Meet Our Instructors

Joshua hit the mats in 2019 — first thought: "What am I doing?" His one word for BJJ? Community. A strategist always thinking ahead, rolling to the Imperial March — which means someone is always getting submitted, and it's probably not him. His favorite technique to teach is the kimura, because it attacks from so many angles and positions. His mat superpower is hand-eye coordination from ball sports, which quietly pays dividends in timing and reaction. Choke tolerance? He left it blank. The Imperial March already answered that. Off the mats, he's a proud father of seven, married 25 years, and a recent grandfather. The man has seen pressure. Joshua is not currently taking private lessons.

Dave started training in January 2008 and by his own admission, "was not a huge fan in the beginning." Clearly, that changed. His one word for BJJ? Confidence. His theme song is I'm Broken — which describes his opponents after a match. A technician on the mats, Dave's favorite technique to teach is the kimura, because it works from almost anywhere. His secret weapon is a background in Hapkido, bringing wrist locks and control that translate seamlessly to grappling. Choke tolerance: 9/10. Off the mats he's a muscle car guy — horsepower on the street, pressure on the mats. His parting words? Simply: "Never stop!" Dave offers private lessons with flexible availability.

Erik has been on the mats since 1995 — first thought: "Why is this tiny Brazilian guy kicking my butt?" A classic origin story. His one word for BJJ? Challenge. A strategist always thinking ahead, rolling to Seek and Destroy by Metallica. His favorite submission to teach is the bow and arrow choke — because it was the first one that ever put him to sleep. Respect the classics. Choke tolerance: 9/10. His secret weapon? Humor — because at the end of the day, we're all just playing a silly game in pajamas. Off the mats he's a huge Lord of the Rings nerd. His closing thought says it all: "When I'm doing Jiu-Jitsu, I stop thinking about all the other stressors in my life. I get to focus on the moment, and the person trying to mangle me." Erik offers private lessons with flexible availability.

Lori hit the mats in 2008 — first thought: "WHAT AM I DOING HERE?!" Sixteen years later, she's still here, so that worked out. Her one word for BJJ? Expressive. Her favorite technique to teach is the arm-in choke — endless setups, works in competition, works in self-defense. She's a fan. After 16 years, her rolling style? "All of them, depending on the day." The strategist, the technician, the goofball — she's earned every version. Her secret weapon off the mats is patience. Fun fact outside of BJJ? Classified. Choke tolerance: a solid 8 or 9. She notes a 10 is reserved for psychotic people, and we respect that boundary. One final note from Lori herself: she likes cheese like a true Wisconsinite! 🧀🥋 Private lessons available; timing is flexible — best before or after her regular classes, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Rick brings a wealth of experience and a supportive coaching presence to every class. His focus on safe, effective technique makes training accessible for all.

Michael hit the mats in 2013 — first thought: "How am I getting beat by this little guy?" A humbling introduction that clearly hooked him for life. His one word for BJJ? Confidence. A goofball on the surface, a technician underneath. His favorite technique to teach is the guillotine — because of the endless transitions and details packed into one submission. His theme song is the Spider-Man theme, which explains a lot about his game. Choke tolerance: 10/10. Absolutely his happy place. Off the mats he's into computer hacking, and his mat superpower is finding vulnerabilities and exploiting them — same skill set, different arena. He also wants you to know: he's a nice guy. His closing note? "I'm trying..." Relatable. Michael offers private lessons Mondays and Wednesdays, 5–7 am.

Ryan started training in 1999 in Dallas, Texas — back when BJJ was virtually nonexistent in the US. Getting access to it then wasn't luck; it was vision. His one word for the art? Tranquility. Rolling to Blue on Black, he's The Water — calm, flowing, always adapting. His favorite thing to teach is knee shield attacks, using it as both a distance manager and a launch pad for loop chokes. Practical and sneaky. His mat superpower? A genuinely calm mind under pressure. Choke tolerance: 5/10 — honest from a guy who preaches tapping early. Off the mats he's a dad with two kids in college and a senior in high school, which means he's been managing chaos for years. Translates well. His advice for newcomers: "Check your ego at the door and tap early and often. Have some fun." Ryan offers private lessons with a flexible schedule.

