Monroe Jiu Jitsu - Monroe, Michigan

People often ask me how I've been able to train, roll, teach, and stay involved in jiu-jitsu for the last 25 years.

The answer isn't complicated.

First, I learned how to battle through adversity.

Second, I learned to deal with aches, pains, and the reality that your body isn't going to feel perfect every day.

Third, I showed up on the days I didn't feel like showing up. Consistency matters more than motivation.

Fourth, as I got older, I adjusted. I slowed my rolling down, became more selective with my training partners, and trained smarter instead of harder.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is people thinking that jiu-jitsu is only about hard rolling, hard wrestling, and grinding every session. They skip fundamentals classes because they just want to spar.

The reality is that some of the most important days in your development happen when you're not rolling at all.

If you're injured, beat up, or trying to recover, you can still show up. You can watch. You can learn. You can drill. You can attend class and improve your understanding of the art.

Too many people get hurt, disappear for weeks or months, and eventually quit. Not because they had to, but because they believed training only counted if they were rolling hard.

Longevity in jiu-jitsu isn't about proving how tough you are today. It's about being smart enough to still be on the mats 10, 20, or 30 years from now.

Show up. Learn. Train smart. Protect your body. Keep coming back.

The people who last aren't always the toughest people in the room. They're the ones who never stop learning and never stop showing up...even when they are banged up a little.

I had a discussion recently with someone who opened up a jiu-jitsu academy, and also in the past with someone who opened up a running store, and it reminded me of something that a lot of people don’t fully understand.

Over the years, with both my running background and my jiu-jitsu background, I’ve heard so many people say:

“Man, I love running. I should open a running store.” “I love jiu-jitsu. I should open an academy.”

But loving something for yourself and building a business around it are two completely different things.

It’s one thing to love running because you enjoy training, racing, and improving yourself. It’s one thing to love jiu-jitsu because you enjoy rolling, competing, and learning.

That’s the selfish side of passion — and there’s nothing wrong with that.

But when you open a business, everything changes.

Now you’re not just a runner or a jiu-jitsu practitioner anymore.

You become:
• A psychologist
• A counselor
• A coach
• A competitor
• A mentor
• A problem solver
And on top of that:
• A janitor
• A plumber
• An electrician
• A nurse
• A bookkeeper
• An accountant
• A customer service representative

You answer nonstop phone calls and messages. People come after you hard. Problems don’t stop. Responsibility never shuts off.

And that lifestyle is not cut out for everyone.

Owning an academy, a gym, or any business built around your passion is WAY different than simply enjoying the activity yourself.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t rewarding — because it absolutely can be. If you truly love working, serving people, solving problems, and building something bigger than yourself, it can be one of the most fulfilling things in the world.....I personally LOVE IT AND THANK GOD EVERYDAY 🙏

But if you think opening a business means you’ll just get to “do what you love all day,” understand this:

Most days, you’ll spend more time managing people and problems than actually doing the thing you originally loved.

And another thing — if you do decide to jump into a small business, understand that you’ll probably never feel 100% prepared.
But do everything possible to BE prepared financially.

Have a plan. Understand your overhead. Get ahead financially before you jump in.
Because financial stress while trying to build a small business is one of the hardest things a person can deal with.

Being under pressure financially while also carrying the responsibility of employees, customers, bills, rent, equipment, repairs, and everyday problems can wear people down quickly.

So if you’re going to take that leap, try to put yourself in the best financial position possible before you do.

Just something to remember when you decide you want to turn your passion into a business.

Ladies street clothes personal safety and safety tip classes are so important..... Every girl and woman should learn how to protect themselves better....

It kills me when I hear the peanut gallery say "that girl couldn't hold off an attacker" I'm like so what is a female suppose to do just not train at all and never try! Training hard in Jiu Jitsu, getting stronger and learning how to protect yourself is priceless for the ladies!

Register at a good academy and get started!

LADIES DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!

ROLLING WITH THE LADIES FEATURING TWO OF THE BEST.... NATHALIE RIBEIRO AND Hannette Staack .....

