Staff & Instructors
Head Instructor
Raphael Dos Santos - Black belt
Raphael Dos Santos, IBJJF and FHJJS European Champion, Brazilian citizen, born in Florianopolis in South Brazil. Has been training since 1983. Started with Judo, 10 years later fell in love with BJJ.
Instructor
Tim Lukes - Brown belt
Tim has been studying Brazilian Jiu jitsu since 2005. Prior to that he studied JKD and Kali.
"I feel that BJJ is more than just a martial art and sport, it can become a lifestyle that encourages you to eat more healthily not drink too much and generally enhances your overall fitness. I also think that if you have to choose one martial art to do for self defence BJJ is the most effective in real terms"
Born in 1966, Tim competes when he can and whilst at blue belt won gold at the IBJJF Europeans 2009 at both his weight and open weight categories.
Tim has become 2x European Champion in open weight categories this year after travelling to Portugal and coming back to Cornwall with two medals (silver in his category and gold in open division).
Assistant Instructor - Newquay
Nick Tiscoe
I started back in 2010 training a bit of nogi, then took a week in London training at Roger Gracie Academy before returning to Cornwall and training full time at Gracie Barra Cornwall.
I enjoyed training BJJ as it helped my surfing; BJJ helps you learn to work hard under pressure, conserve your energy, assert yourself in difficult situations and it gives you confidence.
At the beginning of 2011 I had to work away from home for a while so I joined RGA bucks, on a brief visit home in April I was awarded my blue belt from Raphael Dos Santos and then continued to train at RGA.
I returned to Cornwall full time in June 2012 and managed to lose 10kg through surfing every day and training hard at BJJ, I have now started competing having won silver medal at the Hereford Open in February.
Now as I approach my next belt promotion I am starting to teach fundamentals to the lower belts and am excited about the future; so far in BJJ I have improved my health, my confidence, career prospects and made many new friends all over the country. Osssss!
