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Welcome to Animal Jiu Jitsu…

I DID IT!!!

I DID IT!!!

So I Finally Did It!!! This is a picture of Animal Jiu Jitsu’s very first class! I started with 4 Amazingly cool and soon to be Awesome Jitz peps 🙂 All four of the people that started with me on this Blessing of a day are brand spanking new to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. They are all newbies and I Love it!!! I get clean Jitz slates to work with, which will allow me to mold them into Fundamentally sound Jiu Jitsu Fighters.

It’s been a long long time since I spent time typing away on this fandangled contraption called a computer! Truth be told, I Miss the shiznits out of writing! I have been soooooo busy getting my Fitness/Personal Training/Consulting business rolling that I haven’t been able to sit down and tap into the creative writing side of this crazy life I live 😉 I have yet to put the final touches on my “Low Back Pain” book too! It will take me a total of 2-3 hours to polish that puppy off but I have other online endeavors that require my strict attention, at least for another month or two. I’ll tell ya what though, that book is going to help a LOT of people deal with low back pain and for that I am Truly Pumped!!!

Btw this pic was taken last week and I already have another person signed up for Animal Jiu Jitsu, so that makes a total of 5 peps that I get the Honor of Coaching 🙂 I have 1 more person coming in this week too and I am pretty sure he will sign up, so that will make 6 total!

If you are reading this I just want to say a very special “Thank You!!!” for your time and for joining me on this Crazy Journey called Animal’s life 😉 I am Blessed beyond measure to be able to train and teach something I love! Thanks for being here with me for that!!! Until next time….

September 2, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Dental work Blows! and Teaching is Awesome!!!

I was under the knife recently…and Yes is Sucked, with a capitol S!!! I have almost no positive memories of my mother but the one thing I do remember about her is how she hated it when people touched her face, including her children. Out of all the nothingness that she taught me, I did learn at a very young age that she, and ultimately me, hated people touching our faces. And yes it’s weird when I am dating a girl and she wants to touch my face, it’s just really really uncomfortable:(

So there I was in this Awesome city called Denver, sitting in a dental surgery chair with a ton! of laughing gas and numbing stuff coursing through my lungs and veins. Regardless of how much stuff they pumped into my body to take my mind off of the fact that people were in my face doing some serious drilling and cutting, I was one extremely pissed off Animal! I had to reach out to my Lil Sis just to get some texting support right before the procedure so I didn’t punch one of the dental surgeons in the face. They were super cool and nice but I still hated the experience!

Now that I got that out of my busted up “online” mouth;) It’s onto some really cool stuff that is coursing through my Fighter/Professor body! I’ve been off of the mat for almost 2 months now and it’s been awesome and tough at the same time. It’s hard to put into words but when you have a tattoo of something you love on your body and you aren’t pursuing said endevour there is a part of you that isn’t syncing up right with the world. That’s where I’ve been. I’ve been working on getting settled into a new city and job so much that I let my Jitz slide, a lot:( This Jiu Jitsu layoff has been a weird mix of refreshing along with a side of feeling weak and lost. I know now that I needed to take a good break but I also know that I suffered for it. Soon I will be on that mat again and the journey shall proceed…

With Jiu Jitsu it’s this weird thing where I hate losing but I know I need to tap in order to get better. So now that I am going to be getting back on the mat soon, and basically rolling as hard as possible, with dudes that are very technical and 10-15 years younger then me, I know there is going to be some ass kicking coming my way;) I don’t tend to tap much and have been injured b/c I wouldn’t submit to a arm or leg lock and that is just stupid, but that is who I am. So fatigue and frustration here I come…

On an Awesome Jiu Jitsu Professor note! I recently started doing Privates with this 19 year old kid. He’s had no Jitz or any sort of Fight training so we are starting with the very basics. It’s totally rad b/c he is like a sponge and soaks up everything I show and tell him! I am muito excited to see how he progresses b/c it seems like he is committed to growing as a Fighter….but as always time will tell:) For now I am way Pumped to be working with him! As someone who has been teaching Fitness and Fighting for more then 10 years I have to tell you how Amazing it feels to be teaching again! I’ve also got a personal training client that I will start training next week. There is something inside of me that feels “right” with the world when I get to see my student(s) learn something, it is one of the most Amazing feelings in the world! So upward and onward I go…

March 14, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Live Small so you can live BIG…

In the few years I have been on this earth I have been able to cram a TON of living into this crazy thing we call life! I have had many interesting and exciting experiences all over this planet. I am an American by birth and have lived in more then 10 states, and for more then a year and a half in each one. More importantly though, I am blessed to still have lifelong friends in the majority of those states! I have also traveled to over 15 different countries and will be using some of that travel experience to talk about various cultural differences in our society today.

My post today is about my experience in California, more specifically the Japanese culture I experienced while living in San Francisco, California. That amazing city  is saturated (inundated) with the Far East culture and I got a chance to enjoy some of that saturation first hand. Out of the all of the cities in this country, San Francisco has the highest per capita population of Asian American and newly immigrated Asians who came to this country in search of a better life. There are some  pockets of the city that have more Asians living and doing business in them then the rest. These neighborhoods tend to be located in an area known as the “Sunset” district.  This district is pretty much a miniature Asia because almost all of the residents are Asian. That is where I lived and spent most of my time in San Fran, which you can call San Francisco if you have ever lived there. At least that is what I was told by the locals. So I can honestly tell you from first hand experience what it was like being the only “white kid” on the block!

EDIT BELOW:

Today we are going to address a specific Asian culture that I had the honor of living in and around for the majority of my stay in San Fran. One of the things that the Japanese culture excels at is “Minimalism.” I have been to Japan twice and was once engaged to a Japanese girl, who was born and raised in Tokyo, so I have a decent understanding of some basic Japanese cultural traits. I have also studied the life of traditional Martial Artist’s and read many books about the Samurai life and culture. (CONTRADICTS???I am far from an expert on Japanese culture, especially since I am a Texan and have lived most of my life in the Southern part of the US.) But through my experience in this life I have learned to take the Japanese concept of Minimalism and run with it! This is a counter-cultural concept for almost all of the citizens of this country because America has literally built it’s economic strength on consumerism and it’s peoples desire and ability to buy things.

This is EXACTLY what the essence of my post is about. “Live Small so you can live BIG!!!” The falsehood that true happiness is predicated on consumerism is eating away at our country and our present day culture! The biggest and most deadly player in this arena is “debt”. The entire concept of debt is about buying something that you can NOT afford. I still remember getting my first credit card and thinking how great it was b/c I could buy and do things that I couldn’t afford (or at least afford now!) What a lie and false sense of reality.

Yes I am advocating that you have ZERO credit cards and debt, and that you do NOT buy things that you can not afford. But more specifically I want you to evaluate how you are living your life. Is it ok to live a life where you don’t own more then one computer/TV/video game console/etc… Heck is it even possible? The reality is that the things we own tend to eventually own us. I mean how often have you drowned out your day watching a television show instead of really connecting with your partner who is sitting right there in front of you? How often are you consumed with “the playoffs” as opposed to going out for a surprise meal with your family? For us single peps out there…when was the last time you stepped away from the computer/TV and just called one of your friends to see how his or her day was? (the last one is percisely what I am guilty of so please don’t think I am above reproach with this stuff;)

I want you to take a second here and reflect on my original thoughts on Minimalism and the Japanese culture. I have not lived in Japan and am not sure exactly how it works over there. I am not saying that it is the perfect or even ideal culture. But one thing I do know is that people in Japan generally don’t own as much stuff as we do over here, and their houses and cars are far smaller then the average American’s. I also got to see how the Japanese family I almost became a part of was not as affectionate as a typical American family, but they sure did spend a LOT of time together just hanging out. There weren’t nearly as many “things” to distract them from spending quality chill time together.

