Renagado Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

09/30/2026

This is Tuesday night.

After work. After family responsibilities. After a long day.

And people still made time to get on the mats.

No models. No staged photo. Just a quick selfie in the middle of no-gi class while everyone behind me kept training.

This is Renagado.

Adults learning something difficult, getting some exercise, challenging themselves and helping their training partners improve along the way.

If you’ve been thinking about starting jiu-jitsu but wondering whether you’re too old, too out of shape, or too inexperienced — most people don’t start because they’re ready.

They start, and then they become ready.

09/29/2026

I had the opportunity this weekend to sit down with Cody Walden for the Rolling Across America Podcast.

We talked about my journey through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, coaching, competition, and ultimately why I decided to open Renagado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu here in Valparaiso.

Cody did a great job with the conversation, and I really enjoyed getting the chance to tell some of the story behind what we’re building at Renagado.

If you’ve ever wondered where Renagado came from — or what we’re trying to create here — this is probably the most complete version of that story I’ve told.

You can watch the full conversation here:

https://youtu.be/ZPY1ohV6DTk?is=RT1gD6ORKF-wY1SL

Thanks again to Cody Walden and Rolling Across America for having me on.

Patrick Robinson of Renagado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Valparaiso, Ind...

09/28/2026

Monday night Fundamentals at Renagado.

Different ages. Different experience levels. White belts through black belts. People training for different reasons and working toward different goals.

But they’re all on the same mat, learning together, getting rounds in, and helping each other improve.

This is what a regular Fundamentals class looks like here.

No staged photo shoot. No special event. Just another night of training at Renagado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Valparaiso.

No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/28/2026

This is why we don’t allow shoes on our mats! 🤮

A University of Arizona study found that the average shoe sole carries around 421,000 units of bacteria, including E. coli and other pathogens picked up from public restrooms, sidewalks, and parking lots. 96% of shoe bottoms tested positive for coliform bacteria, and those organisms transfer directly onto home floors with nearly every step.

Carpets can hold those contaminants for weeks. In Japan, South Korea, and most of Scandinavia, removing shoes at the door is simply standard practice. In the US, it is still treated as optional.

09/27/2026

101 5.0 star reviews. ❤️

I’m very grateful for everyone who has taken the time to share their experience at Renagado.

Derek’s review especially means a lot because he mentioned several things we’ve worked hard to build here: a positive training environment, teammates helping each other improve, and enough variety in the schedule for people to keep growing.

Thank you, Derek, and thank you to everyone who has trusted us with their jiu-jitsu.

No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/26/2026

Gi or No-Gi? You don’t necessarily have to choose.

One of the questions beginners sometimes ask is whether they should start with gi or no-gi Jiu-Jitsu.

My answer is usually: try both.

Our Tuesday and Thursday noon class is an all-levels Gi & No-Gi class, so you’ll regularly see people training side by side in both.

Today Kaycee started class in her burgundy gi, then took the jacket off to get some rounds with a training partner who was training no-gi.

And apparently it’s never too early to break out the Halloween rash guard. 🎃👻

There are differences between gi and no-gi, and over time you may discover that you prefer one over the other. But especially when you’re starting out, I think there’s a lot of value in experiencing both.

At Renagado, we want people to have options in how they train.

Tuesday & Thursday Noon Class
Gi or No-Gi • All Levels

09/25/2026

Hard rounds don’t have to be angry rounds.

There’s a big difference between training with intensity and training with ego.

You can pressure someone, make them uncomfortable, try to submit them, and still take care of your training partner.

That balance is a big part of what keeps adults training year after year.

And sometimes you can even smile while somebody is trying to smash you.

09/24/2026

Mitch is getting an early start on Leglocktober.

Each month in our Advanced classes, we spend extra time developing a particular area of the game.

October means leg entanglements and leg locks — or, as we’ve come to call it around here:

Leglocktober.

The goal isn’t just collecting submissions. We’ll be working through the positions, transitions, control, defense, and decision-making that make the whole system work.

One of the things I want Renagado to offer is a clear path for both ends of the experience spectrum.

If you’re brand new, Fundamentals gives you a place to start.

As your game develops, Advanced classes give you opportunities to go much deeper.

Apparently Mitch decided October starts a little early. 🎃

09/23/2026

This conversation happens more often than you might think.
“I’d like to try Jiu-Jitsu, but I’ve had some injuries…”

That’s one of the most common questions I hear from adults who are thinking about trying Jiu-Jitsu.

Maybe it’s a bad shoulder.
A knee that doesn’t move like it used to.
An old back injury.
A surgery from years ago.

For a lot of people, the concern isn’t whether Jiu-Jitsu looks interesting.

It’s whether they’ll be expected to do something their body simply shouldn’t be doing.

That’s why communication matters.

If something hurts, doesn’t feel right, or is outside of what you’re comfortable doing, we can modify it, find another option, or simply skip it.

Training doesn’t have to mean proving how tough you are.

Sometimes good training is knowing when to adjust.

This photo is a pretty normal moment at Renagado: talking through a position, asking questions, and figuring out what works for the person in front of me.

If you’ve been thinking about trying Jiu-Jitsu but an old injury has been holding you back, feel free to reach out and ask me about it.

Renagado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Valparaiso, Indiana
No Masters. Only Mentors.

09/22/2026

People Just Like You Train Here.

Chris is a high school orchestra teacher. Kyle is a nurse.

Both have careers. Both have families. Both have schedules that are already full before they ever walk through our door.

And they still make time for Jiu-Jitsu.

That’s something we want people to understand about Renagado. You don’t have to organize your entire life around training. You don’t have to be 22 years old, train twice a day, or have dreams of becoming a professional fighter.

Most of the people on our mats are regular adults balancing work, family, responsibilities—and a little time for themselves.

They come in, learn something difficult, get some exercise, laugh with their training partners, and leave a little better than when they walked in.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’d like to try Jiu-Jitsu, but I’m probably too busy,” you may fit in here better than you think.

Renagado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Adult-Focused. Beginner Friendly.
No Masters. Only Mentors.