Episode 664 - Professor Juan Pablo Garcia
Professor Juan Pablo Garcia is a Martial Arts practitioner, instructor of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and founder of the EDJ Association.
As a Martial Aritst, the goal is to build up the people, right? Like a female, an elderly, or a lighter guy, I feel very deeply that our job is to build them up to become a tougher individual and not eliminate the weak…
Professor Juan Pablo Garcia - Episode 664
Professor Juan Pablo Garcia started training jiu-jitsu in his early teens. Initially, he trained Judo because he couldn't find Jiu-Jitsu in his hometown. After training Judo for a year he join a Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Network Affiliated MMA Academy in Ecuador, influenced by watching Royce Gracie on the first UFC.
In his search to pursue more Jiu-Jitsu, Professor Juan Pablo Garcia traveled to the US and Brazil for seminars and competitions. Since there were no BJJ Black Belt instructors in Ecuador, he would bring back what he learned to teach friends.
In this episode, Professor Juan Pablo Garcia tells his journey into Martial Arts, and how he was inspired to do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by Royce Gracie. Listen and join the conversation!
Show Notes
You may check out Professor Juan Pablo Garcia’s EDJ Association.
Show Transcript
You can read the transcript below.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Hey there, you're listening to whistlekick Martial Arts Radio episode 664. With today's guest, Professor Juan Pablo Garcia. Who am I? I'm Jeremy Lesniak, I'm the founder here at whistlekick, host for the show. And well, everything we do here at whistlekick is in support of the traditional martial arts. If you want to see all the things that we're doing, because it's a lot more than this show, we'll visit whistle kick calm, that's our online home. And one of the things you'll find there is our store and if you find something there you like, make sure you use the code, PODCAST15 to save 15%. Our podcast as a website, all its own whistlekickmartialartsradio.com. The show comes out twice a week, and the goal of the show and really of whistlekick overall.
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Today's guest has some elements of his story that are familiar to many of us, maybe even most of us getting some initial exposure to martial arts training as a child, but then saw something and watched something happen that completely changed his life. And over the next few years, really dove headlong into what he saw. And the result today is well, it's something that I think a lot of you are going to relate to, instead of spoiling it all. Let him tell you all about it. Hey, JP, welcome to whistlekick martial arts Radio.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Thank you for having me.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yeah, thanks for coming on. Well, this is always the toughest part of what I do. And anybody who's listened to the show for a long time knows that sometimes this initial kind of conversation, the first bit of what we do, it's always a little tough, because we don't and I don't have any time together. And sometimes it just flows really well. And sometimes we take a little while and I feel like we might be in the latter. And that's not a bad thing. But what it does mean is I'm going to very quickly hand it over to you. So, I can listen to you because that makes it easier for both of us. So, let's do that. Martial arts, you got started at some point there was a day where the day before you weren't training and then today, you know that day you were so... What does that look like? When did you start? How did you start? Why did you start all that good stuff?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
That's a pretty cool thing to think about it that way. Try to remember the day before the start. I can really like pinpoint a moment I remember when I was a kid, my parents, my dad was in the military. So, we travel a lot. And we live in South America in Europe. When I was a kid that was the first kind of a self-defense situation that I remember. We lived in Colombia for a couple of years and there I was bullied because of my accent so it was a big kid in my class. They were going to like the leader in the situation. You know, I was crying and I remember I hit him with my lunchbox. I have a box like a metal box and I hate the kid. But then we were all crying and I remember my parents put me in a room. I remember it was Karate or Taekwondo but that was kind of my first martial art as a kid.
Fast forward, you know I grew up in Ecuador as a teen so I was a little overweight and again, kind of normal fights at school but I always was interested in boxing. I have always been into some kind of martial art but later I saw the first UFC and you know usually people are the guys who have an older brother to 10 years older. So, I think I was always like that, you know trying to defend myself at home too. But then I saw hoist Gracie fighting and he was pretty small and skinny versus bigger people. Because I mean, I want to do that, you know? My brother, I'm here to defend myself and you know so that was you know, I go to my yellow pages. I talked to my mom and I said I want to do jiu jitsu. My mom brings the yellow pages. You can support me on what I wanted to train and we didn't find jiu jitsu in our back in the UK or I found judo.
