Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Samy Al Jamal stays for three years in Jordan and sits down for an exclusive interview from TATAME about his experiences in the Middle East and the results obtained in the first year of classes held by this black belt instructor from Equipe Fabrício in Jordan. The Brazilian also told us about his life in the country and the expansion of martial arts in the region. Below is the full interview with Samy Al Jamal.

How long are you staying in Jordan?

I am there for three years, but began to lecture, Jiu-Jitsu just one year.

You got a black belt with whom?

I am black belt of third Dan under Master Fabrício Martins, black belt in Judo under Master George Medhi.

You trained other martial arts?

Trained for many years with Professor Roberto Leitao’s father, with Rubens Boxing Day, with Karatê professor Fernando Athaide and Wing Chung Kung-Fu with Jason Lau.

What is the reason for your trip to Jordan?

The principle was helping my father to mount a manufacture of carpets. After the manufactures was already stabilized, I decided to do something I like and while moving to the people a little of the philosophy of Jiu-Jitsu. Then, I began to give lessons. I got no aim for the financial part of the business. I started choosing my students and only giving lessons. Soon after, introduce a class of physical conditioning directed to women based exercises that fighters use in preparation for competitions. Today, the classroom is a success with queue waiting for more than a year.

Then I joined the other Jiu Jitsu and Kick Boxing Instructor Tarek Kalimat and opened the first class of MMA for children in the Middle East, and perhaps one of the first in the world. I was more focused in teaching Judo and Jiu-Jitsu and he in MMA. After a year, opened the lesson of MMA for adults.

How many students do you have today?

After a year, I have more or less that 150 students in class and some 80 students in waiting. Open larger space in mid-2008.

And how is your life in Jordan?

Much like how a life in a city in Europe. The city is great, but with characteristics of a small city. It has everything and much, much money.This year I got married in Jordan with a Jordaniana of Palestinian origin. The funny thing was that marriage gone here in the Official O Globo, because one of my friends, Mauricio Nobrega, also a fighter, was to marry, and when he returned was interviewed by the newspaper.

And how is the Jiu-Jitsu in the Middle East?

You are growing toiling away furiously as in the rest of the world. Carlão is making a solid job in United Arab Emirates and the area is responding well. Today, Jordan has a Federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the army trains Jiu-Jitsu and we also have Jiu-Jitsu in Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This week I was asked to lecture in Syria. And I see the possibility of giving seminars there. I was in Thailand to train Muay Thai and just giving seminar of Jiu-Jitsu in Tiger Muay Thai Camp, which is one of the centres for training of MMA most complete I have seen. I think we ought to use a little more of the Thai style of teaching in our training.

What is the philosophy of training of theThais?

First, the athlete has the availability of staying at the centre of training. Second, there is on average one teacher for every two students, and thirdly, the training is done in the ring. The use part of the athlete is vastly greater in a period less well. Thus, they attract "fighters tourists and professionals in the fight at the same time. As part of MMA they have an excellent fighter named Ray Elbe, the student Juliano Prado, which has a programme of intense Submission which has already giving results.

And how is the Team Fabrício Martins?

They are stronger than ever. This year the master awarded various black belt degrees, and I won the third Dan. The master is with kids and is good with several students in paying tuition in and outside Brazil. Daniel Otero was world champion in 2006 in the black belt division and collects wins also in Shooto. Rodrigo was champion of the crown Naga, one of the most prestigious events of cloth and Submission of the USA and is now giving lessons to the teams of Matt Hughes and Tim Silvia.Has the teacher Manéu, that giving instruction in Taiwan, the German professor who must go to class of Serbia and Montenegro. I am the one in Jordan, Professor Steve in the Philippines, and many others.

You are part of a great team?

Not yet. We are in the process of growth. The team has only 14 years and has already achieved great results and the trend is growing, because the work that the master Fabrício does is serious and based on the soul of Jiu-Jitsu. Today, we can say that there are two types of Jiu-Jitsu: the MMA and focused on the root. The Jiu-Jitsu from scratch is true based on laws of the samurai and the guidelines that the family Gracie started and developed.

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