753 Code of the Valente Brothers: Loyalty
8th March 2023
By Christopher Charalambous
Loyalty: Part of the 753 Code
I haven’t always been a Valente Brothers Student, when I first started training Ju Jutsu I was at a different school. I was training all the time, meeting awesome people and loving every minute I was on the mats. But it came to a point that I wanted to branch out and see what else was out there.
So Daniel Gore (also now a current Valente Brothers student) and I organised a visit to Danny McMillan Jr’s school in Plymouth. Danny is a Royce Gracie Black Belt who had taught one of the best seminars that I have ever attended at the time. It was here that I was introduced to the Valente Brothers and the Fighting Foundations Curriculum. Training with his students it was clear that they had a understanding of self defence and technique that I was lacking, and from just from 2 lessons I knew it was something I wanted to study and develop. Danny was very patient and understanding, I think he saw how enthusiastic we were and he put us in touch with Chris here at Sheffield Self Defence and an Evaluation Class was booked in.
At the time I was very conflicted, I had genuinely loved my time at the other school but now I knew that there was something missing from my training and that there was more to this Ju Jutsu thing and I wanted to pursue it.
During this time the word Loyalty came up a lot, loyalty to the school I was told that was making a mistake and that I should remain and continue on the curriculum they had once I completed that new opportunities would open up.
Loyalty to my fellow students as one of the more “experienced” students I enjoyed working with new students and introducing them to Ju Jutsu as well as training with more established students it was something that at the time I would loose as I would be a private student and not really see anyone else other than Chris.
Loyalty to the close group of friends I had made. This was the first time in my life that I had a group of friends that i could call on at anytime and they would be there and the last thing I wanted was to loose that.
In the end the decision was to be loyal to myself and follow my instinct that this was the correct path. Im still friends with everyone I have met through training Ju Jutsu and my life is certainly the better for it, if I had stayed were I was I think I would have quit and defiantly wouldn’t have had the opportunities that have presented themselves. Wanting to learn Fighting Foundations and making the choice to become a Valente Brothers Student eventually took me to Miami for 3 months as well as meeting new people and progressing much further with Ju Jutsu than I ever thought.
It was 100% the right choice and I don’t regret it for an instant. Loyalty is a thing that is developed over time it comes from being around people and environments that are positive and genuinely help you to grow and be a better person there the things you should be loyal too.
Danny recently came to teach a seminar at Sheffield Self Defence and it was the first time I had the opportunity to thank him in person. So once again thank you Danny for your patience, understanding and guidance. Also if you ever in the Plymouth go visit his school its an experience you won’t forget.
Written by Steve Searle
Valente Brothers Student
“Be loyal to yourself, and then just as surely as night follows the day, the loyalty of others will follow”