So, if I sound kind of familiar, and then I, you know, went to the displays, and everyone was wearing the Gis. So, it looks like you need to look like he's crazy as well. Okay, I'll try it. So, I will tell you for a little bit. Before I found an academy who was affiliated to hoist Gracie. The instructor was a blue belt. So that's kind of how I started. I think I went in in a ranch but that's kind of how I started the Korean martial art that then I dedicate my life to
Jeremy Lesniak:
Okay, right on. I remember what it was like, you know, I was 11/12 when that first UFC came out, but I was training and I remember what I remember most specifically was no one in America at least around me understood the new Portuguese that R was an H right. So, we're running around talking, you know, calling this guy Royce. And it was so fast that people recognized who he was, what he was doing and that he had something a little bit different. Now I'm wondering because growing up he was also the first athlete from South America that I would have been able to name was there a point of pride for you there being no sir not Brazilian, but from the same area in a landscape that didn't seem to pay attention to people from your area
Juan Pablo Garcia:
You know, I don't really, I wouldn't say that like for me, I was very young and for me they were like idols and I didn't really think about taking pride in someone from South America in general. Coming to us more for me was this mystery of like you know; we don't know before I did jiu jitsu for me like in my mind. He was only punching and kicking so I never even thought to be on the ground. Yeah, I had a situation in school. I think I'm a kid just one year older than me. I think he did. I don't know what he did but we got in a little fight and he took me to the ground and I didn't even know how but he said he made me sit. For the only thing I was thinking was like punching from the bottom. I didn't try to grapple or anything. I was just going to punch in and then they separated but then when I saw again this the first UFC I say man yeah, like he just changed how was thinking was real but for me was they were just like like idols right like, I don't know, like, really wanted like to meet them to learn more to travel. A need like people from the Gracie family and kind of follow they are to learn more. You know, it wasn't too much information. It wasn't YouTube or information at that time. So, I just started trouble. I'm trying to learn.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Okay, but you were doing judo at this point.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
I was doing judo and boxing. Yeah. But then when I found this school I changed immediately.
Jeremy Lesniak:
How long after you started judo? Did you find that school? Because if I heard you correctly when you started judo it was because there was no jujitsu.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah. Around a year. Okay around a year before I found the school
Jeremy Lesniak:
And was it what you hoped it would be?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
I remember when I entered the place, the owner, literally, was watching a video of the UFC. And he said, yeah, that's why we do you know, so he put Hoist Gracie on the TV. So yeah, that's it. But this school was? They did. It was more like an MMA school. They did. They had like, Kung Fu. Oh, yeah, they did strike and they had like, actually jiu jitsu two times a week.
Jeremy Lesniak:
That wasn't common back then. I mean, so ‘92. We're talking. I mean, there were very few MMA schools at that point. That's remarkable. Probably a big piece of why you train and do what you do now. So, coming out of, you know, you'd had a little bit of experience with, you know, there was Karate or Taekwondo when you were younger, and you're a judo, you got some time boxing, and you step into this school and it's feeling good. And what was it like? What were the next few months? Like the next few years? Like? What did you find?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, training there. Really, I got a super in I don't know if the war is in merge, but I dive into the training, I literally, like go off to school and go for five, six hours, like all day in in the school, I tried to be in all the people in the class and spend time there. And it really was from very early, like I was in love with the training. I knew I wanted to do that. I don't remember how many years after I started Hoist Gracie went to ever to do a seminar. And really at that moment when I met him and you know what he was doing? I knew I wanted to do that. Like I say amen. To my family and say I want you to know, get my blog. I want to travel the world, I want to compete, I want to teach very early. I knew I was lucky that I knew what I wanted to do and never did anything else. I always worked towards that.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And what was next you know, if we plot out your journey, you know what might be the next chapter in this story?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, so at that time we were maybe like four or five blue belts. My instructor was blue too. But at that tree, who Gracie promoted? Again, it was like the first four or five blue belts in Ecuador so we didn't have a black belt in jiu jitsu in the country. And the only tournament that we had there was one MMA event a year at the end of the year. Kind of like an open you have like some way divisions and then you have like an open where all the divisions can fight. So, I was participating in maybe four years of that event but I wanted to dedicate more time only to jiu jitsu. So, around 13/14 but then later almost finishing school then I start for the normal that very normal like a little funny like all weekend and all year didn't have events but then getting closer to end of the year then it was kind of like a goal where you know, I stopped party a stop kind of been focusing on that but really like I felt that I have to leave Ecuador to being able to compete more dedicated only to jiu jitsu and I wanted to just focus my life towards that, right.
