I’m going to tell you about this amazing woman that I have the privilege of knowing personally. She comes from the world renowned Gracie family. They were the family who founded Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also known as BJJ. While it was inevitable that she was going to train and grow up in the world of BJJ, she also tackled so much more. She is highly trained in BJJ, an entrepreneur, on the board for VETPAW, Established musician, Partner with Epic Roll, Character Ana Vega in the Call of Duty video game and so much more to list.
Heather Gracie started training BJJ at a young age, early teens is what she told me when we spoke. She also told me that she trained under her Mothers brother, her Uncle. Knowing that her family started BJJ I was curious as to how she felt for her first class of training.
“There was excitement, I was very eager to learn, I was nervous at the same time because being who I am and everyone’s watching, they’re like “Oh she’s a white belt, ” said Gracie “But I was young obviously. But then, in a matter of moments all that just kind of drowned out and it just was me and the instructor and we just had fun and had a good time.”
At a young age you really don’t think of your last name being anything other than your last name. But, when your last name is Gracie you have to wonder. I asked Heather when did she realize that she had a famous family?
“When I was young I saw the UFC. I realized when all of them came into town to fight in a UFC event and I was like “Who are all these people talking to my mom.” I was like “Mom, who are all these people?” My mom said “These are your Uncles, these are your cousins.” I was like “Wow, holy hell they’re all humongous to me. Heavily in shape and ready to fight.” Then I saw the event and I was like “Oh, ok this is my family got it, ok. I have some serious shoes to fill!”, Gracie said.
Now being an adult and not a teenager Heather reflected on what it is like to be a part of The Gracie Family and to be the granddaughter of Carlos Gracie Sr.
“First off number one it’s a high privilege but it is a gift and a curse. A gift, and a curse, because I am gifted to be born in such a family such a bloodline that will be of such a legacy. The curse is where I am striving to always impress your elders. They are the lion pride and I am the cub. So I have to prove myself. That’s just how it is a lot of people say that they don’t need to prove themselves to anyone. But, in this family to get respect you have to earn it. So it’s a gift and a curse. But I wouldn’t take any second of it away. I love my family,” said Gracie.
We spoke about what belt she currently was and she went on to explain what belt she is currently at.
“I’m a purple belt working on my brown belt. I should be a black belt obviously, but I’m not in a rush to do anything. I know how to effectively defend myself and competing wasn’t really my thing at the time. My interest was in a mix of different things other than MMA,” said Gracie.
There are competitions in BJJ but Heather has never competed but told me why and if she thinks she ever will.
“Eventually I will, never say never but I went a different route. My whole family wanted me to fight, they wanted me to compete and my interest was obviously on Jiu-Jitsu for self defense and just learning the craft and the art itself for me. But my main interest is music and producing. So, my whole interest went in a whole different direction. But, I’m sure in the future I will most likely compete,” Gracie said.
Heather shared with me what her favorite thing about BJJ was and if I am being honest I would have to agree based on my own experiences.
“It’s extremely tribal. No matter where you are in the world, if you train jiu jitsu, you will be accepted anywhere on the planet because it is officially a household name. Jiu-Jitsu is on every corner of every crevice on this planet and you will be treated like family everywhere you go when it’s recognized that you are a jiu jitsu practitioner,” Gracie said.
There is a Gracie lifestyle and a philosophy behind Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that people live and have lived by for years. There is also a Gracie diet for healthier eating. These were created by one of the founding Gracie family members Carlos Gracie Sr. Gracie told me a little bit about these and how they came about.
Gracie said, “My grandfather created the Gracie diet. He created that diet all from personal experience. He didn’t just come up with things out of the blue. Everything he did, he operated off of his own trial and error to come up with that Gracie diet. As far as the Gracie philosophy of the family is that we are a tribe. It teaches you humbleness, patience and discipline. That is what Jiu-Jitsu is. Jiu-Jitsu is a philosophy in life, because when you train Jiu-Jitsu you are forced to train your brain a whole different way from what you have been taught in this world and now it makes sense so you use it in your everyday activities outside of Jiu-Jitsu on how to operate with life and how to figure things out. That’s what it does: it trains brains for the better.”
BJJ is huge and it keeps growing. A lot of people’s lives have changed from being involved with such an amazing community. But it’s not just a community, you become a part of a family, a tribe that has such a strong connection. Knowing this and having this happen to me I asked Heather how she felt that she and her family are the reason that they have changed peoples lives forever.
“Very humbling, it’s extremely humbling. It’s almost unreal. But, I just have to sit back, be proud, be grateful, push forward and do my part for my family as I’m supposed to do.,” Gracie said.
Gracie also told me when I asked her if there were any other Martial Arts that she was involved in other than BJJ?
“Yes, I’m obsessed with Boxing! I love the art,” said Gracie.
