CLASSES
Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a modern self defense system developed from traditional Jiu-Jitsu by the Gracie family of Brazil. This program teaches one of the most effective martial arts in the world. The emphasis is on grappling, and ground fighting with armbars, chokes, throws, leg locks, takedowns, and stand-up self-defense moves. We don't focus on forms, but rather, we focus on practical applications of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that translate into effective martial arts for the street or for competition. The techniques we learn are the same as those being taught to the military, police, and security personnel. Why? Because they are the most effective for controlling and subduing an opponent.If you are looking for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Lynchburg, VA than look no further than Renaissance Academy of Martial Arts! Renaissance Academy of Martial Arts is the only certified Gracie Jiu Jitsu school in Central Virginia. Renaissance Academy is a part of the prestigious Pedro Sauer Association and head instructor Jamie Ridgeway has more than 14 years experience. The Academy offers a fun, positive, and safe environment to learn the art of Gracie Jiu Jitsu. The area's Only Certified Black Belt Gracie Academy.
Kids Karate
Our children's program focuses on building strong character while teaching life saving skills. Children learn practical martial arts while developing the principles of the black belt: Modesty, Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, and Self-Control. Children also learn leadership skills that are needed to reach your child's full potential. Our Kids Karate program will inspire and motivate your child to become a black belt in life! Children train in a fun, safe, and exciting environment that will help the burn off extra energy or increase the energy of a less active child. We guarantee a positive change in your child!!Lil Dragons
Our newest program is the Little Dragons program for ages 4 and 5. Our Jr program for ages 6-13 focuses on building strong character while teaching life saving skills. Children learn practical martial arts while developing the principles of the black belt: Modesty, Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, and Self-Control. Children also learn leadership skills that are needed to reach your child's full potential. Our Junior R.A.M. program will inspire and motivate your child to become a black belt in life! Children train in a fun, safe, and exciting environment that will help the burn off extra energy or increase the energy of a less active child. We guarantee a positive change in your child!!There are eight major skills our instructors focus on when training children ages three and up, those skills are: Focus, Control, Balance, Teamwork, Memory, Discipline, Coordination, Fitness.
Each stripe belt covers one of these skills with a wide variety of activities that are fun and at the same time educational. All skills are taught in a safe and supervised environment.
Thai Kickboxing
Our Thai Kickboxing program is a great workout whether you've never kicked before, or you are a seasoned martial-artist. Using easy to learn techniques, you will start to see improvement in flexibility, strength, and endurance just weeks after joining. Thai Kickboxing is known worldwide as one of the most effective stand up forms of self-defense. During the course of your training you will learn punches, kicks, elbows, and knees. All of these come together to create an awesome form of self-defense! Students at Renaissance Academy look forward to their workout. Why shouldn't you? It's time to stop forcing yourself to run on the treadmill, or ride the exercise bike. Try our Thai Kickboxing program today, and see why so many people are excited to kick box!Total Defense Program
Students of the TOTAL DEFENSE PROGRAM will learn a unique blend of the world's most effective martial arts. This program is a blend of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Kali, Krav Maga, and Self Defense from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. All uniquely blended to provide the highest level of effectiveness in a self defense situation. This program is also a great workout whether you have never kicked before or are a seasoned martial-artist. Using easy to learn techniques you will start to see improvements in flexability, stregnth, and endurance just weeks after joining. You will train like a kickboxer using the heavy bags and getting a great workout. This is a fun, safe way to get in shape and learn quality self defense. Students of the Total Defense Program learn a unique blend of the world's most effective martial arts in the world. Our classes are fun and exciting, a great way to relieve stress and gives you a great physical work-out. Wrestling, and Thai Boxing. Clinching is a very common self defense situation. Its when someone trys to grab you. We teach throws from Judo and Wrestling as well as the striking techniques from Muay Thai from the clinch. In order to effectively defend yourself you must know what to do if someone grabs you.Combat Submission Wresting
Combat Submission Wrestling is a reformulated Shoot wrestling curriculum as taught by Erik Paulson, world light heavyweight champion of Shooto. The curriculum is a three dimensional martial artform involving striking, takedowns and submissions. The base of CSW is shoot wrestling, which was introduced to Paulson by Yorinaga Nakamura, an instructor from Japan.