So, after one of the MMA events my parents said okay, you should go and pursue this so I moved to Brazil for a little bit so that was next. I think that was my first. I don't remember exactly if I came here to us first to compete and then I was going back and forth but then I then I moved to Brazil for a little bit to spend time there just to get more experience I wanted to you know again pursue my blog so I spent some time there I did it last the last year I believe his students see was a last year the world's was held in in in Brazil for the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world so I went a complete the year then I went back to court for a little bit but all the then everything moved to us so all the main events and it was a lot of school little black girls here my brother was living in Florida at that time so I was able to move with him for a little bit and then just say hitting us competed more a train and...
Jeremy Lesniak:
There were some words you used. I want to go back. You said that you wanted to dedicate your life to this, that's a strong statement. And when we've had guests on the show who we've talked about going all in on anything whether it was competition or a school or just training in general we're all most of them it's because they found something in what they were doing that they hadn't realized they were missing what was it about what you were doing that you said this is so much better or so important or so clicks for me and who I am that deserve all of this time.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Man, I don't know but when I have my instructors made it is now at my school. I always talk about when I was a teenager, I started training and I started going up in belts. My instructor you know sometimes pull me in the front to lead the warmups and just that you know to be on the front and leading the class I always like feel like a lot of took a lot of pride and they feel I just love it like a privilege to be able to help or lead the classes feel that feeling I never lost it like for me daily my the highlight of my day is to teach my class really like so I never lost that feeling and I always look for to plan my class will teach you something that the drive me and now I'm going to be 40 but really that feeling I remember as a team leading class there was I don't know if you say like [00:19:17-00:19:19] when you compete them but I love the feeling and I knew that's what I wanted to do like always.
Jeremy Lesniak:
So, you're talking about teaching now. We've got some ground to cover in there, right. So you go to Brazil, you come to Florida in the US living with your brother. Everything you said and if you came to the US, it was for a reason. It was to train, was it to compete? What was the reason? What's the why in that move? It's a big move.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, I feel at the beginning very early I didn't want to do MMA in Ecuador again. We had only that event a year and I was talking about Brazil having a little bit of a band, only jiu jitsu but then in the US it was again the main. I don't know like a powerhouse, right. All the events, everything used to start moving here. Events you had the Gracies, had I thought was like a Gracie open or something like that was the first event that I came here. So, the first time I came to California to participate in this I don't know if it was a challenge or something like that but it was no time only submission, grappling events. So, I compete that same weekend they have a seminar with Master Hélio Gracie. So yeah, I came to the event to meet Mr. Helio, a participant in the seminar, the tournament, and sorry, I lost track of the question. Can you repeat it?
Jeremy Lesniak:
It’s okay, there's no requirement that you ever answer my question. The goal here is to help you with your story. So just keep going. Keep going. And you're at the seminar?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
I remember you asked me about teaching or what I was...
Jeremy Lesniak:
Like just kind of the gap between you. There was a point in time where you said you wanted to dedicate your life and there's a move to Brazil, there's a move to the US. Yep. You're talking about how it feels to stand up in front of a class and teach. Well, not everyone who dedicates their time to martial arts ends up teaching at some point you decide I want to teach. At some point you earned your black belt which anyone who's been training a while knows that it's difficult and it's in most organizations particularly difficult in BJJ.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, I think again, for the one just moves here the first time my idea was to train and get MMA fights like that was kind of like a way we start training to because he was Gracie Jiu Jitsu so we see Gracie fighting so penalty the flow of being involved in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was to find MMA. Maybe try. So, I didn't have an idea like how to make jiujitsu my life for my profession. Yeah, when I decided to move to the US again was to get more experience and really was trying to find a team or a blackboard where I can be under so I can continue my training. I'm getting my blog, [00:23:42-00:23:43] again, we didn't have other blog posts in town. And when I finished school, I really wanted to start working. I have to go to university and then I also have to train. There were a lot of things, a lot of normal life things that happened. I feel that I kind of had to stop training for a little bit and I didn't feel good so once I made the decision to okay um, you know, I'm not going to waste time because I always travel. Do you participate in seminars or compete a little bit and then come back but then I felt that I kind of was wasting time like I go to step four and then go back to the car and back up, right. So, I made a decision, you know what, like, I'm just going to come back until I get my black belt.
