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How many of you train at a school that started in a garage gym (Or similar makeshift accommodations)? What is your origin story?
6 year(s) ago • 858 views • 13 replies
JMBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I will start - here is the very recent origin Story of Shark Pit BJJ:
Shark Pit BJJ started in my residential garage - on about 350 sq feet of mats owned by 4 different people under the instruction of local BJJ Blackbelt and MMA fighter Joe Bauserman (https://www.beltchecker.c[...]p?id=11860). The gym name is because folks used to call my garage gym a Shark Tank, but then someone ( ---> https://www.beltchecker.c[...]p?id=11742) got drunk one night and created a Facebook group under "Shark Pit"- ....and then invited everyone he knew to join it - and the mistake stuck.
Within a month we had something like 40 folks who had signed a waiver not to sue me so they could train in my garage. We were even going to tourneys as "Shark Pit BJJ". It was about that time that we decided that we probably needed to open a formal gym. Also, it was winter and about 32 degrees (0 Celsius) in my garage (thus the socks on peoples feet you see in this pic) and my wife made me scrape her windows before she went to work since she could not use her garage.
That said, we now have a nice, albeit relatively humble facility, as the providers of High Quality BJJ training at Winchester Boxing and have joined the Round Table BJJ Association under head coach Brad Souders (https://www.beltchecker.c[...]php?id=644).
Shark Pit BJJ started in my residential garage - on about 350 sq feet of mats owned by 4 different people under the instruction of local BJJ Blackbelt and MMA fighter Joe Bauserman (https://www.beltchecker.c[...]p?id=11860). The gym name is because folks used to call my garage gym a Shark Tank, but then someone ( ---> https://www.beltchecker.c[...]p?id=11742) got drunk one night and created a Facebook group under "Shark Pit"- ....and then invited everyone he knew to join it - and the mistake stuck.
Within a month we had something like 40 folks who had signed a waiver not to sue me so they could train in my garage. We were even going to tourneys as "Shark Pit BJJ". It was about that time that we decided that we probably needed to open a formal gym. Also, it was winter and about 32 degrees (0 Celsius) in my garage (thus the socks on peoples feet you see in this pic) and my wife made me scrape her windows before she went to work since she could not use her garage.
That said, we now have a nice, albeit relatively humble facility, as the providers of High Quality BJJ training at Winchester Boxing and have joined the Round Table BJJ Association under head coach Brad Souders (https://www.beltchecker.c[...]php?id=644).
Edited 6 year(s) ago
WMBlack belt 5th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I love garage academies and training groups.
Always have.
Always have.
MBrown beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I wouldn’t call us a BJJ academy, but a recreational BJJ training group, because I teach and train only part time after duty.
Progress is of course slower than in a real academy, but we are on the mat consistently 3 times a week!
From summer 2010 to mid 2011 I was allowed to use the tiny gym of a primary school, where we used to train wit 4-6 peeps.
Then, after moving I was lucky to rent mat space in the local Hapkido club of a friend.
So since mid 2011 I teach and train with friends and fellow officers and we grew to a group of a dozen people.
We are happy and really enjoy our time on the mat!
Progress is of course slower than in a real academy, but we are on the mat consistently 3 times a week!
From summer 2010 to mid 2011 I was allowed to use the tiny gym of a primary school, where we used to train wit 4-6 peeps.
Then, after moving I was lucky to rent mat space in the local Hapkido club of a friend.
So since mid 2011 I teach and train with friends and fellow officers and we grew to a group of a dozen people.
We are happy and really enjoy our time on the mat!
BWBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
My head coach started by renting space in a school undercover area in the evenings. Just over 3 years ago he managed open his own place.
That's my daughter and I circa 2011 training Taekwondo at the school :)
I used to come in early for kids class to help lay the mats and the last class of the night had to pull up and stack the mats in the corner.
I'm glad those days are gone!
That's my daughter and I circa 2011 training Taekwondo at the school :)
I used to come in early for kids class to help lay the mats and the last class of the night had to pull up and stack the mats in the corner.
I'm glad those days are gone!
Edited 6 year(s) ago
DCBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I wrote a long reply to this and then deleted it as it sounded like the plot to a shit drama series, very whiny. New Zealanders have low tolerance for whining.
Abbreviated version :
*Moved from North Island to South Island
*Started training at a gym in Dunedin and became friends (I thought) with the instructor.
*Ran the Saturday a Sunday classes for him for 3 years (even after buying a house an hour away)
*Was guttered that BJJ wasn't in the small rural town I called home so put a post on Facebook marketplace to gague interest. This went crazy, lots of UFC lunatics.
*Stated teaching at the school my wife works at
*Called it KROC BJJ and kept my obligations to the gym in Dunedin
*Politics with a healthy serving of bullshit seasoned to taste with bullshit politics, served by megalamaniacs (I'll leave it at that or I'll get angry)
*Got kicked out of the gym in Dunedin and told not to come back, this hurt deeply as it was my opinion that I was friends with everyone.
*Reaffiliated with my original coach, Harvey Skinner under Will - Machado.
Now we operate out of one of the parents storage facility sheds.
Still living my origin story really. Wouldn't change anything though, things happen for a reason and it turned out most people at the other gym where a bunch of...
I've stayed in touch with the people I genuinely made friends with. It's a good job really, nearly quit BJJ while teaching there, sucked the fun out of it with ongoing political crap.
This is quite abbreviated, there's alot more shit to bulk it out but none of you really want to read that... Still sounds whiny to me but say what you think.
I'm glad there is something like this for the community now, non political, community lead without bias for affiliation here to help the practitioners.
