F3 Podcast - Faith, Family, and Finance
A Gaddis Premier Wealth Advisors Podcast.
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F3 Podcast - Faith, Family, and Finance
Kayl Bryant | Episode 10 | Fatherhood, Faith, and Jiu-Jitsu
Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Kayl Bryant, the passionate coach and owner of Empire Jiu-Jitsu, who shares his compelling journey from aspiring doctor and engineer to successful gym owner. Discover how Kalyl's faith intertwines with his career, offering a deeper narrative about the sheer determination and purpose behind his gym's mission. He opens up about the rollercoaster of challenges and rewards across his diverse career paths, emphasizing how faith and jiu-jitsu have been pivotal in shaping his identity and confidence.
In a fascinating discussion, we dive into the operational trials and triumphs of running a jiu-jitsu gym, and the camaraderie that makes it all worthwhile. From the initial spark of interest to the extraordinary community support for Empire Jiu-Jitsu, Kayl provides a no-holds-barred look at the demanding yet rewarding nature of this journey. Hear about the interpersonal dynamics within the jiu-jitsu community, the unexpected financial strains, and the vital work ethic required to succeed. Get a candid look at the unique aspects of jiu-jitsu that make it an effective self-defense technique and its evolving role in the world of mixed martial arts.
We also lighten things up with some hilarious stories from the kids' jiu-jitsu classes – think herding cats but with more giggles and unexpected incidents. Kayl shares his excitement for his new venture, Flowstate, a clothing company born out of the same passion and dedication that fuels his gym. Learn about the creative challenges and the joy of designing unique gear inspired by the mental state athletes achieve during peak performance. Finally, we reflect on how meaningful conversations about faith have flourished within the gym's supportive environment, making it a place of growth both on and off the mats. Join us for this engaging episode packed with wisdom, laughter, and inspiration.
You know, I think there's so and you obviously know this stuff, but there's so many correlations between jujitsu and like faith and my initial goal with the gym and it still is my goal, but uh was literally just to use the gym like to love people well and just share the gospel with them.
Speaker 1:You know, like you know, god has done so much awesome work in my life and, you know, healed me from so much baggage, and Jujitsu has been a massive portion of that too and kind of the confidence I have, and you know who I am now.
Speaker 3:My name is Derek Hines and I'm the managing partner here at Gattis Premier Wealth Advisors and I am happy to have Kale Bryant the Kale Bryant with me today. Yeah, man, there's, there's a couple of Kale Bryants in town, right.
Speaker 1:Um myself and one other guy.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't know the other guy.
Speaker 3:Yeah Well, I appreciate you joining us.
Speaker 1:I'm glad to be here. Thanks for that. Yeah, so tell uh, tell me a little about what you do Um I'm a father husband, uh, not really in that order, I don't know um, but uh, I'm a brazilian jiu-jitsu coach. We own a gym here in town and so uh got a pretty crazy story. But uh went from multiple different uh career fields to jiu-itsu, so it's been pretty interesting along the way. Yeah. We might get into that. But yeah, we run Empire Jujitsu.
Speaker 3:Cool. Well, I guess we're going to get into it now. So you said multiple. I'm not. I mean, I know you were an architect or an engineer, Engineer. So what's the multiple? What were you before that?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So I mean, when I graduated high school, um, I was always my my mom was in medical field and so I was always kind of pushed into medical. So I was like I'm going to go and, uh, be a doctor, like that's what's going to define me being a doctor. And so I was in school, decided oh, I really don't like this as much, but I was the senior um at, uh senior at Southeastern here in town before I decided like I didn't really want to do it.
Speaker 3:That's a great time to think about changing.
Speaker 1:Right, and so I didn't really know what else to do. So I was like, well, I'll just finish out my degree, yeah, that's smart. And so it actually wasn't smart, I'll tell you why. But I finished out my degree in biology and chemistry and then I was just kind of in limbo after that. I didn't really know what to do. And so, you know, I applied for some jobs. Things didn't work out and then, uh, you know, worked for about a year and a half uh, actually two years and then decided to go to engineering. Yeah, so my first career path was, you know, and I would say, is basically career path, because, you know, put in four hours a month.
Speaker 3:Yeah, four years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like. But um, then I went into, uh, engineering and so did that, you know, came here, started working, hated my job yeah, not not that the job was bad, I just I didn't really enjoy the work. It wasn't, you know I working, I wasn't, you know, I was working 70 hour weeks pretty consistently, yeah, and uh, you know, you and I happened basically and you kind of gave me that fired open.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So you said it wasn't smart to finish the first, the first degree.
Speaker 1:Why not? Because it completely, like, ruined my ability to get grants and so I already had a degree, and so whenever I decided to go back to engineering school, I already had a degree. So any grants that I applied for I was immediately denied. Yeah, because I already had a degree. So why would they give me grants to do that? Yeah, I had to pay for everything out of pocket. Yeah, sucks. I mean, I got some scholarships, but yeah yeah, where'd you get your engineering degree from?
Speaker 3:oh?
Speaker 1:you? Yeah, I was. I'm a friend of that, I know. To be fair, the more time I spent at OU, the less of an OU fan I became.
Speaker 3:That's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:That's the truth. Seriously, though, I was a diehard OU fan before. Yeah, like, argue, you know, with everybody, yeah, I don't mind, yeah, I don't mind, I don't mind, I just I just think there was so much arrogance around you know, the um the campus that it was like I just got turned off by it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, kind of is what it is. Yeah, so, yeah, so, husband, father jujitsu coach.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, obviously not in that order. If I were to put it like in a sequential order, I would say like Christian.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, Father.