So, I really like how I see my competition also to get the nerves but, in my head, I compete to be a better instructor. Again, I always wanted to go to school. That's always been my passion. But I didn't want it to compete to have better answers, right? I can teach something that I haven't done before. So that's mainly why I look to compete a lot. But always my passion has been teaching. So maybe, again, just to be a better instructor, have better answers, know what I'm doing. And also, at the beginning, you don't know what kind of path to find it may have to do just to tournaments. Like, you know, it wasn't a clear five. How do I have to, uh, what do I have to do to be successful having a school?
Jeremy Lesniak:
Sure. Let's talk about your time competing in MMA. Because one of the things I've heard well, I've never stepped in the ring in that context. One of the things I've heard from people who have it is that it's very different from, you know, even getting hit hard in training. It's different than, you know, mixing it up at school. You know, even if you're hitting a kid with a lunchbox. I'm going to guess you remember your first fight pretty well. Could you tell us about that? And what was that experience like?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yes. So, it ever is, you know, saying South America, small country, you know, everyone knows each other. Before I feel because the culture is the paella, you go a lot. And we were like the first. I feel the group doing jiu jitsu. It was very common to have fights on the weekend, right. So almost every weekend was very, very common to get in some kind of fight. So, the time that I had this, the first MMA competition they had, I kind of felt like I had to kind of like an obligation that I have to be there, right? Like yeah, the first, it wasn't like, one fight like there was like a little tournament. So, I like three. I remember how to do four matches, but the rest was very nerve wracking.
I like a lot of adrenaline, but I don't feel I have the same drive right now. I didn't know [00:27:51-00:27:53] was going to be longer. So, I was very excited. I don't know if he was too nervous. But I know I was very excited. Just to either. And, yeah, once you kind of get in there, I feel that I get nervous. Till the second that you touch gloves or the second year you already start. Going to try and then like you, all the nerves are gone, right? Then, like I stayed where you're 100% focused on where you are doing and all the nerves are gone. But before that, for sure. I feel that I need to go to the bathroom many times. Very nerve wracking.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yeah. No doubt, no doubt. Given that most of us just by numbers aren't going to have that experience. And that, you know, correct me if I'm wrong. You are not still competing in MMA.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
No, no.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Okay. Yeah. But there are lessons there. And they're specifically a lot of people, even in the traditional martial arts community will point to MMA. For examples of things that work, things that don't work, attitudes, training protocols, things like that. What did you take away from your time in MMA that you brought into your own training and to your school?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
It's a good question. I feel that I learned a lot of discipline at that time at the school where I was again, it was a very traditional school so I feel the school was first a negative traditional martial art. I know they used to do kickboxing tournaments. The instructor, I don't know he did Kung Fu, he was a judo black/brown belt. So, he didn't have a lot of martial arts knowledge but he ran the school very traditionally. So, you know all day balling and I remember now but the names or phrases that you say when you start and finish the classes, they do catch us too in that aspect. I feel that I always was in a very discipline a path like martial arts and really the competition in in MMA that time it was just going to be a product of the type of training right we did a lot of sparring and he was striking takedowns and because we have Gracie jiu jitsu to the ground. So again, he starts putting together these events every year so it was kind of like the flow or the results of the type of training that we were doing.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I would imagine that.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
I feel that with that experience like once you taste that your use of techniques and the end it was very limited and I remember you learn certain techniques in certain belts and then you see other higher belts like you know doing different things so they advanced training for example was in separate our kind of closed door so you always have like that they had like this like mistake or how do you say the mystique word.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Mystique. mysticism.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Mysticism. Yeah, he was kind of again, like you don't know you're curious, you want to learn more. So that hunger, you know, to learn and I feel that's kind of what made me have the decision of leave actually, Ecuador that I feel I spend many years you know, dedicating time in like, striking or Kata. Also, you used to, but again, because it was such a mix of martial arts that I wanted to only learn jiu jitsu, right? I started I remember; I don't even remember where I got it. But I had a boogie house. It was some copies of a jiu jitsu group. And I started to focus in more on a study that I'm putting more time and I'm training with friends. And I did feel how I can get in ahead of people that were training with me right and that's again, that's the reason I feel I made a decision to leave and pursue a jiu jitsu like fashion. I wanted to only dedicate to that specific art. Yep, find a place where we have a black belt, where I can continue a training to my black belt.