Kodi hit the mats in 2005 — first thought: "This is a superpower." He wasn't wrong. His one word for BJJ? Puzzles. A strategist always thinking three moves ahead, rolling to the Pokémon battle music, which is honestly perfect. His favorite thing to teach is guard passing — he sees it as the purest expression of Jiu-Jitsu: dismantling your opponent's defense to claim dominant positions. His mat superpower is patience, and his choke tolerance is a calm, collected 10/10. Off the mats he's a gamer — the puzzle-solving instinct runs deep. Kodi's program follows a structured monthly curriculum built around positional themes, blending technical instruction, situational sparring, and live grappling. Students of all levels are welcome, and camps or intensives are available based on the athlete's needs. Private lessons available before class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 pm.

Tyler stepped on the mats in 2020 — first thought: "I'm going to do this forever. I love this!" And he meant it. His one word for BJJ? Relationships. His favorite technique to teach is the ham sandwich. A goofball at heart, rolling to The City by The Chariot. His secret weapon on the mats isn't a skill — it's prayer, which helps him set his intentions and keep perspective. Choke tolerance: 8/10. A family man who's been raising kids in Lake Country for 7 years, Tyler is deeply invested in his community — teaching fundamentals to kids, supporting his training partners, and being a fun (and hopefully tough) role model for everyone in between. Tyler offers private lessons Monday and Wednesday mornings, Thursdays, and some Fridays.

Katie stepped on the mats in 2017 — her first thought: "Lori is the best instructor." High praise right out of the gate. Her one word for BJJ? People. It's the community that keeps her coming back. A strategist at heart, she's always thinking three moves ahead. Her favorite thing to teach is takedowns, and her theme song is I Take My Chances by Mary Chapin Carpenter — which honestly says everything about her game. By day she's a school teacher, and that patience and ability to break things down translates perfectly to the mats. She holds dual citizenship, and her choke tolerance? A full 10/10. This is her happy place. Katie offers private lessons weekend mornings.

Cortney hit the mats in 2020 — her first thought: "Am I shrimping ok??" — and hasn't slowed down since. Her one word for BJJ? Challenge. She's a flow-with-it, adapt-to-anything type on the mats, with a soft spot for the Ezekiel choke — the first submission her dad ever taught her. Off the mats she's a massive animal lover, multitasks like a pro, and rates herself a cool 7/10 at handling chokes. Her theme song? Tubthumping — she gets knocked down, she gets back up. Cortney offers private lessons Tuesdays, Thursdays, weekends, and some Mondays. Come get choked by someone who genuinely loves what they do.

Tammy stepped on the mats in 2011 — first thought: "I wish I wasn't the only female here." She showed up anyway and kept showing up. Her one word for BJJ? Leverage. A water-style roller, Tammy's favorite technique to teach is the Americana — isolating the arm, using your whole body against it, and neutralizing a limb that could otherwise be a weapon. She emphasizes it heavily for self-defense, especially in real-world scenarios. Her mat superpower? Staying calm under pressure and handling disappointment. Which makes complete sense when you read her background: US Marine Corps veteran, two second-degree black belts (Shorin Ryu Karate and Kobudo weapons), kickboxing training under the late Duke Roufus, Judo training — and now a Realtor, ceramic artist, business owner, and mom. Choke tolerance: 1/10. Instant tap. Even legends have a tell. Off the mats she's known as Taco Cat for her iconic cats-in-taco-hats apparel. Her sign-off? Peace and Love, everyone. Tammy is not currently taking private lessons.

Jarrett stepped on the mats in 2017 — first thought: "This is awesome." He never looked back. His one word for BJJ? Puzzling. Always thinking, always solving. A strategist through and through, his favorite thing to teach is Aoki locks — because they force maximum movement with minimum negotiation when going after the legs. Efficient and ruthless. His theme song is Twist by KoRn, which tracks perfectly. Choke tolerance: a 10. This is genuinely his happy place. Off the mats he's a gaming nerd and painter. His mat superpower is non-emotional detachment — cool, calm, and already three steps ahead. Jarrett offers private lessons weeknights after 4:30 and variable weekend times.