Speaker 1:Yeah, jessica told us that. But yeah, I mean, usually being a father takes up the majority of everything. Yeah. First to the. So how old are your kids? I have a six-year-old and a four-year-old and they are heathens. That's not completely true, oh, dude, most sinful kid, you don't realize the broken condition of man. True, it's exactly true. Kids are crazy. Oh dude, always fight.
Speaker 3:Yeah, did that tell you about Jesse?
Speaker 1:I don't know which one.
Speaker 3:So Jesse broke his foot. Well, yeah, so he had a table that fell on his foot and we thought it was broken. But then he, you know. So we got x-rays at the urgent care, which that's just a bad idea. They didn't do a perfectly good job, but they found a chip on his toe, but his toe, like his toe, doesn't even hurt. And so we take him to our primary care doctor and he's got his crutches and, uh, the doctor's not even out of the office yet and he's like hey, mommy, check this out, I'm a flying eagle. He holds his crutches out and he loses his balance and goes face first into the door jam. And the doctor turns back around and she's like jesse, how about we don't do that? The doctor said that, yeah, the doctor said that she's so annoyed, it's just kid.
Speaker 1:I mean, kids are kids are crazy and it was timothy that had the glass like shattered on this no, that was Jesse.
Speaker 3:No, jesse's our frequent flyer in the emergency room. Goodness, yeah, yeah, he split open his lip. He's broken his wrist or his arm. Yeah, that was brutal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's just yeah, he's goes 90 to nothing. Yeah, I'd rather have a kid that goes 90 to nothing then.
Speaker 3:Oh, I agree, I agree, yeah. So what are some of, like, what are some of the most interesting things you've learned about being a father, or learned from being a father?
Speaker 1:Uh, I mean, I don't know if I'd classify it as interesting, but just you know, dying to yourself, basic patience, selflessness, like so many different, yeah, it's so hard, but it's so rewarding.
Speaker 2:It's so hard but it's so rewarding at the same time. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean yeah, yeah, it's a good spiritual principle. You know, we live on a farm, so life requires death. I make this joke, like you know, our children, they suck the lives out of this. So for them to live like, we have to die to some degree and that's. You know that's multifaceted. Most of it is just our, our ego or our desires, but it is also rewarding at the same time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think kids is so hard because, like you, see your inadequacies coming out in your kids.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, yeah, the things you work really hard to not do as believers.
Speaker 1:You know we would call that sin. Yeah, but like I see my sin come out and that's why me and my youngest clash so hard. Yeah, because he's just like yeah, whereas me and my oldest, he's so much like my wife and my wife is so yeah.
Speaker 3:yeah, that's a nice plug there. Make sure we put that to a short she probably won't even, but um, I'll.
Speaker 1:Uh, we, we cling together like so well. But Bex man, he, he is me to a T. I just get so aggravated at. That's funny. But kids man.
Speaker 3:Such is life, Yep yeah. So what is your uh, what does your wife do?
Speaker 1:kids, man such as life, yep, yeah. So what is your uh, what does your wife do? Uh, my wife does marketing, um, at first united bank, so, uh, she has a pretty awesome job.
Speaker 3:Nice, uh, sugar mama yeah, they hope you live your dreams.
Speaker 1:Sorry um, but yeah, she does marketing. She's awesome. Uh, literally everything that I am like wouldn't be here without, yeah, so, uh, she's phenomenal, but and everybody that meets her knows that- yeah you know, but you know she, she wears the big pants of the family. Uh, you both work pretty hard. Uh, we do absolutely, but she's very selfless awesome yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:So how'd you get into jujitsu? Because, because of my boys.
Speaker 1:Actually, whenever I was up at OU, I'd always wanted to do jujitsu and I was interested in it. You know, probably about 10 years before I ever started training. But being from Antlers, oklahoma, there is nowhere to train. And so went to Southeastern and never, never got to the point where there was really anywhere to train. There was one guy in town to train, but I never really pulled the trigger. And then once I got to Norman, I was like, okay, I'm going to train. Well, then I put it off for two years.
Speaker 1:My oldest son was born and I was like, well, I really want him to train, but I really don't want him to destroy me. Yeah, how could I discipline my son if he could be? So, uh, once he was born you know, he's a couple of months old I went and tried a first class and man kicked myself that I didn't start sooner and it just kind of overtook my life. You know, my life basically became like my family school and jujitsu. Yeah, um trained in norman, moved here and um started engineering. And there was there was, you know, one other guy in town that did jujitsu, but they did night classes and I I didn't really have the time for that.
Speaker 1:So yeah I was like, I'll do some six same stuff yeah, and you were already a blue belt by then right, it was a, I was a blue belt and uh, so, like Jeremiah and, um, some other people that I knew, uh was like, hey, you know, they were interested in jujitsu. I was like I'm going to have this, you know, yeah, a house and we'll just drill on the mornings, and he kind of took off and you ended up coming because of Jeremiah and you know, uh, it got to the point where we were training five days a week, you know, 6 AM.
Speaker 1:And then, yeah, it just blew up from there, but from there to victory. Life Academy to empire jujitsu.
Speaker 3:Yep, so yeah, well it's. It's been amazing to see how fast the gym has grown. I mean, people just man, it's, it's K, it's, it's chaos there in the evenings.
