Cross-Training at Simple Man in Austin

Michael Hillebrand with elite no-gi grapplers at Simple Man Martial Arts in Austin Texas
From left: Michael Hillebrand, João Nicolite, Marco Mendes, Kemoy Anderson, and Andy Varela following a cross-training session at Simple Man Martial Arts in Austin, Texas.

While in Austin, Texas to corner Jaine Fragoso at Who’s Number One, 10th Planet Oakland head coach Michael Hillebrand took the opportunity to cross-train at Simple Man Martial Arts alongside a group of friends from several academies.

The session was led by Nicky Ryan and brought together athletes and coaches from across the jiu-jitsu community, including João Nicolite of Caio Terra Association, Marco Mendes of JG Academy, Kemoy Anderson of 10th Planet Austin, and Andy Varela of 10th Planet Las Vegas.

Simple Man Martial Arts represents the next chapter of the Austin academy formerly known as B-Team Jiu-Jitsu, a room that became one of the most recognized training destinations in modern no-gi grappling.

Sharing the Mats with Elite Competitors

The group represented several different teams and competitive backgrounds, creating an opportunity to train with different styles and approaches to no-gi jiu-jitsu.

Among those on the mats was João Nicolite of Caio Terra Association, one of the highest-ranked adult black belt no-gi competitors in the IBJJF.

Marco Mendes of JG Academy, Kemoy Anderson of 10th Planet Austin, and Andy Varela of 10th Planet Las Vegas were also part of the session.

With Nicky Ryan leading the training, the session offered a chance to exchange rounds and ideas with athletes outside of Hillebrand’s normal training room in Northern California.

Bringing New Experiences Back to Oakland

Cross-training and learning from different coaches and competitors has long been an important part of Hillebrand’s approach to jiu-jitsu.

Traveling to rooms like Simple Man provides an opportunity to experience different training methods, techniques, and perspectives while working with athletes competing at a high level.

Those experiences ultimately come back to the mats at 10th Planet Oakland, where Hillebrand and the coaching staff work with everyone from first-day beginners to experienced competitors.

Trips like Austin are part of the larger goal of continuing to develop the level of no-gi jiu-jitsu available to students in Oakland and throughout the Bay Area.

Interested in training no-gi jiu-jitsu in Oakland? Learn more about our adult jiu-jitsu program, view our class schedule, or get started with a trial class at 10th Planet Oakland.