Tim stepped on the mats in 2020 — first thought: "not gonna make it." Yet here he is. His one word for BJJ? Challenging. A powerhouse on the mats, rolling to Enter Sandman by Metallica. His favorite technique to teach is the crucifix — his reasoning: "it's miserable." Which is exactly the energy you want from an instructor. Detail-oriented and logical by nature, Tim is also a general aviation pilot off the mats, so he's equally comfortable making people tap and navigating airspace. Choke tolerance: 10/10. No notes. Tim offers private lessons on weekends and at random times.

Tyler stepped on the mats in 2018 with one thought: "I have no idea what I'm doing." His one word for BJJ? Discipline. He figured it out. A goofball who clearly loves what he does, Tyler's favorite thing to teach is the rolling back take — because it's fun, and nothing beats watching students pull it off in a live roll. His theme song is Feel Invincible by Skillet, and his superpower on the mats is communication, which makes him a natural teacher. Choke tolerance: 5/10. Honest. Off the mats he's a reader and learner, always studying, always growing. It shows. Tyler offers private lessons Monday–Thursday, 4:30–7:30 pm, or by appointment 10–4 pm. Plenty of options.

Molly hit the mats in 2018 — first thought: "What am I doing?" A question BJJ has a way of answering over time. Her one word for the art? Resilience. A technician at heart, her favorite thing to teach is pathways to the back — because it builds a path-of-least-resistance mindset that translates directly to self-defense. Her theme song is Surface Pressure from Encanto, which hits differently when you're being flattened in side control. Choke tolerance: a cool 9/10. Off the mats she's a mental health therapist, and her secret weapon is mindfulness and meditation — staying calm and present while everything is chaotic. Makes complete sense. Molly is not currently taking private lessons.

Xander hit the mats in 2021 and hasn't looked back. His one word for BJJ? Competition. His theme song? The Champ Is Here. That tells you everything you need to know. A powerhouse on the mats, Xander's favorite submission to teach is the arm triangle — because it's simply his favorite, full stop. His secret weapon is chess: always calculating, always pressing. Choke tolerance: 10/10. Completely at home. Off the mats he's a certified diver — comfortable in deep water in every sense of the word. Xander is not currently taking private lessons.

Ezekiel hit the mats in 2019 — first thought: "I can't fight." BJJ has a funny way of changing that. His one word for BJJ? Community. It's the people who keep him coming back. A technician at heart, his favorite technique to teach is the arm triangle — basic, efficient, and it works. His secret weapon is swimming, which quietly builds the kind of stamina that makes long rounds feel easy. Choke tolerance: 8/10. Ezekiel is not currently taking private lessons.

Jake stepped into martial arts in 2008 — first thought: "How am I going to get in this good shape?" Spoiler: He figured it out. His one word for BJJ? Creativity. A goofball who flows and adapts, Jake's favorite technique to teach is Muay Thai teeps — because his background runs deep. Over 20 years in martial arts: a multi-time District qualifier wrestler in Ohio, Muay Thai training under Aaron Boggs and the late Duke Roufus, and a current 3-0 amateur kickboxing record. The wrestling foundation is what he credits most for his grappling game. Rolling to Walking on a Dream by Empire of the Sun. Choke tolerance: 6/10. Off the mats he's a dad to three daughters, all under five — which honestly requires more toughness than any mat session. Jake offers private lessons Friday nights and early mornings during the week (kickboxing focused). Reach out to connect.

Bari hit the mats in 2019 with one mission: "To learn all I can." His one word for BJJ? Submission. Man knows what he's about. A powerhouse on the mats, Bari's favorite technique to teach is the crucifix — and with Eye of the Tiger as his theme song, you already know he means business. Choke tolerance: 10/10. Completely unbothered. Off the mats he's a writer, and his secret weapon is running — that cardio base hits different when the round goes long. Bari is not currently taking private lessons.

Dave has been on the mats since 1996 — before most of the gym had even heard of BJJ. His secret weapon is Combat Hapkido, and his closing note says it all: "I am a different kind of animal. Striking and locking are my thing." Dave offers private lessons on Tuesday evenings.

Pat's deep knowledge of Hapkido and self-defense makes every class educational and empowering.