Speaker 1:I mean you can't find a parking spot? Yeah, and our parking lot's massive, yeah, poor Taco Casa. Yeah, they catch our overflow, but I guarantee you we brought them a lot of business, so I hope.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, no, they're selling much tacos Because of the gym.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I always see people with Taco Casa trash. Yeah, yeah, I mean it's pretty insane. I remember when we started I was like you know, just just want a little bit, like just enough to kind of sustain, you know, and it's way exceeded our expectation. Yeah, I never expected it to be. You know what.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean we've had people come in from, I mean gyms in the big cities and they're just extremely impressed with the facilities well, yeah, man, and I think it just goes to show everybody's a work ethic.
Speaker 1:You know, like nobody in here is just like halfway doing anything, like we're, we're, we're studying the exact same things these big gyms are, yeah, and it shows when we go to tournaments, like every tournament that we've gone to, we've had a winning record. Yeah, no, with, maybe, with maybe the first, maybe the exception of the very first kids tournament, kids just got destroyed. Yeah, but like, I mean, dude, we've already won a team trophy at one of these tournaments where, you know it's, it's six schools that pool together and us, our one school came, you know, and one third, you know, and adult Nogi, I believe. So yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's pretty awesome to see our success yeah, so what have been like some of your biggest challenges in starting the gym?
Speaker 1:um, I mean some foreseen, like obviously financial, there's always financial risk and thankfully, like with me working engineering and taylor doing marketing, we had, you know, saved up some money so we were able to, you know, take that leap and open the gym. Yes, that's most, that's most people's issue. Like, if people have the skills to open a gym, they usually don't have the financial backing and so we were able to fund ourselves and people don't understand, like, how expensive it is. Especially when you get people that like complain about membership prices, you're like, dude, you don't, you don't even understand. My base bills are almost, you know, 10,000 a month at times. Yeah and so, um, but yeah, financial was obviously a big one. Um, you know, uh, just getting people in the door and getting people to stay is a big one. Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's really hard, you know, investing in people and then like them, either not caring about it as much as you, or they do care about it and they potentially get injured, or they just kind of lose interest and it's like, man, all that time that I invested into these, it gets really hard not to get burnt out on that and then, uh like, lastly, just the drama. Like anything with people, there's gotta be drama, yeah, and so, whether that's you know people on the outside that just don't like us for some reason, or you know, um, people in the gym that have found a fence with something, yeah, like, for the most part, the drama has been pretty minimal. But, yeah, drama is never.
Speaker 3:Yeah, how do you, how do you navigate that?
Speaker 1:Man, I just, I just try to be a peacemaker, yeah, which naturally, like with my background, you know, um with my family and growing up and everything, I was always kind of like that, that peacemaker. Yeah. Um. And so it's lended well into jujitsu, because most jujitsu coaches are pretty hot headed, like if you, if you make them mad, they're just going to try to fight you. You know everything I can to kind of mitigate conflict. Yeah, sometimes to a fault, yeah, and you have. You had two sisters, right, you have two conflict. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Sometimes to a fault.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and you have. You had two sisters, right? You have two sisters.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Two older younger.
Speaker 1:They're in a younger.
Speaker 3:Okay, yeah, that makes sense, peacemaker.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I mean, it's a challenge and thankfully, like you know, there hasn't been too much drama in the gym. You know, Um, like we've only, we've only had to kick out a few people you know, for reasons I don't really want to talk about on here, yeah, but um, yeah, for the most part, like we've had a really good community, really supportive, yeah.
Speaker 1:It's funny, I'll be at the gym or I'll be at a grocery store and I'll hear people talking about empire and I'll even, like, hear my name dropped and people are like, oh yeah, I'm like a Kel Wright guy. I'm like they don't even know it's me. Yeah, oh, and it's been kind of a weird feeling, yeah, seeing people around Durant talk about empire and they don't even know I'm part of it. Yeah, he's the owner, you know. Yeah, but I think we've had a really awesome impact on the group.
Speaker 3:Oh, I agree. Yeah, so, whenever you know, whenever someone um well, we'll back up a little bit. So what would you say to someone that's like thinking about trying jujitsu, but just kind of on the fence?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, it depends. Everybody has different levels of you know risk that they're willing to take. You know so, like you, for example, you grew up wrestling and so like grappling is not as foreign of a concept to you.
Speaker 1:So to go in and try out a class isn't, as you know, um daunting, yeah, but um, you get the person that's never even done anything physical, you know, and they're trying to maybe build some confidence or like varying degrees of the risk that people are willing to take and the people that are like more on that severe side of they're really afraid of conflict. They're really afraid of conflict, they're really afraid of physical activity in general. I would just, you know, do some research and just come watch a class. You're like you don't even have to be, um, you don't even have to be physically involved to see what it's like. And so many people are always surprised to see really what the environment is.
Speaker 1:You know, everybody always thinks like we're just like bashing each other's face, like it's rough, tough yeah I mean, I would say 90 of our gym, you know, is some of the nicest yes you know. But um yeah, just come, come watch a class and see what it's about, and then yeah people are usually like wow, like I expected it to be way different. Yeah, and then for the more active people, like just just come try a class, right? You know, obviously everybody listens to. You know, joe Rogan, jocko, like all of these different podcasts that have jujitsu like integrated into it and everybody understands the benefits of it. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But it's a hard thing to do and people a lot of times it scares people.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So what are? So what are some of the benefits from your perspective? Like, what have you experienced? I could go on forever.