Starting with Judo in 1974, Erik Paulson has trained in many disciplines including Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling, Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali/Eskrima, Catch Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has studied with 40 different teachers over his 30 years of training including Rick Faye, Greg Nelson, Charlie Gergan, Yorinaga Nakamura, Larry Hartsell, and the legendary Dan Inosanto, who claims Erik is one of the world’s most dynamic grapplers.
Erik Paulson’s Combat Submission Wrestling is said to be most dominant Mixed Martial Arts training system available. CSW is a blend of STX Kickboxing, Jun Fan Kickboxing, Muay Thai, French Savate, Western Boxing, Greco-Roman and Freestyle Wrestling, Shooto, Filipino Dumog, Judo and Brazilian Jiu -Jitsu. It encompasses three areas: Kickboxing, Clinching and Grappling which focuses on Submission Wrestling, Submission Fighting and Self-Defense.
Erik Paulson currently owns and runs the CSW Training Center in Fullerton, CA where he trains MMA fighters such as Josh Barnett, Ken Shamrock, Cub Swanson, Ginelle Marquez, and is closely affiliated with Sean Sherk and Brock Lesnar of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. Erik Paulson is the three time World Shooto Champion, the only American to ever achieve this.
History of Shoot Wrestling
Shoot wrestling is a general term that describes a range of hybrid fighting systems originating in Japan in the late 1970s, in close association with Japanese professional wrestling. Shoot wrestling has several sub-disciplines eg. Shootfighting, Shooto, Pancrase, RINGS submission fighting, Shoot boxing and Combat Submission Wrestling.
The term “shoot” refers to the fact that the techniques are applied for real, as opposed to a “work”. The shoot wrestling techniques are often applied in shoot-style professional wrestling matches, which feature predetermined outcomes, but with much technique applied in a stiff or full contact manner.
History of shoot wrestling and shoot-style wrestlingHistorically, shoot wrestling has been influenced by many martial arts such as catch wrestling, freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling and Pehlwani/Kushti in the beginning and Karate, Muay thai and Judo in the final stages. The strongest influence on shoot wrestling though, has been that of catch wrestling.
In 1984 many wrestlers became interested in promoting an even more realistic style of professional wrestling and thus the Universal Wrestling Federation was formed. The UWF was a professional wrestling organisation, which promoted the strong shoot style/strong style wrestling. This essentially meant that it employed effective and practical martial arts moves, which were applied with force. The organization even hosted some real mixed martial arts matches, where the wrestlers were able to test their shoot wrestling techniques against other styles.
After the breakup of the original Universal Wrestling Federation, shoot wrestling branched into several disciplines. Each of the disciplines were also strongly influenced by other martial arts. Shoot wrestling branched into several sub disciplines after the breakup of the original Universal Wrestling Federation. The main forms are listed below.
- Yoshiaki Fujiwara’s students Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki formed Pancrase, which is also a fighting style under shoot wrestling.
- Another Yoshiaki Fujiwara student Bart Vale formed Shootfighting.
- Tiger Mask Sayama’s style of shoot wrestling also includes Muay thai kicks and is called Shooto.
- Akira Maeda’s version of shoot wrestling emphasises on submissions and is known as RINGS submission fighting.
- Kickboxer Caesar Takeshi formed Shoot boxing with standing submission aspect influenced by catch wrestling and shoot wrestling.
- Erik Paulson modified Shooto to form Combat Submission Wrestling.
- World renowed gyms like the Lion’s Den, Takada Dojo and Shamrock Martial Arts Academy propogate shoot wrestling based styles of martial arts.