So living a more minimalistic life is definitely not the norm but I promise you that you will be happier and experience more joy in your life if you are debt free, own less things, and spend more quality time with the people you love! So my challenge to you today is to take a no-BS assessment of what “owns you” and spend some time time thinking through your days in regards as to what you actually do or spend time doing in your free time (tv, family, reading, connecting, etc.) I Pray you don’t get caught up in the cycle of buying things you can’t afford so that you can be even more “distracted” from the people and relationships in your life that truly matter:)

February 27, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

That Fire still burns…

When will a beat dog know he is beat…that is the question I pose today! Where are you at in your journey through this crazy thing we call life? What is your job and/or profession that you are called to…let’s get a little bit more personal…what are you “called” to and what are you doing day to day in order that you pay your bills? How about what are you doing that Inspires you and people around you???

My question about a dog knowing when he is beat is about whether someone should follow their deepest desire to do what they know in their Heart is what they want to do or should they continue on the path of status quo and just exist? I concede that this is a much more complicated question then I give credeence to in these few words but the question is still a valid one…

I am here today to pose that question to any and all readers I have out there…which I realize is only a very select few of my Closest and most Awesome peps:)!!! The point here is that as a Fighter I feel the pull to get back into competition even though, in brutal honesty, I don’t like competition. It Totally Blows!!! That is another story for another time but for now…here’s the skinny…As of late, I have been consumed with finding a safe place to live, getting a job, paying the bills, and being so successful in my job that I don’t have to worry about paying bills. So I have been off of the mat for almost 2 months now. Not training has been one of those things that has been hard but also extremely nice. (and any of you Fighters out there that haven’t taken time off and think I am weak for this, well I just say a nice go @$%$%# yourself!) Reality here is that I am getting this pull inside the deepest part of my soul that wants me to do something Extrodinary and put everything out there and just Fight!!! There are soooooooo many life realities that play into me stepping into that cage again, and 99% of them are all negative! So how do I proceed? How do I deal with this nagging thing inside of me (almost a nagging of my soul) that tells me it’s time to quit being a pussy and do something about it?

I specifically started this Blog so that I could Inspire and Motivate to people to reach beyond themselves and Achieve things that they never even thought possible in their lifetime! I WANT & PRAY that people will step out of their personal defeats and circumstances and do something Amazing with their lives!!! That is why I started writing the Animal Jiu Jitsu Blog!!!

Now when it gets personal I will be honest and tell you that I struggle with the things in my life that test to make sure are one of several things; God’s calling , a selfish ambition, or simply me trying overcome the pain in my life with stupid things like Fighting. My point is that I am and I want you all to be painfully realistic as to why you feel you should be chasing after the dreams you chase. Here’s the reality for me…I am definitely past my prime, I am not in the best shape for someone my age, I have a medical condition that makes my training and Fighting half as good as a “normal” person, my stand-up is horrible, and I am super busy with life obligations such as building a life and paying for it….so where does that leave me? If I was a rational person, had a “normal” upbringing, wasn’t just a little crazy, cared what people thought, and was a smart man (Forrest Gump reference) then I would put up my gi and gloves away for good and say “that’s enough for me” BUT that is EXACTLY where the wildcard lies…hhhhhmmmm…..

February 20, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Being sick & review of “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell…

Since my move to Denver I have been very sick two times! My body isn’t used to this mountainous climate:( This last week reminds me of my drive here, how I had to stop at a gas station in some small town in Colorado and chill b/c I felt dizzy as all get out and my body was telling me I was going to puke at any moment! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE it here!!! but in all reality for almost my whole life my body has been at sea level. And this Animal’s body is definitely not used to the cold, at least being in it day in and day out. So where does that leave me? I recognize the fact that I am not accustomed to this environment and that it will take me this first winter to get used to the weather here…so I am willing to buck up and accept that fact and work through the doldrums of a Texan in Colorado:( All the while stoking the fire of excitement of next winter when I will be snowboarding, snowshoeing, and climbing these Beautiful & Majestic peaks:)!!!

Now off to the world of literary Beauty:) I just finished “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell and was overall very impressed with it and more specifically how it broke down people’s ability to make “snap decisions” of people and/or situations that they are presented with. It is fascinating how a person is able to make split decisions about people and/or situations based on what Gladwell calls “Thin-slicing”. He defines Thin-slicing as “the ability of our unconscious to find patterns in situations and behaviors based on very narrow slices of experience.” Throughout his book he gives examples of individuals in various professions that are able “read” people or situations solely based a quick glance of said scenario. Throughout the book he covers subjects such as how to have a successful marriage, car salesmen, Vietnam vets, war games, facial recognition experts, and many other unique and exciting subjects. He uses various studies and informational resources to back up his analysis and description of how all the various individuals have learned to be “experts” in their chosen field throughout their many years of experience.

One of the things that hit home for me while reading this book was how relevant it is to my years of being a bouncer and doing club/bar security work. I even mentioned this book and it’s findings about Thin-slicing to the general manager of Punch Bowl Social, where I am currently the Head of Security. I explained to him that b/c of all of the various threat scenarios and all of the highly intoxicated and violent individuals I have had to deal with over the years I have developed a keen sense of what is truly dangerous and what is not. For instance, when I see someone walking through the crowd or through the front door in my bar/club I can instantly tell if they are going to be a problem later on in the night. Now if that person is sober, I will wait to see how they act after a couple drinks before I am 100% sure about my decision as to whether they will be violent or not. But this skill that I have obtained over the course of my many years of working in clubs and bars is almost always completely accurate when I see a highly intoxicated individual walking through the crowd and I get that “sense” that he is of bad character. I tell my security staff about how I am able to do this effectively, especially with drunk people, and I always quote Ernest Hemingway to give myself more published credibility. Hemingway said “you know the true measure of a man’s heart when you see him drunk. He becomes who he truly is at that precise moment of intoxication.” I am paraphrasing here b/c I remember reading that quote in college and it has stuck with me to this day. That quote and glimmer of truth is the exact reason I trust no man that is violent or mean to women any form when he is drunk. So now you see how Hemingway and Gladwell are all part of my daily duties as a Professional Bouncer!

To sum up my ranting…I think you will benefit substantially if you pick up a copy of “Blink” and I believe it will give you greater insight into your chosen profession!

February 19, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Humility & Knowledge of Self = True Strength!!!

I just finished a book I have read many times over the years yet first read when I was 17 years old. This book did and still directly shapes my life as a Fighter, Martial Artist, & Human Being! It is “Karate-Do My Way of Life” by Gichin Funakoshi. Gichin Funakoshi was the founder of modern day Karate, which was originally from his home island of Okinawa. His short yet powerful book is about his personal journey in life as a Martial Artist and how Karate came to be spread through out the known world. This book has totally helped shape me as a Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and Bar Fighter (Bouncer).

The title of this post comes directly from the final paragraph of Funakoshi’s book; “He who is aware of his own weakness will remain master of himself in any situation; only a true weakling is capable of true courage.” This is an extremely Profound and yet confusing statement all the same! This was and honestly is still a perplexing assertion that I have over many years struggled to fully understand.

How can weakness make you strong? One of the most pertinent thoughts that comes to mind when I ask myself this question is an interview I heard with one of the greatest Fighters of all time, George St. Pierre. He was asked if he knows what fear is and if he has ever felt it before or during a fight. His response blew me away! He said as matter of factly as he could that “Of course I am scared! I am in the grips of fear the whole time leading up to my fight but when I step foot in that cage and that bell rings, I let my body and training take over and the fear evaporates” Now that was definitely paraphrased but you get the point;)

I have sat back and meditated for years on how to come to grips with Funakoshi’s statement that only a true weakling will ultimately be courageous. As a recent supplement to my reflections on Funakoshi’s words I have included what GSP says about his fear and how he has harnessed that fear to be one of the greatest Fighters of all time. The result of my many years of dwelling on Master Funakoshi’s words, my many experience in the Fight/Martial Arts world, and GSP’s thoughts have brought me to the conclusion that “Humility & Knowledge of Self = True Strength!!!” I have come to believe that Funakoshi’s words mean that as a Fighter one must access an ability to be Humble no matter how “good” they are or how well they perform. A Fighter must also know his weakness and be aware of that in a Fight, and in life, so as to avoid that area or allow that weakness to be taken advantage of. For example, in life, if you have a problem with alcohol it would not be wise to hang around at bars thereby putting yourself in harms way or even date someone who drinks a lot of alcohol. The same concept applies for a Jiu Jitsu practitioner who knows that he is weakest (in positional strength and in submission defense) while he is in his opponent’s side mount…that Jitz Fighter should at all costs, avoid being put in his weakest position, and play to his Jiu Jitsu strengths so as to defeat his opponent!

