About us

Why did you start BJJ?

To answer that, I'd have to first answer, "Who is Dan Howard?" Dan Howard is a big name back in my hometown. He started the first and original school in all of the Antelope Valley (California). I remember walking into his academy with my little sister. My family could barely afford to put food on the table. Jiu Jitsu lessons were just out of the question, some childish dream we couldn't have. We had never gotten the opportunity to learn anything until Dan Howard opened up his gym and his arms to us. He taught us more than Jiu Jitsu and more on how to live as a good hearted person. I've never met a man so genuine, so giving. I've never met a better instructor of the art. I'm grateful for the family and lifetime friends I made...and I only started because of him. I started because he took me udner his wing, but what kept me there was the friendship, the learning, and the experiences.

Why did you open an academy?

To continue Dan Howard's legacy. His legacy will continue to give back to the community and teach pure Jiu Jitsu. In teaching, I feel connected not only to my Coach and everything he taught me, but I feel connected to all the people who practice Jiu Jitsu. I want students to have the same opportunity I did-- to build lasting friendships, memory, and an art they can train in for life.

Who are you and why should we train under you?

I want people to make an informed decision. I recommend you do your research, visit other gyms and find out how each gym varies from one another. Maybe you'll like the training of one gym, but not mesh well with the attitudes or maybe they'll have a ton of black belts at their gym. I'm not going to lie, we don't have any famous black belts, but what we do have are amazing instructors who will show up every day and be there for you-- to guide you, cheer you on, and teach you to get back up. Being a black belt doesn't necessarily make anyone a good instructor, just like being a subject matter expert in something doesn't mean you can transfer your expertise to students. My goal isn't to become a famous black belt or a Jiu Jitsu legend. My goal is to give the community Jiu Jitsu that isn't watered down, Jiu Jitsu that is true to the heart and origins of the art. I want to breed a whole generation of strong students and competitors that can step on or off the mats with confidence and trust in their abilities.

Are males better than females at Jiu Jitsu?

Being a male or female doesn't matter. In fact, Jiu Jitsu doesn't take into consideration your sex, race, religion, size, etc. It doesn't matter. Jiu Jitsu is an equalizer. Jiu Jitsu is for all walks of life, all body types, and all ages. When comparing a blue belt male to a blue belt female, the only differences I see are their self awareness, their movement, their physical strengths and abilities, their execution of techniques, their understanding of the art, and most importantly-- their Jiu Jitsu.

What core beliefs does your school embody?

We all need each other. You're only as good as your training partners. The better they get, the better you get. We're not here to hurt each other. We're here to learn and build each other up....and yes, armbar each other.

What does your school's training focus on?

We focus on setting students up to be the best they can be, not just in the sport, but also with being a good teammate and a good person. In regards to Jiu Jitsu itself, we focus on setting students up with a solid foundation of Jiu Jitsu fundamentals that they can always fall back and rely on. We're here to help students find "their" Jiu Jitsu and from there, we want them to excel in the art.