Checking out to Check in

I have had a gym for 15 years. I love the NCFA. I check in 6 days a week. I bring my knowledge and the love for MMA everyday, which is why I feel my academy is such a positive environment for everyone. Some people tell me I need the vacation or to take time off. I have an addiction to jiu jitsu. I feel the need to roll every day.

The summer time is my vacation. I leave my 5 bedroom home and stay in a 1 bedroom cabin 45 minutes away with my family...Yes all 5 of us...I wouldn't call it a complete vacation because I commute to the academy to teach and get my roll in every day, 6 days... but for me, its enough, its enough to check out during the day and spend the day at the beach with my family. I get to fish with my boys, take rides in the golf cart and relax on river time. The cabin is my peaceful place, it helps me regroup and refocus. Check out for a few hours everyday and focus on what matters the most...my family... with the kids out of school I get to spend all day with them in a beautiful place surrounded by the redwoods.

Summer is and always has been my favorite time of the year. As a kid I loved being out of school, as an adult I love it when my kids aren't in school. Its a time for them to regroup and  be a kid... which kids don't do much of anymore. The Cabin is where they can be a kid... They run, collect sticks, look for banana slugs, make s'mores daily and for them check out as well. Seeing my family enjoying this magical place for the entire summer is my vacation. Its my way of feeling better about showing up 6 days a week and for my wife and kids its 5 days a week. We all show up. yes all 5 of us. its a way of life for the kids, fortunately they don't know any different, all 3 of them have been in the gym since they were born. The summer helps all of us show up to the gym refreshed everyday, we all need the 3 months in the redwoods every year.

I didn't always have a cabin... in fact we just purchased it a few years ago. but before that I always had something for me to check out for a few hours each day, for a while it was a car I restored. There is always something somewhere that can help you check out. A book, a beautiful drive, a nap. something daily even 15 minutes of time thinking about goals can help. What are some of the things that help you when you feel the urge to check out? Something that helps you get through your job everyday? Maybe its Jiu jitsu, Maybe its NCFA?
Dave

Sharing the LOVE...

I feel like being in the situation I'm in with having a martial arts gym, I feel obligated to help anyone and everyone that steps foot in my academy. I provide such a powerful, positive place. I feel like its more than just a martial arts gym. For some people, its their therapy, for some its the only way to fight through their addiction. Its a stress reliever, for some kids it helps them focus, weather we have kids with ADHD or confidence and self esteem issues or someone getting bullied. I'm there for them all , and so is my gym. The Academy isn't going anywhere. it will be there for you always.  I check in as a mentor everyday. I try to be a positive influence in everyone's lives. I give advice that's not always what you want to here, but its the truth. If I only told you what you wanted to hear what is that going to do for you? For us? For my reputation? My gym would be a lie, it would be a fake. I'm not. I tell it like it is but NCFA is ALWAYS there. My academy is becoming something more special. I've come to a place where I feel comfortable helping everyone. I'm sharing the love. I'm sharing something that is so special to me and making it special to families, to relationships, to professional fighters, to people dealing with addiction, children dealing with having single parents, to those who are having a rough time in school, I'm helping parents parent. I'm helping kids with disabilities, adults with disabilities, I'm giving people a place to be and feel safe. I'm sharing my love. Something that no one else can share because its so unique. No one can duplicate it. its mine, its my name, its my time. That powerful, positive place that I've worked for and love. I want to cater to you all. I want to be there for everyone. I want to reach those people that feel like they cant do what we do. Something that stops people from coming in is simply because their mind tells them they cant do it, too old, not capable, that's just a fighting school. You can do it. I'm that someone that can show you how rewarding this gym can be for your life. I'm NOT GOING TO CHANGE, I'm not a new business starting strong and slowly fading, I started strong 15 years ago and I feel like the NCFA is stronger than ever. We are a family, and we are the reason why its an amazing place, a place that is amazingly different for every person.
Dave

Evolved

Today was an awesome day in the gym. I mean, it always is but today I looked around and saw how much the art has evolved. Watching people doing jiu jitsu, wrestling, boxing, muay thai, and MMA I realized over the 15 years of having the NCFA anyone can walk through the doors and I can put them in any direction they want from the training I provide. The NCFA’s reputation is slowly changing from “they are just a fighting gym” to “I train there with my son/daughter.” I can give someone something that they can take with them forever. These people can get whatever they want out of my gym.



MMA (mixed martial arts) yes Meryl Streep, what we do IS an art has become something so much more than two people mixing martial arts. It has become an art that EVERYONE can do.

Tonight there were 15 women grappling, kids, adults, doctors, pros, mothers, daughters, men, fathers, someone you probably know was in the gym training tonight and it made me realize I can give this to everyone. I can cater to someone trying to go pro, or just wanting to learn how to defend themselves. Tonight I feel a sense of accomplishment with the gym... I have so many ideas and the wheels are always turning. I want to help you all! I feel like it’s the beginning.
-Dave

Two Firsts

Welcome! Thank you for checking in on the NCFA website. Keep checking in regularly for blog posts and the most up to date information about Santa Rosa's premier Mixed Martial Arts academy, the longest running Gracie Jiu jitsu gym in Sonoma County and the FIRST ever all no-gi academy in the United States. We are proud to provide Northern California with the best, most effective martial art in the world! We are excited to share our thoughts and experience’s on this blog with you all! Feel free to share your thoughts as well. Our dedication and the amount of time that we put into our members is only a small part of what we do. We hope to provide you all with a safe, comfortable, family friendly atmosphere you can share with the entire family.

With all that being said and done, I want to explain the blurry [old] yes, I said old photo I posted for my FIRST blog. That picture was the FIRST academy group photo. Where it a started, and where we became a TEAM. I look at the photo and feel so proud of my team and where we have come. April marks 15 YEARS as NCFA and I couldn’t be more proud and happy to be a part of something great. Thank you all for an amazing journey that feels like this picture was taken yesterday!

See you all Monday!

Dave