The Jaco Jiu Jitsu Story:

In 2019, I won my fourth Pan American Championship.

A year later, I developed three life-threatening heart arrhythmias — atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and supraventricular tachycardia.

The cause?

A genetic defect in my aortic valve that went undetected my whole life.

I needed a full atrial valve replacement.

I had emergency open-heart surgery.

I survived.

Barely.

It was a two year battle with The Reaper but that’s a story for another day. What’s important is what it taught me.

Life’s fragile. Tomorrow isn’t promised.

Why do we sacrifice today for a tomorrow we may never see?

What would you do if all you had was today?

I didn’t have the answers, but I knew things needed to change because I was changed.

So, I did what any reasonable person would do. I walked away from a thriving business I spent over a decade building and moved to Costa Rica to recover and find myself.

I also tried to come back to Jiu Jitsu.

My mind knew what to do. My body wouldn’t. Couldn’t. My cardio was gone. Every roll left me exhausted. I’d need a nap after training. If I pushed too hard it took days to recover.

Frustrated, I quit.

Months later I got the itch and started training again. Maybe it would be different. Nope. Same same. Complete exhaustion. More frustration. I didn’t have it anymore. I quit again.

I repeated this cycle at least 5 or 6 times over the last 3 years until I finally realized what was holding me back — my attitude and expectations.

I was was my problem, not Jiu Jitsu.

But the big shift came when I changed my perspective and decided to treat my physical limitations as an opportunity to grow.

I couldn’t train hard and compete like I used to. But after decades on the mats, I had so much more to offer and maybe even more to gain.

I could teach.

I could share what I'd learned.

I could give to Jiu Jitsu.

Stepping into a teaching role meant increased focus on technique, strategy, and efficiency instead of physical performance. Committing to help other people get better at Jiu Jitsu was the best way for me to stay in the game and get better at Jiu Jitsu.

That awakening manifested in Jaco Jiu Jitsu and Jaco Fight House.

From Competitor to Professor

Competition gave me a killer A game, but that’s not what Jaco Jiu Jitsu is built on.

I had to open my mind to the whole art, not just what works for me. While I used to lean into my physical attributes and the techniques that fit them, I saw that the best Jiu Jitsu isn't dependent on speed, strength, flexibility, or athleticism. It is mastery of leverage, timing, position, and technique.

Come Train at Jaco Jiu Jitsu

I didn't move to Costa Rica to open a Jiu Jitsu School or Fight Camp.

Jaco Jiu Jitsu came from the insight that challenges are opportunities.

Competition proved my Jiu Jitsu worked at the highest level.

But Jiu Jitsu gave me much more than medals. Discipline. Humility. Resilience. Community. A love of The Art.

Now I get to pass that on.

If you’re ever in Jacó, HMU.