Our Instructors

Rener Gracie

Visiting Instructor


Rener Gracie is the second eldest grandson of Grand Master Helio Gracie, the creator of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. His father is Rorion Gracie, the world’s foremost expert in self-defense. Rorion introduced his sons to the art’s basic movements as soon as they could walk. As a child, Rener like his brothers spent the majority of his time watching his father teach private classes in their garage in Southern California. But it wasn’t until he observed his father and uncles – Royce, Rickson, and Royler – easily winning “no-holds-barred” challenge matches that he began to fully comprehend the effectiveness of his family’s art.

More importantly, Rener understood the tremendous benefits Gracie Jiu-Jitsu had on all those who studied it. Having witnessed the life changing transformations experienced by Gracie Academy students motivated him to become a teacher of the art.

While constantly perfecting the techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, he worked equally hard to master the powerfully effective teaching methods developed by his ancestors. In 2002, Grand Master Helio Gracie awarded Rener his black belt in recognition of his mastery of his unique techniques and teaching methodologies.

Today, the demand for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu instruction is growing at an unprecedented rate based on the art’s proven effectiveness and simplicity. Unfortunately, many self-proclaimed instructors are teaching variations of the art without regard to the founding principles of street applicability, energy efficiency, and natural body movements. That has caused erosion at the base of what once was a solid teaching program.

Rorion, whose high technical standards earned him the blessing from the Grand Master to certify instructors, saw in Rener and his brother Ryron the unparalleled determination to preserve the techniques and the teaching methods in their purest and most effective form. As a result, Rorion decided to entrust them with the monumental mission of launching the Gracie Global Training Program. Through the Global Training Program’s comprehensive instructional DVDs, interactive online video courses, and network of certified training centers, the brothers are determined to make the complete Gracie Jiu-Jitsu curriculum, once found only at the Gracie Academy, available to students around the world.

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