feel the techniques, feel our way through a fight, and how to coach people to the next level of understanding.”
He absolutely changed the way I think and made such a huge impact in just three hours.
- Stewart Moulden
Moulden is a direct black belt under Master Machado and is mentored by martial arts legend Richard Norton.
He is head instructor at the Bendigo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club and said his US experience would benefit local students enormously.
“The academy has some world champions on the mat so I was training with the very best,” he said. “But the idea was also to bring more knowledge back to Bendigo.”
Moulden has represented Australia several times, including at last year’s world titles, and is preparing for the 2016 world championships.
He has trained many state and national champions, but is excited about the fighting future of one of his Bendigo students, Jimmy Crute.
The 19-year-old is the reigning Australian purple belt heavyweight champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is now in demand as a sparring partner for professional Ultimate Fighting Championship athletes.
“He is extremely talented and is a big future prospect for mixed martial arts and cage fighting,” Moulden said.
Master Machado will visit the Bendigo club on July.