growth-mindset-collective

Jiu Jitsu for Adults Over 30, 40, or 50: Is It Too Late to Start?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:42:20 GMT

If you’ve been thinking about trying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but wondering whether you’re too old to start, you’re not alone.

Maybe you're in your 30s with a career and a family to take care of. Maybe you're in your 40s and haven't participated in a sport in years. Maybe you're in your 50s or 60s and looking for something that challenges you physically and mentally. Maybe you've recently retired and finally have the time to try something you've always wanted to do.

The question is usually the same:

Am I too old to start Jiu Jitsu?

No.

But the way you approach Jiu Jitsu at 50 shouldn't necessarily be the same way you approach it at 18.

And that's an important distinction.

Jiu Jitsu Was Designed Around Technique, Not Just Strength

Our Jiu Jitsu lineage at Growth Mindset Collective traces back through my professor, Eduardo Rocha, and Royler Gracie to Hélio Gracie, one of the foundational figures in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Hélio was well known for continuing to practice and teach Jiu Jitsu into his later years.

That longevity reflects something fundamental about the art.

Jiu Jitsu isn't supposed to be just a contest of who is younger, stronger, faster, or tougher.

It is the study of mechanics.

Leverage. Position. Timing. Weight distribution. Frames. Angles. Balance.

The better you understand those concepts, the less dependent you become on brute strength.

And as you get older, that becomes increasingly important.

I Started Jiu Jitsu at 19. I'm 39 Now.

I've experienced this evolution in my own training.

I started Jiu Jitsu when I was 19 years old.

At 19, I was doing CrossFit, training twice a day, eating pretty much anything I wanted, staying up late, and generally not thinking for a second about recovery.

I'd train with anyone.

I wasn't thinking much about whether a particular round was a good idea or whether I might get injured.

I was thinking about one thing:

Winning the round.

At 39, I'm still on the mat every day teaching and training.

But the way I approach training has changed significantly.

I have to put more effort into recovering from the training itself. I have to pay attention to what I eat. I have to go to bed at a decent time. I have to think about what I'm asking my body to do tomorrow, not just what I want it to do today.

And my actual rounds have changed too.

If I go to an open mat today, I pick my opponents much more carefully than I did when I was 19.

I'm probably not walking in and immediately trying to have five wars with black belts.

I'll find a few white belts and blue belts and get some warm-up rounds in first. Then I can gradually increase the intensity of my training.

That's not because I've become less serious about Jiu Jitsu.

It's because I've become more deliberate about it.

Your Level of Dedication Matters Too

There's another important distinction here.

My life at 39 is different from the life of many 39-year-old Jiu Jitsu hobbyists.

Jiu Jitsu is my profession. I own an academy. I teach. I train. I've spent 20 years practicing the art.

That means the amount of time and energy I'm willing—or required—to dedicate to Jiu Jitsu may be completely different from someone who trains two or three evenings a week after work.

And that's okay.

You have to decide what level of dedication you want to invest and then train appropriately.

If you're a 38-year-old parent with a full-time job who wants to train twice a week, your recovery, training volume, and expectations shouldn't necessarily look like those of a professional athlete or academy owner.

You don't have to organize your entire life around Jiu Jitsu to benefit from training.

Your training should fit your life.

My Oldest Student Started at 86

The oldest student I've ever taught was an 86-year-old man named Pete.

Pete's Jiu Jitsu did not look like the Jiu Jitsu of a local high school wrestler.

And it shouldn't have.

A high school wrestler may walk into a Jiu Jitsu academy with years of grappling experience, excellent conditioning, fast recovery, and a body accustomed to intense physical training.

That athlete might be ready for hard rounds or even competition very quickly.

Pete was at an entirely different stage of life.

So his training needed to look different.

That doesn't make Pete's Jiu Jitsu less legitimate.

It means good Jiu Jitsu training meets people where they are.

Different Stages of Life Require Different Jiu Jitsu

A 17-year-old wrestler, a 35-year-old dad, and a recently retired 65-year-old can all train Jiu Jitsu.

