Marisol Yamashita - Elite Instructor

3. My reason for starting at the time had been because my older boys were already enrolled in the kids/adult jiujitsu program. After awhile sitting on the sidelines, the instructors started to drop so not so subtle hints for me to try out class. At that time I didn’t handle peer pressure to well, so I finally decided to give in and try it out. Best decision I could of ever made for my family. 

4. I’ve always seen martial arts as a tough violent intimidating sport. I never pictured myself doing this type of full contact sport especially with men. 10yrs later I can’t picture myself doing anything else.

5. So since Elite was my very first martial arts school. I didn’t want to come in full guns blazing and jiujitsu was too intimidating for me. So I started off with the kickboxing program first. Walked in thinking this was a simple easy class, 20min into the class I thought I was going to die. I was hooked. 1 year later I jump into my first jiujitsu class. It was life changing for me!

6. The biggest fear I had was having to train with men.  Being a petite woman in a sport that at the time was dominated mostly by men and very few women were in, I was a ball of nerves but I was lucky to have pretty great instructors. Everyone made me feel safe and were so patient to help me learn and enjoy my experience.

7. Since training I have made it to my brown belt in jiujitsu. In the 10years of training the confidence within myself which I had tremendously lacked, grew. It constantly took me out of my comfort zone and because of that I was able to make the leap into starting my business. Martial arts has literally touched every aspect of my life from my family, my work, but most importantly within myself.