Speaker 1:But, um, you know, first is confidence, like I think that's the biggest, you know like the ability to understand, like that you can take care of yourself. You know, if a physical altercation occurs Now some people will take that too far Like you got to run your guns, knives, multiple, of course, crazy, but confidence is a big one. And then, like there's so many things that branch off of that confidence, like, with that confidence you have, you know, increased athletic ability. So, like your ability to do things for longer periods of time, you know you have increased. Like body, you know, um, uh, what's the word I'm looking for? Like people are more in shape.
Speaker 3:Better body image.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, so Still waiting on that one. Now, what I mean? People like look better, they feel better, yeah, you know they're healthier. So there's the health aspect to it. Um, you know, to go along with that, there's camaraderie. So building good community, I mean, you become one of my best friends, and what? Three years? Yeah, and it's literally. We really don't spend any other time other than, yeah, we don't have the time, yep, we don't have time to just go to each other's house, yep. And so, um, yeah, man, confidence, health, camaraderie, yep, there's other stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, community, camaraderie, community.
Speaker 1:That's such a big one. Dude Like who likes CrossFit? Like, let's be on, you know nobody, nobody. I doubt anyone does CrossFit. I'll listen to this. Yeah, I know, I know this is for you, Mark. If you're like who really likes the aspect of CrossFit, Like, yes, I mean, it's beneficial, but why do people really love CrossFit Community? Yeah.
Speaker 1:They want to do hard things with their friends. Yeah, you know, and that's the thing about CrossFit Like nobody is in the middle of doing you know, I'm not a CrossFit person but nobody's in the middle of doing this intense workout where they can barely breathe, they're throwing up and now this is so much fun, like now they might enjoy the endorphins after, yeah, towards. But you know, um, at the end of the day, it's community, it's doing hard things with people that you love and it's a big. Yeah, I've always said jiu-jitsu is the new crossfit yeah, well, especially in jiu-jitsu.
Speaker 3:Like you, I mean you are, I mean you're trusting people with your life to some degree.
Speaker 3:I mean, if you, you pass out, like you understand, you're going to, you're going to wake up. But, um, I mean someone, yeah, sometimes, yeah, someone you know and it's interesting, I was talking to someone about this just the other day, about the community aspect uh, the culture that you guys have built because there really is, really is this perception that you're just they're beating people up like you're, they're trying to beat everybody up, and that's. That's not the case, and there's a. There's a fine line though, between I mean you are training to protect yourself, and sometimes that involves being offensive, and so you, I mean you are trusting people with.
Speaker 1:You know your life and your limbs, yeah, and there's so many things I want to take out from what you just said. But, like you know, the trust is so big. Well, you know you're trusting that whenever you tap to a submission if you don't know jiu-jitsu for the people out there like I apply something to make you give up, whether that's attacking a joint, whether that's attacking a choke, that's going to attacking a choke, that's going to cut off you know, blood supply and oxygen to your brain, yep, um, and you're tapping, like saying that you give up, stop. And there's that trust to where, when you tap, whenever you give up, I'm like, okay, you know, uh, I'm going to respect that and let go. Yes, and so whenever you're inherently trusting your body and or your life with these people, your body and or your life with these people like it builds a pretty big yeah and so like that's such a big deal, um, and then, like you know, you were talking about ego and stuff like that or people being like you know that that might be the case when you're brand new like yeah, and they're pretty rough, but like, at the end of the day, you'd be surprised how gentle like all these people are, and I tell people that pretty often, like you know, I I think Henry Gracie says this all the time and I actually can't stand, henry, he's so cliche, but he's like if someone were to get into a fight with me, it'd be the best day of their life.
Speaker 1:You know, because I'm not going to just bash them, it'd be the best fight they ever got in. Yeah, like, literally, I just take them down and control them. I don't have to do any damage, you know. To do any damage, you know, and people just don't understand. Yeah, like, it's so funny to see, like the thoughts in people's minds, like whenever they think that they're capable and they come out and roll and you're like it is.
Speaker 3:it is interesting the just the different perception, like the difference between people's perception and their actual abilities.
Speaker 1:Oh, right, absolutely. You know, and so, which I mean even you like, when you started, you know you wrestled, so I guarantee you there was some confidence yeah and then you started to just say you're like wow, like so just getting destroyed, yeah, yeah. And so it was the same for me, like when I started, you know, I got really big into like bodybuilding type stuff, um, not to compete, but just because I had no one yeah and so I felt pretty confident in myself.
Speaker 1:No, I was like 205 at the time, you know was strong and I thought oh just, you know, I could handle myself Right. Yeah. And then I went and enrolled and my first, one of my first instructors was just like this small, like 160 pound guy, yeah, and just like destroyed my arms.
Speaker 3:You know, it's like a, there's a quick awakening yeah, yeah, you know you, you kind of hit on a good point. You know about, like what, what we're doing in jiu-jitsu? We probably should have started with that, you know? I mean, some people probably don't even know what. You know what jiu-jitsu is?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, I mean I can give a quick breakdown. I mean basically like jiu-jitsu if you aren't familiar or grappling, submission. Grappling is kind of morphing into all one thing now. Um, it's literally just controlling people, you know. So, like if we, if we take a step forward and look at full mma or full like an actual fight, you know you have striking mixed with grappling, mixed with biting and everything else, so that's like a full fight, you know yeah uh, they'd be on the street, yeah, but then, like you take a step back, go MMA.
Speaker 1:you know, obviously MMA isn't like a full out fight. Yes, there's some constraints that protect, you know, the fighters and stuff, yeah, but they can strike and then they can look to grapple and grappling is controlling and they can mix the grappling with the striking and stuff like that. Yeah, what jiu-jitsu is. We just remove the striking portion. And the cool part about jiu-jitsu it's really the only like martial art or you know um self-defense, to where you can basically go 100 and walk away like without major injury. Yeah, you know, like as long as I tap fast, but you know, um, we're, we're grappling. So I'm looking to basically like four things.