But they shouldn't necessarily train the same way.

The young wrestler might have a body prepared to practice hard five or six days a week.

The 35-year-old dad has a career and a family. He needs to get up tomorrow morning, go to work, and take care of his kids.

The recently retired student may finally have plenty of time to train, but may also need to account for previous injuries, mobility, recovery, and decades of wear and tear.

All three can have a great experience with Jiu Jitsu.

Their strategies simply need to be different.

The Older You Get, the More Strategic You Need to Become

As you get older, training intelligently becomes increasingly important.

That means listening to your body.

It means choosing training partners intelligently.

It means knowing when to push and when to slow down.

It means tapping when you're caught.

And most importantly, it means becoming a student of the mechanics and science behind Jiu Jitsu.

Being tough isn't the same thing as ignoring your body's limits.

If your goal is to practice Jiu Jitsu for years, getting injured because you refused to tap or tried to match the explosiveness of a 19-year-old athlete doesn't accomplish much.

Instead, start asking better questions.

Where should my weight be?

Where is my opponent's base?

What angle creates the leverage I need?

Which frame prevents them from advancing?

Where am I wasting energy?

What reaction am I trying to create?

The older you get, the more Jiu Jitsu becomes about what you know.

My Training Has Become More Focused as I've Gotten Older

This is probably the biggest difference between the way I trained at 19 and the way I train at 39.

Today, I usually have mini goals within my rounds.

I might be working on a specific position, reaction, sequence, or concept. Those individual goals fit into a larger theme I'm developing so that, over time, I'm building an entire system around it.

My sparring has direction.

At 19?

It was basically kill or be killed.

There wasn't much of a plan.

I wanted to win every exchange and every round.

There's certainly value in the intensity and athleticism of young Jiu Jitsu. But longevity requires something more.

Eventually, training needs to become deliberate.

My Professor Is Still Training and Competing in His 60s

I've also been fortunate to see what longevity in Jiu Jitsu looks like firsthand through my professor, Eduardo Rocha.

Professor Rocha is in his 60s and is still training and competing, including at the IBJJF Master World Championship.

He's also a multiple-time world champion.

With that level of experience, it would be easy for someone to let ego dictate how they train.

Instead, one of the lessons I've seen is the importance of being realistic about what changes as you age.

A younger, highly trained athlete may be able to tap an older black belt if the older practitioner decides to meet that athlete muscle for muscle, speed for speed, and athleticism for athleticism.

Experience doesn't make biology disappear.

The answer isn't pretending you're still 25.

It's making the match about Jiu Jitsu.

Technique for technique.

Knowledge for knowledge.

Position for position.

The older you become, the more valuable that knowledge becomes.

For the Young, Dominance. For the Older, Sophistication.

This is one of the things I find most interesting about Jiu Jitsu.

For the young, the art can feel like dominance .

You're discovering how to combine technique with speed, strength, explosiveness, and conditioning. You can push the pace. You can scramble. You can test yourself physically.

As you get older, good Jiu Jitsu begins to feel more like sophistication .

You recognize situations earlier.

You stop fighting battles that don't matter.

You conserve energy.

You create reactions.

You understand where someone wants to go before they get there.

You stop trying to force Jiu Jitsu to happen and start understanding why it happens.

The body may become less forgiving as you age.

But your mind can become significantly better at Jiu Jitsu.

When Young Athletes Develop That Mind, You See the Next Evolution

There's another side to this.

Older practitioners are often forced to become more technical because eventually they can't rely on athleticism alone.

Young athletes don't have that same limitation.

That's why it's so impressive when a young athlete develops that sophisticated understanding early.

Now you have the speed, strength, explosiveness, and recovery of youth combined with the technical mind we normally associate with decades of experience.

That's where you start seeing another evolution of the art.

It's rare for a young practitioner to have that level of patience and technical understanding because their athleticism gives them other ways to solve problems.

The older student doesn't always have that luxury.