Women 16 and up are welcome!

REGISTER NOW!

MONROEJIUJITSU.COM/ROLLINGWITHTHELADIES

The mats are packed with kids at Monroe Jiu Jitsu....Kimuras to the right and Triangles to the left..... constantly working on the fundamentals!

Get your child registered for summer classes ASAP....

MONDAY 5:00 PM
WEDNESDAY 5:00 PM
FRIDAY 5:00 PM CONDITIONING

Listening to a OG Black Belt Chris Hauter podcast the other day and it got me thinking…

There comes a time when the old Black Belt Jiu-Jitsu school owner must make a choice…

Train every day like he’s still a young buck trying to prove himself… or stay as healthy as possible so he can continue teaching effectively for years to come.

After 20–30 years on the mat, the body starts talking back. The neck, fingers, shoulders, knees, lower back… they all remember the thousands of rounds, tournaments, hard camps, injuries, and battles that happened 20 years before many of today’s white, blue, and purple belts even stepped onto a mat.

One thing younger students must understand is this:

When the older black belt purposely stays away from certain individuals who only want to smash, explode, and hunt taps, it’s usually not because he’s “dodging” anybody.... definitely not that!

It’s because those rolls become dangerous.

The older instructor understands the risk vs. reward. One reckless scramble, one wild takedown, one ego-driven exchange can create an injury that affects not only his training… but his ability to teach, run the academy and continue helping students.

And the reality is…

The old black belt has already been in those wars thousands of times before — often with much tougher, more experienced people than the young student trying to prove something during a Tuesday night roll.

At some point, longevity becomes the real black belt skill.

The goal changes from: “Can I beat everyone in the room?” to: “Can I still train, teach, inspire, and stay on the mat another 10–20 years?”

That’s not weakness.

That’s wisdom earned through decades of battle.

As Chris Hauter said:

“If you want to train in this art and be effective until you're 70, then when you're 30 roll like you're 40… when you're 40 act like you're 60"...

Make smarter decisions earlier in your Jiu-Jitsu journey so you can be effective later. The ones that don't listen to that advice probably won't be on the mat for long… especially not for 30 years.

Since opening Monroe Jiu-Jitsu in July of 2017, one thing has always been important to me — giving back to the men and women who put themselves on the line every day for our communities.

That’s why Monroe Jiu-Jitsu has always offered FREE training to all law enforcement officers in honor of fallen Michigan State Trooper Paul Butterfield.

Paul’s End of Watch was 9-9-13, but for those of us who knew him personally, his impact will never be forgotten. Paul wasn’t just a trooper — he was one of my best friends and my college roommate. He was also a State Champion runner, a standout collegiate athlete, an Army Veteran, Michigan State Trooper and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt.

Paul believed in hard work, service, and protecting others. Those values are exactly what we try to teach every day on the mats.
Jiu-jitsu gives officers another tool to help control situations, protect themselves, and hopefully make it home safely to their families. Offering free training is one small way to honor Paul’s memory and continue supporting those who serve.

Paul Butterfield will always be remembered at Monroe Jiu-Jitsu.

Respect. Honor. Service.

— Coach Todd Williams Monroe Jiu-Jitsu

🚨 Kickoff to Summer Safer Program — Ladies Class 🚨

Tuesday, June 2nd we’re kicking off our Summer Safer Program for Ladies at Monroe Jiu Jitsu - Monroe, Michigan

As summer gets started, it’s a great time for girls and women to feel confident, capable, and comfortable being out and about — whether that’s walking with friends or going to activities. 💪

Jiu Jitsu helps build practical self-defense skills, awareness, and confidence while also improving fitness, strength, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. It’s not just about technique on the mat — it’s about feeling more prepared and self-assured in everyday life.

📣 June will be Self Defense Month at the gym, and this class is the official kickoff!

Bring a friend, bring your daughters, and let’s make it a fun and powerful night on the mats

Tuesdays at 6:00pm

PLEASE SHARE!