03/10/2022
🥋 MEET OUR PROFESSORS 🥋
David Herrera Jr. “Skinny” is a black belt under Leandro “Tatu” Escobar. Skinny was first introduced to martial arts in high school where he began training judo at a local YMCA with Hall of Famer Sensei Mehdi Mohammadian in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Skinny began training Jiu-Jitsu when he was 20 after moving back to Chicago. Enamored by Jiu-Jitsu, Skinny moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he spent the first year living and training with Black Belt Gabriel Wilcox.
During a training session at De la Riva’s Jiu Jitsu Academy in Copacabana, Skinny met Leandro “Tatu” Escobar. Leandro quickly became a mentor to Skinny. Skinny ended up training at Leandro’s school, Tatu Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Tijuca, Rio De Janeiro for 5 years.
While living in Brazil, Skinny earned many titles, placing and winning at the IBJJF Sul Americano, Europeans,
Pans, Belo Horizonte, Rio, and Sao Paulo Championships.
Skinny returned back to Chicago in 2019 and met Mark Turner while cross-training at BJJ Lab in Naperville. Inspired by their academy, he hopes to create the best Jiu-Jitsu academy in the Midwest
🏆 ACHIEVEMENTS 🏆
3x IBJJF World Championship Medalist
IBJJF European Champion
3x IBJJF Pan American Championship Medalist
3x CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Medalist
