Helio Gracie

[billzbjj]

i read that Helio Gracie was still tapping people out in his 80s. I was wondering if this was real sparring or they giving him a chance?

[CKD]

http://www.graciemiami.com Go to the bottom and click on the Outside of the Lines link. On it, it shows Helio sparring with people. The person says "He will get on top you and say escape and you can't" When Helio was 80 there was a judoka who wanted to test Helios skills and he was helping Helio do a demonstration for the Japanese audience and the judoka clamped his legs around Helio tightly and Helio passed his guard and got an armbar while the judoka looked at him in awe.

[kesslari]

I don't know about Helio, but it's believable. I had a fencing coach who was 90 years old. When he picked up a foil or epee he was amazing - maybe not as fast as when he was a national champion, but it was impossible to land a touch on him.
Then he'd put the foil down and go back to being an old man, go carefully up the stairs from the training room. It was uncanny.
So I find it entirely believable about Helio.
Kesslari

[wardancer]

i read that Helio Gracie was still tapping people out in his 80s. I was wondering if this was real sparring or they giving him a chance?

That is true in the follwing circustances:
He will mount you and you have to defend while he will attack (choke,locks).
while you are the bottom not using physical power to escape like UPA/sweeps etc..then he will tap out most opponents (no matter what skills they have, which is amazing at his age and physical condition).

[Chop_Sockey]

I don't know about Helio, but it's believable. I had a fencing coach who was 90 years old. When he picked up a foil or epee he was amazing - maybe not as fast as when he was a national champion, but it was impossible to land a touch on him.
Then he'd put the foil down and go back to being an old man, go carefully up the stairs from the training room. It was uncanny.
So I find it entirely believable about Helio.
Kesslari

A bit like Yoda in Star Wars

[Hermosa]

i read that Helio Gracie was still tapping people out in his 80s. I was wondering if this was real sparring or they giving him a chance?

When you grapple with Helio..Rorion is always right there to translate for him. If you go easy on Helio...Rorion will interupt you and say.."Excuse me, my father would like me to tell you that if you don't start really trying..he is going to hurt you".

The guy is an inspiration!

[BJJ-2/04]

Yes, it's true. I saw him wrestle around with a black belt two weeks ago at my school. Gracie Miami. I could not believe that a 91 year old man was so mentally and physically in such good condition.