Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Blose.
Hi Mike, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In college, I joined the jiu-jitsu club as I had always been intrigued by martial arts and grappling. I enjoyed the comradery as well as the physicality of applying the techniques. After looking at the techniques to get a black belt fear caused me to set a rather modest goal of getting my green belt then pursuing a different art or sport. After 1 year I started volunteering to help the instructor with his kids’ classes and at that point, everything changed! I discovered not only a new passion for Jiu-jitsu but a passion for helping people. As a 4th year student in college, I changed my career focus and decided to become a teacher. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication and immediately began pursuing my new passion for teaching by enrolling in a Master’s of Education program.
While in grad school I continued training jiu-jitsu and volunteering to teach more classes at my instructor’s school. By this time, I had surpassed my original goal of green and was now a brown belt. It had still never crossed my mind that one day I would have an academy of my own, it was just something that I enjoyed and was very rewarding. In 2006 I graduated with my Master’s in Education and got my first teaching job, I taught 5th grade.
After an additional 5 years training, I earned my black belt in Japanese Jiu-jitsu in 2011. Shortly after my instructor had decided to move away and was leaving his school which by this time only had about 10 students that regularly attended classes. He asked myself and a friend that also received his black belt when I did if we wanted to take his students after he left. We obliged and began teaching classes in the middle of a packed gymnastics floor at a local gymnastics gym.
We started with about 6 consistent students and quickly grew to 15 and then 25. Our classes had become so large that we became a distraction to the gymnastics classes going on around us. We were awarded our own room at the facility, where we still currently train.
Throughout my training, I competed a few times and after a less than stellar competition in 2011 my training partner/coaching partner/friend and I determined our Japanese jiu-jitsu style was deficient in ground grappling. At this time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s popularity was growing and the number of local tournaments were increasing and we saw a necessity to pivot: 10 years of training to get our black belts and we went back and started as white belts in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
While we were teaching Japanese techniques, mixing in our experiences in Judo and karate, we were taking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lessons under Marcello Monteiro in Indianapolis, IN. We would travel to Indy as frequently as we could to learn then bring back what we learned and would integrate it into our classes. This continued until around 2020 when we transitioned to focusing primarily on Brazilian jiu-jitsu. We still lattend regular classes and seminars and currently, my partner and I are brown belts in BJJ and have approximately 50 students. The lockdowns hurt our attendance and we are recommitted to growing our team and sharing our passion.
I’m currently employed as an 8th-grade social studies teacher in our area, teaching classes 3 days a week with my friend and longtime training partner. My dream is to have our own location that includes a fitness gym with both adult and children’s classes along BJJ, karate, and yoga. We have goals set and are on our way to bring this dream to fruition. Jiu-jitsu began as a hobby for me but has become a complete lifestyle for me. Jiu-jitsu is my therapy, my escape, my community, and the driver of my continual pursuit toward mastery on the mats and in life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running an academy along with being employed full time and juggling a family is always a challenge. The greatest struggle is balancing priorities. Running the academy, I have had to make many hard choices: I’ve had to miss or leave early from my children’s concerts, missed parties, skipped dinners, and even had to coach on my wedding anniversary. Having a solid partner and an understanding wife and family helps minimize missing those events has proven to be a huge asset. We also have students that voluntarily step up to fill in, in our absence. Another issue that I have had to face is more of an internal issue but it’s often referred to as imposter syndrome. I constantly reflect on the questions of “am I good enough”, “what gives me the right to teach people jiu-jitsu”, “what if I don’t have an answer to a student’s question”, and “can I apply what I’m teaching”. The higher the belt rank I have achieved the stronger this feeling is, I am tested every time I step on the mats. It is a humbling experience but it is another reason why jiu-jitsu has had such a positive effect on mine and millions of others that participate.
Injuries are also a constant challenge. Jiu-jitsu is incredibly physically demanding and with the contact, bumps, bruises, and other more severe injuries happen. I’ve taught classes with broken fingers, separated shoulders, sprained knees, necks, etc.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I help people transform their lives through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I am believe that BJJ has something to offer for everyone and the benefits of training go far beyond the self-defense and fitness that it provides. Often the people that can benefit the most from BJJ are too often intimidated or fearful of starting due to the perceived culture that surrounds grappling sports: hyper-aggressive, competitive-focused, and only for people who are already physically fit. We seek to create an environment that is welcoming to anyone interested in training: from the middle-aged mom to the former athlete looking to be competitive. I am proud of my student’s accomplishments on the mats (we have students young and old with multiple regional and national medals that compete regularly) and their continued pursuit of BJJ knowledge but my most proud moments come from my students off the mats. The guy who had an excellent interview because BJJ has taught him to stay calm under pressure, the child who stands up to the bully and will carry her head a little higher because of it, the dad who starts training to spend quality with his son or daughter, and the stressed-out worker who uses BJJ as a therapy to bring peace and balance into their life. Our team functions like a family, we care about each other, we look out for each other, and we strive to challenge and make each other better.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I would say my biggest supporters are my wife and good friend/training and business partner John. They continue to believe in what we’re trying to do with the gym. My wife for understanding BJJ isn’t just a hobby of mine that I enjoy, it is a part of me, it’s a lifestyle, it is my balance. She has a unique ability to shut down my imposter syndrome and believes in my vision and dream no matter how crazy it has sounded along the way. My partner John for not only being a great training partner on the mats but a sounding board to my ideas regarding BJJ and business off the mat. His perspective has been invaluable. Obviously, all of my coaches and all of my training partners along the way. BJJ is not an individual sport nor is life and my teammate’s training partners and coaches have challenged me and forced me into uncomfortable situations resulting in person growth. The dedication and eagerness of our students to learn is a huge part of what motivates me keep pushing myself.
Pricing:
- Adults – $99/month 3 days per week training
- Kids/Youth – $84/month 3 days per week training
Contact Info:
- Email: triplethreatmaf@gmail.com
- Website: www.triplethreatbjj.com
- Instagram: @triplethreatbjj_bjjcoach
- Facebook: triple threat brazilian jiu jitsu
- Other: https://linktr.ee/triplethreatbjj
