From Basement Mats to Black Belt Mastery: The John Kress Story

From a small farm town basement to the black belt ranks, John Kress’s Jiu Jitsu journey is anything but ordinary. Starting at 16, he trained with wrestlers, rolled on makeshift mats, and fought his way through local tournaments before earning his black belt after 16 years of dedication. Now our newest professor at Union Jiu Jitsu, John shares his story of competition, discipline, and passion for the fundamentals. In this episode, we talk about: • His background; from growing up in Ohio to his career in Physics to his semi-recent move to the Oregon Coast with his wife, Taylor, and their fur babies. • How a purple belt in a basement sparked his obsession • The grind from NAGA and Arnold Classic tournaments to black belt • What drives his teaching style today at Union Jiu Jitsu   If you’ve ever wondered what keeps someone hooked on the mats for nearly two decades, John’s story is your answer.   🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.