Gordo Jiu-Jitsu Pacific Northwest (BJJ) in Bend, Oregon Gordo Jiu-Jitsu Pacific Northwest is represented by third degree Gordo BJJ black belt Professor Dennis Asche in Central Oregon’s premier martial arts academy, Connection Rio. Upholding the pure technical discipline while carrying on the lineage of Brazilian jiu-jitsu that traces back directly to the founders of the Art Suave in Brazil (by way of Japan), CRA represents Jiu-Jitsu as it should be. Professor Dennis Asche with King of the Half-Guard Roberto ‘Gordo’ at Connection Rio Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Bend, Oregon Who is ‘Gordo’?  Roberto Correa de Lima or ‘Gordo’ is a sixth degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt know as King of the Half Guard. Gordo, although possessing a very well rounded Jiu-Jitsu skillset, is know for his timeless contribution to BJJ through developing half guard as an offensive position. This world renowned Jiu-Jitsu professor (having taught BJJ for more than thirty years), is an IBJJF Brazilian National,...Read more

3 Reasons You NEED to Practice Throws and Takedowns in Your Jiu-Jitsu At Connection Rio Jiu-Jitsu in Bend, we understand that throws and takedowns are a crucial part of training. That’s why, we begin nearly every class with entries and takedowns. In addition CRA also offers Judo classes during the week to focus solely on our stand-up. We understand that many academies don’t practice stand-up game out of fear, lack of knowledge or safety concerns, but the risk of injury from throws or takedowns is no higher than that of armbars and other joint locks. In fact, neglecting stand-up game during training can actually put the athlete at risk of injury in other scenarios. Here are three reasons throws and takedowns are a crucial part of a well-rounded BJJ training routine. 1. It’s Vital for Competition While most classroom rolls start from the knees, every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament starts on the feet. Athletes who...Read more

The Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for PTSD and Stress Relief For decades, the martial arts world has recognized the effectiveness of training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for managing stress and anxiety. And in 2017, what BJJ practitioners knew intuitively was backed up by scientific research. BJJ purple belt Özdemir Kizilkan conducted a study in Istanbul that compared the stress levels of individuals who practiced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to those who maintained a more sedentary lifestyle. The study found that those who practiced Jiu-Jitsu were both less affected by the stress of daily life and better able to cope with the stress that did come their way. According to the study, the control that’s learned when training Jiu-Jitsu translates into a strong sense of control of the rest of one’s life and instills the confidence necessary to handle personal problems that arise day to day. Jiu-Jitsu for PTSD Jiu-jitsu’s effectiveness for managing stress and anxiety doesn’t translate just...Read more

Connection Rio Jiu-Jitsu Academy is your connection to the heart of BJJ’s motherland Rio de Janeiro Brazil. CR BJJ founder, 3rd degree black belt (graduated by world champion, master of the ‘Half Guard’ Roberto Correa de Lima) Dennis Asche invested more than twelve years of his life living and training Jiu-Jitsu on Brazilian soil. In Rio de Janeiro professor Asche developed his BJJ through training with innumerous world champions, masters of the arte suave and teaching literally thousands of jiujiteiros from around the world. The experience that has been accumulated over a decade in Brazil has been brought back to Bend, Oregon and is now being passed on to our students at CRA. Connection Rio Jiu-Jitsu Academy is centrally located in Bend, close to Revere exit on the parkway making it easy to find and convenient to frequent (1620a NE 3rd, upstairs). Having a great location helps to facilitate training...Read more