Featured affiliated academy: Karma Jiu Jitsu, Ontario
Where is the gym located?
Karma Jiu Jitsu is located in Ajax, Ontario – about 45 minutes outside of Toronto (487 Westney Rd. S., Unit 4, Ajax, ON L1S 6W7).
How many people train there?
We recently opened and the number of members is increasing daily. We run a Community Youth Comp Class and an Open Mat every Saturday morning that has attracted a lot of people. Currently we are at 30 members and counting.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Our gym is new and is definitely growing. We are adding 4-6 new members per week. We will continue to grow with the focus on manageable class sizes.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
We have day one beginners along with every belt up to black belt training at any given time.
When did the gym open?
Karma Jiu Jitsu officially opened its first location on Oct 1st, 2024. We have however been bringing Karma Jiu Jitsu to life since January of 2024.
Karma Jiu Jitsu, Ontario
Some facts about you:
Name: Raechel and Alan Titone
Age: 37 and 41
Belt: Brown and purple
Profession: At the moment we are both fully dedicated to coaching and running Karma Jiu Jitsu while Raechel is in teacher college.
Years in BJJ: Together we have over 15 years of experience in Jiu Jitsu.
Other martial arts: Outside of Jiu Jitsu, Raechel wrestled in high school and college and dedicates her love for martial arts to her high school wrestling coach Mr. Crooks. Alan did Karate when he was kid – he is glad to have found a love for martial arts again.
Currently living in: We currently live about 3 minutes from our gym in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. 3.5 minutes in a traffic jam.
Originally from: Raechel is from a small town outside of Toronto named Colborne. Alan was raised in New York City and lived in Arizona and Colorado for the last 20 or so years.
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
We have been talking about running our own gym together since the day we met at the USA Globetrotters Camp in Maine. As we continued to talk and share our dreams, the pieces began to fall into place. One night in January of 2024, we were sitting around reading, and at the time we were reading The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. We read the following passage from the book and it was at that moment that Karma Jiu Jitsu was born…
“Karma the natural law of cause and effect that governs the universe.
Karma literally means ACTION and karma is both the power latent within actions, and the results our actions bring.
In simple terms, what does karma mean? It means that whatever we do with our body, speech, or mind, will have a corresponding result. Each action, even the smallest, is pregnant with consequences. It is said, by the masters, that even a little poison can cause death, and even a tiny seed can become a huge tree.
Karma does not decay like external things, or ever become inoperative. It cannot be destroyed by time, fire, or water.
Because the law of karma is inevitable and infallible, whenever we harm others, we are directly harming ourselves, and whenever we bring them happiness, we are bringing ourselves future happiness.
Karma then, is not fatalistic or predetermined. Karma means are ability to create and to change. It’s creative, because we can determine how and why we act. We can change. The future is in our hands, and in the hands of our heart.”
After this, we continued to dream and talk about how we wanted our gym to be run. With the help of an incredible friend, Mike, we found mats for an incredible price, which led to searching for a space. We signed the deal and within two weeks of getting the keys we were open for business. The people in our lives helped this become a reality. Much gratitude to Fernando Zulick, Joshua Janis, Rich Sab, Meghan Wagner, Christian Graugart, Erica and Ryan Walden, Dave, Zac, Mike, Michel, Steve and Dana Dion, our children Jessle and Zedden, Adio, Clay, Mark Bandurchin, and all of the other people we have met along this journey. We were once told, “You are on the right path!” I wasn’t sure I believed him, but looking back and ahead, we now know it to be true.
Tell us about the people that train in Karma Jiu Jitsu, Ontario – who are they?
The people that train at our gym are incredible and help drive the culture we want to provide. We have children as young as four years old all the way up to adults in their 60s. We have hobbyists and competitors. The best thing about all of it is we have created a space for people to come in and be themselves; mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, actors, plumbers, engineers, students, lawyers, realtors, entrepreneurs and more.
Why do they train?
We have members that train for various reasons. We have members that grew up in third world countries that have a high concern for self defense. We have children who love to compete, and police officers who want to keep our community safe. Specifically they train at Karma Jiu Jitsu because they love the environment. We PLAY Jiu Jitsu. We laugh a lot!
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
We are in a large city and with the Jiu Jitsu community constantly growing we see so many opportunities for us as well as many others who are interested in opening their own gyms. We see opportunities for growth and a way to give back to the community. Jiu Jitsu isn’t about Jiu Jitsu – we are going to make an impact on everyone around us.
What’s the best thing about Karma Jiu Jitsu, Ontario?
We take great pride in keeping the mats and all other areas as clean as possible. However, we would have to say the best part is our culture. We foster a friendly and playful environment where you get to learn amazing Jiu Jitsu. If you don’t leave with a smile on your face, we didn’t do it right.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Being in a large metropolitan area, we would recommend heading to Downtown Toronto to check out the CN Tower, a Toronto Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre, and make sure to try all of the many variations of poutine.
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