Hi Team!
Your friendly neighborhood Gumby here.
I think it’s been a little too long since I reached out to you. I’ve actually been close by, as I still teach at 6:30 AM weekdays at the Downtown location but for reasons I’ll get into in a bit I’ve pretty much only been able to attend that class.
Part of the luxury (and necessity) that has allowed me to do that has been because of the superb team of instructors, black belts and really all of the students we have at Heroes Martial Arts. It’s very clear that this community we have created together over the last 16 years plus has become quite special in terms of how we grow together and support one another.
In particular I would like to thank the head instructors, Trevor, Nick, Bobby and Sean for their rock solid leadership. You have been everything I’ve ever looked for in students, partners and friends.
As for me, I’ve had a very reduced role really since the ending days of 2024, when I had to take of my mother in law who was in hospice care (my wife and I had been caretakers for her since 2014 since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s). I then very unexpectedly took on the role of Interim CEO of the San Jose Downtown Association in April, where I got way more involved in politics than I ever expected to be in my life. I do believe I managed to accomplish a lot of good in that role, including support of small businesses, beautification of downtown, supporting events and getting the City and County to work more closely together on the issues of safety, crime and the unhoused (not saying that the last three issues are necessarily related). I went from someone who other than teach classes had a very casual schedule to someone who needed an executive admin to keep me from overlapping the 6-8 meetings I would have daily. While I think I did a lot of good work and I learned a ton this role is coming to an end soon. I’ll have some level of involvement going forward and have other projects on the horizon which I’ll share in due time, but for right now I get to focus on Heroes in a way I haven’t been able to for a long time.
Hard to believe, but 2026 represents 18 years of Heroes Martial Arts! It’s absolutely mind blowing to think that many of you who started off with us back then are still on the mats with us, have brought your friends, family and children on the mat, and have even become instructors here!
2026 also marks 30 years of Jiu Jitsu for me! If nothing else I’ve learned to appreciate everyday I am able to be on the mat that much more and I don’t take any of this for granted.
Heroes Martial Arts, with it’s multiple locations, instructors and class times is very much designed to cater to variety of people and what they want to get out of Training Jiu Jitsu. To that end I am rebranding my 6:30 AM class as the “Executive Class” and in addition to expanding to five days I’m catering it for “Jiu Jitsu Lifers” who are very serious about their Jiu Jitsu, are aware of the tremendous benefits it brings to their lives and the community they are joining, but also have responsibilities and duties such as career and family.
There is more to come of course, but at this point it feels like a reintroduction of myself and I’m very excited for all of the cool things the team and I have prepared for all of you in the coming year.
For right now, wishing everyone a prosperous New Year and looking forward to seeing you all soon. Thank you so much for being part of the Heroes Martial Arts history.
Onwards and Upwards!
Gumby
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