Jeremy Lesniak:
How did you feel after you earned your black belt?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
If you see, I have a video somewhere when I got my black belt and I mean I couldn't even talk like for me was yeah, just to check Gracie, right? I feel that I left home, family, friends, pursuing this thing. Move from a lot of places too. So, like, you know, I saw that that moment was just going to go there. Yeah, it was kind of surreal and I just couldn't. I still cry, we're very emotional, my parents went to the event when I got promoted. So, it was a lot of emotion, I always feel they're going to leave behind family and kingdom. I still have no friends but more and more of my family that I kind of left behind and lost a lot of time. Now as the older I feel that I left behind a lot of things dear to me pursuing this path. So, it was very emotional, when I got promoted, it was really cool to hear him talk. Well, that was very emotional.
Jeremy Lesniak:
You mentioned your parents, and that was going to be my next question. So, let's run with that before they're at your black belt promotion. And it sounds like they had at least some part in getting you started, you know, maybe not setting you on the path that you ultimately ended on but there was some validation there they encouraged you to start training what were their thoughts? Or are their thoughts of the path you took the arts you trained in your competition your school? You know, if I took five minutes now and pressed pause and said, called your mother and asked her about all this, what would she say?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Well, my parents have a big part in everything very, very dear to me. And they always support and encourage me to really do anything that I want to do like the best I get to be. The best in whatever I wanted to do. But from the beginning, my parents always, you know, support me to travel and pursue my career and pursue my passion. So, I do feel a lot of gratitude. You know, I had a lot, I was lucky my parents supported me on traveling to the right economically to be able to receive and made the trips when I was young to travel to the US to compete. And so, I'm forever grateful for the support for sure.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Anyone?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
My mom's getting kind of nervous about the injuries suffered stuff like that, but she's happy.
Jeremy Lesniak:
That's a mom. I think every mom gets worried. If not, If the mom, if people aren't getting worried about their kids getting banged around in martial arts, and then maybe they're not paying attention, doesn't mean they stop but yeah, that's definitely a parental thing. So, let's talk about your school because this sounds like the focal point now, this is the hub of everything you've done and what you may do in the future. When I talk to school owners, I find that all of them have at least some aspects of their school that they're very proud of. If I was to step foot in your school now, what would you point out to me, what would you show that you're really proud of in your school?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yes. One thing that I feel or see me once I can define the word but I think one thing that I feel is our culture. And when I talk to new students like what made them choose our school is the family and welcoming environment like I try to really make people feel comfortable. I know like stepping foot in a martial art school or anything new is very, maybe nerve racking. You know, maybe an uncomfortable experience. So, I try to have the culture in my school not just the coaches or instructors or staff to be very welcoming and friendly. But really all the students are very supportive and helpful with everyone, new members. Yeah, so I think that that Latino part of, you know, we are very used to a hug or being born in southern America, we give a kiss when you say hi, here, you know, very fast I learned that you don't kiss on the cheek.
Jeremy Lesniak:
No, no, that's reserved for very close friends.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
So I was a little shocked when I moved here. Yeah, we, you know, we're at least like a hug or like, you know, like friendly, friendly hellos without kisses.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Was that welcoming atmosphere something part of your past schools? Or was it something that wasn't there? Until you recognize it was important? Why did that become a priority for you?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, I'll tell you again, culture wise. At home, I give you an example because okay, for example, my mom has a party in the house, like I don't know, like a tea party or whatever with her friends. When you get home, you have to say hi to every single lady in the house by like, you know, you walk around and kiss. Right? And I feel different than we do. Usually somebody gets in a house and so a lot of people you're going to, or don't say anything or going to say hi to everyone, right from the far but for us, like if I do that it was rude, right? You're going to troll your parents. So, it's like, you have to go one by one. And you know, greet everyone. So, culture wise. I have cooked that ingrained in me. Like, it's just going to rule the fight based on the knowledge of the person and say hi to everyone.
