Today we’d like to introduce you to Juan Tatum.
Hi Juan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I begin training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when I was 22 years old. Prior to training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I was training in another martial art/fighting style: Muay Thai kickboxing. I had previous experience fighting and had an opportunity to help prepare someone for an upcoming MMA bout and quickly realized I was in over my head. The individual I was helping was a female that was extremely knowledgeable in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling. She had beat me effortlessly twice with chokes! It was then that I chose to pursue Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and dedicate myself to becoming a more well-rounded fighter. There were only a few places that offered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the quality of BJJ was incredible. I began training and competing shortly after. I knew right away that I wanted to dedicate myself to becoming the best I could be. After several years of training and competition, my coach approached me and asked me if I would like to help teach classes. From that point forward, I knew that I wanted to help others get better at BJJ. At the time, my coach was running multiple locations and began looking to downsize; this led to him asking my wife and I if we would like to buy into the company and start our own gym. We thought about it for a little bit and decided together that it would be a great opportunity for us.
We started off very minimal and throughout the past seven years, have built a training center we are incredibly proud of. My coaching staff comes from a variety of backgrounds of martial arts and uniquely have put their expertise alongside our training to offer the best in the area. By surrounding ourselves with amazing people, we have created an exceptional program that is not only challenging but also rewarding. As the sport evolves, we evolve with it. With the knowledge that I have gained over the years of previous martial arts and by remaining a student of the craft myself, I believe I have created an incredible and competitive competition team in Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It can be overwhelming in the beginning, starting a new business, but the most challenging struggle we’ve had to face was with COVID. It was very tough to be quarantined and have your daily life removed from you so suddenly. However, with the overwhelming support and love of our incredible team, we’ve made it through that tough time and proved that together we can continue sharing our goals and dreams.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Peak Performance Watauga?
Peak Performance Watauga is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts training facility. We specialize in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, and mixed martial arts. We offer training for anyone from ages four through adults. We not only teach self-defense and fitness, but we also instill life skills and improve self-confidence with our training. Our lineage can be traced back to the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We not only maintain the core skill set of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but have evolved in our training and techniques. We are dedicated to our students and their goals, whether it be a hobbyist or professional athlete, we are eager to help and provide the best training and opportunity for them.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
In the beginning it’s important to be patient and believe in yourself. You need to believe that the service or product that you are presenting is the best. You need to know your value and understand that passion and determination will provide
Contact Info:
- Email: peakmixedmartialarts@gmail.com
- Website: www.peakmixedmartialarts.com
- Instagram: @PeakWatauga
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/peakwatauga
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC–whyxTnkqULd0phDpiOqA
