MY STORY
I became interested in martial arts for the purpose of self defense. It would occur to me, walking home at night or turning onto an unfamiliar street, that I had no idea how to protect myself. So in the year 2018 I took my first jiu jitsu class. The experience wasn’t what I expected. I thought the acquisition of this safety knowledge would feel like a chore, and yet as class ended I found myself drenched in sweat and oddly exhilarated. I realized I loved to fight.
I was soon training up to three times per day, my whole life centered around jiu jitsu. At my coach’s recommendation, I began a weightlifting routine. There was something empowering about becoming both strong and skilled, and my mental health improved as a result. What I gained from martial arts went beyond the physical; I gained confidence and a sense of empowerment.
I competed in and won many tournaments, including against opponents with 50+ pound weight advantages in the absolute division. Through victories and losses, competition became a valuable teacher to me. I also became a student of the many legends of martial arts; dedicating hours to pouring over their fights, watching their movements in slow motion, taking detailed notes. I owe much of my development to this scholarly preoccupation with technique.
Several years into this journey, I fell in love with teaching. Working full time in a gym in Manhattan, I immersed myself in the mental puzzle of turning beginners into skilled practitioners. When injuries and illness kept me away from competition, I channeled that energy into building an online platform so I could reach students worldwide. I’ve now taught seminars and classes at Fortune 500 companies and my videos are viewed by millions of students online. My goal is to empower people through grappling and self defense techniques. I believe that this knowledge can not only save lives, but change them too, as jiu jitsu has changed mine.