Speaker 1:I'm looking to take someone down you know John Donner talks about this take a group down, look to get past their legs.
Speaker 1:Once I'm past their legs you know which legs strongest part of a person's body Yep, I look to establish positional control and then I look to put on some sort of submission, whether that's really two types of submissions.
Speaker 1:I've got some sort of joint lock, or I'm attacking a joint, or I've got, um, a uh choke limiting blood supply to the brain, so sometimes suffocations, but yeah, um, but a little different. But yeah, so we're basically removing the striking and no going there. And it's actually like this is the argument I tell people all the time and they can agree with this or disagree with this but like striking is relatively intuitive. Like if I hold up my hand and I tell anybody on the street to punch my hand like they do, that 90 of people can hit my hand like yeah, with minimal effort and so, um, but if I tell someone off the street like, hey, I want you to get out of this position, or I want you to choke me with your legs, yeah, we're gonna have no idea. Yep, no, and so that's kind of always my argument for everything. But also, like, on the flip side, some people hate that because there is a lot of thought, there's a lot of complexity that goes into grappling yeah, yeah, well, they can you know.
Speaker 3:You said either get out of, get out of, get out of a position or learn to control people in a certain position.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, and it's so hard. I mean, like if you look at how many different ways just a wrist moves, you know, like there's so many different variables, you know, and just one joint of my body, you know. So then you put a different person, different reactions, different muscle strength, like everything you know, yeah, it's a very interesting dynamic, yeah, so which the same thing can be said about striking, but yeah, I think jujitsu is a little more complicated.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, and what's striking? I mean, I know, I mean from a self-defense perspective. Why do you think jujitsu is better than striking?
Speaker 1:Just because, like, when people get put on the ground, they don't know what to do. I've always said that you know not to be completely biased towards grappling, but, like, if you take a pure striker and a pure grappler and we have empirical evidence that this works with the old ufcs yeah, but like, if you take a pure striker and a pure grappler, the grappler will win almost 99 of the time, unless a striker just gets a lucky shot. Yep, however, ifker and a pure grappler, the grappler will win almost 99% of the time, unless a striker just gets a lucky shot. However, if you take a pure striker and give him some takedown defense, that pure striker will win the majority of the time because he understands how to keep it off the floor. Yeah, and that's the change we're seeing in modern fighting now, to where people are really good strikers and they're really good at takedown defense. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But good strikers and they can't. They're really good at, you know, take down. Yeah, but I mean, it's like if you just take a boxer and like I would just say, even like a good boxer and even just a blue belt to jiu jitsu, like I would, I would argue that the blue belt would win almost every single yeah, because, like, the ability to shell up, protect yourself from one or two hits and get into a takedown is fairly easy. People overreach so much when they're striking that they leave their hips completely accessible. You know, yeah, it's not that hard.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so. So some of like some of your, or at least some of the most exciting classes are your kids' classes.
Speaker 1:Oh dude.
Speaker 3:So what are like what? What are some of the just the craziest things the kids do?
Speaker 1:Oh, like craziest stories that I've had.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I've got one. I've got one specific. Yeah, we don't have to go there first.
Speaker 1:I don't know if that'll make people come. And they will come to jiu-jitsu, but um, it hadn't happened in a long time or at our gym.
Speaker 3:Actually it has, oh so we'll get into.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, but uh, uh, yeah. Oh man, the kids are so crazy. But what's funny is like the kids are actually like completely understand what to do now. So like you haven't helped out with the kids class it's been a long time, but it's completely different time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like they understand, like the kids that are there want to be there. The kids that didn't want to be there anymore, like they've kind of like fizzled out, yeah, and so like they're like a well-run machine. But man, we, for those that don't know at the gym we not every gym does this but we do two different age groups. So we have a four through six-year-old group and then we have a seven through 12-year-old group, and sometimes the six-year-olds get moved up depending on their skill and how long they've been in the lower class. But the lower class is like herding cats 30 minutes long. We're doing just jiu-jitsu games just to help them understand body.
Speaker 3:I heard a good phrase that they called the play jitsu that's pretty much it.
Speaker 1:That's a great description. Yeah, you know, and that's basically what we're doing Like we're putting them with the adults. They're like learning how to take the back or learning how to do a takedown or get out of the position, and we just make a game out of it. It's just yeah. But man, it's just keeping attention. You know you really have to become an entertainer as a coach. Yeah, keep these kids attention and just have fun with them. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So there's that class and that class is always crazy. Man, I'll have kids. I have one kid, you know, doing a headstand, the other kid is waving to his mom, the other kid's eating a booger. You get these crazy kids just acting, acting you know um mental, and then one kid will be good one day. Every the next day is like they skipped a nap or they fell asleep on the car.
Speaker 3:Oh, that was what's the worst.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So, um, it just depends, depends on the, on the yeah. And then we have our older kids, class seven through 12. Those kids are a lot more organized. That's where most of my crazy stories come from. But, um, like, yeah, man, dude. And what's crazy is those kids are hilarious, man, they're so good. Like I had a private today with four kids, and you know, they range from six years old to 10 years old. Um and dude, they're all so good. I was teaching them that swing single today. Mm-hmm, like, they're picking it up, they're great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, hard stuff, yeah so, but Crazy story, crazy stories. I actually have a list on my phone.