They are forced to learn.

And that can ultimately become one of their strengths.

You Don't Need to Get in Shape Before Starting

We commonly hear adults say:

"I want to try Jiu Jitsu, but I need to get in shape first."

You don't need to get into Jiu Jitsu shape before starting Jiu Jitsu.

You do need to respect where your body is today.

If you haven't exercised regularly in several years, your first goal shouldn't be keeping up with the most conditioned athlete in class.

Start learning.

Learn how to move.

Learn the positions.

Learn how to breathe.

Learn when you're using unnecessary energy.

Give your body time to adapt to a new physical challenge.

Consistency over time is far more valuable than destroying yourself during your first week and then being unable to train.

Your Wins Will Come From Understanding

When you first start, experienced students will probably be better at Jiu Jitsu than you.

They're supposed to be.

But as you begin understanding the mechanics, you'll start experiencing little wins.

Maybe you remembered to frame instead of panicking.

Maybe you recognized a sweep before your partner completed it.

Maybe you stayed calm in a position that used to overwhelm you.

Eventually, you'll sweep someone, escape, maintain a position, or catch a submission that you couldn't before.

And there's something incredibly satisfying about knowing it worked because you understood what was happening.

Not because you were stronger.

Not because you were younger.

Because you learned.

Everyone Gets the Community

Whether you start at 19, 39, 59, or 86, there's another part of Jiu Jitsu that isn't dependent on age:

Community.

When you train consistently, you become part of other people's progression.

Someone helps you when you're new.

Eventually, you're the person helping the next new student.

You watch teammates earn belts, prepare for tournaments, struggle through difficult positions, come back from injuries or time away, and accomplish things that once seemed impossible.

And they're there for your progression too.

There's a feeling that comes from progressing at something difficult while also being part of someone else's progress.

You don't have to be a world champion to experience that.

So, Are You Too Old for Jiu Jitsu?

If you're asking whether you're too old because you can't train like a 20-year-old anymore, here's the important part:

You're not supposed to train like a 20-year-old.

Train like you.

Respect your current abilities.

Understand your limitations.

Choose good training partners.

Learn the mechanics.

Take recovery seriously.

Set realistic expectations.

Decide how much of your life you want to dedicate to Jiu Jitsu and build your training around that decision.

I've taught an 86-year-old beginner.

I started at 19 and I'm still training every day at 39.

My professor is still training and competing in his 60s.

None of those versions of Jiu Jitsu look exactly the same.

They aren't supposed to.

That's part of what makes this art something you can potentially practice across a lifetime.

Jiu Jitsu is for everyone, but everyone's Jiu Jitsu doesn't have to look the same.

For the young, it may feel more like dominance.

For the older practitioner, it may feel more like sophistication.

And for everyone, there is the opportunity to learn something difficult, progress alongside other people, and become part of a community built around helping each other get better.

Start Jiu Jitsu in Oakley, California

Growth Mindset Collective offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes for adults in Oakley, CA, serving Oakley, Brentwood, Antioch, and the surrounding East Contra Costa community.

Our adult program welcomes complete beginners. You don't need previous martial arts experience, and you don't need to already be in Jiu Jitsu shape.

Whether you're 30, 40, 50, 60, or beyond, your Jiu Jitsu doesn't have to look like the 18-year-old athlete training next to you.

It needs to work for you, your body, your goals, and your stage of life.

The only way to start figuring out what that looks like is to get on the mat.

Jiu-Jitsu for Women: Why More Women Are Getting on the Mat

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:41:15 GMT

Jiu-Jitsu Doesn't Require You to Be the Strongest Person in the Room

Walk into almost any Jiu-Jitsu academy and, historically, you were much more likely to find a room full of men than women.

That’s changing.

More women are discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—not just as a form of self-defense, but as a challenging workout, a skill to develop, a sport, and a community.

At Growth Mindset Collective in Oakley, California, we believe women should have opportunities to learn legitimate Jiu-Jitsu in an environment where they feel comfortable being a beginner, asking questions, challenging themselves, and developing at their own pace.