Kia Kaha Whanau (stay strong family), spread the BJJ love and try not to buy into, spread or let the prehistoric, old school dickhead, megalamaniac mentalities get you down.
Abbreviated version :
*Moved from North Island to South Island
*Started training at a gym in Dunedin and became friends (I thought) with the instructor.
*Ran the Saturday a Sunday classes for him for 3 years (even after buying a house an hour away)
*Was guttered that BJJ wasn't in the small rural town I called home so put a post on Facebook marketplace to gague interest. This went crazy, lots of UFC lunatics.
*Stated teaching at the school my wife works at
*Called it KROC BJJ and kept my obligations to the gym in Dunedin
*Politics with a healthy serving of bullshit seasoned to taste with bullshit politics, served by megalamaniacs (I'll leave it at that or I'll get angry)
*Got kicked out of the gym in Dunedin and told not to come back, this hurt deeply as it was my opinion that I was friends with everyone.
*Reaffiliated with my original coach, Harvey Skinner under Will - Machado.
Now we operate out of one of the parents storage facility sheds.
Still living my origin story really. Wouldn't change anything though, things happen for a reason and it turned out most people at the other gym where a bunch of...
I've stayed in touch with the people I genuinely made friends with. It's a good job really, nearly quit BJJ while teaching there, sucked the fun out of it with ongoing political crap.
This is quite abbreviated, there's alot more shit to bulk it out but none of you really want to read that... Still sounds whiny to me but say what you think.
I'm glad there is something like this for the community now, non political, community lead without bias for affiliation here to help the practitioners.
Kia Kaha Whanau (stay strong family), spread the BJJ love and try not to buy into, spread or let the prehistoric, old school dickhead, megalamaniac mentalities get you down.
Edited 6 year(s) ago
JMBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I wrote a long reply to this and then deleted it as it sounded like the plot to a shit drama series, very whiny. New Zealanders have low tolerance for whining. Abbreviated version : *Moved from North Island to South Island *Started training at a gym in Dunedin and became friends (I thought) with the instructor. *Ran the Saturday a Sunday classes for him for 3 years (even after buying a house an hour away) *Was guttered that BJJ wasn't in the small rural town I called home so put a post on Facebook marketplace to gague interest. This went crazy, lots of UFC lunatics. *Stated teaching at the school my wife works at *Called it KROC BJJ and kept my obligations to the gym in Dunedin *Politics with a healthy serving of bullshit seasoned to taste with bullshit politics, served by megalamaniacs (I'll leave it at that or I'll get angry) *Got kicked out of the gym in Dunedin and told not to come back, this hurt deeply as it was my opinion that I was friends with everyone. *Reaffiliated with my original coach, Harvey Skinner under Will - Machado. Now we operate out of one of the parents storage facility sheds. Still living my origin story really. Wouldn't change anything though, things happen for a reason and it turned out most people at the other gym whet a bunch of... I've stayed in touch with the people I genuinely made friends with. It's a good job really, nearly quit BJJ while teaching there, sucked the fun out of it with ongoing political crap. This is quite abbreviated, there's alot more shit to bulk it out but none of you really want to read that... Still sounds whiny to me but say what you think. I'm glad they is something like this for the community now, non political, community lead without bias for affiliation here to help the practitioners. Kia Kaha Whanau (stay strong family), spread the BJJ love and try not to buy into, spread or let the prehistoric, old school dickhead, megalamaniac mentalities get you down.
Dave - I feel ya. I am not going to go into details, but 40 people did not just up and find my garage gym within a month of its founding - with classes led by a Black Belt, a Brown Belt, and Three Purple Belts, without a drama-laden back-story related to another gym. In our case we did our thing and worked hard to do well at some local tourneys to build our brand. Then we cut a deal with a striking school that needed a BJJ program to support its MMA fighters. Don't worry about what happened and don't look back - just go forward! ~ Jason.
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Back in the early 1990's I did a big contraction project on my house and turned the downstairs of what used to be a Bi Level into a MMA school
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
JMBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Back in the early 1990's I did a big contraction project on my house and turned the downstairs of what used to be a Bi Level into a MMA school
Nice man. That is a super legit setup for a house - wow!
CTBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I'm about to. Just me, my kids, and training dummies. Mats and dummies landed at my house. Going to set them up next week when my wife says its safe to touch the mail. (COVID-19 mail quarantine). That's my jiu jitsu life now. Just me and my training dummy. I can't wait for my training dummy to get a few stripes on his white belt.
JMBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I can't wait for my training dummy to get a few stripes on his white belt.
I promoted mine myself so he won't be looking for validation on this site.
WMBlack belt 5th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I promoted mine myself so he won't be looking for validation on this site.
Then the IBJJF won't let him compete in their tournaments,
but I have seen plenty of other dummies compete.
but I have seen plenty of other dummies compete.
CTBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I promoted mine myself so he won't be looking for validation on this site.
Mine just isn't that experienced yet. I hope mine really learns quickly!!!
It's a tease though because my wife put him in quarantine for a week. Poor guy is isolated and lonely! Might have to break him free.
It's a tease though because my wife put him in quarantine for a week. Poor guy is isolated and lonely! Might have to break him free.
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I got a wooden patio with a roof. I'm probably going to buy some puzzle mat and use them on the patio if this social distancing shit doesn't end soon. It's getting warm enough to roll outside in a hoodie + gi if the Sun is up. That shall be the start of my gym. :D
CCBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I started out with another white belt in his living room with some mats the base gym was throwing away. We broke tv, couch, and put two holes in the wall of base housing
