Brazilian Black Belt Academy

Brazilian Black Belt Academy Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Brazilian Black Belt Academy, Martial Arts School, 790 South Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove, IL.
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🥋 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy
📍 Buffalo Grove, IL
🏆 Led by 3x World Champion
💪 Kids (3+) • Teens • Adults
🌱 Supportive beginner-safe environment

09/05/2026

Thirty-five years of Jiu-Jitsu. Twenty-four years as a black belt. One more unforgettable milestone.

Felipe Costa received his 6th degree on the black belt from his longtime professor, mentor and friend, Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros.

More than a promotion, this moment represents decades of training, competition, teaching, friendship and commitment to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A journey that began when Felipe was 12 years old and continues today through every student, academy and person touched by the art.

The belt records the passage of time, but the real story is everything built along the way.

Thank you to everyone who was there and to all those who have been part of this journey.

🥋 35 years of Jiu-Jitsu
⬛ 24 years as a black belt
🏅 6th degree, awarded by Comprido

09/05/2026

When your opponent is controlling you, don’t wait for the attack.

Create a reaction. Force them to post a hand on the mat, disrupt their control, and use that moment to begin your escape.

Small details create big opportunities.

Save this drill for your next training session, share it with a teammate, and check the link on my bio for more.

Friendly reminder: Brazilian Black Belt Academy will be closed Saturday, September 5, and Monday, September 7, in observ...
09/04/2026

Friendly reminder: Brazilian Black Belt Academy will be closed Saturday, September 5, and Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. Classes resume Tuesday, September 8. Enjoy the holiday weekend! 🇺🇸

09/04/2026

Y Guard to Single Leg at IBJJF… If Only the Mat Were the Size of a Football Field 😂 - Felipe Costa in Action (More about the Y-Guard in the link of my BIO)

09/04/2026

Most parents do not bring their child to Jiu-Jitsu because they want a fighter.

They want a child who can handle difficult moments a little better.

That is what I look for on the mat.

A child learning to breathe instead of panic. Listening for one detail, then testing it. Losing a position, resetting and trying again. Using the right amount of strength with a smaller partner. Speaking clearly, creating distance and understanding that self-defense does not begin with punching.

These lessons are not delivered through speeches. Children practice them every class.

At Brazilian Black Belt Academy in Buffalo Grove, classes follow a structured, step-by-step progression. My competition experience only matters if I can turn it into clear, age-appropriate teaching.

I pay attention to the individual child because the right challenge is different for a cautious beginner and for a confident student who is ready for more.

The goal is not to make children aggressive. It is to help them become calm under pressure, responsible with others, physically capable and willing to try again when something goes wrong.

Save this if you are considering Jiu-Jitsu for your child. Share it with another parent, or DM to schedule a trial class.

790 S Buffalo Grove Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL

YouthConfidence SelfDefenseForKids

Most parents do not bring their child to Jiu-Jitsu because they want a fighter.They want a child who can handle difficul...
09/04/2026

Most parents do not bring their child to Jiu-Jitsu because they want a fighter.

They want a child who can handle difficult moments a little better.

That is what I look for on the mat.

A child learning to breathe instead of panic. Listening for one detail, then testing it. Losing a position, resetting and trying again. Using the right amount of strength with a smaller partner. Speaking clearly, creating distance and understanding that self-defense does not begin with punching.

These lessons are not delivered through speeches. Children practice them every class.

At Brazilian Black Belt Academy in Buffalo Grove, classes follow a structured, step-by-step progression. My competition experience only matters if I can turn it into clear, age-appropriate teaching.

I pay attention to the individual child because the right challenge is different for a cautious beginner and for a confident student who is ready for more.

The goal is not to make children aggressive. It is to help them become calm under pressure, responsible with others, physically capable and willing to try again when something goes wrong.

Save this if you are considering Jiu-Jitsu for your child. Share it with another parent, or DM to schedule a trial class.

790 S Buffalo Grove Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL

09/03/2026

Every Loss Was Preparing Me for Something Bigger

09/03/2026

The biggest thing competition ever gave me was not a medal.

It changed the way I trained.

Once you put a tournament on the calendar, your rounds inside the academy begin to feel different. You stop treating a difficult position as a personal defeat and start seeing it as useful information.

Where did I lose control?
What failed under pressure?
What must I improve before the tournament?

The ego attached to “losing” in training begins to disappear because training finally reveals its real purpose: preparation.

Especially when you are new to competition, compete for experience. Stay close to your natural weight, focus on performing the skills you prepared and avoid giving the possible result more importance than the actual performance.

The nervous feeling may never disappear completely.

For a long time, I did not enjoy those butterflies in my stomach. Eventually, I learned to see them differently. They were my body reminding me that I was alive and fortunate enough to challenge myself again.

Competition should matter, but it should not become something sacred or frightening.

It is another form of training, only under greater pressure and with a medal attached.

Compete. Learn. Return to the academy better.

Save this before your next tournament and send it to a teammate who needs a different perspective on competing.

JiuJitsuJourney BJJTips

09/02/2026

Back defense should begin the moment your opponent starts taking your back, not after the choke is already in place.

This is a simple drill I have used for years and regularly make my students repeat. The goal is to develop muscle memory, timing and automatic defensive reactions, so you recognize the danger and respond before your opponent establishes control.

Repeat it until the correct reaction becomes instinct.

09/01/2026

I’ve been on both sides of this.
As a competitor and as a coach, I’ve watched so many good people walk away during the hardest part of the journey… the part where nothing feels like it’s working.
Nobody really prepares white belts for how long the “I suck” phase can last.
It’s not one hard year. For a lot of us, it’s a few.
But here’s what I know for sure:
The ones who stay… the ones who keep showing up when it’s not fun… those are the ones who eventually look up and realize their game changed.
Put the time in.
Be the first one on the mats and the last one off.
That’s still the only real secret.
If you’re in that phase right now: keep going.
You’re not behind. You’re right on schedule.
Send this to a training partner who needs to hear it.

Address

790 South Buffalo Grove Road
Buffalo Grove, IL
60089

Telephone

+16304922152

Website

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