Jeremy Lesniak:
That makes sense. Bringing the weapon welcoming culture of your home, into your school, and making sure everyone feels individually acknowledged. I think that that's something that's really important. Yeah, it's something that doesn't happen in a lot of schools. What happens in most martial arts schools, the instructor comes in and everyone lines up for class. And there's a group exchange, you know, in Karate or Taekwondo, it might be a bow and other martial arts, it might be, you know, a mantra, or just an acknowledgement. But it sounds like you make an effort to go beyond that. Now, I'm going to guess that because of that your students stick around longer than maybe some of your competitors and some of the other schools. Is that true?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Probably again, I've been in schools before to the I think like the roots of or the background in jiu jitsu you know, they're kind of fighters on the top guy and you know, they call it flowery or like, to the shaved head and kind of dark culture. So, I have also been in places like that where, you know, you kind of can't even say something, you have to be careful how you say it because then you get beat up in a very tough environment. So, I really wanted to really always remove that part. I feel that you don't have to, you don't have to overact tough to be tough, right. Like you can be very friendly and welcoming and also, we talk. I feel that you show it you know, in your technique and how you train but I do completely dislike the acting tough outside. I don't know if I'm making sense but this kind of attitude has, you know, like, the superior someone or, I don't know, or maybe bully mentality. I really, really dislike it.
So just make sure that they have always thought in check like with anyone in my school and for staff like they, of course talking about the culture. I just wanted to go out of their way to always say hi and bye and I think it's important to acknowledge people. The worst thing you can do just talking about any business experience if you go to eat in the restaurant and the person on the front don't even acknowledge me or ask me, you know, in certain amount of time, how can I help you or welcome or agree with you one second, you kind of start feeling you know, want to either, you know, start feeling annoyed or not recommended. So, I will feel very important.
Jeremy Lesniak:
You talked about bullies earlier, you mentioned bullying, just now, martial arts inevitably, is going to attract anabolic, I'm sure at some point you had someone who maybe came to train for, I would call it the wrong reasons. Quite often, you know, when we see that in BJJ, it's someone coming in trying to throw their strength around, you know, they don't have skill yet, but you know, that maybe they're bigger, maybe they're stronger and they're trying to dominate other people with that. The way I'm used to hearing schools deal with that is that they will pair that person up with someone who's going to show them that skill will overpower strength. Is that how you handle it in your school?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
I'm going to tell you just one experience and then a little bit of how I used to do but I was training in a manner that plays or names but I did have.
Jeremy Lesniak:
No names. I don't need this. Okay.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
So, I was one belt below this person and he was the black belt kind of hoovering class or teaching that day. And he had this little kind of boot instructor kind of joke or a little bit yeah, he was in a [00:47-55-00:47:56] training and I think it was a brown belt but again my Brownsville because I didn't, I traveled so much. For example, my blue belt I think I had like seven years of my blue belt, right. So, I have a little long time already doing grappling and because we did MMA before in that school. We did leg locks very early that is not usual in schools that we do that so I think he was getting ready for a fight and he mentioned to you know before we roll let's do you know leg locks in the while we train because he was getting ready so I think it was people there outside and he we started you know training and you know brought him in a leg lock, right. Like and then you know, I checked my hands and continued training but I noticed that he was looking outside if somebody looked at him, right somebody looked at the road like what happened. So, when we roll again, he starts going a little harder, kind of like you know hitting my neck a little harder kind of going a little tougher, but in general I go at him again with another leg.
And yeah, that's how he got like, really upset he didn't say anything but again he started getting harder. And again, I noticed that he wasn't smoking outside or looking at the people who were there. So, the rule the third time we did it again and you know I called him again with like look, he was frustrated but he got up and he kicked me in the chest and, I got lost a little bit I didn't I kind of was lost on didn't get it because for me was nothing. We were just training and I was just sitting waiting for him to restart. But he kicked me and they will get up on their turn. So, to me Portuguese, and I live in Brazil for a while I understand Portuguese. And then I saw, okay, this is a fight. So, I answered back and we got a little trouble there and that people got in the middle of separate you know. But fast forward when my school or when I'm working in our academies for someone else, I used to when somebody was like that, they're being too raw for bullying, I used to warm up, I'm getting pulled around and go very hard with a person. Again, I feel that's like a lot of testosterone and kind of unnecessary. Now fast for on my own place I can around the time that I start my academy, I had a bad neck injury.