Humility comes into play b/c I believe Master Funakoshi means that is ultimately the way to truly know and understand your weakness. Once a Fighter & human being authentically humbles themselves they will be able to know and understand their on their area(s) of weakness…thereby becoming a “Stronger & More Whole Fighter/Human Being”

February 13, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Just Show Up” & Success will come…

I just hired a bouncer at the bar I work at. To be specific, I hired him for part-time work to cover all of our regular guys shifts if they are not able to work or need time off. I did this b/c we don’t have another full time opening right now. But he will be working at least once a week and sometimes 3 times a week. Point is, he got hired!

On a related note, this guy is new to the world of Jiu Jitsu and constantly espouses how it has helped him drastically change his life for the good. In all honesty we’ll see if he’s still training in 5 years or totally walked away from it. I Pray he is still on that mat or at least struggling to get back on the mat like yours truely;)

Today’s post is about “Be Present To Succeed” or as I like to say all the time “Just Show Up!!!” Yuri is the name of the bouncer I hired at the bar where I manage the world’s Best Security Team. He got the job b/c he was constantly telling me that he needed a job. I told him over and over again that we weren’t looking for anybody but if he just made himself available when I needed him that he would most likely get hired (of course he would have to do a spectacular job and show me he knows how to bounce!) You see getting to where you want to be or finding success in your choosen profession/life isn’t all that complicated and difficult. I mean you definitely have to put the work in and know what you are doing in said pursuit, but there are a TON of other people out there that want exactly what you want and have the skill set you have! So how do you set yourself apart from them? What makes you different then them? The answer is plain and simple…you are willing to anything and everything to achieve your success but most importantly you are willing to JUST SHOW UP!!!

After I told Yuri, he better be available if I needed him, he made sure to pick up the phone every single time I called and if he absolutely couldn’t answer right away he called me back the second he could! He took my advice and made himself available at a moments notice. And consequently when we were short a guy at 9:00pm on a Friday night, I called him, and sure enough he came to the bar and got his first shift! All I needed him to do was be there when I needed him and he did just that and now he is a member of the best paying Security Crew in all of Denver!

Now Yuri says he has 5 years of nightclub experience, but people can tell you anything about their work history and experience. Not saying that he is lying about his bouncing/nightclub experience, at all! Yuri is a straight up guy BUT Tim Ferriss even talked about this in his book the “4-Hour Work Week.” Tim calls it something like “Creative Truth,” I believe he uses another phrase that I really liked but you get the point. Regardless of how much experience Yuri has, he has shown me that he knows how to handle instructions, a crowd of drunk people, and bar fights, so I am very pleased to have him onboard:)

My challenge to you today is to think of what you are trying to accomplish in life. It could be related to your career, family, or social life but whatever it is I want you to take a long hard look at how much you expect success without being 100% available for that success? For me, I want to write more and be published but more importantly I want to make very very good money writing! So how often am I sitting around and writing? How often am I spending my time sitting around watching a movie or doing stupid time wasting activities instead of typing away on my Mac? The answer for me is easy…I absolutely need to sit down more and write!!! What is it that you need to “Just Show Up” for??? What is it that you are trying to do in life that you feel like you are not achieving or even making headway on? What endeavor can you start “Just Showing Up” for and wether you get what you are after today, you are willing to wake up tomorrow and the next day and the next day until you finally achieve your vision of success?

I hope this helped clarify some things for you…more importantly I hope this Blog will motivate you to go out and do things you never thought you could or would do!!!

As Always I want to say Thank You for reading my Blog and Please click the “Follow” button if you haven’t already!!! Until next time…

February 7, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lost the Fire….

For all intensive purpose my move to Denver was a complete success…I have a Great job, have a steady and good income, I have Awesome church and am involved with a Great group of fellow believers in it, I have a Great group of Homie friends here, I live in the most Beautiful and Awesome state in the usa, I have the opportunity to train with some of the Best Fighters in the world…yet I have come to the realization over the last few weeks that I have absolutely lost the “Fire in my Belly” that has been with me for the many many years I’ve been on the mat and/or been trading blows with people. I made myself a promise to be completely honest with everything in my Animal Jiu Jitsu Blog and here it is…straight up and brutally honesty about where I am at with Jiu Jitsu and Fight training in general.

I wish I could just snap my fingers and get that Fire back!!! I recently hired a white belt for security work at my club, who has that Fire and is at the very beginning of his Jiu Jitsu path. It seems all that he wants to do is train…oh how I miss those days!!! In all honesty, part of me wishes I was back on the mat as a newbie white belt who used to train 12-20 times a week! I’ve been rolling for so many years that I barely remember how it felt to have that white belt passion that helped me stay so Alive on the mat…it was always driving me to get better and better each day and it seemed my desire to learn was unquenchable!

Life happens and there are personal family/health/life things we have to spend our time on that periodically take us away from training and granted those things can become intense and sometimes extremely time consuming in our lives, leaving us with little or no time to train. That is different from what I am talking about right now…it is not the lack of time that I am struggling with…it is the straight up lack of desire to push myself to new physical and technical limits on the mat! I miss those old days of being sore and feeling beat up b/c I rolled for several hours the day before. I miss that old familiar “Let’s Roll” attitude I had when I saw a very competent Black Belt tapping people out left and right. I miss the desire I felt in my bones to keep going and going b/c I knew even though I was getting tapped I was getting better and better after each tap.

Life here in Colorado is going Great and my move has been an AMAZING experience and trip! I am Blessed beyond measure! but I struggle with finding that “Fire in my Belly” like I used to have. I will keep ya updated on my progress and I can only hope that my current state allows people to see that regardless of how much someone enjoys something and/or how much they have committed their life to something that brings them happiness, there are dark times in that journey and I am in that “dark training time” right now with my passion for Jiu Jitsu. Let’s see where it takes me…

January 30, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Intentional Living…

I can’t believe it’s been 2 weeks since my last post…that is Totally Totally Lame! I have been in the process of trying to find a place to move consequently my time has been consumed with researching new places, tons of phone calls, visiting places, and finally figuring out what type of people will be the best match for this crazy lifestyle I live! My Blog post is titled “Intentional Living…” for a reason and my current move within the Denver city limits is the motivating factor for the naming of this installment of Animal Jiu Jitsu.

What is Intentional Living? It is living a life with a very specific cause or lifestyle in mind. Living “with Intention” is something most people never do b/c it requires you to live with a very specific agenda in mind and you living out that very specifically agenda throughout every hour of their day. It is so easy to just let life get ahold of your time and drag you through the proverbial mud of chaos and excuses. For instance let’s say you are planning on going to the gym 3 times next week. You start off your Monday with an excuse of being tired from the weekend and you push off the workout until Tuesday. Tuesday comes and goes and you find yourself running errands later then you thought. Henceforth the whole week goes by and you find yourself sitting there on Friday night wondering what happened to the week? Now it’s 10pm and you are ready to go out with some friends but there’s that small voice in your head telling you that you should be going to the gym. You silence that voice quite easily b/c your preexisting life patterns allow you to do so with an almost immediate quick flip of the mental switch. Now it’s Saturday and you blew your goal so maybe, just maybe you can get in 2 days of gym work…who knows b/c that ocean of life has been tossing you around so much lately that you finally give up and put it off until next week! Thus you never get to the gym, but console your anxious mind with a “Next week…I promise next week”.

