Davenport jiu-jitsu community brings together beginners, families and a 61-year-old black belt

Bill Mason discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsu when his striking instructor wasn’t available one day. He tried a different class and found himself hooked.Now 61 and a black belt, Mason says the training has given him much more than techniques.“What keeps me going is a lot of things: the camaraderie, the sense of community, the trust you build with people, and the fact that you’re always evolving,” Mason said in written responses shared with Channel 9 by Gracie Barra Davenport.Academy owner Fillipe Pascalicchio says that sense of connection is drawing people who have no plans to compete, including parents, children and adults trying martial arts for the first time.A physical puzzlePascalicchio describes Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a martial art focused on leverage, positioning and technique. Much of the training takes place on the ground, with partners working to establish control and apply submissions such as joint locks or chokes.Unlike boxing or kickboxing, the training he describes does not i