“Jiu-Jitsu forges friendships in a way I’ve never known. Being involved in art as intimate as this, where the bodily connection is a must, the common cultural boundaries of personal space are broken. You will never see more hugs, high fives, and physical expressions of love than on the mats. Ultimately, this proves to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of our pursuit of mastery. Along the way, we learn to love others as we love ourselves.”
"To achieve anything we must grind, but to enjoy anything we must flow."
- Chris Matakas
Balance
"Make no mistake, you earn a white belt. The belt is a physical representation of a commitment to the beginner's mind. It is a vulnerability and a willingness to learn that shines through."
- Chris Matakas
Self-awareness
"Anyone can be tough for a season. It takes a special kind of human to rise to life’s challenges for a lifetime."
- Chris Matakas
Courage
"The road from white belt to black is long and arduous; most never reach the end. There are simply too many obstacles in daily life, and too much effort and attention are required, for this to be something that the majority of practitioners achieve. This is why a black belt in Jiu Jitsu, especially from a reputable source, is the pinnacle of martial arts rank. It is valuable because of what must be traded for its achievement."
- Chris Matakas
Goals
""Jiu Jitsu is the vehicle. Not the road.""
- Chris Matakas
Philosophy
"As we discover God, sometimes unexpected answers to prayers take us from the street, bring us to community, chase darkness from our souls, and guide us to find spiritual refuge and belonging in the goodness of His covenants and abiding love."
Connection to Earth
"We are all like fireworks: we climb, we shine and always go our separate ways and become further apart. But even when that time comes, let’s not disappear like a firework and continue to shine forever."
- Hitsugaya Toshiro
Connection to Earth
"Alone, you feel nothing but insecurity; that’s why we form guilds, that’s why we have friends. We walk together in order to live a strong life."
- Makarov Dreyar
Connection to Earth
"Even if we forget the faces of our friends, We will never forget the bonds that were carved into our souls."
- Otonashi Yuzuru
Connection to Earth
"No single thing is perfect by itself. That’s why we’re born to attract other things to make up for what we lack. I think we start walking in the right direction only after we start getting our counterparts besides us."
- Itachi Uchiha
Connection to Earth