I came into this with ZERO martial arts/grappling experience. I started about 9 days ago, and have gone to 6 classes. Here are some amazing things about this gym/experience:
1) The coaching. John Michael DeVall is a black belt instructor, which I've heard can be somewhat rare to have in a local school/gym. He cares more about the improvement of EVERYONE in the class than he does about looking cool, sounding smart, showing off, etc. He's appropriately humorous, and keeps things light and fun. BUT, you can tell he takes BJJ very seriously. He also prioritizes safety, which makes a newbie like me feel much more comfortable. He welcomes questions, especially the stupid ones I so often ask. He's really what you want in a coach/teacher. Humble, hard working, caring, and disciplined.
2) The people. There is a GOOD vibe in every class I've been to. No show-boating. No ego-tripping. No rage-fighting. No big-leaguing. Everyone is kind to one another, and willing to help out. Everyone is patient. No one seems like they're there for a weird, narcissistic reason. Everyone respects the coaching, listens well, and trains hard. It is a really cool community of people. If you're lacking community or friendship in your life, this alone is reason enough to come to a class.
3) My personal development. I know I've only been to 6 classes, but I'm hooked. I've seen micro-developments in the following areas: Flexibility. Mobility. Overall fitness level. Reduced stress/anxiety throughout the day. Increased confidence. Increased humility. BIG TIME increase in self-respect and self-discipline. Better awareness of my body and how it moves, better understanding of myself in space. I could go on and on. I'm hooked, like I said, and I'm going to keep showing up. There's no magic formula to truly improving in anything worthwhile, and I cannot wait to continue this journey.
COME CHECK OUT THIS GYM! I'm a soft, silly, unathletic NOOB, and I've LOVED IT! Come with a humble heart, ready to learn and work hard. Get ready to receive coaching and correction. This is a skill we all need to get better at. I love this gym!
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Posted 4 years ago