The primary focus of Freedom Academy BJJ is on self-defense – or, as they prefer to call it, counter-attack -- which is achieved by embracing the lifestyle benefits and principles of jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and other martial arts where relevant. All members hold the mindset of training for personal protection with sport intensity, keeping it real and open for all. Their members are a mixture of competitors and enthusiasts; men and women; children, teenagers, and adults (including several members in their 60s).
Craig Funk is the head instructor and gym’s founder. He started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 14 and never stopped. Craig competed in MMA and jiu-jitsu competitions, but his expertise in martial arts came mostly from working security. As a bouncer for over a decade, he experienced firsthand what worked and what didn’t against various combatants. Programs offered at Freedom Academy BJJ include gi jiu-jitsu, no-gi grappling, wrestling, street self-defense, and children’s jiu-jitsu and they’re proud to blend together knowledge of the outside history of events into programs that fit anyone who trains at the gym.
In addition to Craig, a black belt, they pride themselves in having a solid roster of brown and purple belts who teach beginner classes and assist in advanced classes. Among them are a wrestling coach who has been training since age 4, a Marine, a yoga instructor, and those with other specialties. They also host occasional guest instructors at black and brown belt ranks and several times per year host seminars with internationally renowned masters such as Erik Paulson and Alberto Gallazzi - both of whom have taken particular interest in our members’ success.
Some of the mottos followed at Freedom Academy BJJ include:
• “Get on top, stay on top,” “In a crisis, you will rise to your level of training”
• “Be adaptable to whatever comes your way,” and
• “Have a guard they shall not pass.”
They recognize the importance of “mind, body, and spirit” as it pertains to jiu-jitsu and life outside the gym. At Freedom Academy BJJ they are a remarkably cohesive group. “We all stay in touch via groups on Facebook Messenger and we routinely get together for social outings or to cheer each other on at competitions. Members include several married couples, entire families wherein every member trains, and also a grandfather, father, & two sons combination!,” added Danie Neff, Freedom Academy Social Media Manager.
Freedom Academy is currently using the Dollamur black, smooth-surface roll mats, wall to wall.
Danie added “We have always heard that our mats are the best of any that our members and guests ever trained on before. In fact, we were fortunate to obtain a custom Dollamur product that is slightly thicker than the thickest currently offered, and everyone notices the benefit of that extra bit. They are easy on the body while training. I personally have trained on all types of different brands and Dollamur is just doing it different. When the gym began, we trained on half-inch puzzle mats; but when we made the leap to Dollamur, it was a quantum leap for our membership numbers.”
We asked if they had a pleasant experience with Dollamur and our team. “We used a representative from RevGear and everything was right on time and delivered quickly. Our mats are so popular that one couple who trains with us purchased Dollamur mats for their garage. Another member excitedly turned the extra that we trimmed away to make the mats fit into his own personal mat. Needless to say, our members take notice.”
Freedom Academy BJJ seeks to empower as many people as possible with their training systems and with the mindset described above. Short term, their goal is to get more people training and advancing in ranks, so that they can continue to teach and we grow as a community. Their roster of purple belts all started at white belt with Craig, and he is dedicated to taking anyone who will continue training all the way to their black belt.
Danie concluded our interview by adding, “Craig has created BJJ Fanatics videos, two young women from our gym launched a non-profit that seeks to expand the presence of women in the world of jiu-jitsu, and we routinely offer seminars and outreach to our local community. For example, we recently offered a jiu-jitsu primer for high schoolers pursuing law enforcement careers and a zero-cost seminar for a women’s real estate organization. Long term, our goal is a bigger facility that will educate our members in more than martial arts. We are planning a facility where you would be able to train multiple fighting and grappling styles, firearms, training dogs for security, and building overall survival skills, all under one roof.”
When it comes to recommending Dollamur, “Absolutely, without question. The customer service is on point and they are offering the superior product in this space.”
The Dollamur team loves hearing from loyal customers just like Freedom Academy BJJ! Want to see your name in the headline of the next Dollamur news post? Reach out to us on social media for a chance to be featured!
Dollamur Martial Arts products to consider for your dojo:
