About a year ago, I knew it was time to take my health and fitness seriously. When your gut walks into the room five minutes before you do, it’s time for a change! After being encouraged to consider Texarkana Jiu-Jitsu by a friend, a decided to give it a shot. I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Everyone was welcoming and friendly, the encouragement and camaraderie I’ve experienced from everyone has been fantastic. I’ve dropped 25lbs so far and become much more intentional with my diet. Jiu-Jitsu has changed the way I approach many things. If you’re looking to make a change, Jiu-Jitsu will change you!
I have been training at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu for nearly 2 years. It is the best place to train no matter what your physical condition is. It’s a family friendly place for people of all ages.
Texarkana Jiu Jitsu welcomed me with open arms. The ladies there took me in and have been the best at helping me build confidence. Marc (Coach) has an enormous amount of knowledge and skill. His instructions are precise and easy to follow. The best part is that the group as a whole wants you to learn and get better. You are not a burden as a newbie.
If you are interested in training, I highly recommend coming to Texarkana Jiu-Jitsu! They work with all skill levels… which mine was no skill. Great coaches and teammates that make you feel like family! My son and I both train and love it!! It has helped him learn to be more disciplined and focused! You will not be disappointed!
3 months in and it just keeps getting better every class! My 13 year old son and I absolutely love the journey we are on with Texarkana Brazilian JiuJitsu. The atmosphere is phenomenal! No ego’s on the mat only respect and the drive to see each other succeed! You will meet people from all walks of life on the mat and learn something from them each and every time. The first two months were tough due to my lack of physical conditioning but the drills and free rolling have changed that. I feel better physically and mentally. I love the changes I see in my son in his confidence and his desire to train as much as he can. Our journey has only just begun and we are both looking forward to it. If your considering checking Texarkana Brazilian JiuJitsu out we highly recommend it. Swing by and check it out who knows you might join us on our journey.
If your looking for life’s next challenge or think your the toughest person on the block. Then this is the place for you there is a wealth of skill, knowledge and a more than welcoming atmosphere to crush your ego but not your soul!
I walked into Texarkana Jiu Jitsu in February. I didn't know that my life would change that night. Everyone was very welcoming and helpful. No big egos. Just really cool people training together. I've lost 50 lbs in four months, and off medication. This gym has literally saved my life. If you want to learn the most effective martial art from a great, knowledgeable coach, Marc Hagebusch is your guy. There isn't another gym around where you'll train under a 3rd degree black belt. Give Texarkana Jiu Jitsu a try. It WILL change your life too!
Great instructor and a very nice facility.
Jiu Jitsu helps with more than just a martial arts skill. The instructors and members of the class will help your confidence, cardio, and much more. Highly recommend.
Great people doing something outstanding for their community. Respected leaders in their industry. Humble helpful and professional.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a great way to get fit, stay fit and healthy – for people of all ages. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) for fitness, self defense, confidence, stress relief, and more! Martial arts training improves cardiovascular health, making it an excellent complement to regular exercise. In addition to being a great aerobic workout, […]
2 Kinds Of People! It’s a crazy time for sure! The world is divided right now into 2 groups… those that are making resolutions and those that are making fun of them. It’s never a bad idea to think about what you want to achieve, develop a plan, and get started to make it happen. […]
“I’m thinking about doing martial arts and I don’t know if I should do Karate or Jiu Jitsu. Any suggestions?” “Should I train Karate or Jiu Jitsu?” Many people looking to get started in a martial art don’t know what different styles offer or how they might train so that they can choose an art […]
This is a post that I wrote on my Health blog. It still has the links from my other site in it for additional info about different health related issues relevant to the post. I’m sharing it here because it’s a question that I have often been asked… “I have this injury or health challenge, […]
The question comes up so often in regards to BJJ and self defense… “Why is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so effective in a fight?” BJJ can be very effective in a fight for many reasons including… Most people do not have basic competence in the grappling range of combat although most do have at least limited […]
A recent question about Jiu Jitsu submissions… “In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which technique is usually the hardest to pull off the Arm Bar, the Triangle Choke or a Choke Hold? I know it depends in the fighter, like how Ronda is very good at arm bars, but in general for most people…?” I don’t necessarily […]
The Truth About Self Defense… Recently I was discussing ‘street‘ techniques for self defense with one of our BJJ black belts at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu. I mentioned a old video that showed a Gracie fighting someone in a backyard. The opponent had apparently tried to do something dirty. I don’t remember if it were a […]
