We visited Fernando Pinduka's gym: jiu-jitsu explained through anatomy

The Jiu-Jitsu Brasil team went to Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, to visit the gym of a living legend: master Fernando Pinduka, red belt and a direct student of Carlson Gracie. Besides teaching, Pinduka is a physical therapist and treats patients at his own gym.

Jiu-jitsu is science

For the master, jiu-jitsu isn't just strength or technique: it's science and strategy based on anatomy. He took that view to university, in a program he taught at Gama Filho covering biomechanics, leverage, muscle actions and psychomotor skills.

In practice, it answers questions every practitioner has asked: why does guard work need joint range of motion? Why do the levers in a submission have specific directions of movement? Small adjustments make all the difference, especially in self-defense.

Small classes, individual attention

Pinduka has taught classes of 40 students at once. Today he chose a smaller space, with at most 12 people, to follow every movement closely. He stops the class, "freezes the image", corrects and restarts.

Kimura and armlock: the right angle

In the demonstration, the master talked about the kimura, a very technical lock that works from many angles, and the armlock. In both, whoever knows how to position at the favorable angle gains a huge advantage.

Visiting the gym

Master Pinduka's gym is at Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, 817, 10th floor, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. To book a visit: +55 21 99776-3007.