Current Rank
Purple

What year did you start training?
2015

How did you get started?
I did martial arts as kid and always wanted to get back into it as an adult. Around turning 30 I realized I wasn’t getting any younger, so I found Easton!

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
My own ego. Still working on it!

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?
Constant self-improvement and sharing the boon with others.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
I want to become a black belt, write a book and have a family.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I was a theater major in college.

The post Jordan Shipman appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
Blue Belt

What year did you start training?
2007

How did you get started?
I got started after watching my brother start; he began training around age four, and after watching from the sidelines for a few months, I wanted to jump on the mat myself! Our parents brought us to teach us self defense, to get us exercising, and above all, to help us grow our confidence in ourselves.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge, especially when I was younger, was my size and training with people stronger and bigger than me. I attributed a lot of my early failures to being a girl, to being small, to not being physically intimating, and so on. But getting to see people of all shapes, sizes, genders, and backgrounds succeed at this sport was really inspiring, and helped me to move past that. With the help of Professor Mike (who was just Coach Mike then) and other amazing instructors, I was able to build myself up and craft a game that played to my strengths. Perseverance, and the kindness and wisdom of my coaches, helped me to better myself and move past the belief that my size was any kind of a deficit.

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?

I love getting to meet new families that come into the gym! This place has been so incredibly important to me from a very young age, and it’s amazing to see little kids come into the gym and adapt to it as a place where they feel supported and safe. I love watching these kiddos learn not only jiu jitsu, but anti-bullying techniques and self discipline. They are going to make absolutely amazing adults someday, that’s why I love getting to work with them so much!

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
On the mat, my goal is to always become a better student, and to take the opportunity to train more with the amazing professors we have at our academy and across all our locations. Off the mat, my goal is to graduate with my PhD in History and pursue a career in post-secondary education.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I study pop culture for a living! I’ll talk Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Disney with anyone!

The post Viola Burlew appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
4-stripe white belt, “blue” thai shirt?

What year did you start training?
2014

How did you get started?
I started this journey of Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu with Easton but have been exposed to Martial Arts since a kid with my mom.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge to over come was my uncontrolled emotions, which are a key part of Martial Arts in my opinion. It is not to cease having them or bury them away, but to know and understand how to control them and how they affect you. People have emotions for a reason, they are our warning lights. In the beginning of Muay Thai, I would allow my emotions to constrict me and hold me back, causing me to shut down in some cases. Now, having a new understanding of them, I am able to know that when I feel a certain way, I should allow myself a moment to reflect why I feel that way and what it means in my life. Determining how I can use that emotion to grow into a more confident and loving being has been a challenge and I continue to reflect and learn from it.

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?

My favorite thing about training and teaching is the family I have gained while being at Easton. Both the students and teachers have influenced my life in ways I could not have imagined. I have become a more complete individual with the help of my friends and teammates. Each time I bow onto the mat I experience this energy that enlightens my spirit and shows that we are one. I am safe on the mat while outsiders look at it being a “dangerous” space. I feel most secure on the mat while being comfortable with the uncomfortable and growing into the person I am each day.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
The personal goals I have both on and off the mat are to be more interactive with people and places around me. As a teacher at Easton, I am forced to step out of my comfort zone and interact with students and coaches even if that is not my strong suit. I have noticed that by doing so, I am more confident in my ability to lead as well as being able to meet new people. I want to utilize this trait more as I travel the world an interact with different cultures. I find that more and more, I am able to step out of my personal space and begin to learn about others and how we all perceive the world and the space around us.
I also have found that the more I teach and help change peoples lives, the more I want to be involved in making a positive difference around me. I am able to look at my life objectively and see that there is more I want to accomplish. I want to create an environment that will promote well-being and an enlightening that will continue to ripple among the people it touches.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I am a very skilled avocado picker.

The post Nikki Hughes appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Los Angeles, California

Current Rank:

BJJ Purple Belt

What year did you start training?

2014

How did you get started?

Saw people training in my college gym, decided to give it a try. Hooked ever since.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?

Fear of competition. Still a challenge, but competing helps keep the fear at bay.

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?

Watching people find joy in martial arts

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?

On the mat: to train sustainably for my body, so that I can train forever. Off that mat, to be a better person every day.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

I have a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering.

The post Nick Derimow appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
Black Shirt

What year did you start training?
2008

How did you get started?
I was always an avid fan of martial arts and sports like boxing and wrestling. While playing Junior A Hockey in Bozeman, MT, I fortuitously met a local boxing promoter who had seen me play and offered for me to come start training at his gym for free. I fell in love with the technical aspects of the sport within the first hour of training! 

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
Coming in on the days where I feel like I don’t want to do anything at all. Realizing that you’re never upset at yourself for coming into train when you don’t feel like it. I’ve never walked out of the academy and said to myself “Man, I’m really mad that I came in and got some exercise and pushed myself!” That is a great lesson and reminder every time I feel like being super lazy for an extended amount of time.

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?