It feels awesome to set challenging goals and nail them! You know how good it feels to set your sights on a goal and then achieve it. It’s empowering and invigorating. Hitting goals and overcoming challenges is not just a matter of chance. Goal-setting is an important life skill that serves everyone and is especially […]
In another blog post, I told you that persistence is one of the five core tenets of our martial arts program. It’s a must for kids to learn to fulfill their obligations and stick to their commitments – But what makes them want to do that? In martial arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we attribute […]
I hear it all the time. A parent walks into my school to meet with me, and the first question they ask is… Will my child get hurt doing martial arts? It’s a good question to ask , it’s important. Injuries are part of life. They can happen anywhere and certainly in any activity… but […]
Hey parents! Coach Marc Hagebusch from Texarkana Jiu Jitsu here to start talking about some of the physical benefits kids get from studying martial arts. I want to start with one that might surprise you. Here it is… Studying martial arts makes kids less destructive because it helps them control their movements. Now, you might […]
Escaping from the tyranny of mount to freedom and happiness. A special 4th of July video post, lol. #TexarkanaJiuJitsu #brazilianjiujitsu #gfteam
Our head coach years ago with Olympic gold medalist, Mark Shultz. Wrestling is an important part of Jiu Jitsu. Many wrestling techniques have been adopted into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The growth of ADCC no gi rules events in addition to MMA have fueled even more wrestling utilization in Jiu Jitsu. #TexarkanaJiuJitsu #BrazilianJiuJitsu #gfteam
Often we watch an athlete perform at the highest level on ‘game’ day. We don’t see or think about the massive effort that’s occurred behind the scenes day after day for so many years. No success in anything happens without persistent effort over long periods of time. Everyone… every man, woman, and child have incredible potential within […]
Jiu Jitsu is more than a type of fighting. It’s an art the teaches you that you can overcome challenges that others find insurmountable. It does this through experience not reading about positive mindsets. As you conquer each new challenge you develop a new confidence that allows you to tackle harder things on and off […]
This is a great story about overcoming tragedy through martial arts and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training offers so many benefits for people beyond self defense. Training helps people improve their lives by helping them become more confident, developing positive habits, getting in shape, and getting to hang out with great people. This […]
Texarkana Jiu Jitsu flashback! 9 years ago @ Texarkana Jiu Jitsu. In this picture some have quit, moved on, or moved. 3 of the lower belts pictured here are now BJJ black belts. It’s crazy that our small town has a gym, Texarkana Jiu Jitsu, that has 5 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts training regularly […]
The mount is a terrible position to be in whether you’re in a fight, an MMA match, training or competing in grappling. Mount Escape Discussion – Sequences of Freeing Legs, Bridging and Shrimping. This is an important discussion about escaping/getting out of the mount. What to do to escape mount, when to do it, and […]
A question asked in a martial arts group… “The legend says BJJ was created for the feeble in order to give them “a powerful” tool to defend themselves. In today’s world is this still relevant to hold such a claim?” Texarkana Jiu Jitsu’s answer… Yes, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is relevant, even more so in modern […]
Martial Arts Mindset and Achievement It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This one is really worth far more. The elephant is tied with a piece of rope that it could easily break. It has been conditioned since he was young to think that he’s stuck and can’t get away… so he […]
How To Develop Mental Toughness and Confidence In Kids. It’s time to talk about another core tenet of martial arts. In many ways, this tenet brings all the other tenets together – and it explains why kids who study martial arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu achieve more at home, in school, in other sports, and […]
Many Parents Put Their Kids In Our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Classes To Help Them Develop Confidence, Fitness, and Self Defense Skills. Often their son or child is being bullied or just doesn’t seem to fit in with other kids. We can help! We work with kids to help them see that they are much more […]
Martial Arts Helps Kids Develop Coordination and Athleticism… Even If They Aren’t Naturally Athletic At All! Kids come in all shapes, sizes, and attributes. Some kids seem to be born with natural grace and athletic ability. Other kids struggle with physical coordination and athletics. Anything they achieve in terms of physical fitness requires more work […]
Does Your Child Need A Supportive, Educational, and Fun Activity? Learning Martial Arts Teaches Young Kids Life Skills, Confidence, Discipline, Focus and More While They Get In Shape and Have A Lot Of Fun! Young children are curious and active with a lot of energy. Martial arts are a great way to harness their […]
Kids Get Fitter, Improve Muscle Tone, and Strength with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu! Kids (and adults!) training martial arts, especially Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, get a great aerobic workout. What might surprise you is that it improves muscle tone, coordination, athleticism, and strength too! Many people associate building muscle strength and tone with […]
Texarkana Jiu Jitsu’s Kids Martial Arts Program Helps Kids Improve Attention, Focus, and Memory. Focus and memorization go hand in hand. In a past blog post, I talked about how studying martial arts helps kids focus and behave better in the classroom. Today, I want to tell you how it can improve your child’s memory, […]
Being Bullied Is Devastating For Kids. Bullying has been in the news often over the last few years. Hardly a day passes without there being a story about a child who was at the receiving end of bullying. Sadly bullying can have devastating consequences. When we look at the problem of bullying, it’s important to […]
Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu effective in a real fight? Here, Bas Rutten, explains a little about why it is a bad idea to resort to certain tactics when you are in a inferior position against a superior grappler. Being in a superior position allows you to determine how the fight will end and will give […]
“Does Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Work In A Street Fight?” It depends. Great answer, I know! What does it depend upon? It depends on the situation and the practitioner BUT let’s look at how Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is important in a fight. The best approach is to not fight and leave if at all possible. Unfortunately, […]
5 Key Core Tenets of Martial Arts at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu Martial arts instructors talk about core tenets, things that dictate our behavior inside and outside of class. These are things that we teach our students. Their value goes far beyond martial arts instruction. In other words, these are life skills. There are five core […]
Martial Arts For Self Defense. Here’s the truth, anything can work in a fight for several reasons that are mostly dependent on the fact that most people can’t fight at all. Experienced martial artists that are very skilled are very unlikely to get into a fight. There aren’t too many martial arts schools like “Cobra […]
A Brief History Of Texarkana Jiu Jitsu. Texarkana Jiu Jitsu is proud to have brought so many different types of martial arts and fitness training to Texarkana for the first time. In 1999, we brought Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and Judo to Texarkana. This was at a time when Texarkana had 2 choices for martial […]
Why All Parents Should Put Their Son Or Daughter In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. All sports have benefits for kids generally including fitness, socialization, and mental toughness. Jiu Jitsu offers these benefits plus many unique to training in this martial art. Jiu Jitsu helps kids develop real confidence by overcoming challenges daily on the mat proving […]
Solving Bullying To A Large Degree Comes Down To Just ONE Thing… Helping A Child Develop Confidence In Themselves… And That Changes Everything! “I found confidence, strength, and courage.” Previously bullied girl find Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and doesn’t only stop bullying but transforms her life. Confidence must be earned. It can’t be given. It’s through […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very powerful way to help kids develop confidence, fitness, and ability to overcome obstacles both on and off the mat. Often we think about Jiu Jitsu martial arts training as It’s not simply about fighting or learning to protect ourselves even though that’s part of it, there’s much more to […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Submissions for Self Defense, MMA, and Grappling. One of the fundamental positions and attacks in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is to get to the opponent’s back and attack with a rear naked choke (AKA the lion killer choke). A choke is the best way to end a fight. You can put your opponent […]
Our kids really need to become much more active. So many are significantly overweight and also have poorly developed postural musculature and coordination. These kids are a ticking time bomb for major future health crisis (diabetes, heart disease, …), as well as, extremely high risk of injury and a life of pain. It’s not their […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gives Girls Confidence, Fitness, The Ability To Defend Themselves, Plus So Much More! Learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very important skill for a daughter to develop in today’s world where your daughter may very likely be put into a bad situation where she needs it. Here are a few stats that […]
We Are Built To Learn and Adapt To Our Obstacles Each Time Becoming A Little Better. Getting past each challenge makes us a little better at the next thing life throws at us. It’s really remarkable how we can always improve. Seneca, the stoic philosopher, on how overcoming challenges is a requirement for happiness. In […]
What’s The Best Way To Get In Shape In Texarkana? The real benefit of training Jiu Jitsu is that you actually have fun just simply following along in class. 👍 You don’t have to go do the mind numbing task of running endless miles or wandering around the gym trying to figure out what to […]
How To Prevent Your Child From Being Mental or Physical Bullied. We have to start looking at what typically happens to cause another child to become a bully. Bullying occurs to a large degree as a response to poor self image and poor self confidence in the bully. This is important to understand […]
Jiu Jitsu and Martial Arts may be the “cure” to so many modern problems including fitness, confidence, stress, socialization, and more but what is also true is that the benefits of training carry over into every other part of your life whether you’re a child, teen, man, or woman. Don’t just go workout at the […]
Adults Get Fit, Reduce Stress, and Are Quickly Amazed At What They Can Really Accomplish. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu offers adults so many different benefits. Most people know it’s a great way to quickly get in shape, but what many don’t know is how it can transform every part of your life. There’s a real value […]