So, why Jiu-Jitsu?

One of the fundamental ideas behind Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is learning how to use positioning, leverage, timing, and technique instead of relying exclusively on strength.

That doesn't mean strength doesn't matter. It does.

But Jiu-Jitsu gives you tools beyond strength alone.

You learn how changing your position can give you an advantage. You learn how to use your hips, frames, grips, and body weight effectively. You begin recognizing when you're in a strong position and when you need to move.

For women interested in martial arts, learning how to use those tools can be particularly valuable when training with partners of different sizes and strengths.

You Learn Skills You Can Actually Practice

There is an important difference between being shown a self-defense technique and having opportunities to practice physical skills against resistance.

Jiu-Jitsu gives you both.

When you're first learning, techniques are practiced slowly and cooperatively. As your experience grows, you can begin practicing against partners who are actively trying to escape, maintain position, or apply their own techniques.

This is often called rolling or live training.

Suddenly, the technique has to work while someone is moving.

You have to adjust.

You have to problem-solve.

And you have to stay composed.

That experience is one of the things that makes Jiu-Jitsu unique.

Jiu-Jitsu Can Be a Practical Form of Self-Defense Training

No martial art can guarantee someone's safety, and good self-defense involves much more than knowing how to fight. Awareness, recognizing potentially dangerous situations, setting boundaries, creating distance, leaving when possible, and seeking help are all important.

But if a physical confrontation does happen, Jiu-Jitsu can provide experience dealing with close-range physical resistance. Training can include learning how to maintain your balance, escape from grabs and controlling positions, protect yourself from underneath another person, control someone from a dominant position, and safely return to your feet.

These aren't skills you master after one class.

They develop through consistent practice.

It's a Workout That Gives You Something to Think About

If you've ever struggled to stay interested in a traditional workout, Jiu-Jitsu is very different.

You're certainly moving.

You're using your legs, core, upper body, and cardiovascular system.

But you're also constantly thinking.

Someone changes position, and you need to respond.

A technique doesn't work, and you need another option.

You recognize an opportunity and have to decide what to do next.

Instead of thinking about how many minutes are left in your workout, you may find yourself wondering how the person who weighs less than you somehow managed to pin you to the mat.

And then you'll want to figure out how they did it.

That's part of the fun.

You Don't Need to “Get in Shape” First

This is one of the most common reasons people delay starting Jiu-Jitsu:

“I want to get in better shape first.”

You don't have to.

You start with the body and fitness level you have right now.

Will Jiu-Jitsu challenge your conditioning?

Probably.

Will there be moments when you need to catch your breath?

Almost certainly.

That's normal.

Your body adapts as you train. Over time, Jiu-Jitsu can help develop cardiovascular conditioning, strength, coordination, mobility, balance, and body awareness.

You don't need to prepare yourself for Jiu-Jitsu by becoming good at Jiu-Jitsu before you arrive.

Starting Something New as an Adult Can Be Uncomfortable

Kids are beginners all the time.

They join a new sport. They try a new instrument. They walk into a classroom and are expected to learn something they've never done before.

As adults, we don't always put ourselves in that position.

We're used to knowing what we're doing.

Then you walk into a Jiu-Jitsu academy.

Someone starts talking about guards, mounts, frames, underhooks, shrimping, and passing—and you may have absolutely no idea what any of it means.

That's okay.

Everyone on the mat was new once.

Learning to become comfortable with being a beginner is one of the unexpected lessons Jiu-Jitsu can teach.

Progress Doesn't Always Look the Way You Expect

Your first accomplishment in Jiu-Jitsu probably won't be winning a tournament or earning a new belt.

It might be remembering where to put your hands. It might be making it through class without feeling completely lost. Then one day, you escape from a position you couldn't escape from a month earlier.

You recognize what your training partner is trying to do before they do it.

A newer student asks you a question—and you realize you know the answer.

Those little moments add up.