Speaker 3:You keep Because I you want to memorialize these stories.
Speaker 1:Well, because, like so many things happen, it's easy to forget. Yeah, cool Happen, but the craziest is the poop on the mat says got that adult. So funny kids stories, so I wasn't there. For the first time.
Speaker 3:I'll let you tell the story if you want we were at a previous location and my daughter you know where I'm doing, you know I'm giving the instruction and you know when you ask, when you, when you open it up for questions, I mean it's like hey, does anyone have any questions about the move? It's like, can we go to Sonic after class? I mean just the most random questions ever, and so you know. Finally, I was just done with the questions and my daughter, joanna, raised her hand. I'm like, joanna, I'll, I'll talk to you after this is over. And uh, you know, I walk up to Joanna and she's like daddy, I'm pretty sure that's poop. And I was like I was not prepared. And I was like I was not prepared. I was not prepared for that. I was like whoa.
Speaker 1:Well, the story you told me was initially you were like no, that's not poop, you know.
Speaker 3:And then Well, no, no, no, that's further on the story. So, anyway, so he was getting cleaned up, you know whatever. And, uh, you know, as we, as we're leaving, get in the truck. This is part of the story that you're probably remembering. I was like, well, joe, like how'd you like, how'd you know it was poop? I was like, no, you didn't. She's like, yeah, I smelled it. It's horrible.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so which to be fair for those listening, this was like our first month of teaching. Yeah, I had no idea what we were doing. It was those classes were terrible, so which we had some good stuff.
Speaker 3:But the quality of class, though, like there's no correlation between the quality of the class and, yeah, and those situations.
Speaker 1:Well, what's crazy, and obviously we're not saying names, but come to cause that that kid actually did it again. Yeah, and those situations, well, what's crazy. And obviously we're not saying names, but come to cause that that kid actually did it again, yeah, and some digestive issues.
Speaker 1:Yes, like come to find out he didn't have underwear on and like, yeah, it was just awful. And so like, uh, there were. One time he asked me. He was like, hey, like can I go to the bathroom? I was like, well, can you wait like five minutes? He's like, he's like no, I gotta go. And then that's when I figured out it was this kid. He was like I have stomach issues. Yeah, oh, no, so, um, but yeah, that's, that was a crazy story. You learned to ask questions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but again, that hasn't on the mat, hasn't happened since then, and that was an old gym yeah absolutely disgusting, but when I had a kid, like we were doing break falls and if you don't know what break falls are, it's a way to absorb contact yeah yourself from.
Speaker 1:I know you know, but to allow yourself from hitting the mat too hard or hit the ground too hard. And we're doing break falls and I kept seeing like piles of sand on the mat and, if you don't know, like if you don't have a clean mat, it's so fresh. Yeah, stepping on mat or stepping on sand on the mat is the worst. And um, where's the sand covered? And uh, come to find out a kid had gone and played at in his backyard before class and stuffed his pocket school. So I I could hold it in my hand and like went to the like, every time he'd do a break, they'll pop out and plug it. I'll do this terrible. Um, so there's that, you know.
Speaker 1:Uh, this exact same kid did the same thing, but he had like five dollars worth of change. So every time he'd do something, coins would just fall out of the map. So that kid's a trip. He's funny. I had another kid that he came into class and, like he, I was seeing stuff on his hands. Like what is that? And I got closer and his mom had given him doritos before he said oh no he had like literally like soggy, nasty dorito.
Speaker 1:It was like all over his face and he's getting dorito dust on everything. I was like dude, what are you doing? Wash your hands. I had one kid. You know we use mouth guards and just suit just to protect teeth and stuff and he kept calling it a mouth goggle. I thought that was hilarious. He's like Coach Kale, can I go get my mouth goggle? I?
Speaker 3:said what I heard someone chipped their tooth last night. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:That's her own fault, which, for the people listening, like hardly ever happens. But, um, I got three more. Uh, this one's the worst. This is the worst memory I have. Um, this one kid, right before he came to class, I guess his parents had given him this massive bag of purple gummies, uh, and so we're finishing class, we're bowing out and this kid is just standing there and he doesn't look good. Oh no, he's kind of like holding his stomach. But I was talking and he was over to the side and then all of a sudden he just goes blah and just like, throws up Just this purple gummy, throw up. And he just it was actually really frustrating because he made no effort to get off the mat, like he just he's just standing there, he just bends over and starts throwing up. I'm like, dude, what are you doing? Get off the mat. But yeah, that one was pretty crazy. I've got a video of it. Literally it's like. I don't want to see that, I wouldn't show you, but it's like, literally, he just bends over and just starts puking.
Speaker 1:And then the last two we have loaner geese that will let people use, and one time I will take the loaner geese home and wash them. And I looked inside a pair of pants and there was stuff in the pants and so we threw the pants away. So we're not washing those and getting those back out. That one was pretty crazy. And then the last one. I had one little girl that was going around literally kissing like everybody on the list oh, it was in the top class the other year. What you're? Oh, you gotta quit kissing people. That's all I have in two years. That was for the right yeah, that's pretty crazy, though.
Speaker 3:Oh dude, yeah, yeah, are kids, are a trip.
Speaker 1:Now again, with that being said, two years, thousands of hours of classes like yeah. None of those things really happen on the regular, but you got to write them down on that.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Oh yeah, no, I can't imagine the stories you're going to have you know at the end of your career.
Speaker 1:Dude. Yeah, they're crazy. Some of them we can talk about off air. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I don't know, like I don't know the best way to say this yeah, but the name Flow State Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:So I'm a little jealous about the name In what?