Texarkana Jiu Jitsu Origins… Hey this is head coach, Marc Hagebusch of Texarkana Jiu Jitsu! I want to talk about my early journey in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I began training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 1995. I had been training and competing in Judo at the time under Vince Tamura. I discovered that Carlos Machado (a […]
Martial Arts Are A Fun Activity For All Kids! Our kids aren’t getting enough exercise and this dramatically reduces their ability to deal with stress and causes so many problems for them. Their poor diets, heavy media use, and lack of exercise not only damages their physical health, but also devastates their self image often […]
Martial Arts As A Vehicle For Self Improvement. The value of challenging yourself and overcoming what you face is the path to becoming stronger mentally and physically. Unfortunately, growth doesn’t happen sitting on the couch eating chips and watching Netflix. Wait, this does cause growth, just of your waistline! Instead spend a little time every […]
Developing Resilience and The Ability To Overcome Challenges Through The Martial Arts. “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.“ Helen Keller The only way to grow stronger is to push your boundaries whether we are a child […]
The Path To Improvement, Challenges, and Overcoming Adversity. It’s hard to get started in a new sport, hobby, or habit but it’s often even more difficult to continue to improve in anything as you encounter challenges. At Texarkana Jiu Jitsu, we work with the kids, teens, men, and women that come into our program with […]
What age is the best time to start my child at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu? Texarkana parents often ask us when they can start their son or daughter training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. At Texarkana Jiu Jitsu, we start kids at 4 years old although not all kids are ready to start as soon as they turn […]
Are You Concerned About Your Daughter’s Safety? Every parent of a girl should seriously consider getting them started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu because we live in a crazy world and it’s likely that at some point your daughter will very likely have to defend herself against a bigger, stronger, more aggressive attacker. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu […]
Developing Problem Solving Skills Through The Martial Arts. The best way to get good at anything is to do that thing over and over again. The experience of trying to do something that has some degree of challenge helps you (or your child) learn, getting better with repetition over time. One huge benefit of Kid’s […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and The UFC. Royce Gracie Wins 3 Out Of The 1st 4 UFCs Proving The Effectiveness Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Against Other Martial Arts. On November 12th of 1993, a young Royce Gracie stepped into the octagon to show the world what happens in a one on one fight when one person […]
Faith In Ourselves, Self Confidence. A lack of confidence is why many people don’t achieve as much as they could, both on and off the mat in life. We are capable of achieving far more than we believe we can achieve. This limiting belief holds so many people back from seeing real success in everything […]
Holiday Public Service Announcement For Texarkana Martial Artists! Thanksgiving is right around the corner followed by Christmas. You’re sure to have a lot of family pictures taken. Don’t assume they’re all gi photos, some family photos are no gi. Ask first to save yourself the embarrassment! …And if you need something to help keep yourself […]
The early days of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Texarkana. This picture was taken June 2003, 4 years after Coach Marc Hagebusch started teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, wrestling, and judo in Texarkana. It shows some of our earliest students working on some techniques over 15 years ago. Texarkana Jiu Jitsu brought Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, […]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Self Control, Discipline, Mental Toughness, and Achievement. Jiu Jitsu is about controlling and submitting an opponent by putting them in a position where they are forced to give up or suffer severe consequences. Interesting though that before you ever are able to control your opponent, you learn self control. You develop the […]
What We Achieve Is Largely Dependent On What We Believe About Ourselves. I realize this sounds like an abstract concept that doesn’t apply in our own lives, but bear with me for a moment as I explain. It’s an interesting thing where basically our confidence translates into taking bigger actions that lead to having greater […]
Martial Arts Training Improves Bone Density. MMA (Mixed Marital Arts) and Bone Density 🥊 MMA and football athletes had highest bone density out of the athletes measured. We’re kind of bummed they didn’t check Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athletes, but are confident we too would dominate the lesser sports! 😉 The truth is that you must […]
The Purpose Of MMA gloves. Over 20 years ago, the first MMA gloves were worn in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. At July 27th, 1997 at UFC 14 was the first time MMA gloves were required by the competitors. Gloves change many aspects of an MMA match. The gloves reduces some superficial cuts. It looks less […]
Why Do Some Kids and Adults Excel In School and Competition While Others Struggle To Make Things Happen? Grit, Mental Toughness and Martial Arts Psychologist Angela Duckworth who literally wrote the book on Grit found that the primary reason people are high achievers in any area was directly related to their level of grit. […]