Epic Roll is a company that carries all types of merchandise for the BJJ/MMA community. I can personally vouch that their merchandise is top notch. No matter if it’s the clothes you wear for training or the great line of streetwear they carry they never disappoint. I asked Heather how the partnership evolved with Epic Roll and her?
She replied, “Matt is a friend of Zoltan’s and introduced me to that whole thing and when Zoltan came on board, he quickly realized that this company needed just a little pick me up and a little help. It’s a great company, great people, honest, and very humble people run it. The merchandise is amazing products and materials. So, why not help? We both have a large reach. I have a large reach in the MMA community and the Jiu-Jitsu community like none other. So I was asked to come on board so that’s how it happened.”
For myself, I can say that Heather is so passionate about helping people and the love of animals that she has is incredible. She goes above and beyond. This is where Gracie Worldwide and VETPAW truly shows who she is.
VETPAW means “Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife.” Gracie is one of the board Directors for VETPAW and travels to Africa with them in order to help protect the wildlife from poachers. She told me what it meant for her to be a Director of VETPAW.
Gracie said, “It means everything, especially when you know me. I absolutely love animals! I think that our next generation should be able to go see them in person instead of our grandparents showing a picture of what was instead of showing them what still is. Africa is my favorite place to go on planet earth.”
Gracie Worldwide is her management company and in my opinion her reasons for starting it are truly incredible. Here’s why.
“Gracie worldwide is my management company. In the MMA world I know and have solid friendships for 10+ years with all the naysayers and everybody that matters in the MMA business. So, it only makes sense for me to see an athlete or a fighter that is literally a phenomenon in my eyes and deserves a chance when people aren’t willing to help and I can,” said Gracie.
Heather’s music is amazing and if you haven’t listened to it yet, you should. I was curious, coming from a BJJ family, what made her want to go into the music industry?
Gracie told me, “When I was a teenager, I was under age and I got into a music festival in Miami called “Ultra” many years ago and I saw a certain DJ and I said “Oh my goodness! Wow, this is incredible! Knowing me, since I was in elementary school I sang. I was in all music classes, chorus classes and everything since I was obsessed with music and singing. So when I went to this music festival, I lost my mind and said “I can do this. The experience that I am witnessing from these hundreds of thousands of people was such a tribal experience. There was no hate, everybody was one love, and they were all operating as one. ”. I was completely mesmerized by that and said that I want to be the reason why people have this experience as well. Plus I was obsessed with the music.”
For people who know me they know that I love all types of music especially Rock/Metal and I wanted to know what types of music did she listen to growing up?
“I grew up, listening to a mixture of things. I grew up, listening to Tina Turner, Patti Labelle, and of course obviously Prince, Michael Jackson. Just all the old school people but the ones where the music was still real, pure, coming from the heart and the soul,” said Gracie.
Heather Gracie has been in a relationship with Zoltan Bathory founder and rhythm guitarist of Five Finger Death Punch for a long time and being that his band is Heavy Metal you would think that she would love that Genre too. Well, I was shocked and laughed with her when she replied the way she did when I asked her if she listens to heavy metal?
“No, (laughs) I am not a heavy metal fan. I will maybe listen to some Death Punch of course, obviously and TOOL. That’s as far as I go with that,” said Gracie
Heather plans on continuing to make new music and plans to release 8 new songs this year. Her favorite non remix is “Devil”, that was one of her top favorites and a remix that she liked was “Heathens.”
Gracie told me “I really love the drop I did on Heathens.” I can’t wait to hear her new music!
Does Heather Gracie still perform live?
She replied, “No, but eventually I will jump back into that because that is so much fun. But, when I have my free time I will definitely do that because it’s so much fun.”
Something that might surprise you that is very cool was one of Heather’s recent accomplishments becoming the character known as “Ana Vega” in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. She is now known in the video game industry as “Ana Vega.” She shared what it felt like to have her own character in the new Call Of Duty video game and for her and Zoltan who is “Oz” to be the first BJJ couple to be in a mainstream top notch video game.
“It’s extremely surreal. I still can’t believe it. I was very honored and humbled that they even had an interest in me to be one of the characters. They also made my special move a flying triangle (BJJ technique). It’s amazing! I’m so happy to be a part of it,” Gracie said.
Heather shared what she wants her legacy to be in life.
“To be humble, don’t shy from anything, be brave, never doubt yourself, always use your first instinct. The first instinct that comes to your mind is always use it, because it’s typically the right one. Never be scared to do anything that you want to do in life because it’s always going to be a no if you don’t try and don’t be scared to fail,” Gracie said.
With the legacy that Heather shared with me, she truly lives by it. She is very humble, outgoing, truly funny and is not scared of anything. I admire and respect Heather and look up to her as one of my mentors.