My Point is what’s the freaking point??? Why in the world set goals if you are never going to complete them? I realize life is hard, extremely difficult at times, but personal resolve and commitment can get you to places you never thought possible if you would just make that one very conscious decision to “Live Intentionally” The gym example is the easiest to use b/c I have been a Personal Trainer for more then 10 years and see and hear about this predicament all the time. But regardless of what your goals are…I want you to know that there is Hope and YOU CAN do anything you put your mind to!!!

This conversation is relevant to my living situation b/c I am currently renting a room in a house and will be moving to another house where I will be renting a room as well. The very specific reason I do this is b/c I took the words of one of my personal Hero’s to Heart. Matt Chandler, along with Dave Ramsey and Adam Corolla are men that guide my life path through sermons and talk radio. During one of Chandler’s sermons he spoke Biblical Truth in a very pragmatic and useful way. The sermon is to long for me to go over in detail but the gist of what he said was that as a Christian single male it is my duty to live in situations that force me to prepare myself for marriage and the lifestyle sacrifice that this entails. I have never been married but I Pray, plan, and hope to find a Beautiful woman of character fairly soon:) Chandler’s synopsis was this: “how can you live by yourself and bask in the selfish lifestyle that breeds, and expect to get married and magically be selfless, and live to honor your spouse in all you do?”  WOW that hit home!!! He then goes on to say that it is imperitive for singles, especially males, to live with others of the same sex in preperation for marriage and all the selflessness that it entails. This is not to be confused with living with someone before you are married! I have done just this and seen and felt first hand the pain and sorrow that creates:( Chandler is simply stating that it is time to stop being a “totally independent individual” and start preparing yourself for a life that “it not just about me”.

So here I am a single male who has enough money to live on my own but I am choosing to be challenged and grow by living in a house full of other single dudes, all with the expressed Intention of “Living Intentionally…”

My challenge to you is that you step out of the comfort zone you have built around yourself and live a challenged and Intentional life, no matter what that may be!

As always a special Thank You for your support of Animal Jiu Jitsu!!! and if you can please join this Blog by clicking the “Follow” I would Greatly appreciate it:)!!! That way you can support this Crazy Animal’s Journey;)

Thank You All!!!

January 24, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First eBook sent off to Editor & Fitness world get ready…

As a younger man I wrote for my college paper during my senior year at Oklahoma Baptist University. Soon after that I was a paid writer for the Lewisville News, which was a community based newspaper located in Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Ever since then I have owned a personal training studio in Seattle, worked for 2 of the largest internet companies in the US, taught Jiu Jitsu at one of the most prestigious MMA schools in the country as well as a couple other very good schools, I have traveled all over this country and visited 13 other very cool countries, and I have been a bouncer or Cooler/head bouncer in many a bars and clubs across this here country. I have Loved and been Loved by some of the most Beautiful, Sweet, & Awesome Asian women this planet has to offer:) Yes I have lived a very interesting and different life then your average bear!

So here I sit in my favorite coffee Haus, not House, because apparently that isn’t cool enough of a word for this place;) I joke but seriously this spot is Awesome and it is my absolute favorite writing nook…much like J.K. Rowling’s favorite coffee house “The Elephant House,” where she wrote her first Harry Potter book…http://www.elephanthouse.biz/

As I sit here feeling a little under the weather yet brimming with excitement I reflect on what I had just accomplished and how Amazingly easy it was to do it once I made the decision to get it done…I wrote my first book and just sent it off to my Editor:)!!! It is about Low Back Pain and it is a subject I am extremely familiar with since I had a year plus battle with mind numbing low back pain several years ago. Due to that horrendous injury I developed a system Bio-Mechanics and Functional movement that allows people to be free of this epidemic that affects 1 in every 4 Americans. I am soooooooo Pumped about being able to reach out to people via written word and help them:)!!!

Another very cool thing is happening next week along this vain of Inspiration…I will be Personally Training again:) One of my coworkers is getting married and after discussing his goals and physical aspirations he will start training with me next week:) As I have previously stated I have been a Personal Trainer for many many years and am currently working on a Fitness website that will go live in 6-12 months, depending on several extenuating circumstances. But either way this client is the first of many that I will be able to help and work with under the http://www.FitnesswithAnimal.com banner!!! I am beyond excited and am ready to get people Fit again!

So it seems as if all my experience with the written word, training folks, and my years of work in the internet field will all be paying off:) For all the people out there that have believed in me and have supported me along this crazy life journey I want to say a resounding “Thank You!!!”

January 10, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2013 will be the BEST Year Eva….

The quote “BEST Eva” is a reference to the movie “Fear”. I quote “4 Eva” instead of “forever” quite a bit so I thought it was fitting for this Blog post since 2013 is going to be my Absolute Best Year Eva!!!

So I finally have my “day job” figured out! We have a Great Team of Security guys that I have the Honor of managing and we do an AWESOME job of keeping people safe and putting a hurting on the bad guys! so everyone is able to have a good, violent free, and safe time at the bar:) I am also bar backing 2 days a week and busting my tail there! Bar backing is more of a bar workout then a job;) So I am pretty much doing the exact opposite of my first very financially successful corporate jobs that I had after I graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University. And Yes I would much rather be busting my tail behind a bar and Protecting people for a living then sitting in a cubicle at Yahoo, that is for darn sure!

So what is in store for me this coming year? Well let’s break it down…I have a stable bar job that pays the bills and allows me time to work on my upcoming Animal empire. I have my very first book, about Low Back Pain, coming out in a month or so, depending on editing issues. I will be starting a Fitness and a Travel Blog within a few months as well as writing for my Animal Jiu Jitsu Blog as often as possible. Once I get all my Blogs set up and in place it will be time to devout a ton of attention to my online personal training site (www.FitnesswithAnimal.com) This puppy is going to ROCK!!! I’ll be able to help so many people get in shape through weekly workout plans, diet tips, and overall encouragement. I will also start taking on personal training clients in Denver:) Now after all of that is said and done I will immediately start working on my Fitness Seminars. More to come on these bad boys in the near future so be ready to see and learn some Awesome Fitness stuff:)

I just finished reading Tim Ferriss’ book “The 4-Hour Workweek” as well as another Malcolm Gladwell book, and I am already a third of the way through “Super Freakonomics.” This was all in the month of December. Point is I read a lot and these books, as well as another 2 selves full of positively mind bending and inspiring books, have  helped me develop a new attitude on work and wealth. I am choosing to build my life around being debt free, developing wealth that is not tied to a job in a specific location, and being able to use my gift of written word to build my Animal Empire. I am in the infancy stages of these Goals but am working daily so that I will be able to fully realize them asap! Animal Jiu Jitsu is still alive and kicking…it’s just taking on a more “free spirited” attitude:)

As always Thank You for your Time & Support of this Crazy Animal’s life! If you have not officially joined my Blog by clicking the “Follow” tab on top of this page please click that bad boy…I would Greatly appreciate it!!! Thanks again and see you all online again soon!

January 3, 2013 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Peaks & Valleys in Jiu Jitsu & Life…

So here I sit after successfully making a move across several states to a place where I had absolutely no friends, any form of employment, and no home to speak of (other then an ad I responded to on the internet). It’s been 4 months since I got in my car and made the trek up north to this majestic mountainous region known as Colorado:) For all intensive purposes my trip is an absolute success! I have a full time job as the Head of Security for the largest bar in Denver, I have a great group of go-to friends, I have a Great Gospel-centered church and meet with my Jesus peps weekly, I have earned my name on the mats here in Denver, and finally I have been able to pay off some financial stuff and am on my way to being 100% debt free! So I am going to call this move a Complete Success!!!

