Rigan Machado is a direct student with lineage tracing back to the art's founder, Carlos Gracie. He is one of the top instructors of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the world. His long experience in teaching-to everyone from beginners to world champions- and his contributions to BJJ's teaching methods have brought him worldwide acclaim. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, his credits include many of the top Brazilian nationals and interna- tional championships. Rigan Machado was one of the first Brazilian black belts moving to the United States, where he became one of the lead- ing forces in expanding the art created by the Gracie family. "Brazil was just the beginning of the grappling movement. But from there, the seeds have been spread all around the world. If a stu- dent is not from Brazil and he becomes a world champion, then that makes me a good teacher and makes me happy," says Machado. Despite his fame, he continues to train with a dedication born out of the love of his art. Rigan also has appeared in several movies and TV series, becoming one of the most recognizable figures in the world of the mar- tial arts. Highly regarded as one of the most talented technicians and teachers ever to come out of the Gracie family, Rigan has been instru- mental in the development of the Machado Jiu Jitsu, as it is known today. "Finding a harmony between mind and body is the ultimate goal of any martial artist, but the physical techniques must come first. A calm and concentrated awareness is the key toward the realization of per- sonal potential, of which technical mastery is the first step," says Machado. Jose M. Fraguas is regarded as one of the world's leading authorities and writers in the Martial Arts. He began his Martial Arts training with judo, in grade school, at age 9 and studied Shito-ryu karate under Japanese master Masahiro Okada. Today, Fraguas still continues his "Karate-do path" under the guidance of Okada Sensei. He began his career as a writer at age 16 by serving as a regular contributor to Martial Arts magazines in Great Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Holland, and Australia. In 1980, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where his open-minded mentality helped him to develop a realistic approach to the Martial Arts. Seeking to supplement his previous training, he researched other disciplines under celebrated masters in order to better understand how other fighting methods apply the use of the human body in combat. Clearly, his physical training is always reflected in his works. "Spirit before technique. Feeling before writing. Writing should be a reflection of what you develop through training. I believe that Martial Arts are not just a practice or a lifestyle, but a mindset and a tool to improve people's lives through their philosophy," Fraguas says. In the mid-1980s, Fraguas founded his own book and magazine company, authoring dozens of books and distributing his magazines to 35 countries in five different languages. His reputation and credibility as a martial artist and publisher became well known to the top masters around the world. Considering himself a martial artist first and a writer and publisher second, Fraguas feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview many legendary Martial Arts teachers. He recognizes that much of the information given in the interviews helped him to discover new dimensions in the Martial Arts. "I was constantly absorbing knowledge from the great masters," he recalls. "I only had the opportunity to train physically with a few of them, but intellectually and spiritually, all of them have made very important contributions to my growth as a complete martial artist." After authoring more than 31 books about Martial Arts, he worked to inspire others to follow, but only a few around the world have successfully brought such drive and scholarship to their work. Fraguas has practiced, taught, and written about Martial Arts for more than four decades. One of his works, the book series KARATE MASTERS - translated into several languages - has become a "classic" around the world and is considered as one of the best all-time sources of information about Karate's philosophy and knowledge. In addition to his Martial Arts training, Fraguas is a Motivational Speaker and Sports "Strength and Conditioning" training specialist. In that area, his focus is on the improvement of athletic capabilities through functional training systems. Working both with athletes in sports conditioning and non-athletes in more general conditioning, Fraguas has developed unique training programs that integrate proven methods with body-mind-spirit performance enhancement, as well as programs aimed specifically at Martial Arts performance. He combines his personal experience, traditional Budo strategies and modern psychology to teach people how to act decisively, using cutting edge skills not only for physical training and sports but to effectively overcome any challenge in life. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.