Emmanuela Oliveira 
The word that defines Luke Fidler’s training for the Kids Brazilian Nationals, scheduled for next weekend, June 22 and 23, is intensity. A yellow-belt who represents Gracie Barra Chandler in Arizona, Luke is 100% committed to the preparation that has everything to lead him to gold in São Paulo, in his first time visiting and competing in Brazil.
“I’ve dedicated my entire year to focusing on the Brasileiros. Each weekday, I start with a competition class in the morning, followed by a workout session, get some rest, and then evening competition class, ending with live training until they kick us out. On Saturdays, I engage in strength and conditioning training, along with drilling and studying with my teammates. Sundays are reserved for 1-2 hours of private training with one of my professors to refine any weak points in my game. Altogether, I train 7 days a week, spending around 40 hours on BJJ and an additional 10-15 hours on strength training and studying.”.
Luke is counting on his experience gained in major tournaments to take him further next weekend
Prepared on the Gracie Barra mats to withstand pressure and excel in the sport’s main tournaments, Luke recognizes himself as ready to face any kind of war in the competitive scene. He has plenty of good results in the most disputed championships.
“My experience competing in many major IBJJF tournaments such as Pan Kids, Europeans, and American Nationals has prepared me to stay composed under pressure. Facing top athletes from around the world has taught me to expect a war, and I am ready for it.”.
BR Kids, with a record number of competitors, will be a large-scale event
The IBJJF Brasileiros for kids will be a championship with a huge structure and thousands of athletes are expected to compete in the 14 fighting areas that will be set up for the event. In the perspective of Luke, who wants to maintain a career as a BJJ competitor over the years, the growth of the sport among children is admirable, an indication that he is on a promising path that will provide good preparation from the start.
“I can’t speak for other teams, but my academy has always taken junior athletes very seriously. There are other dedicated teams I’ve trained with and competed against that share a deep passion for our art. I believe this is just the beginning of child athletes showing that they are the future stars of BJJ.”.
“Vai, bora, passa”, these are the three words that Luke mentioned from the Portuguese vocabulary, all related to commands from the Brazilian martial art. Visiting the country for the first time, Luke, who also seems interested in learning more about Brazilian culture beyond the sport he practices, is really looking forward to the post-competition meals.
“I know a few words, but I really want to learn Portuguese to truly understand the culture and have conversations with my Brazilian friends in their language. I want to try pizza and hotdogs, but my favorite is strogonoff. I can’t wait for the after competition meal!”.
