Helena Crevar, one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s most promising young competitors, made a significant training adjustment when she joined the prestigious New Wave team in Austin, Texas. In a candid interview, the 18-year-old black belt revealed that she
“stopped training gi for two years”
after moving to train under John Danaher and alongside Gordon Ryan.
The decision to step away from gi training wasn’t taken lightly. Crevar, who had been competing in both gi and no-gi since she was around 12-13 years old, found herself fully immersed in New Wave’s no-gi focused training environment.
“After I moved to New Wave, I kind of stopped training gi for two years,”
she explained during the interview.
This transition represented a major shift for someone who had built her competitive foundation in both disciplines. Growing up in Las Vegas, Crevar had developed her skills across all rulesets, competing regularly in gi competitions alongside her no-gi matches. The move to New Wave, however, meant adapting to a team culture that prioritized no-gi training and competition.
The extended break from gi training presented its own challenges when Crevar decided to return to the discipline.
“In January this year, I kind of went back to training gi, so I kind of struggled a little bit to kind of find my way back into the gi, like almost relearn everything,”
she admitted. The readjustment process required her to redevelop her gi-specific skills and timing after the two-year hiatus.
Despite the initial struggle, Crevar has embraced her return to gi training with enthusiasm.
“Right now, I do enjoy training gi more than training nogi, but I still like to compete nogi more,”
she shared, highlighting an interesting dynamic in her current training preferences versus competition focus.
Her rapid promotion through the belt ranks after returning to gi training demonstrates her ability to quickly reacquire and refine her skills. Promoted to purple belt in September, brown belt in December and black belt in June, Crevar’s progression showcased that her foundational gi knowledge remained strong despite the extended break.
Rising Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu star Helena Crevar has become one of the most recognizable faces in the sport, not just for her distinctive pigtails and coordinated competition outfits, but for her exceptional technique and composure. Having recently moved from Las Vegas to Texas to train under the legendary John Danaher, Crevar offers unique insights into the coaching philosophy that has produced some of the sport’s most dominant competitors.
When asked to describe Danaher’s coaching approach, Crevar emphasized how different it is from anything she’s experienced before.
“It’s very different from any other coaches I’ve had. His knowledge is super high and he always has new techniques and new philosophies on all the moves he teaches us.”
What sets Danaher apart, according to Crevar, is his comprehensive approach to the sport.
“He’s very well-rounded so we get kind of all kinds of trainings,”
she noted. This systematic methodology has become a hallmark of Danaher’s teaching, where students receive exposure to multiple aspects of grappling rather than focusing on isolated techniques.
The training environment under Danaher strikes a careful balance between intensity and enjoyment.
“It’s a pretty serious environment when we’re training but everyone’s also like having fun before and after and even during some months,”
Crevar described. This balance appears crucial to maintaining the high-level performance expected from the team while preventing burnout.
Crevar’s move to Texas came about after meeting Gordon Ryan at ADCC trials in 2022. After attending a seminar and expressing interest in training at their private facility in Austin, she was invited to visit. Both Danaher and Ryan were supportive of her joining the team full-time, leading to her family’s decision to relocate in December of that year.
At just 18 years old, Helena Crevar has already established herself as one of the most promising talents in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and her success didn’t happen overnight. The secret to her rapid rise lies in an unwavering commitment to training that began when she was just 12 years old.
“It’s not just talent, it’s like hard work like training hard twice a day five days a week since I was 12,”
Crevar explains. This dedication has been the cornerstone of her journey from a young athlete in Las Vegas to a black belt competing at the highest levels of the sport.
Crevar’s training regimen is structured yet comprehensive. Her morning sessions typically run an hour to an hour and a half, while afternoon training extends from an hour and a half to two hours.
“The morning class is around an hour to an hour and a half and afternoon class is around an hour and a half to two hours so I have some time in between to rest and kind of eat,”
she notes.
The intensity of her schedule became more serious around age 12-13, coinciding with when she began competing more frequently.
“Around age 12, 13 was when I started competing and training more seriously, kind of understanding the sport better,”
she recalls. This was also when her family began traveling extensively for competitions, venturing from Vegas to California, Arizona, Texas and Florida.
Her training philosophy under coach John Danaher focuses on well-rounded development.
“Right now we pretty much do positional training a lot and also open rounds so that kind of helps me build my whole game for both offense and defense,”
Crevar explains. Rather than specializing in one area, she deliberately works on all aspects of her game during training sessions.
The demanding schedule is supported by careful attention to recovery. Sleep plays a crucial role in her routine, with Crevar prioritizing eight to ten hours of rest each night.
“Sleep at least eight to ten hours so that’s where the best recovery comes from,”
she emphasizes. While she incorporates strength training once a week, she views it more as supplementary work rather than a primary focus.
What’s remarkable about Crevar’s approach is her consistency and longevity. Having maintained this twice-daily, five-day-a-week schedule for six years, she rarely experiences burnout.
“There’s like days when I’m maybe tired or not feeling like as excited to go train but never like burned out to like where I don’t want to train,”
she shares.
The training regimen under Danaher is demanding, with Crevar participating in twice-daily sessions five days a week. Morning classes run an hour to an hour and a half, while afternoon sessions extend from an hour and a half to two hours. The focus on positional training and open rounds helps develop well-rounded games for both offensive and defensive situations.
Crevar’s rapid progression under Danaher’s guidance has been remarkable. After joining the team, she earned her purple belt in September, brown belt in December and black belt in June – a testament to both her natural ability and the effectiveness of the training system.
The structured approach to learning extends beyond just technique. Crevar mentioned that the team does
“positional training a lot and also open rounds,”
which helps build complete games. This methodical approach to skill development reflects Danaher’s philosophy of breaking down complex positions into teachable components.
What makes Danaher’s coaching particularly effective, according to Crevar, is his ability to constantly evolve and present new concepts. Rather than relying on static techniques, he continuously introduces
“new techniques and new philosophies,”
keeping the training fresh and comprehensive.
The experience of stepping away from gi training and returning to it has given Crevar a unique perspective on both disciplines. While she maintains her preference for no-gi competition, where she has achieved considerable success, her renewed appreciation for gi training adds another dimension to her already well-rounded game.
This strategic decision to focus exclusively on no-gi training during her formative years at New Wave may have contributed to her success in that discipline, allowing her to fully immerse herself in the team’s methodology without the distraction of switching between rulesets. Now, with her return to gi training, Crevar represents a complete grappler who can excel in both environments, making her an even more formidable competitor across all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions.
This systematic approach to training has paid dividends. Since beginning her serious training regimen at 12, Crevar has achieved rapid promotions through the belt ranks, earning her black belt in June at age 18. Her accomplishments include victories at major competitions and participation in high-profile events.