Speaker 3:regard, just because you know we Flow's kind of been the thing that I've talked about for a long time. And then you go and start a clothing brand named flow state.
Speaker 1:To be fair, the name did not originate from.
Speaker 3:No, I know. Yeah, dustin and I actually had a long conversation about it the other day gets all the credit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which is kind of a funny story, you know, like we started flow state apparel. But rewind a little bit. You know, two, two, two and a half years ago, me and tyler walston, I had actually talked about okay, yeah, and what is he doing these days?
Speaker 1:uh, I think he's just real busy, yeah, so, yeah, I've tried to get him back in, but yeah, he's just a busy guy. So, but, um, which I miss him a lot, for sure, in the gym which we go to church together, I still see that system. But uh, yeah, we, we went and started, uh, we wanted to start a clothing company. We thought it'd be really cool, but we could just never settle on a name. Yeah, you know, uh, I can't remember if it was me or him, I thought it was me. But, um, we came up with endeavor, you know to just say it. But I was like man, it was so long, it was hard, it just yeah, it wasn't really there's something that we were. It wasn't something that either of us was really passionate, yeah, and so we were like nah, and it just kind of died.
Speaker 1:But then I had always had a desire to start up a clothing company or something. And dustin had come to me. It was like, yeah, man, I'm thinking about starting up a company too, and he's like I'm trying to think of a name. And I was like, yeah, dude, like that's been something I've wanted to do forever. And you know, and he was like, yeah, and so I was like well, if you ever need any help, just let me know. And so you know, that was it.
Speaker 1:And then finally he yeah, you know running through some things and all that, and so like, after we had talked about this for about a month, you know on and off, and eventually I was like hey, dude, like you know, I'll help you if you want help, but like, dude, if you want me to like partner with you, like I would love to do that, cause this is something that I want it. Yeah, it was like, and he thought about it for a bit and he was like dude, yeah, I think it'd be really good to have a partnership and it's been nice because he's really good at his stuff and I'm really good at my stuff. We can kind of, you know, merge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and there's not much risk. It's not like we're buying a building or anything like that. Yeah and so. But yeah, he came up with FlowState and it was super awesome. I think all of the yeah I've designed all of the jujitsu stuff um up to up until right now, yeah, but uh which, like you know, I'm really happy with all of it yeah, so how do you so, how do you come up with the name flow state, and then I've got.
Speaker 3:I've don't let me forget. I want to talk to you about a rash guard okay, yeah, absolutely, um, yeah.
Speaker 1:So his thing was, like you know, the definition of flow state, which I'll butcher the definition, but, like you know, it's basically a task that you can do endlessly without the you know use of mind or thought. You know, you know you can just do something out of pure enjoyment. You enter this flow state, you know. And so I'm not sure how he came across it per se, but you know, I came across it and really liked the idea and he's really passionate about it and you know he's more passionate about it than I am. Yeah, I just love the, I love the meaning behind it. I think it's really cool, you know. And so, um, but yeah, we even I think the t shirt had like a wave on the back. Yeah, it's got the, well, it's got. I don't know if you picked up on it. It's white belt, blue belt, purple I did not pick up on the.
Speaker 3:It's the five belt ranks. Okay, yeah, but um the more you know. I tell you what never even crossed my mind. Of course. It was on the back of the shirt, right? So I I have, I'm not like looking at the back of the shirt while I'm wearing it yeah I'll check it out tonight yeah, so.
Speaker 1:but yeah, one of our shirts has the definition yeah no. But um, yeah, that's how he came up with it and, you know, just kind of went on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, that's a good name, which I mean that's some. Flow.
Speaker 1:Hold, yeah. Yeah, I mean, if you do jujitsu, you're aware of flowing per se Yep, unless you're not aware of it. Yeah. But yeah, we, yeah. I thought it went really well with the jujitsu brand.
Speaker 3:Cool yeah, awesome, awesome. So are your rash guards? Are your rash guards going to be IBJJF approved?
Speaker 1:Our first couple of drops won't be.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:Just because IBJJF has so much strict, yeah, rank, and so like, right now, while we have no money, you know, it wouldn't be smart for us to have an inventory. Yeah, you know, ranked rash. Yeah, couldn't sell them, you know. And so it's a good question. But I mean, you do have a connection so I can maybe make you a custom.
Speaker 3:Maybe we'll get a custom one for a tournament coming up here pretty quick.
Speaker 1:For pans, yeah, so, but, um, which I made myself a custom, yeah, great, we can. Just, we can make something. All right, cool, All right, cool. Yeah, dude, like with the way that we plan on doing our drops, like we're trying to figure out, like you know, there's obviously all these established companies and they can have these 20 different designs, yeah, like, we can't afford to have you know, $40,000 of merchandise just sitting there. So we plan on dropping one design, yeah, and we'll use the profits that we make from that first drop to invest into the second drop. You know, like I'm not sure which rash guard design we're going to drop first.
Speaker 1:I'm thinking probably that black waves yeah, I think we get a ton of compliments on it and I think it looks really yeah and so um the with matching shorts and yep yeah, so just buy that and do some kids and adult sizes and, just, you know, go from there and then just try to continually scale it and just pour everything back into the company. You know Cause? I mean, dude, you know there's some, there's some brands out there that started five years ago and they're already multimillion, yeah and so, but they put in so much effort.
