Hai Nguyen
Hai Nguyen - Elite-MMA Instructor
Birth place: Saigon, Vietnam
Profession: Martial arts instructor
What classes do you teach: BJJ: men’s and women’s, No-gi BJJ, Fundamentals of Kickboxing, & MMA
What martial art(s) have you trained in:
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 1997-present
Grappling 1993-present
Muay Thai/Kickboxing 1993-present
Jeet Kune Do/Kali 1993-present
Wu shu Kung Fu 1991 (6 months)
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
HardStyle Kettlebell Instructor (HKC)
Number of years of training martial arts: I started training in Wu Shu Kung Fu for 6 months when I was 14 years old. Met Eric in 1993 and we have trained everything we could get our hands on.
When did you start teaching at Elite MMA? I started teaching in 1999 when Eric and I founded Elite MMA.
What is a memorable moment for you at Elite MMA? There are so many days to count. If I had to narrow one down it would have been when I got my black belt in BJJ in April of 2006.
In your own words why do you enjoy Elite MMA? Elite is a place where people can come in and be themselves. The past and the future does not matter when you are here it is the present being of yourself that you can be in the moment.
Do you have any martial arts accomplishments that you are proud of and why? I have competed and won tournaments, but all those accomplishments did not amount to the black belt in BJJ. It was not a matter of receiving it, but it was a day I could reflect on my journal from when I was a teenager to a grown adult. I reflected on the journal and all the good people that I have met on the way.
Are there any professional accomplishments that you are proud of and why? Having one of the biggest martial arts gyms in the country is satisfying. The only reason it is there is because of all the great people that help to make it what it is – the students, staff, and instructors of Elite.
Any sports/activities that you participated in that you are proud of? I played baseball my freshman and sophomore year for Bellaire and Sharpstown when I was in high school.
What hobbies do you enjoy and why? I went to Costa Rica in 2007 and took surf lessons, it was a great rush. The mental and physical coordination to be one with nature was unreal. Video games and movies when I want to zone out.
Any memorable family moments that you would like to share? When I got married in June of 2009 was just awesome!!! We had our wedding in Tulum, Mexico with close friends and family and it was a great time. Everybody was together and we all shared the present time with one another. Time stood still and the love that we had for each other was in celebration with everyone there.
Academic accomplishments: Graduated Cum Laude from the University of Houston with a Major in Managing Information Systems and a Minor in European Studies (2000). Cisco Certified Networking Engineer (2000).
If you could walk us through a day or week in your life what would it consist of? During the week I am in and out at Elite MMA Westheimer. Teaching and training with my students is what inspires me to come in everyday.