Jiu-Jitsu gives you countless opportunities to experience being bad at something, work at it, and eventually become better. That's something we value deeply at Growth Mindset Collective.

Training With Other Women Matters

Women can and do train successfully alongside men in Jiu-Jitsu. But having opportunities to train specifically with other women is valuable.

Different body types create different training experiences. Having more female partners gives women opportunities to work with people closer to their own size and physicality while also learning from women with different experience levels.

There's a community aspect, too.

Walking onto a mat and seeing other women training can make starting feel a lot less intimidating.

That's one of the reasons we're excited to continue growing the women's Jiu-Jitsu community at Growth Mindset Collective.

What If You Already Train Jiu-Jitsu?

Women's Jiu-Jitsu isn't only for beginners. Experienced practitioners can benefit from having more opportunities to train with other women, get additional rounds, exchange techniques, and build connections with female practitioners outside their usual training partners. Jiu-Jitsu communities become stronger when people have opportunities to train and learn from one another.

You Don't Have to Know If Jiu-Jitsu Is “For You”

You don't have to decide that you're going to become a lifelong Jiu-Jitsu practitioner before trying your first class. You don't need to buy into a new identity. And you certainly don't need to picture yourself competing or earning a black belt. You can simply try it. Learn a technique. Meet some people. See how it feels. You may decide it isn't for you.

Or you may discover that the thing you were nervous about trying becomes one of your favorite parts of the week. There's really only one way to find out.

Women's Jiu-Jitsu in Oakley, CA

Growth Mindset Collective offers a dedicated Women's Jiu-Jitsu class every Monday at 7:00 PM at our academy in Oakley, California.

The class is led by Coach Courtney, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and welcomes women who have never trained before as well as experienced Jiu-Jitsu practitioners.

Courtney comes from a family deeply connected to Jiu-Jitsu. Her husband, Rase, and her father are both Jiu-Jitsu black belts, and her mother is a brown belt.

Women who train at other academies are welcome, too.

Whether you've been thinking about trying Jiu-Jitsu for years or you've only just become curious, we'd love to have you on the mat.

What Age Should Kids Start Jiu-Jitsu? A Parent’s Guide

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:28:24 GMT

What age should kids start Jiu-Jitsu?

The simple answer is that there isn’t one perfect age.

Some children are ready to step onto the mat at 4 or 5 years old. Others may get much more out of Jiu-Jitsu if they start at 7, 9, or even as a teenager.

At Growth Mindset Collective, we teach kids of different ages and experience levels at our Jiu-Jitsu academy in Oakley, California. One thing we’ve learned is that readiness matters more than starting as early as possible.

Here’s what parents should consider.

Can a 4 or 5-Year-Old Start Jiu-Jitsu?

Yes, but Jiu-Jitsu for a young child should look different from training for an older child. At this age, we aren't expecting kids to understand every technical detail or perform complicated sequences perfectly. Much of their learning comes through movement.

Young children can begin developing skills such as:

Balance and coordination
Falling safely
Basic Jiu-Jitsu positions
Following directions
Working with a partner
Taking turns
Body awareness
Becoming comfortable with physical contact

They’re also beginning to learn something that will be important throughout their Jiu-Jitsu journey: how to keep trying when something is difficult.

For younger students, we want Jiu-Jitsu to provide structure and learning while still being something they look forward to doing.

Ages 6–8: Building the Fundamentals

For many children, the elementary years are a great time to begin Jiu-Jitsu.

Kids at this age are often able to follow more detailed instructions and begin connecting individual techniques to larger concepts.

Instead of simply learning what movement to perform, they can gradually start understanding why it works.

They can begin developing a foundation in areas such as:

Takedowns
Positional control
Escapes
Guard
Basic submissions
Self-defense
Controlled sparring

They’re also learning how to work with different partners and how to respond when things don't immediately go their way.

Those lessons are a big part of Jiu-Jitsu.