Now comes the tricky part, which in Animal-speak means “not the ideal” or “short of the projected goal” I have not found a place or venue to teach my favorite art form, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:( I have trained very little as well and I know that my Jitz game has suffered immensely, due to my horrible display of Jitz competency during my last two training sessions:( This is partly my fault for spending very little time on the mat but it is also partly the fault of my crazy schedule the last few months which keep me off of said mats. I have been in pure “survival mode” up until now and to be quiet honest I am still a hovering in that “just pay the bills” mode here. It is almost impossible to get a regular schedule that allows me to dictate when and how often I get to roll when I am in this mode. Ok so enough of my excuses and to the premise of this Blog post…

“Jiu Jitsu is full of Peaks & Valleys Brotha…”  These Amazing Words of Wisdom were spoken to me many years ago while sitting on the mat after some serious training. My Jiu Jitsu Brother Misho Ceko is responsible for this statement, which has stayed with me throughout the years and remains with me even to this day! I am not sure if he even remembers uttering that profound sentence to me? I am fully confident he has no idea that those words have carried me through the many of  years of ups and downs in my training and through some of my life’s most difficult moments. You see I use Jiu Jitsu as metaphor for life, which is Exactly the point of this whole Blog and the reason I am putting these words down on paper/internet now:)

I have done Horrible! on the mat as of late and I have 2 choices with the way I “feel” about my performance. I can either quit completely or work through the “Valley of Jiu Jitsu” that I am currently wallowing in now. I choose of course to persevere and come back yet again for another Horrible display of my Jitz skills and honestly I will do it over and over again b/c I will NOT quit and walk away from anything. This is my approach to Jiu Jitsu and also my approach to issues, problems, barriers, and obstacles that present themselves in my life.

Now to be completely honest I am emotionally and physically beat down from all the work and stress of this move. I have prevailed but at a tangible cost to be sure! Just b/c I say I will not quit doesn’t mean that I don’t dread the “Valley” I am in right now…I am of course referring to my Jiu Jitsu in general, and my emotional state as well! My point is that regardless of how I “feel” I choose to realize that life and training both have “Peaks & Valleys” and I make a conscious decision to drive through the Valley b/c I know I will not be in the Valley forever, there is Always Hope:)!!!

So Thank You Misho for your words of Wisdom spoken to me on the sacred mat that day in Mountain View, California! I have not quit training and will continue to drive forward towards the goal of being a Jiu Jitsu and Life Pimp:)

As always I hope you enjoyed my post and I ask you to Please! Please! click the “Follow” tab and help support the crazy life’s journey of a dude called Animal;)

December 27, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Shift Focus and Drive Forward…

 

 

Me & My Crew Chilling

 

This is one of my favorite pictures since I moved to Denver! It is me and my crew chilling at work after a long night of keeping people safe and hurting bad dudes:) I am Blessed to be surrounded by a group of such solid Bro’s!!! Everyone of these guys is a trained Fighter and/or Special Forces Operator…basically some Tough Ass Dudes:) I wanted to give props to my Bouncer Family on this here Blog…to many many more nights of safety and fun Boys!!!

Ok here we go…looks like it’s time to Shift Focus and Drive Forward!!! I am working so much at this new bar/club so I can establish myself as well as put together money for bills and paying off all debt. I do NOT buy into the lie of having debt so I am almost completely out of debt…just a few thousand to go:) Point is I am working a TON and trying to shift my focus at work from doing purely Security work to doing both Security and Bartending. Bartending is better money and is more effective for long term employment. Another thing is that this brand new bar is going through so many changes with staff and procedures. This means I am having to be extremely flexible on my days/hours worked, which keeps me off the mat and away from getting my school up and running. Point is I am going to have to Shift my Focus…temporarily.

What is it you Truly Love Doing? What do you find yourself thinking about when you are stressed at work or when you are getting some well deserved time off for a few days? How do you connect with the world in your own very private and special way??? Think long and hard about this b/c I want to know what you LOVE doing! Reply on this here Blog and let me know!

Personally I feel connected to this planet and this life when I am rolling on the mat BUT my soul also feels connected to this world in a uniquely Beautiful & Special way when I am writing…when it’s just me, my thoughts, and paper/computer there is something magical that happens inside my head and Heart that calms my soul like nothing else can:) Sometimes I feel caged inside this body and writing allows me to escape to a place of Solice & Peace…it’s hard to put into words but hey isn’t that the point;)

So there ya have it. A small glipse into the Heart of Animal;) So how does this effect Animal Jiu Jitsu? Well the reality is that I am extremely limited on time right now and find myself with free hours from 3am-5am so what to do? I am going to be Shifting My Focus to writing more in my off time as opposed to constantly searching for a spot to start teaching Animal Jiu Jitsu. I have NOT given up on the Dream of having my own school…I am just re-shifting my focus towards putting more words on paper:) So with this new Focus I will be finishing my book on Low Back Pain this week. I will also be spending more time working on a Fitness Book, a Fitness website, and a Homebrew Beer website, all of which have taken a serious back seat to opening Animal Jiu Jitsu, but that will be changing as I Shift Focus & Drive Forward!

Thank You all for taking time out of your lives to read my Blog:)!!! If you can please make it official and join Animal Jiu Jitsu by clicking “Follow” and registering with WordPress. Thanks again for your support and Take Care Blogosphere!

 

December 19, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu, Low Back Pain | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Travel is a path and venue of True Growth…

How many of you travel? There are a good amount of my Blog readers out there that travel for work or travel to see friends and family BUT what I mean by “do you travel” is how far away do you go and how often do you get culturally challenged in a completely foreign environment and/or how often to you get to meet people that have a completely different idea of how to approach life then you do?

That is a tough question to answer! It’s tough b/c it’s usually an easy answer of “never” or “I dream of being able to go to a foreign land and explore but…” That is EXACTLY why I am purposing this nearly ominous question! I want to challenge you to GROW!!! Life is hard, very hard, and sometimes even extremely hard for some of us on this planet! And life sometimes seems like it is impossible and just “paying the bills” is too much…I get it, trust me I do! I have several tattoo’s on my body to attest to that very fact! BUT what I am asking you is very specific in nature…have you stepped out of the “life struggle” we all experience and taken a chance on being “uncomfortable” and/or gone to a place that you know is completely different then what you have ever experienced before? Point blank, have you stepped out of your comfort zone with the express intent of “trying something completely new geographically and culturally?”

I have done this exact thing several times in my life and to be completely honest it was Extremely difficult! and Challenging at first…heck for several days it straight sucked! I specifically remember my first trip to Brazil and being in Sao Paulo and boy was I excited, at first! but little did I know that my Brasilado friend that I knew from San Jose, California that told me “not to worry about anything when I got there” was going to COMPLETELY leave me hanging:( Let’s just say I am Blessed to have even gotten a ride from the Sao Paulo airport from him! He promised me that I had a place to stay and that he would take care of all my travels, nightlife, and accommodation worries while I was in his country…boy was I mislead! Turned out he had his girlfriend was there at the same time and this girl was 15 or 20 years older then both of us and a total bitch! (and that is putting it kindly) Thank God he had secured me a single room in an apartment in a relatively safe part of Sao Paulo…I mean the “cold only” water worked and I could wash my clothes by hand and the toilet worked sometimes! but hey I had a very very hot roof over my head…in the building I was staying in there was no air conditioning on the 16th floor and it was 100 degrees plus! outside (that’s in fahrenheit of course;) but other then that I had a place to stay:( Honestly I would have been better off staying at a hostel!

Point is my first trip to Brazil SUCKED! I do have to say that my 2nd trip there was AWESOME!!! I stayed with my girlfriend at that time, Bianca, and her family and honestly that was one of the BEST times of my life:) Bianca’s Mom, I call her “minha Mãe” was AMAZING to me as well as Bianca’s entire family:)!!! Point is I had a BLAST and felt Loved and Taken Care of while I was in Brazil with Bianca and her family!!! That trip was AMAZING and I felt Loved & Cared for the entire time…Thank You to Bianca, Minha Mãe, and her entire family!!!!