So, it didn't allow me to train how I used to train. So now if I see something like that, I will just talk to the person I understand sometimes. No one warns about knowing how to act or how maybe it's the culture of an academy. So, I probably, you know, this will stop the round talk to the person and explain we're here to learn and not to like to beat anybody up. But I will give them maybe like a couple fair warnings, probably the second or third time I will say you know, it's you know, if I see that one more time, you won't be able to train anymore in the school. So that's kind of how I handled the situation now. I recognized it very early and stopped and talked to the person right away. Yeah, I use that to escalate. More than that.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I think that's important. I think it's the escalation piece that a lot of instructors miss. Because as an instructor, you want to let people work their own stuff out. But at the same time, you don't want to give them the space to think that treating other people poorly is okay. And finding balance there isn't always easy. And it sounds like you got a good handle on it. Most instructors I know have a good handle on it. Because you got it you got to be there you got to understand, you know, kind of look behind the eyes what's going on? Is that person just you know, are they actually trying to hurt somebody? Or you know, they do that particular movement just happen with a little bit more force than they'd intended right there's a big difference there
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, you know, when you just start mainly as a beginner right you grappling, I feel is very similar as a real fight in the sense that you can go you know, I don't know if we're doing boxing for example or no karate or the other martial art you can get hate or spar. I think every day like full force you get a hurdle product you lose students very fast. Nobody likes to be getting punched in the face every day. But in grappling, I feel you can grapple, you grapple every day. But when you start again, it's very foreign and you know you feel suffocated or something that you're not used to people kind of freak out or are different and so one thing that I implement in my school. I add actually a beginner program and I keep them there for a while until they learn more about their body and more techniques but I really make a big separation of people who start their training to know the spar or not. No, don't spar or do they have like a couple of straps on their belt just to get used to.
Once I feel that they're ready they kind of move up to the next class that it will be like fundamentals and even then, they don't have yet like fools sparring, they will have like positional sparring. So, then they, they will practice a position where if we don't know like escaping the mound, for example, so somebody on top of you so we will start from that spot, they have a partial training where they only have to get out of the spa that the training is stopped when they escaped or the other person, I submit them right but it is limited. And then when they're ready to move up to a balance or again, they're ready they see that they are not more a threat for the partner or themselves, you know, then they get invited to advance when they're more in control they breathe better. Yeah, they're able to last around without getting hurt, right.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Makes sense. I like the priority on learning the skills in this you didn't quite call it a beginner class but this space is a separate class for newer students. It's something that I've seen a lot of schools do but not all schools and the schools that do it seem to have better results you know, it seems to reinforce the importance and you know, let's remember I don't know how many. I don't know. If you do, I don't know if the people listening... I'll remember their first day training. I don't remember my first day training but I've been around plenty of other people's first day's training and they're nervous and the black belts you put around them the more nervous they are you flood them with other white belts they say okay, everybody here sucks just as much as I do. I can wrap my head around this.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Right on a field before. Yeah, I did hire the schools back in a quarter when I was younger and I only have like one group of adults and for me an intro class when a new person come it was too literally spar with everyone and make him feel how strong your utility is right like that was kind of the intro class before and I just can't even believe that I had people training like free. I don't know how I did sign up that time but yeah, I really like the intro that kind of beat up the person so he feels how effective the martial art was but first for our kind of thinking but yeah, I didn't have too many students and no experience really. But later you know here I learned to separate the fundamentals with advanced class but not recently in in my school.
I add the third program that will be the beginner even less contact and one thing to I feel before he was only for young people, the training like only you were only looking for the competitor or the top person but really like as a martial artist the goal is to build out the people right like a female or older a person or a lighter guy whoever I feel very deeply there our job is to build them up to be conduct that tough person. No, eliminate the weak right but due to what I feel martial arts in general is for everyone. Should be able to practice regardless of age or maybe size is all how you are able to I think manners your different intensity of classes and maybe also the culture of the academy. It's just that people know to take care of each other but it is important even in the beginner or fundamental class. I feel it doesn't matter if your belt shows you as a black belt.