Ages 9–12: Learning to Problem-Solve

As kids get older, Jiu-Jitsu becomes increasingly technical. Students can begin understanding how techniques connect together rather than viewing each one as an isolated movement. If one technique doesn't work, what comes next? If your opponent changes position, how do you respond? How do you recognize what your training partner is trying to do?

This is where Jiu-Jitsu really begins to feel like physical problem-solving.

Kids in this age range can also begin taking more responsibility for their own training. They can set goals, recognize areas they need to improve, and learn from both successful and unsuccessful rounds.

Is Middle School or High School Too Late to Start?

Absolutely not.

A child does not need to start Jiu-Jitsu at 4 years old to become good at it. Tweens and teenagers who begin later often learn quickly because they have greater body awareness, longer attention spans, and a better ability to understand technical instruction. They can also begin to appreciate some of the deeper aspects of training—strategy, timing, leverage, and learning how to stay composed when another person is actively resisting them.

Starting at 12, 14, or 16 still gives a student years of training before adulthood. There is no reason to feel like they've missed their opportunity because they didn't start when they were little.

How Do I Know If My Child Is Ready?

Age is only one part of the equation. Instead of asking whether your child has reached a particular birthday, consider whether they're ready for the environment. A child doesn't need to be perfectly focused or exceptionally athletic. They don't need to already know how to wrestle. And they certainly don't need to be fearless.

But they should gradually be able to participate in a group, listen to an instructor, work safely with another child, and understand that sometimes they'll be asked to do something that feels difficult.

For some children, those skills develop very early.

For others, they take more time.

That's okay.

What If My Child Is Shy or Nervous?

Being nervous before a first Jiu-Jitsu class is completely normal. A new academy can be a lot to take in. There are unfamiliar people, unfamiliar movements, and kids wearing uniforms your child may have never seen before. Some children run onto the mat immediately. Others want to watch first.

We don't believe a nervous first day tells you whether a child will eventually enjoy Jiu-Jitsu. Sometimes the child sitting quietly on the edge of the mat during their first visit becomes the student who can't wait for class a few months later. Give them an opportunity to experience it.

Does My Child Need to Be Athletic?

No.

Kids don't need to “get in shape” before starting Jiu-Jitsu. They don't need exceptional strength, flexibility, speed, or coordination either. Those are things that can develop through training.

In fact, one of the things we enjoy about Jiu-Jitsu is that there isn't one ideal body type for the sport.

Students gradually learn how their own bodies move and how to use technique, positioning, timing, and leverage.

What About Self-Defense?

Self-defense is an important part of our youth program at Growth Mindset Collective. But we also believe children's self-defense needs to include more than physical techniques. Kids should learn about awareness, using a strong voice, setting boundaries, identifying safe adults, getting away when possible, and knowing when they need to ask for help.

When a situation does become physical, Jiu-Jitsu can give children experience with concepts such as maintaining balance, escaping grabs or difficult positions, controlling another person, protecting themselves, and getting back to their feet.

No martial art can guarantee that a child will be safe in every situation.

The goal is to give them more tools.

Does My Child Have to Compete?

No.

Competition can be a valuable part of Jiu-Jitsu, but it isn't required to benefit from training. Some kids love tournaments. Others have no interest in competing. And some students train for quite a while before deciding they want to test themselves in competition.

We don't believe tournament medals are the only measure of progress.

A child can become a skilled, confident Jiu-Jitsu practitioner without ever stepping onto a competition mat.

So, What Is the Best Age to Start Jiu-Jitsu?

The best age is when your child is ready to learn. For one child, that might be 4. For another, it might be 8. For another, it might be 15.

Starting younger doesn't automatically mean someone will become better at Jiu-Jitsu. What matters much more over time is consistent training, good instruction, and developing a positive relationship with learning.

If your child is interested, the easiest way to find out whether they're ready is to let them experience a class.

Looking for Kids Jiu-Jitsu in Oakley, CA?

Growth Mindset Collective offers youth Jiu-Jitsu classes for kids and teens in Oakley, California, serving families throughout Oakley, Brentwood, and the surrounding communities.

