Grapple City
Social Media
  • HOME
  • VIRTUAL PLANS
  • MORE INFO
HOME:  OUR CORE SERVICE - STUDENT BENEFITS - IS SUB. GRAPPLING EFFECTIVE?  - ABOUT HEAD COACH - LINEAGE - REGISTRATION - TERMINOLOGY

IMPORTANT:  Sadly SLL has permanently shuttered our Stanford Ranch location in
Rocklin, California due to the COVID pandemic.  We hope to support our community
through martial arts training when it is safe to do so in the future. Stay safe everyone! 




​OUR CORE SERVICE:  
SLL Grappling Academy provides
small, ultra-
focused classes for
people who want to excel
 quickly 
in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
​



STUDENT BENEFITS: 
Classes are anchored by condition-
ing, skill-drills (building muscle
memory) and 
light sparring
​sessions.
You can expect...


  • A fun & productive time
  • The power to protect yourself 
​​           & others
  • Excellent fitness
  • Elevated self-confidence
  • Increased awareness
  • Enhanced concentration      
  • Improved athleticism & mobility
  • Lowered stress & anxiety 
  • Enhanced sleep quality



​SMALL CLASSES allow coach
to guide
 every student, reinforcing the techniques. 

Picture


​​VIDEO    Coach Erik conducting a No-Gi / Luta-Livre class in 2017  VIDEO
 at SLL on a typical Saturday morning in Saigon, Vietnam. 
        VIDEO                                                           VIDEO

"Erik is a high-level grappler and passionate about teaching/sharing techniques.  
He is extremely welcoming and made me feel right at home as soon as I walked
through the door... Erik's positive vibe is contagious! I'm extremely grateful to
have met him and to now call him a friend!" 

- Stephen Barnett, head coach @ Inferno Jiu-Jitsu, NJ US
​
Black Belt under Marcelo Garcia & Kurt Pellegrino ​

IS SUBMISSION GRAPPLING EFFECTIVE?  Submission grappling is a highly practical form of self-defense which has been proven in the context of mixed martial arts competition and fights around the globe. Submission grappling is a style of combat focused on bringing down and controlling one's opponent on the ground by using leverage, body weight, frames, and balance.  While retaining control, the practitioner will use a finishing technique such as a choke or joint lock bringing the match or fight to a close.  
​

"Erik is a fantastic, patient coach who explains complicated manoeuvres in simple
terms. The gym is really positive and full of friendly people willing to give advice
and assistance to beginners. Training here is a really motivating experience."
- Ben Baulch-Jones, British expat in Vietnam,
 SLL white belt
Picture



​HISTORY OF SLL:  Erik Koehne began teaching in 2010 and founded Saigon Luta-Livre (SLL) in 2012.  He taught full time in Saigon, Vietnam from May, 2012 through December, 2018, growing the club  to about 100 students. SLL continues to grow grapplers in Saigon today through 3 SLL affiliate gyms.  

Coach History:  Erik 
started martial arts at Fairtex in San Francisco the summer of 2006 where he practiced Muay Thai and boxing from coaches Jenna Castillo, Jongsonan, Gangao, and Taraq Azim. By the middle of 2007 he began Fairtex’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & MMA program under professional MMA fighter Alex "The Russian Crusher" Serdyukov. 

In late 2008, work brought Erik to the South Bay where he started training under top ranked Luta-Livre fighter Leopoldo Serao who remains his coach today. Serao has a vast understanding of both Brazilian ground fighting traditions, Luta-Livre and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (LL & BJJ).

Erik teaches BLL and BJJ.  He stresses the virtues of pressure, patient control, and high percentage finishes which can be used effectively by young & old, weak & strong.
Erik presents techniques and principals in an easy-to-understand and hard to forget fashion.
​

BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU LINEAGE: Mitsuyo Maeda >Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Luis Carlos Mateus > Leopoldo Serao > Erik Koehne

LUTA-LIVRE LINEAGE:  Euclydes Hatem > Flavio Molina/Carlos Brunocilla > Eugenio Tadeu > Leopoldo Serao > Erik Koehne

Coach Erik is not just a good coach, he is a really nice and laid back guy who promotes a practical
approach to the Luta Livre method.. If you are experienced of new to ground martial arts..
​I would highly recommend checking out SLL.

- Dharma Shay, Sports Scientist, head coach of The Brave
​

    We Have Closed Our Rocklin
    ​Gym Location Due to COVID-19.

Submit


TERMINOLOGY:​

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a sophisticated martial art combat system focusing on submission grappling practiced wearing Gi or No-Gi.  (shorthand:  BJJ)
Gi, traditional uniform worn by martial arts practitioners such as Karate or Judo. BJJ Gis are made most similarly to Judo Gis.  They are different in that they are less baggy, or more streamlined. A Gi consists of a jacket, pants, and belt which is tied around the jacket. 
Grappling, fighting genre which includes subset styles such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Luta-Livre, Judo, Greco-Roman Wrestling, Free-style Wrestling, Folk Wrestling, Sambo, as well as other hand-to-hand, non-striking, non-weapons fighting styles.  
No-Gi, submission grappling style where practitioners wear rashguard shirts / t-shirts, shorts, and a belt rank band / patch. Luta-Livre is the definition for "No-gi" in Brazil.  Unlike Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (w/Gi), No-gi fighters are not allowed to grab onto their opponent's clothing.  (synonyms:  No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Luta-Livre)
Luta-Livre, Brazil's original non-jacketed equivalent of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu founded in the 1940s. Luta-Livre's origins are British Catch Wrestling, Judo, and Freestyle Wrestling. Luta-Livre is a short term for Luta-Livre Esportiva.   (synonyms:  No-gi, No-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.)
MMA, mixed martial arts. The overwhelming majority of professional MMA fighters are experts in at least one of the following arts:  submission grappling, wrestling, kickboxing, and boxing.  Most MMA superstars are experts in 2 or more.
SLL,  shorthand for Saigon Luta-Livre Grappling.  SLL Grappling is now headquartered in Rocklin, CA.  We have three affiliated clubs in HCMC, Vietnam. 
Submission Grappling, subset of Grappling representing grappling where concession holds are made on one's sparring partner or opponent. Submission grappling subsets include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Luta-Livre, Judo, Sambo, etc.. Elements of other pure grappling styles such as Folk Wrestling may be incorporated into the Submission Grappling.  (synonym:  Submission Wrestling)  ​​​
Tap, when a practitioner gives up and they literally tap their opponent's body to stop the fight. (synonyms: tap out, surrender, give up)
​



​SLL GRAPPLING ACADEMY   ​(415) 272-2849 
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.