INTERVIEWS
Luiz "Speed" Gonzalez Interview 09/16/05
Profile
Name: Luiz Gonzalez
Weight:137 lbs.
Age: 27
Belt Rank: Brown Belt
Ocupation: Correctional Officer/Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
Hometown: Visalia-California
Most Important Titles:
Champion of the SoCal Summer Open Championship- Brown Belt Super fight 2004
Champion of the Challenge Brazil X USA of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2004
Champion of the American National Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2004
Champion of the Pan American Championships 2003
Champion of the American National Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2003
Champion of the California State championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2003
3rd Place at the World Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2003
Champion of the American National Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2002
Champion of the Arizona State Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 2002
Interview with Luiz Gonzalez
1) How long have you been training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu? why did you start training?
Answer: I have been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for 7 years now. The reason that I started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is that when the UFC started coming around there was something I liked about it but I didn`t like the punching aspect of it, so a couple of friends of mine invited me to join jiu-jitsu which was more of a ground fighting,no striking. So once I started doing it I developed a like to it.
2) Did you train a different kind of martial art before coming to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? which one do you believe is the best?
Answer: I did train another martial art before and it was traditional Karate, as far as the best I don`t believe there is a martial art that is the best. I think you got to be well rounded and open minded to everything.
3) Did you do any other sports besides martial arts?
Answer: I started doing crosscountry at the age of 10. I was really competitive at crosscountry, I got sponsors, I would go across the nation, from one state to another. I started doing crosscountry due to my brother. He really liked it a lot and he pushed me to do it, at first I didn`t like doing it as much but then I just started to like it. It kept me out of trouble and busy. I did from the age of 10 till about I was 21, so around 11 years.
4) You live in Central California and trains in the Tinguinha BJJ Academy in South California. How long is the drive? For how long have you been doing this?
Answer: Depending on traffic, it is roughly around 3 hours. I have been doing that for a total of 6 years now. I started off, making this trip twice a week to San Francisco,and then I started doing the trip to LA a couple of years ago. I have been going to the Tinguinha Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School twice a week for the last few years.
5) What made you start training at the Tinguinha BJJ academy?
Answer: A friend of mine invited me to train at the Tinguinha Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy and I ended up staying.
6) What made you want to train there till this day?
Answer: Aside from Tinguinha being a great instructor, I just saw myself being at home and everybody treating me really well and it is really important. After being on the road for 3 hours, being welcome by a great bunch of people,it really makes the trip worth as well.
7) You have been doing really well in the major tournaments you participated at. What would you say would be the key for your good performances on those tournaments?Answer: The key would be lots of things. One of them would be my training regimen, the way I prepare myself for a tournament, I realized I take my training really seriously. I can`t take any kind of training for granted, specially when I come down to train with Tinguinha. I never know how many times a month I will be able to come. Every time I am here, I am really focused and really atentive to everything he says. I cannot put my finger in just one thing, it is a combination of lots of things. The day of the tournament I come really confident and fucused because I know my preparation for the tournament was on key. So I think if you prepare well for something, everything will work out to be good.
8) Why have you taken a break from competing this past year?
Answer: I have been strugling with a couple of injuries, my knee scoped 5 years ago and seven months ago I re-injured it and had to have another operation on the same knee, so that has been a downfall.
9) Does that mean Luiz Gonzalez will be back?
Answer: Absolutely. My goal is to come back and start competing. I realized that in order for me to be competitive in the sport, I figured I needed to compete 4 to 5 times per year. It is tough when you have a surgery to come back. It is a reality check, to open up your eyes and let you know that you can get hurt. It changes a person, the way the person trains. But yeah, I do want to come back.
10) So what are your goals in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Answer: My goal is to keep training, injury free. I know some injuries, do stifle people,it really hurts. I know I have to keep my head up and keep training.Still having to make the trip, it is probably one of the hardest parts but to keep training with my stoop. Earn the title of a black belt is my ultimate goal and maybe winning the world championships as a black belt. If I can accomplish that I can die happy.
TINGUINHA BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU SCHOOL
2970 E. La Palma Ave. Ste B
Anaheim, CA 92806
Ph: 714-630-6218
E-mail: tinguinha@tinguinha.com
|
