Today we’d like to introduce you to Mat Brooks.
Hi Mat, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Mat Brooks, and I am one of three owners of Abstract Athletics. We started this business about 4 years ago out of a small karate studio before getting flooded and losing all our equipment. After that we thought we should open up our own location on higher ground, so we did. After a year in business, we were able to expand into a full-on Acrobatics & Jiu-Jitsu school with plenty of students. We are just a few days away from an even bigger expansion as well.
Our background includes running recreational and team gymnastics programs, competitive and recreational cheer, dance acrobatics, and of course, tons of time doing Jiu-Jitsu as a hobby. With the time spent doing all of this, we decided to make a career out of it and show others what they could really do woth their bodies when given a path to follow.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a ride to say the least haha. Our first location was flooded pretty bad, so we lost all of our equipment. We opened our first actual location about a month before covid hit, but we’re lucky enough to have a great landlord who tool care of us and didn’t sink us. We’ve had many night with no adult or kids Jiu-Jitsu classes because that was a new thing for the area but that has since changed. We were extremely fortunate to have a great following of dedicated students for acrobatics from the beginning and see more and more of these kids off to college each year. It is an amazing thing to witness.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are Abstract Athletics. We specialize in guiding young athletes down a path where they can be successful in Acrobatics and Jiu-Jitsu. These of course are two separate paths, which is something that sets us apart from any other school in the area. We have a particular teaching method where small class size and experienced coaches can really make an impact on these kids’ lives.
We currently work with the Kingwood Fillies as dance team well as several local school & competitive dance teams. Aside from that, nearly all the coaches (only 5) compete nationally in Jiu-Jitsu and are constantly pushing for their own personal goals.
This experience is why we are so proud of the brand we’ve created. We really walk the walk and expect nothing less from our students. This is not a franchise; this is our life.
We offer acrobatics for ages 5 and up as long as they can pass evaluation. Kids Jiu-Jitsu starts at 4-6, 7 -9, and 10-12, and we offer a wide variety of classes for hobbyists and competitors alike. Lastly, we have a dedicated adult and women’s program that is available as well. Lots to unpack, so just give us a call.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
When we initially got flooded and began to debate opening our own location, we weighed the risks for a while. At the time I worked at Woodlands Elite & Stacey’s Dance Studio, Coach Pete was working on gymnastics teams at Rowland Ballard Gymnastics, and Coach Garrick had a full-time job with family and kids.
Honestly, I had some money that was given to me when my father and grandmother passed away, and that was what I used to bet on our plan. We know we had a great idea, but hadn’t we really jumped in just yet? After some debate and finding a location within the budget we pulled the trigger and started really committing to the idea.
Some things need to be risked in order to get to where you want to go, and that’s what we did.
Pricing:
- Adult & Kids bjj $200/$150 per month (based on two days or unlimited)
- Women’s only bjj $100 per month (unlimited and open to all classes)
- Acrobatics $100 per month (evaluation required; we do not accept everyone)
- Registration fees $150/$100/$50 (2 uniform BJJ, 1 uniform BJJ, acro)
- Gym access $15 (included in adult BJJ/women’s BJJ membership)
Contact Info:
- Website: Abstractjiujitsu.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/abstract_athletics?utm_source=qr&igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg%3D%3D
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063486191805&mibextid=ZbWKwL