Our youth program combines technical Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with age-appropriate self-defense, movement, problem-solving, and an emphasis on developing a growth mindset both on and off the mat.

If you've been wondering whether Jiu-Jitsu is right for your child, come see what a class is actually like.

One Year on the Mats: Celebrating Growth Mindset Collective’s First Year in Oakley

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:00:21 GMT

From the Garage to Our Own Academy

Before there was a sign on the building, a full schedule of classes, or a team filling the mats, there was a garage.

Growth Mindset Collective started small, with Jiu-Jitsu classes being taught out of our home. We had a vision for the kind of academy we wanted to create: a place where kids and adults could learn legitimate Jiu-Jitsu, challenge themselves, and be surrounded by people who wanted to see them grow.

Those early days weren’t glamorous, but they were special.

Some of the families who train with us today were there in the garage. They believed in what we were building before we had a real academy to call home.

Then, in July 2025, we opened the doors to our location in Oakley.

Seeing our name on the building and our mats laid out for the first time was exciting—but what has happened on those mats over the last year is what has made this place Growth Mindset Collective.

A Year of Growth

Our first year has been busy. Really busy.

We’ve watched students walk through the doors nervous for their very first Jiu-Jitsu class and eventually become the person welcoming the next beginner onto the mat. We’ve watched kids develop skills, compete in tournaments, win matches, lose matches, and learn that both experiences have something to teach them. We’ve watched adults discover—or rediscover—what it feels like to challenge themselves physically and mentally.

Our team has stepped onto competition mats together. We’ve hosted special events and seminars. We’ve added new opportunities to train and continued developing our programs as our community has grown. There have been promotions, first stripes, first competitions, hard rounds, big wins, tough losses, and countless small moments that probably won't ever make it onto social media. Those small moments are often the ones we're most proud of.

More Than the Number of Students on the Mat

Growth is easy to measure in numbers. More students. More classes. More programs. But that isn't the kind of growth that matters most to us.

We see it when a student finally understands a technique they've struggled with for weeks. We see it when a kid who was nervous to participate starts raising their hand. We see it when teammates stay after class to help each other. We see it when someone loses a match, comes back to the academy, and gets right back to work. And we see it when someone new walks through our doors and the team makes them feel like they belong.

That's the Growth Mindset in Growth Mindset Collective.

From Our First Families to Our Newest

One of the most meaningful parts of celebrating our first anniversary is looking around the academy and realizing how many different points in our story are represented on the same mats. Some of you have been with us since we were training in the garage. Some of you took a chance on us when we opened our Oakley academy. Some joined somewhere along the way. And some of you have only been here for a few weeks.

It doesn't matter when you arrived.

You're part of the team.

Every person who has trained with us, supported an event, competed under the GMC name, recommended us to a friend, brought their kids to class, helped another student, or simply continued showing up has played a part in making this academy what it is.

Celebrating One Year Together

This month, we had the chance to celebrate our first anniversary the best way we know how—with our team.

Seeing everyone together was a reminder of just how far we've come from those first classes in the garage.

One year isn't a very long time.

We're still learning. We're still building. And there is a lot we want Growth Mindset Collective to become.

But we're incredibly proud of what this community has built in its first year.

This Is Just the Beginning

When we started Growth Mindset Collective, we wanted to create more than a place where people could learn Jiu-Jitsu. We wanted to build a community centered around learning, perseverance, and the idea that none of us are finished products. There will always be another technique to learn. Another challenge to work through. Another opportunity to get a little better than we were yesterday.

That's true in Jiu-Jitsu, and it's true everywhere else.

To everyone who has been part of our first year: thank you.

Thank you for trusting us with your kids. Thank you for trusting us with your own training. Thank you for supporting a small, family-run academy. And thank you for helping turn an idea that started in a garage into the community we get to walk into every day.

Here's to year two.

We'll see you on the mats.

— Mark & Sabrina
Growth Mindset Collective
Oakley, California