To the point of my Blog today…Do You Travel? Here’s my challenge to all you readers out there…set aside 2-3 weeks of your life over the next 3 months specifically for traveling to a place that you have never been to before, and honestly the more different the better! And just let go! I’ve done it before in other countries and it was very difficult at first but it was WAY worth it in the end!!! Just go and be you and connect with a part of you that you have never connected with before! Just “go with the Flow” as I say in Jiu Jitsu:)

Btw my next trip is going to be either to Thailand, Vietnam, or Brazil again…we will see soon enough:) There are several factors involved with that decision but I plan on being inside an international plane within 3 moths FO SHO!!! I will keep you all updated as to which destination I will travel to Fo Sho!

I Pray that you find the courage and wherewithal to give it a shot and if you do Please post your trip Awesomeness on here so we can all take a peak at your own personal Adventure & Growth:)

As Always I appreciate your support for and reading of my Blog!!! more then I can say on paper/internet, it means the world to me!!! If you can PLEASE officially join my Bl0g by clicking on the “Follow” tab and registering with WordPress b/c I would LOVE to have you on here and able to connect with me anytime you can!

Thank You all for your support and now it’s your turn to take a chance and LIVE Life to it’s fullest and get somewhere Amazing & Cool!!!! Keep us all updated!!!

Animal out…

December 12, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are you dancing?

Doing what I Love!

Doing what I Love!

If you don’t find yourself dancing at least 3 times a week then you need to switch something up ASAP!!! This Blog is about some of the things I LOVE most; Jesus, Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, & Inspiring people to live life to the fullest! I came up with the title of today’s Blog as I got out of my car and walked up the sidewalk into my house. I suddenly realized I was literally dancing my tough little Texas tail all the way up the street and sidewalk:) I had some good tunes on too and was singing far louder then I should have been at 3:30am…hahaha!

As soon as I realized I was booging in the street celebrating life without a care in the world at 3:30am I knew something was up…I was happy and it was just coming out in the form of my extremely dorky dancing;) I did a quick mental recap of the week and thought “how often am I doing this?” I realized that I was doing the exact same thing earlier today and also at least two other nights during this week, after I had gotten off of work!

My life right now consists of running a badass Security Team at Punch Bowl Social, doing a little Jitz (soon to be much much more), and lifting weights…pretty much an Awesome life for a single male that likes what I like:) Needless to say I feel Blessed beyond measure for all that God has given me!

My point with this post is to challenge whomever reads this to see how often they are out there dancing their tail off out of deep seated Joy for all they have! Regardless if you are a rich dude/chick with an Awesome family, a financially poor Pastor serving the Lord, a college student, in jail, in a broken marriage, a single person searching for that special someone…I want to know “Are You Dancing?”

Now your self-expression might be vastly different then dancing like a dork in the street, like I apparently do, but however you do it…I want you to sit back and reflect on whether you are excited about life and doing your own dorky self-expression version of dancing without thinking about it? If you aren’t then it looks like you will be making some changes in your life ASAP so you can start dancing again!!!

So there you have it…”Are You Dancing?”

BTW the pic above is of my elbow after I had to do some good Security work at my bouncing job:) It’s what I do and what I Love and I wanted to share it with you:)

And remember if you DIG reading my Blog please officially “Follow” it and register with it via WordPress by clicking the “Follow” button and following the directions…I would TOTALLY Appreciate the support:)!!!

Now get out there and START DANCING!!!

December 8, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Inspiration, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Failure & “Motion Creates Emotion”…

Here I sit at my favorite coffee shop after a week full of missed opportunities and failure. As it turns out opening your own Jiu Jitsu school isn’t as easy as pressing a button and having it happen;) I joke but in all seriousness this process is much trickier and more difficult then expected! I set out this last Sunday with very specific plans to visit and talk to 25 people a day about renting a small space in their business/home/apartment for $100 a month…more specifically I only need 500-800 square feet to rent for 6 hours a week. Well I am baring my soul here and being honest in letting you know that thus far this week has been an epic fail!!! I wish I could report differently but I made a commitment to myself in this Blogging process to be 100% honest and accurate in my accounting of this Dream, regardless of success or failure!

So here I sit on Thursday afternoon with only a couple of hours to kill before I have to go to work at the club tonight. As soon as I finish this post here, I will be getting online (www.craigslist.com) and will search for commercial spots to rent. This is going to be the most expensive route and one I am pretty sure will bare little fruit but I will leave no stone unturned and honestly this is the easiest way to search for spots to rent and thus it should be done first. So I will get that out of the way today and tomorrow, and finish this week off with a flurry of emails and hopefully phone conversations with commercial real estate landlords:)

I will always remember and I try to live by the famous quote from Ben Affleck  in the movie Boiler Room; “Motion Creates Emotion” Basically if I sit on my tail and expect things to come to me , then I am going to accomplish absolutely nothing. My goal this week was to be active and create emotion, excitement, and ultimately get in touch with someone who will rent me enough space so I can put some mats on the ground and start teaching “Animal Jiu Jitsu” The problem is that I didn’t move and/or have enough “Motion” to create this possibility. I accept the failure of the last few days and choose to move forward regardless of my  previous failure b/c my failure to win this time does NOT and will NOT stop me from trying again!!! I will NEVER quit!!!

Looks like someone got a little amped up there huh;) Well I am off to try and salvage some of this “lost week” of Entrepreneurial work. But before I go I wanted to say a Heart felt “Thank You” to all of you who read this Blog and are supporting this project:) I do have one favor to ask…if you are reading this and enjoy it PLEASE  click the “Follow” tab and officially Follow this Blog. Please register with WordPress so I can send you weekly updates about the adventures of Animal Jiu Jitsu. I have 38 people thus far that clicked the “Follow” tab and are registered. I am so Thankful that they did so b/c they all help keep me focused and motivated:) So please “Follow” my Blog and I will see ya’ll again online:)

December 6, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Now comes the Tricky Part…

Hello Jiu Jitsu and Entrepreneur Peps out there! I have to tell ya that I Missed ya’ll and Missed writing about this crazy life I live;) Well I finally got the Security Team I run at the new club up and running…we have some seriously Awesome bad ass guys on staff now:) They are all Focused and Hard Working Americans that love keeping people safe and having a Blast doing it! I’ve got a New York street brawler-turned family man, a (6 foot 8, 280 pound) Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt, a life long wrestler, a Muay Thai Instructor, and an former Army Ranger who has stories from overseas combat that will make your jaw drop! We all come to work with the intent of keeping the staff and patrons safe as well as help the bar run smoothly. Basically a solid group of Tough Guys I get the Honor & Privilege to lead at the newest and coolest 27,000 square foot bar/club in Denver, Colorado.

So now to the tricky part…I Finally made the move to Denver, Finally got a steady job,  a somewhat comfortable place to live, and I also have around 12 dudes that say they are going to train underneath me! So the tricky and final step is finding a place that I can pay very very little for that will allow me to put a mat on the ground and teach 3 days a week! It’s really not that difficult of a task, it is just extremely time consuming! I will start looking for a garage, church basement, gym floor, or whatever I can can pay $100 a month for that will allow me to teach a total of 6 hours a week. It is going to be labor intensive in terms of just calling or visiting a lot of spots and explaining over and over again who I am and what I am going to be doing with the rented space. I’ve already contacted some martial art schools to see if I could rent some of their space but they want a lot of money from each one of my students in order for me to use their space to teach…and to their absurd proposition I  say a very strong “F That” The “F” stands for “forget” btw…I had to clarify that b/c I Love my Okie Momma and am trying to keep it “Okie-friendly”…Love Ya Momma!!!

So this weekend is getting back on the work horse after being in Dallas taking care of family and friend stuff. Come Monday I will be on the prowl for a place to rent so Animal Jiu Jitsu can have it’s first Official Class:)!!! That is going to be AWESOME!!!! AW YEA!!!