Seneca, the stoic philosopher, on how overcoming challenges is a requirement for happiness. In the great movie, Fight Club, average people frustrated with their lives of boredom and monotony. They joined a fight club where they would beat each other up so they could feel more alive. They got carried away. Still though… We are […]
Royce Gracie Introduces The World To Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Winning UFC 1. November 12th of 1993, Royce Gracie stepped into the UFC octagon to prove to the world what his family already knew…that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu would defeat any other style of martial art in a one on one match. Royce was very young and […]
Martial Arts have traditionally been associated with lifelong learning with martial artists continually working to improve themselves. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, really embodied this idea. Jigoro Kano asked to be buried in his white belt to be remembered as a learner and not a master. This was despite the fact that he was […]
When can my son or daughter start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? This is one of the most common questions that we get. In our martial arts program at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu, we start the kids at age 4. We offer different classes based on the child’s age so that each group gets the right instruction […]
Texarkana Jiu Jitsu builds confident, fit champions that aren’t just great martial artists but they learn how to win in the sport of life! Kids develop the skills that they need to succeed both on the mat and off. The physical skills that the kids learn in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Class help them get in […]
Texarkana Jiu Jitsu Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for Men and Women (Kids too!). We have a great group of people that show up to train most nights, week in and week out, getting better, always improving their Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques and their fitness. People train from all walks of life – from students, school teachers, […]
Parents put Kids in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu martial arts classes for different reasons… Some because their child is being picked on or bullied, others because they want their child to be more active (and have discovered that it’s hard to get them to do other sports), others because they want to increase their child’s confidence, […]
Jiu Jitsu is NOT just about becoming a killing machine. Jiu Jitsu offers that of course (lol), but so much more! Patrick’s Amazing Weight Loss Success, 84 lbs! Check out Patrick’s story with weight loss… 84 lbs! So many people try so many different things to lose weight without any real success. We see […]
Martial Arts, Function Versus Flash. Often in the media like movies, we see various flashy martial arts movements that look cool and are made to look effective with the actors. In a real life situation, fights (self defense) or even sport competitions (MMA for example), it’s the basic fundamentals from combat oriented martial arts that […]
One-legged Wrestler, Anthony Robles, Wins NCAA Wrestling National Title, matches. This is an old story from 2011, but one that is well worth re-visiting and telling again. Achievement Starts With Having The Right Mindset. Individual Sports have a unique advantage over team sports like football, basketball, soccer, etc. Even though those sports offer many benefits […]
The new school year is here in Texarkana! Kids are getting back to school leaving kids and parents both trying to get used to the new schedule. Many parents look at various activities and sports to get their kids involved in during this time. It’s important to do so as there are many benefits to […]
GFTeam Black Belt Rodolfo Vieira Remains Undefeated in MMA. The Blackbelt Hunter adds another to his list. Vieira submits Piechota in his Octagon debut! #UFCUruguay pic.twitter.com/oJe0MQml9n — UFC (@ufc) August 11, 2019 Vieira chokes out his tough, experienced opponent and fellow BJJ black belt Oskar Piechota at UFC Uruguay last night. Vieira won by arm […]
Last night at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu Steve McGough earned his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blue belt! Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not like many other martial arts. Every belt is earned through practice and achievement on the mat learning the techniques and being able to apply them against a resisting opponent. We don’t punch and kick […]
Are You Concerned That Your Son or Daughter Doesn’t Get Enough Exercise? Our kids really need more exercise as a whole. The rise of electronic media, concerns about kid’s safety outside, and cuts to the school’s budgets have all contributed to kids becoming much more sedentary. Physical activity isn’t just important for physical development, but […]
Congratulations Emily, Kids Jiu Jitsu Student of the Month! Emilee has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for a little over one year. Emilee trains in our kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. She has proven herself to be both disciplined and motivated each and every class demonstrating the qualities of a true martial artist. Emilee […]
Congratulations Atticus! We’re proud of you and your many accomplishments on and off the mats! Atticus has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for two and half years. Atticus always shows up in uniform and ready to train with a big smile on his face… even though we weren’t able to capture int in this […]
Jiu Jitsu is the fastest growing martial art in the US. Here’s Why… Kids, Teens, Adult Men & Women are discovering that they can get involved in a martial art (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) that helps them quickly develop confidence, self defense, fitness, mental toughness, and a lot more! Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is A Highly Effective […]