Vanguard Gym

Article three of three from MMAinDC.com. Visit there for the written article and pictures on the Thai boxing class.

Article two of three from the MMAinDC.com blog.

Thanks again Reggie, we really enjoyed having you out to share our training with you and everybody on your blog! Below is one video – visit mmaindc.com for full article and additional video.

http://www.mmaindc.com/deep-guard-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-bjj-black-belt-doug-esposito/

Article one of three from MMA in DC blog.

Thanks for coming out and spending the morning with us Reggie!
http://www.mmaindc.com/doug-espositos-vanguard-gym/

Vanguard Gym on Thats What She Said (TWSS)

Thats What She Said (TWSS) sports show came and shot this spot about training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, and Thai Boxing for adults and children.

TWSS normally shows on the following local channels and times:

Comcast Channel 2 Prince William / Manassas:
Friday 6pm Saturday 9pm Sunday 11am & 9pm

Comcast Channel 28 Reston Airtimes:
Friday 6pm & 11pm Saturday 12pm & 10pm Sunday 11am & 10:30pm

Vanguard Gym Commercial (August 2007)

Paul Jarosh: Finding My Niche

From the Micron Company newsletter “Inside MTV” under the “The Human Element” section in the March/April 2010 edition.

People often dream of tackling a challenge or starting a new activity; this is exactly what Paul Jarosh, Engineering Shift Lead in Wet Process, did.

During his high school and college years, Paul was looking for an activity to help him get in shape. In Scranton where he grew up, karate was the only option available to him after graduating high school, but it wasn’t quite what he was looking for. When he landed at Penn State, he continued to search for his niche activity and wound up participating in boxing. After graduating in 2001 and coming to work for Micron he continued to search. It wasn’t until a few years ago, after moving to the Culpeper area, that he finally got a taste of what he was looking for–Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that emphasizes taking an opponent to the ground and utilizing ground fighting techniques and submission holds involving joint-locks and chokeholds to overcome your opponent. The principle is that larger, stronger opponents have the advantage of superior reach and more powerful strikes, both of which are somewhat negated when grappling on the ground.

He began training at a small martial arts school, and within the first three months of his grappling career he participated in his first tournament where he…”got his butt kicked,” but developed enough interest in the martial art to continue. Shortly after the tournament he began looking around for a more qualified instructor. His search led him to Vanguard Gym in Manassas, which is Northern Virginia’s premier Mixed Martial Arts and functional-fitness training facility. Paul began training at Vanguard Gym with a professional black belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor. Within 1-2 months of training, he entered his next tournament where this time he walked away with the gold medal.

We asked Paul what is his greatest accomplishment thus far has been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

“To date, my greatest accomplishment was when I was promoted to blue belt after only 8 months of training; the average time is closer to 2 years. For me to get to the next (purple) level, one of the tasks I must successfully accomplish is to help teach new students the basics of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This not only helps introduce them to the sport, but forces me to solidify my understanding of the concepts as well. I am fortunate to be able to do this at both the Manassas (Vanguard Gym) and Culpeper (Culpeper MMA) locations.”

Has practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu influenced your work at Micron?

“Yes, it has. When I am practicing, I set goals that I need to achieve, both physical and mental. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a lot like a chess game; it is about developing a strategy and executing to it through physical and tactical means. At work we do the same: develop a strategy, and set short term goals to meet our long term goals and objectives. Also, when I am teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I understand that not everyone learns the same and I need to adopt different teaching techniques. In the gym, I may take a complex move and teach it in fewer steps (a concept) until the student is comfortable with the move before adding the more complex details. I have also realized how important feedback is. My greatest feedback in the gym is when students continue to ask questions both before and after class, and ultimately seeing them progress and achieve their ambitions. Setting goals, breaking down complex tasks into manageable components and giving and receiving feedback correlate very well to the work environment.”

Do discipline and values in martial arts carry over to your work too?

“Yes. To have pride in ones workmanship whether it is how I present myself at work, or handle myself while practicing or teaching Jiu-Jitsu is an important discipline. It is also very important in both teaching and my job as a leader at Micron to use encouragement to help my students and employees reach their goal. Encouragement and self empowerment are definitely more effective.”

What suggestions do you have for people who might be interested in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Mixed Martial Arts?

“Just try it. There are plenty of free trials offered at facilities for you to try it out and see which gym is the right one for you. Personally, I would recommend trying out more than one gym to get a feel for the atmosphere, and during that time inquire about the qualifications and certifications of the instructors. Also BJJ and mixed martial arts are open to people of all ages and fitness levels.”

Any final thoughts?

“Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has provided me with a much needed outlet and a variety of other benefits as well. Since I compete in tournaments regularly it’s a reason for me to stay fit, helps me stay prepared and disciplined, and also provides me with an outlet and method of dealing with the stresses of everyday life and work. Several facilities to look into are: Vanguard Gym in Manassas, Culpeper, and Warrenton.”