I'm always trying to learn or to sharp my fundamentals or my beginners right like sometimes we have people or higher belts students, they for some reason they had to stop or they had an injury you know so when they come back, it's hard to come back and go to an advanced class or spar for an hour right. Same as going into the gym, you go to the gym, you haven't been in a long time you can go like, and live the same way. Expect to live the same way. If you haven't lived in, I don't know, like, even four months, you can go back and train with the same intensity, you won't be able to either walk the next day. I feel like I have different levels of class. It allows us, you know, older people to always be in, in a safe place where they can train welcoming females or lighter, lighter. People or even your advanced. Students are coming back; they have a place where they can gradually or progressive come back right is important.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Well, I'm thinking, okay, let's go here. Let's go here. I'm going to make a note. Why don't you... What's coming? What's next? You know, it sounds like you're all in on the school. And I completely understand why that's absolutely not a negative judgment. I wish I was there, that would be great. If, you know, we're doing our own thing. I'm all in on this, which is kind of my own version of a school. But you know, I look forward, I look into the future. I think of what's coming I'm sure you do too. What is in the future? Are there plans? What do you think?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, so now I am very, very focused on building my instructor's base. So again, with all the past experience and knowledge and experience, maybe, you know, training in different places and I'm already running multiple schools through the years you know, again, like it is my first success. I feel now it's going to be my seven-year anniversary; it was my first successful schooling, but you know, people will see from the outside really don't know, I have many schools, this is not the you know, the one time lucky success has been a lot of trial and error. And with that, I know I focus a lot on developing instructors, I don't want to give up fast. I feel that for me, I was lost for... I don't want to say lost, because I always had the same goal in mind. But I remember family, you know, kind of intervention saying okay, what are you going to do with your life kind of like what, like, not believing or not seeing what I was doing?
Again, because I was always changing cities and traveling a lot. But has always with the same goal of, you know, getting my blog of having my school that never changed. The place has changed against these circumstances and opportunities change. But now, I just feel that it's so many like young people, they are lost, they don't know what to do, how to do it. People come and they only, I don't know they want to find a mate like and then they will fight in their life. And I tried to put them in a path where you can compete. You should of course train and be ready, prepare yourself but also learn how to teach, learn how to communicate, learn how they currently work, you know that you're not always going to be young and full of energy, right?
You should be pursuing your competition but at the same time, have your plan B in case things don't work, but also, even if they work. What are you going to do after the competition? So, if you don't know or don't train, or don't learn from the beginning, it is going to be very hard for an athlete or competitor to start teaching after their competitive career. I feel that transition should be hand to hand. Yeah, and something that they can prepare like from the beginning instead of, you know, doing a study and training the brain only goes to battle right like without a plan what happened after?
Jeremy Lesniak:
Yeah, it makes sense. I assume you've got a website, social media, all that stuff that we can share with people.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yes.
Jeremy Lesniak:
What... Drop once you give us that information out for people who are listening and not going to make it to the show notes.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Right? Yeah, so edjassociation.com that we have. Again, we have an affiliation program where you know, we share our curriculums or instructor scores, we have gone to all the academy related things to our affiliated academies.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Nice, nice. Okay. And we will put that stuff in the show notes for people who are driving or some good stuff today. Thank you. And this is the point where we head out, but you're the one with the final words. So, what do you want to tell everybody who's listening today? How do you want to leave this?
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, first of all, you know, thank you so much for the spotlight. I appreciate it was awesome to talk to you. I hope I didn't ramble too much.
Jeremy Lesniak:
You ramble the exact right amount. That's what I love about the show. Just let people tell you, hear wonderful things.
Juan Pablo Garcia:
Yeah, just say thank you for having me. Again, if you are a competitor. I do recommend something that you want to dedicate your life to. Normally a student studies martial arts techniques or starts reading about leadership communication, marketing, kind of preparing yourself and always being learning to hop on an open mind. You know, being in a school is not only knowing the techniques of your specific martial art, right, you have to really always be learning, always be curious, and find the things that will make your business successful.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Right. You know, it's amazing, even for those of us who don't watch mixed martial arts who don't pay attention to the UFC. It's so clear that so much of what we do, even as traditional martial artists today have ties back to the UFC. We've had multiple people just in the last year who credit watching the UFC with really changing their interest or even initiating their interest in trading. I find that fascinating. JP, thanks for coming on the show. Thanks for sharing all the great stuff that you did. I look forward to talking to you again and hope we can connect in other ways.
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