The connection and trust that is built over time with our students who train regularly and experience a myriad of benefits. Seeing our students completely change their lifestyles for the healthier in a matter of years or even months is always humbling and rewarding.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
Help push Muay Thai into the olympics, and earn my Blue Belt In BJJ at some point in my life! Having my son Ren grow up within the community and on the Easton mats is something I hope he gets to have happen as well. What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I am an avid bowler and follower of the PBA. If you ever want to go bowling, please let me know!

The post Matthew Bloss appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Blue belt

What year did you start training?

2007

How did you get started?

The kids program with Eliot Marshall at the old location

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges in my training was the level of confidence in what I was doing. I overcame it just by hearing one line of advice saying “just go for it stop thinking about everything and worrying so much. Let it become a flow”. Since then everything became much smoother.

What’s your favorite thing about training/teaching, and why?

My favorite thing is seeing the students begin to create their own style with what they like and don’t like from the curriculum. Seeing them grow and discuss ideas with other students. That’s my favorite because I know that I helped play a role in that and now they get to apply what they have learned and pass it on.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?

My personal goal on the mat is to begin competing regularly once the COVID situation is safer. Off the mat I am looking to begin college at CU next year.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

I have been at Easton almost my entire life and still am learning something new everyday that I go in.

The post Flynn Burlew appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
Purple

What year did you start training?
Nov. 20, 2014

How did you get started?
In 2014, my sister was being bullied, so I came in to Easton with her to take her first class. I fell in love with the gym and ended ted? up joining. I loved the fact that it was practical, that I could use it in real life. Plus it gave me a healthy outlet. I immediately saw the benefits of training, I lost 30 pounds in my first month of training just fundamentals Jiu Jitsu. After that I really found a family and a home at the gym, so it kept me wanting more.  The first time I trained live, I realized Jiu Jitsu would always be a part of my life. I realized I could take control of any situation and that I could push myself to not give up. It was something that I had never known how to do before so I liked seeing that part of myself.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
Training and learning is one of the hardest things to me right now. I can’t seem to find time to take the technique part of the class, ever since I started teaching more. But is a sacrifice I’m happy to give for my students. I still need to figure out how to overcome this.

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?

Teaching is the best part of my day.  Kids make me realize how much fun we should have while we learning and training. This is something I apply in my classes, and when I’m been part of one as well.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
I would love to compete in Pan Ams and Worlds one day to see what my full potential is. I want to create an environment that sets the students up for success. I want the students  to continue coming until they reach their black belts because they love it so much. Professors Amal, Eliot, Mike, Shae and Combs are some of my role models, and what I admire the most about them is that though they are formidable Jiu Jitsu players, they’re also some of the nicest, most inviting people I have ever met, and they have devoted their lives to making a difference in the lives of others, and I wantn 1775 to be like them one day.
Jiu Jitsu means everything to me. It is my way of life, I use the lessons I have learned in the academy every day. The people in the academy are my family. I don’t know where I would be without Easton. Life is hard, it will put you down, but what I have learned in Jiu Jitsu is that giving up won’t help and won’t make me better. So the biggest lesson I have  taken away from Jiu Jitsu is that I have to continue to fight through every hard situation, because eventually I know I will come out on top as long as I don’t give up.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I love dancing salsa, bachata, and outdoor sports.

The post Fernando Martinez appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
Black

What year did you start training?
2012 ?

How did you get started?
Walk in

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
My own ego and injuries. Just time on the mats and not rushing back after a fresh injury.. Taking time off to focus on things we ignore while devoting so much time to training.

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?

Training; the clarity that my mind gets to, forgetting my daily problems and just being present.
Teaching; Sharing the knowledge that has been passed on to me, seeing a student become successful with a technique.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
On the mat; Black Belt, Instructor. Off the mat; continued personal growth.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I love finances/stock trading and will talk your ear off about investing if allowed.

The post Daniel Steele appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Purple

What year did you start training?

2016

How did you get started?

UFC fan

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?

Pushing past barriers I thought were unbreakable, and my teammates helped me overcome it.

What’s your favorite thing about training/teaching, and why?

Giving back to the community that has given so much to me

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?

To be a better human personally, professionally, and spiritually.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

I was almost a child model.

The post Chino Dean appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
Blue Shirt

What year did you start training?
2016

How did you get started?
One day a friend invited me to take a free kickboxing class with her, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered is control. It’s really easy to hit a bag or a pad as hard as you can, but it’s pretty much impossible to hit the same pad 200 times with the same amount of power. In Muay Thai, you have to find balance in everything (physically, mentally, and emotionally). If you can’t find that control, you’re going to lose your focus and your energy. Once that happens you’re going to be in a world of hurt (literally and figuratively) Maintaining that level of control is something I work on everyday.

What’s your favorite thing about training or teaching, and why?

My favorite thing about teaching is watching my students improve and how excited they are when they’re able to do something they couldn’t before. My favorite thing about training is that it gives me a chance to let my everyday stresses just wash away for an hour or so, and once I’m finished training I find myself ready to take on the world all over again.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
My current goal on the mat is to compete in a national tournament within the next year. A personal goal of mine is to write a novel, and before you ask, sparkling vampires will not be making an appearance.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
It ties into my personal goal, but I really enjoy writing and one day I hope to be able to say I am a published author.

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