Speaker 3:Yeah, do they make their own stuff, or is it all just ordered and made someplace else?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, you know, the only companies that really make their own stuff is like, uh, origin, yeah, and maybe some bigger ones like Kings, but, um, yeah, like all of these smaller brands, you know they get it, they get it, uh, maybe, yeah, so, yeah, but, and that's what you have to do, I think that you can eventually build up to doing your own stuff. I mean, you're looking at salary, yeah, right. So, yep, we're definitely not there, yeah, Cool. But yeah, I mean, check out our flow state apparel yeah, we have some really cool stuff coming, and if you're not into jujitsu, like, a lot of our clothing has nothing to do with jujitsu.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, where, uh, where can they find you?
Speaker 1:It's flowstateapparelshop. Cool Is our website and you can follow us um on Instagram at flowstateapparel. You know we have a Facebook too.
Speaker 3:Yeah and uh. The website for Empire Durant.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so Empire Durant is, we actually just changed our website, so I'm sorry.
Speaker 3:Is it Empire, durant BJJ or Durant Empire?
Speaker 1:So close. It's Empire BJJ Durantcom. Okay, much easier than looking up the website. Just search you know Jiu Jitsu and Durant, or you know Empire Jiu Jitsu Durant. Yeah, like it'll take, there'll be a Google link that you can go right to it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and you guys, I mean we forgot to mention, I mean you have more than just jiu-jitsu, right yeah?
Speaker 1:Yeah, we have kickboxing too, which Zach is our kickboxing coach and he does kids and adults and he's absolutely phenomenal at kickboxing, you know. So he does great. I'm very. He's been with us for over a year now and he does. But, yeah, if you want kickboxing, jujitsu, just community and fellowship, yeah, empire.
Speaker 3:So how do you know? Some of the things we like to talk with people about are faith. So how does your, how does your faith play into your everyday life and what you do for a career?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. You know, I think there's so and you obviously know this stuff. But there's so many correlations between jujitsu and like faith and you know, whenever we were being consistent with our fellowship and jujitsu group, you went through a lot of those things. You're more than welcome to discuss those if you want. But, man, like my initial goal with the gym and it still is my goal but uh was literally just to use the gym like to love people well and just share the gospel with them.
Speaker 1:Yeah literally just to use the gym like to love people well and just share the gospel with them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, like you know, god has done so much awesome work in my life and, you know, healed me from so much baggage, and jiu-jitsu has been a massive portion of that too um, and kind of the confidence I have and you know who I am now but literally just like providing a place to love people well, okay, and I and I really like all glory to god. I think that's why our gym is the way that it is, because, like, we have definitely so many strong believers in there that just love people well, you know, and so that was my goal with the gym in the first place and I really see, I feel like we've had a ton of fruit come from that, like even my church now the number of people that are members you know at the gym that come to my church now you know yeah quite a bit, and so a lot of these people are just, you know, getting loved by the gospel and, you know, having the gospel shared with them and it's pretty awesome to see.
Speaker 1:I mean, with that being said, we're not like force feeding people the gospel, I'm not just, like you know, cramming it down their throats, but you know, like, definitely, that's our desire.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I mean, one guy lives with you, still right, has he moved out yet? No, no, he lives with us.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so which I mean, I won't blast, you got an adult child, yeah, a man child. I don't want to blast his story out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he's a great guy, so yeah, well, this is a testament to how you love people.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, I try, man, I try, which. I've been loved Well a lot of my life. So, but, um, yeah, we, uh, that that's just. You know, it's so easy to portray your faith through jujitsu, you know, and just love people with that, even if it's not a thing where, like which, I have so many friends at the gym that aren't believers. You know, yeah, like it's not, it's not, like it's this thing where you're only allowed in the gym if you're a believer. Yeah, no, not at all. Obviously, like you know, this is something that's impacted my life, like I've seen the benefit, you know, uh, like, of what God, god, has to offer. You know, and I want to tell people about it. Yeah, want people to know. Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's fun.
Speaker 3:That's fantastic. Yeah, yeah, I don't know. I I a hundred percent believe that. I mean that that's one of the primary reasons that you guys have been so successful is. I mean, it's just evident that, like you love people well and people are drawn to you. They're just drawn to you guys because I mean they may not even understand it I mean they might not even be Christians and not understand it, but I do believe that that's just because you love people well.
Speaker 1:No, I would completely agree. And you know I mean to God all the glory for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I mean it's just so cool, like I have so many good friends at the gym that aren't believers, you know, and it's like we just have like great conversations all the time, like you know, um, we'll talk about their beliefs, my beliefs, you know, and at the end of the day we get to have fun and roll and yeah, it's, it's just a good time and so, but I think at the end of the day, like just loving people know, yep cool.
Speaker 3:Well, I don't know where we're at on time, but you know I really appreciate you coming on. Yeah, dude you know I'm glad to be here it's been an honor just kind of being part of the gym and, you know, seeing it start up, seeing it be extremely successful, watching it grow, yeah, watching you guys build community yeah, which I mean like shout out to you, like I know we're wrapping up, but, like you know, none of this would be here if it wasn't for you.
Speaker 1:you know. So, like you were the one that started, you know the interest at victor life academy, now legacy yeah, that happened, and then you and I talked about opening the gym together, and then it just got to the point where it wasn't financially feasible to have. Yeah, yeah, dude, like I'm so thankful to you for what you've been in my life. So, um, yeah, I appreciate you.
Speaker 3:I appreciate that man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, dude, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you. Thank you, I'm Derek Hines and I'm the managing partner here at Gattis Premier Wealth Advisors and we hope you guys have enjoyed this podcast. Please like and subscribe, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Thanks, man Thanks.
