FIRST CAME KARATE
Like many others that grew up in the 70's, Miles Moffit was inspired by the infamous Bruce Lee. Miles began training in the Martial Arts in 1973 at the age of 13 with some other friends in their backyards. After many years of informal training Miles finally joined a martial arts school in 1985 and a few years later Miles received his black belt in Western Masters Tae-Kwon-Do from Jhoon Rhee student, Master Dane Harden.
THEN CAME JIU JITSU
In 1993 Miles saw Royce Gracie in the first UFC and was immediately fascinated with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He began searching for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction but couldn't find it anywhere. Finally, almost three years later, Miles stumbled onto an old Western Masters sparring partner and fellow black belt, Jim Marks, who was training in his garage with a handful of students, a set of 'Gracie Jiu Jitsu' instructional tapes and a hodge-podge assortment of mats. Miles eagerly joined the group and was hooked from the start.
THEN CAME THE "SOUTHSIDE JIU JITSU CLUB"
Within a year or so they had accumulated too many students for Jim's small garage. Miles built a 2,200 square foot dojo in the back of his construction warehouse, and moved the gang over there. Shortly afterwards Jim's work schedule changed and he wasn't able to teach class on a regular basis. About that same time the bombing of the World Trade Center occurred and Jim was called back into the military on active duty. With no other options available, Miles stepped up and took over as the instructor. It was about that time that Miles named the group "The Southside Jiu Jitsu Club". Miles got better, the group got better, they started winning some tournaments, word spread and the club started to grow.
WE ARE A "REGIS LEBRE / TEAM MAXERCISE" AFFILIATION
The "Southside Jiu Jitsu Club" is now an official training association of "REGIS LEBRE JIU JITSU / TEAM MAXERCISE." Regis Lebre is from Forteleza, Brazil and is a two-time Black Belt Brazilian World Champion. His primary trainers were Grandmaster Helio Gracie, Rickson Gracie, Royler Gracie, and Saulo Ribeiro. Go to
www.regislebre.com for more info on Regis Lebre.
Team Maxercise was originally founded by Stephen Maxwell, the first American to be recognized as a legitimate Black Belt In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu by the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation, which is located in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Stephen belted under Relson Gracie and holds many Jiu Jitsu titles, including two world championships he won in Brazil at the Mundials. Maxercise has since been sold to Stephen's long time student and close friend, John DiSimone. Go to www.maxercise.com for more info on Team Maxercise and John DiSimone.
