Gracie Jiu Jitsu Carlsbad's founder and third-degree black belt Nick Stefan has a deep appreciation for Brazilian jiu jitsu as a sport. His masters, men like MMA legend Royler Gracie, often used the art in the highest levels of competition. Nick's primary goal, however, is to teach his students practical self-defense skills and heightened mental endurance. He instructs with patience, helping students master the nuances of each technique, making sure they train at their own pace until lessons become ingrained. On the mats, he encourages students to pit themselves against each other regularly. There they put into practice the joint locks, choke holds, and take downs they've learned, striving to gain the upper hand through leverage rather then relying on strength or the ability to shoot fireballs from their hands.