With a fun-loving nickname like “Gumby,” Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) legend Alan Marques doesn’t let on he’s one of the martial art’s most skilled and respected teachers and practitioners.

PROFILE

Alan “Gumby” Marques
Tale of the Tape
Hometown: Daly City, California
Currently Living: San Jose, California
Height / Weight: 6’2 175

Career Highlights:

• 3rd degree Black under Ralph Gracie (who gifted Gumby his own belt)
• Co-Founder of Onthemat.com
• “Voice of BJJ in America”
• Coach, Competitor, Journalist, Promoter, Mat Mopper

Gym / Studio: Heroes Martial Arts, www.heroesma.com

With a fun-loving nickname like “Gumby,” Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) legend Alan Marques doesn’t let on he’s one of the martial art’s most skilled and respected teachers and practitioners. Marques opened his own studio, Heroes Martial Arts, in San Jose back in 2009.

Since then, he’s built a reputation for offering programs for all levels of practitioners rooted in the fundamentals. Marques sat down with The Takedown to talk about his own heroes, ice cream and mopping his Dollamur mats.

When did you first start training BJJ, and why?

I watched the UFC 1 live at a friend’s house and was intrigued after I saw Royce Gracie run through the tournament. In 1996, Ralph Gracie (along with his cousin Cesar Gracie) opened his academy in Mountain View between my home and work place. After driving by a few times, I convinced a friend of mine to join and haven’t looked back since.

Initially, I signed up looking for an activity post-college, as I figured it was very easy to sit around and get out of shape given the job I had (tech industry). Little did I know how deep down the rabbit hole I would actually go.

Who are your heroes in or outside the sport, and why?

Royce Gracie got me interested in Jiu Jitsu so I have to credit him. Ralph Gracie made me who I am today and I am deeply indebted. His older brother Renzo Gracie is the best flag bearer for Jiu Jitsu and how to live your life, in my opinion. I watched a lot of Nino Schembri and Rickson Gracie coming up as well.

Outside of Jiu Jitsu I am a bit of a nerd and will voraciously read anything I can get ahold of about physics and astronomy. I am grateful for scientists and celebrities taking these subjects mainstream such as Stephen Hawkings, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michu Kaku and Brian Greene. A little less well known but maybe even more fascinating Edward Witten and Leonard Susskind.

How do you define success for yourself and your students?

Be a little bit better every day. I often tell my students I demand perfection but I don’t expect it. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t push my students to get better each time. Still, I am happy to see every bit of progress they make.

Honestly, success on the mat is important, but success in life is more important. Although I teach martial arts, I am from the belief that what we do is to improve peoples’ lives. When I see they are growing and hitting life goals that is what makes me happiest.

What inspires you to keep at the “gentle art” every day?

I’ve now been involved in Jiu Jitsu nearly my entire adult life and couldn’t imagine myself without it. I still love every moment I am on the mat and take none of that for granted.

What are your hobbies outside of your sport?

In the time I get to relax I like to spend time with my wife and my friends and play video games. Aside from my Nintendo Switch you’ll also see me playing on Hearthstone a lot (GumbyOTM is my handle there or most other places I play online). I am a pretty good poker player as well, although I haven’t had much time to play recently.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Ice cream. I even worked as a teenager at Baskin Robbins and have had every combination of the 31 flavors you can think of and then some.

What are your hidden talents?

If I told you they wouldn’t be hidden, now would they?

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up and how has that changed?

I wanted to be a doctor growing up and they are among the people I admire most. The concept of helping people always appealed to me. The essence of wanting to help people is still a large part of teaching Jiu Jitsu.

What is your favorite place in the world?

My gym Heroes Martial Arts. If you force me to pick someplace else then I am going to answer New York City.