November 30, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Finally got a stable job to support my Dream…

You are now electronically/Bloggingly talking to the new Head of Security at Punch Bowl Social Food & Drink in Denver, Colorado! We are the coolest, newest, and biggest activity-based bar/club in Denver. I was promoted to this position after only two days of our grand opening. All it took was the entire management team seeing how effective I was at controlling crowds and the men on my team. I am Honored & Blessed to be offered this position! I will be making sure the 27,000 square foot facility and all of it’s staff and guests are safe and are able to have a good time….isn’t that what going out to a bar/club is all about;)

For all of you out there that have never bounced in a bar or club I have to tell you there is seriously something to be said about working on a good bouncing crew…it’s hard to put into words the feeling I have when I know my Brother-in-Arms have my back when a punch is thrown, a knife is pulled out, or a gun is fired. I have worked in some extremely dangerous places and I have worked in some chill places although almost all of my experience is in rowdy and very dangerous places:) That is all good because honestly I prefer that way. My point is that being a bouncer is a very very unique job and career. I have tried to get out of it b/c I have been shot at and almost been stabbed a significant number of times BUT it keeps calling to me:) One of the most Awesome things about this career is that I have been able to put some serious serious hurting on guys that hurt girls and/or very bad guys that try and hurt innocent people, and honestly that is a huge plus for me:) I am literally paid to make sure people are safe and that they and their loved ones go home in one piece! This is my Calling and a job I take very very seriously!

Being the Cooler (reference to one of the Greatest movies ever made “Road House”) is one of the most Amazing jobs on the planet! I have a crew of guys I literally trust with my life behind me and my decisions:) We are there to keep every single person safe and alive and it is a Special & Beautiful thing:)!!!

What does this have to do with opening a Jiu Jitsu school you ask…well everything because now I have a full time job that pays the bills plus a little bit of extra cash so I can start putting money towards Animal Jiu Jitsu!!! Because of this job I will also have my permanent schedule set up so I can start teaching 3 days a week and building my students up one by one:) It will be a few weeks before I find a garage and buy some mats so I can start making money teaching but it is getting closer every single day and this job allows me the ability to eat and live so I can focus more effectively on building My Dream:)

As Always I want to Thank each and everyone of you for taking time out of your busy and hectic day to read the rants of this Crazy Jitz Freak;) I appreciate it more then I could ever put into words!!! Be safe out there and the next time you are at your local bar or club please tell your bouncer about this Blog and tell him that I’m rooting for him and Praying for his safe return home!

November 20, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Look, Look, Look, and Latch On…

My Hero

My express goal of this whole Jiu Jitsu Blog is to inspire and motive anybody and everybody to just get out there and “Live Their Dream” I am using this internet medium as a vehicle to reach out and touch your life, in a Totally Awesome and Exciting way:)

The picture you see before you today is my Hero, Bill Griffin. He is my Grandpa. He is the only earthly Father figure I have ever had in my life that has been around longer then a couple years and he is a serious Entrepreneurial Pimp! Today I am going to tell you a little about him and how he has influenced my life and helped me be the crazy start a business out of nothing kinda guy I am:)

Bill Griffin came from extremely humble beginnings. He literally had to shoot his food on the Oklahoma grassland just to eat as a youngster. He ended up receiving a full ride scholarship to the Naval Academy and was in line to be a commissioned US Navy officer when he decided it was not for him. He “got feed up with people telling him what to do.” Back then you could opt out of the school and officer program. I still remember hearing those stories and being amazing that someone could walk away from a totally free college tuition and a guaranteed military career, as an officer at that! He went back to civilian life only to work 50 plus hours a week selling shoes in Shawnee, Oklahoma AND going full time to college (paying for it all on his own). After years of grueling work and study he ended up getting an engineering degree from Oklahoma University and is to this day a proud fan of OU football:)

For time and space reasons I will fast forward to Bill & LaDawn (my Awesome Grandma and another Hero of mine:) living in Shawnee with my Grandfather working his tail off building everything his little company could get a contract for. Back then there was no money in building things, at least nothing like there is today! I remember hearing about how hard my Grandpa worked during the day (12 plus hours a day), only to come home and work on building specs and plans on the kitchen table. Then he would wake up and do it all over again. Regardless of how hard things were and how much money wasn’t coming in, there was always that quiet spark in him that would never quit….that Entrepreneurial Spirit was always dreaming of and searching for that one opportunity that would set him and his family financially free…and at the ripe old age of 39 it happened…

When asked what is the one thing that he would tell an aspiring Entrepreneur to help them realize their business dreams, his simple yet elegant response was; “Look, Look, Look and Latch On…when you see something that will work, you gotta go for it” Bill Griffin is the proud builder and owner of the very first Sonic in the world. Sonic now has more then 4,000 locations in the US and is going to do nothing but get bigger and better, all because Bill Griffin kept searching looking for that one opportunity to realize his personal and family dream of financial freedom and success!

There were many many years of personal and family sacrifice that Bill & LaDawn endured to make Sonic a reality, and they weren’t the only ones that were part of the first Sonic, they had several partners. But regardless of the personal and financial setbacks they encountered, and believe me there were many! along the way, they kept listening to that quiet spark inside that said “Never Quit” and they realized their goal and I thank them both, especially my Grandpa for working all those years so I can wake up everyday and say to myself “I can do it!” because my Grandpa did it first:)

November 11, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Focused Baby…

 

Here I sit a month or two out from getting my schedule set so I can start teaching 2, hopefully 3 days a week. It’s still a waiting game to get my “pay my bills for now” jobs set up so that I can 3 days off to teach. You can’t build a Jiu Jitsu or any martial arts/fitness business by telling people to meet you whenever you have time off. That would never work. So I am planning on setting aside; 1 weekday afternoon, 1 weekday evening, & 1 weekend afternoon so my students can have some consistency and I can build off of that:)

I have been working a LOT the last couple of weeks just trying to put money together so I can breath a little bit and not worry if I will be able to pay my rent or not. It’s been good b/c I am getting some cash together but it’s also been Horrible b/c I haven’t gotten on the mat for almost 2 weeks. For all of you that roll (do Jiu Jitsu or grappling) you know that it is the biggest stress reliever known to man (or at least to a LOT of us). It sucks b/c I have not been able to get out on that Beautiful place of Zen and roll:( After the election is over I will be able to train 4-6 times a week and life will make more sense to this Jiu Jitsu Fan! I’m looking forward to slapping hands with my Brother-in-Arms and fighting so that the rest of the world and its problems are silent and non-existent:)

The picture I posted is of my Irmao Flavio and I training at Guy Mezger’s where I used to teach Jiu Jitsu. I Miss my Brother who is currently living in Sao Paulo. I am looking soooooooo forward to seeing him get married this coming May:) I will be part of the wedding and am so PUMPED I will be able to be there for my Brother who loves Jiu Jitsu just as much as I do:) He started training with Ryan Gracie when he was 5 years old and is a seriously devoted follower of the Jiu Jitsu Way…Love Ya Brother!!!

Thank You all for reading my Blog and supporting my crazy life of Jiu Jitsu Entrepreneurship….You all ROCK!!!!

November 6, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Working on “The Dream” & philosophizing about Jiu Jitsu…

I am paying my bills right now but one of my current jobs will end on Nov. 6th and then I will be working at a new club that opens up around that date. I am waiting to start working at that new club so I can get my schedule locked and loaded. That way I can have 3 specific days and times every week so I can have a consistent schedule to teach and build my student base up with. I have 12 dudes now that say that want to train with me but I am stuck here trying to do the bill pay thing…it’s pretty darn frustrating but that’s how starting a business goes…at least when you are starting from scratch and have no investment or seed money;) I still remember opening “Animal Fitness Systems” in Seattle 6 years ago and having 10 of my personal training clients just waiting for me to get my equipment delivered and set up so we could start Rocking & Rolling:) It was the exact same thing I am going through now but this time it’s with Jiu Jitsu:) My patience is being tested but I see the end goal and am laser focused on that! Successful people think in years and not days!

As I wait I have had the great Honor to be on the mat with some Black, Brown, & Purple Belts and be inspired to continue doing what I am doing. The sense of Peace and Joy I get when engaged in combat on the mat is something I can’t put into words, but I will try. Regardless of the struggles I am facing now, which are vast and numerous, I am reminded of how Beautiful Jiu Jitsu really is! Once I step on that mat and prepare myself for battle, all of the problems in my life and the world disappear into nothingness…when you are worried about not getting your arm broken or choked the F out, the lack of money in your bank account or personal relationship problems mean absolutely nothing…life becomes strangely and Beautifully quiet and serene. In the midst of trying to survive and destroy your opponent/Brother-in-arms life is Peaceful and in the words of Bob Marley “Everything’s gonna be alright”

If you are reading this and have never tried Jiu Jitsu I encourage you to give it a shot and see what ya think and if you do please let me and all the readers here know your thoughts on the most Beautiful Martial Art known to man:)

Thank you for reading my Blog and your support!!!

October 22, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Got to roll HARD tonight!!!

 

One of the hardest things to find on this planet is a place where there is a mat with a good amount of high level guys that want to roll. I am so Blessed to have found a place just like that:) I walked into the school and expected to get my tail handed to me and boy oh boy was that going down tonight;) I held my own technically but WOW does this altitude mess with a Jiu Jitsu Fighters game or what! It was crazy how my body just shut down on me and wouldn’t do what I wanted it to do after only 2 rolls! I am by no means the stamina king but I was in absolute shock at how I my leg would NOT go from an armbar to a triangle after an effective shuck from a very skilled Black Belt…I just couldn’t move my leg! I am by no means making ANY excuses…I am and will always be a student of this Beautiful thing called Jiu Jitsu but this was the first time I felt the way I did, wanting to do something technical but just totally NOT being able to do it! I had a BLAST getting thrown around and rolling with some AMAZING Jiu Jitsu Pimps and I am Blessed beyond measure to be able to have these guys around and am soooooooo looking forward to getting on the mat again:)

In regards to Animal Jiu Jitsu, I went by a gym/kickboxing school that I might be able to teach at. I am going to talk to the owner next week, after he is back from that piece of shit country known as mexico, about me bringing 2-5 students over there so Animal Jiu Jitsu can have it’s very first roll session:):):)

As always I Thank ALL of you for reading my posts:) Your support means more to me then I could ever put into words!!!

October 11, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Getting closer…one possible student at a time…

It’s been a muito muito busy week busting my butt trying to pay the bills:) My 3 jobs this week included; Bouncer, Personal Trainer, and door to door political talker-guy (I have no idea what my title would be for my door to door political job;) My hours have been pretty up and down and I’ve been forced to take a nap a few of those days due to extremely low sleep going from one job to the next. I am Blessed beyond measure though b/c I am making enough money to pay my bills…Thank You Jesus!!!

I have also made some pretty decent progress in terms of building Animal Jiu Jitsu, at least in terms of “potential students” Beside my first student Mitch, I have a total of 6 other dudes who say they want to train under the Animal Jiu Jitsu banner. One of them, and possibly two, are Blue Belts so that is going to be Awesome! and one of them is a white belt ammy fighter so I am hoping he does train with me so I can help him in his career of being an accomplished Professional MMA Fighter:) Out of those 7 dudes that say they are going to train with me, I say 2, maybe 3 will actually join and be there week in week out. Not being pessimistic, just being realistic. I’ve been teaching for too many years to know that “everybody and their freaking dog” says they are going to get on the mat and train, but only a handful actually do:)

This last week has been a week of personal reflection and goal setting as well as heavy on the work to pay the bills. I have been watching my budget this last week and am planning on completely getting out of debt the Dave Ramsey way:) I have been listening to Dave Ramsey’s (http://www.daveramsey.com) and Adam Corolla’s (http://www.adamcarolla.com) podcasts for many many months now…I actually started listening to Adam Corolla years ago when he was on LoveLine (when it was Adam and Dr. Drew). Anyways my point is that both of these men are mentors of mine, online/audio mentors at least;) I have yet to meet either one of them but am so looking forward to it someday! Since I am FINALLY in a city that I can live in for the rest of my life, and hope I am able to, I have started to heavily reflect on what I am doing and who I am in this Entrepreneurship process. Both of my mentors have really been on my mind in the last couple of weeks as I formulate a more solid game plan of exactly how I will open my own school. Thanks to Ramsey, this is the very first week I have been keeping track of the exact! amount of money I spend on everything and it has been an Awesome experience! My goal is to be debt free when I open the business doors for Animal Jiu Jitsu’s and I am now working with that express goal in mind:) I have also been reflecting on the “keep at it” and the “never give up on being successful” mantra that Corolla preaches in his podcasts. I have NEVER been a quitter but this experience of mine in Denver has been taxing beyond anything I can describe. It has been beyond extremely difficult in many ways:( Although hearing story after story on Adam’s podcast talk about  how he and others “just got through it” and how it is possible to not cave into mediocrity has helped me beyond measure make it through this week! Having Dave’s and Adam’s online/audio support has crystalize my resolve and totally helped me “Keep My Eyes On The Prize” as Big Daddy Kane would say:) I don’t know what I would do without my mentors!!! If either of you Homies ever read this, I just want to say Thank You for guidance and help!

On an AMAZING note…I am sooooooooo PUMPED b/c I have finally found a church home:)!!! I am looking forward to growing spiritually with and in Park Church in Denver (http://www.parkchurchdenver.org) Tonight was an AMAZING night b/c I felt in my Heart like I have a church I can call home:) It is time for me to plant my flag and get involved and find some Beautiful and Amazing Fellowship at my home church. Been meeting some AMAZING Jesus Loving people there and am starting to get involved in the community there and I couldn’t be more Joyful about that process:) Thank You again Jesus!!!

So off I go into another week of frenzied work to pay the bills to support the Dream of Animal Jiu Jitsu…Thank You all who are reading and are supporting this process and Dream, Thank You from the bottom of my Heart!!!

October 8, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

The very first Animal Jiu Jitsu student has arrived!!!

So I am PUMPED more then I could ever possibly write down on paper/Blog:) I was out tonight with my former student at Guy Mezger’s Combat Sport Club (www.guymezger.com) for some Amazing Denver Brew and chill time. He will be in and out of town for work until November 1st when he moves here for good…that’s when the training will beginning!!!!!! His name is Mitch and he has been training Jiu Jitsu/grappling for a few years here and there and has learned a lot from the time I was able to work with him. We’ve been talking about my move up here and him being the first Animal Jiu Jitsu student for several months now, almost a year actually, and it’s Finally Time:)!!! We downed some tasty Denver Brews and talked to some cool ass people at a local Denver bar where the bartender seriously almost got a F’ing beatdown from me for being a total dick! Either way, we had a Blast and talked about how we are going to build Animal Jiu Jitsu into a force to be reckoned with!!! I will have to find a place to start teaching 2 times a week and just build my business from the ground up, the old fashioned way;) I will also be competing around town and nationally as well as busting dumbasses up in the clubs so through all those avenues I should grow my business slowly but surely:) I am feeling the itch to fight in the cage again too and once I get my job situation settled that will most likely happen, which will be another avenue for me to build my business:) I just realized I do a LOT of smily faces! Who cares, the people that really know me know that’s my style and they dig it so there you go;)

I will be posting the very first “Official Animal Jiu Jitsu School” picture once Mitch makes the permanent move and we get on the mat for our very first AJJ teaching/training session…it’s gonna be an AWESOME DAY!!!! So if you are paying attention and you are supporting this Crazy Animal’s dream please get ready for some Awesome training pics:)

Hopefully this coming week I will start training with some local Black Belts and will have to fight hard to earn my nickname….looking sooooooooooo forward to that!!! so I will let you know how that goes, hopefully my arm or neck doesn’t get broken;) hahahaha

Thank You sooooooooo very much all of you out there that are reading this right now…YOU are what is keeping me going and driving towards my goals…THANK YOU and a Huge Animal Air Pound:)!!!

September 27, 2012 | Categories: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Entrepreneurship, Health & Fitness, Jiu Jitsu | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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