Current Rank
Purple Shirt

What year did you start training?
2013

How did you get started?
My husband gave me Muay Thai lessons as a Christmas present. Best Christmas present ever!

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered so far has been training for the Easton in-house smoker. I have never competed at that level before. The physical and mental demands of training were intense.  My husband (who is a Jiu Jitsu Black Belt and competes), my coaches and teammates were my motivation and support through the entire experience. It taught me so much about myself. I can’t wait to do it again!

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

I love the mental and physical aspects of Muay Thai. I want to see how far I can push myself.
I have also found my 2nd family on the mats. The friendships built here are amazing. We see ourselves at our best and worst. We are constantly encouraging each other to be a little more, push a little harder.
As far as my favorite thing about coaching, there are many. When a new student comes in and after their first class they leave smiling and sweaty, with  “I can’t wait to come back”. Or when you see someone get a technique and the smile that follows… Those are awesome moments.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
Be happy.
Every day, be the best version of you.What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I was ambidextrous growing up.

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Current Rank
White Belt 4 Stripe

What year did you start training?
2018

How did you get started?
I wanted to learn how to defend myself. I tried many martial arts but when I came upon Jiu Jitsu I knew that this was the martial art for me.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
When starting out training, I had this self defeating mentally that took place whenever someone would advance in position against me. For instance, when someone went from being in my guard to passing it and getting in side control I would get in my head and think I lost. I accepted it. With time, reps, and my coach’s egging me on to keep trying I managed to shift my mentality to a more resilient outlook. The best part is this bled to other aspects of my life!

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

My favorite part of training is being in a meditative state of no-mind, feeling like a child playing in the grass, but with chokes and armbars.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
On the mat, my goal each training session is to embody total presence and to learn my coach’s take on the technique he/she is teaching. Off the mat, my goal is to take the mental aspects of BJJ, especially having less ego, and applying that to my everyday life.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
People are usually surprised that I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia because English is my first language. I am also fluent in Arabic.

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Denver, Colorado

Current Rank:

Blue Shirt

What year did you start training?

2017

How did you get started?

I woke up one morning and I realized that I was out of shape. I had trained in martial arts before and knew that martial arts was the best way for me to get back into shape. I googled Muay Thai academies in the area and Easton came up. I went to my first kickboxing class and was hooked. I haven’t stopped since.

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

Being afraid of not being good enough. I have had a the pleasure of sparring people who are better then me. I would walk away feeling defeated by the experience. Nothing bad had happened in the sparring sessions, but my ego told me that I wasn’t good enough on the mats. What I did to overcome my ego was went to my coach and told them how I was feeling. From there I worked on my mindset and let go of my ego. I had to to come to terms that there are people who are going to be better then me. I worked on letting experience be part of journey and victory rather then my defeat.

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

My favorite thing about training and coaching is the people. I love people! I get to train with people who are striving in a sport that pushes you to better then you were yesterday. I also get to encourage people and tell people how awesome they are. Even when training, I get to tell people that they can do the pad round or they can do the two min burnout. Coaching and training is an avenue to encourage people to be the best version of themselves.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?

I have always looked at my goals on and off the mat as the same. My ultimate goal is to always encourage people to be the best version of themselves. I love people and training and coaching is just an avenue that I get to share my passion for loving people. The next goal is to help build Easton up to a place where people across the nation come to train in martial arts. The people will come for the training and, hopefully, find something more then just good training. They find a place where they belong.

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

I really like to dance and sing even though I am horrible at both.

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Current Rank
2 Stripe Purple Belt

What year did you start training?
2013

How did you get started?
My boss at the time had a small school a few towns away and knew that I enjoyed athletics and working out so he ultimately got me into the martial arts.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
I tore my meniscus the first time I went to compete in worlds. It was especially heartbreaking since it happened during my first match. To overcome this set back I stayed focused on my recovery and continued to involve myself with the Easton community despite not being able to train.

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

My favorite part of teaching and training, other than the amazing community it forms, is the satisfaction that comes from executing a technique or concept during training. I love seeing this growth in the moment, especially with my students.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
On the mats my personal goals are to come to high level understand of the wizardry that is the lapel game. In terms of being an instructor my goals are to build a culture of longevity through movement protocols that prevent and prepare our students for the rigors of the martial arts. Off the mats my goals are to reduce my carbon footprint by leading a more sustainable life. I also would like to develop my carpentry skills by doing re-purpose projects. Overall I want to be more eco-friendly and resourceful.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I am the oldest of 8 children which is not very common in this day and age.

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Current Rank
Black Belt – 1st Degree

What year did you start training?
2007

How did you get started?
The summer after my freshman year of college, I ran into an old wrestling coach, who invited me to start training with a group of guys. My initial plan was to just to one amateur fight to see what it was like. I never planned on Jiu Jitsu becoming a lifestyle and career path.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge was always figuring out a way to spend more time training. Life outside of the school comes first at times. Whenever it got hard to make set training sessions, I relied on my friends and training parters to train outside of their normal times and do extra work.

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

Training is almost like meditation for me. No matter what else is going on in life, I know that when I step on the mat I will be worry free for a couple of hours. Teaching, is a completely different experience. It is amazing to watch my students grow. It’s extremely rewarding to be able to share my knowledge and experience with students the same way my professors did for me.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
The biggest goal I have right now is to lead an Easton location. The happiest times in my life have always been at the school and I want that to be the cornerstone in my life. Off the mat, my goals revolve around spending more time with loved ones and people who make me a better person.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
Before I found martial arts, I was on the pre-med track in college with the goal of becoming a doctor.

The post Chris Mierzwiak appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
Brown

What year did you start training?
2009

How did you get started?
I had always liked grappling and MMA. I was looking for something to take my mind off of grad school and to try and get in better shape.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
I’ve had 2 ACL replacements and moved 3 times during the past 10 years of Jiu Jitsu. At the end of the day, you just have to keep showing up. There may be time in between or you may only be able to do one little thing, but that’s the only answer.

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

I love being able to take my knowledge of jiu jitsu and refine it down into the most efficient and palatable version for my students. Figuring out how to most efficiently teach jiu jitsu has made me a better competitor and vice versa.

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
My biggest goal is to always challenge myself by pushing past where I feel physically, mentally, and emotionally comfortable and expanding my game and skill set.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I run a Dungeons and Dragons game that consists primarily of Jiu Jitsu black belts.

The post Bruce Bugbee appeared first on Easton Training Center.

Current Rank
Brown

What year did you start training?
2011

How did you get started?
UFC got me interested in 2006. Finally made time in 2011 when I was stationed in Bremerton, WA

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your training, and how did you overcome it?
Continuing to train when I transitioned out of the Navy. I set goals a milestones in my transition back to civilian life and stuck to them.

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

I enjoy the constant evolution in jiu Jitsu because it keeps coaching and training interesting

What are your personal goals on and off the mat?
On the mat I want to be able to train for the rest of my life. Off the mat- I want to become fluent in speaking Spanish

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I am really into music and especially extreme metal.

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