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In an early fall day at The Dynasty Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym on 3109 N. 120th St.; Omaha, Nebraska, Marty Anderson sat on the mat with students and peers as he demonstrated transition techniques while in the guard position—a man in his element who had the attention of everyone. His students left, saying thanks with smiles on their faces. They didn’t bow, or anything stereotypical one might expect when stepping in or out of a dojo. The mat was a space of equality and his students respected that Anderson cultivated that space for them. He doesn’t even wear his black belt in the hopes of creating no hierarchy in the space.
“You have battles. You got to win them and hopefully some day, somebody behind you carries on the battles and helps you,” Anderson said. “The knowledge that sits in my head will go in a box or become ashes. Sharing that knowledge, I can have peace of mind behind me. If you have more ability than others, that’s a heavy weight on your shoulders, and that weight gets lifted when you can teach people what you do and know.”
Anderson sat still. His injuries and age have been great lessons to him. He’s trimmed the fat in all movements in his life, Jiu-Jitsu and personal. He’s come to a more strategic state of mind when practicing and teaching, doing away with wasted and unnecessary movements.
“I hear people say, ‘I’m too old’ or ‘I have injuries.’ They give themselves excuses,” Anderson said. “I’ve had both shoulders done, both knees, bulged discs. I’ve had ten surgeries. I’m limited, but I know my limitations. I still have fun. A body in motion stays in motion.”
In the midst of a shoulder injury, Anderson started to wonder if he could continue to defend himself. The pain from reaching out with a punch hurt too much. He demonstrated with his body how limited his motion is, but that lack of motion led to the creation of several techniques and inventive ways to grapple—and an invention of his Bare Knuckle Bags.
“I’ve been making my own punching bags since 2004. These weren’t regular punching bags, they served a purpose,” he explained. “My son came to me and told me that I didn’t know what I had. I refined the idea and got a patent. We’re still working on different bags for different drills and practices. If you’re doing Jiu-Jitsu, you’re really defending. You’re not learning how to win or beat people up, you’re learning how to be safe.”
The quiet of the gym was relaxing. The state of it reflected Anderson and Casey Cline, a student and the social media manager for the gym. The gym is still and calm until it comes time for grappling drills. Warriors are always ready so they don’t have to get ready. I asked Anderson what he wanted to see more of in the Omaha fighting community.
“We need more gyms working together than against each other,” he answered. “No one grows from that. There are a few gyms that are doing free open mats, cross training—everybody teaches differently. Just because I think I’m a good teacher doesn’t mean everybody is going to understand what I said. If they go to another gym and grapple with someone else, that person grows.”
He remarked about his greatest opponent: himself. Unable to get out of his own way mentally. He can see the pitfalls and traps with ease now, but that doesn’t mean they’re easier to avoid.
“I’m my worst opponent. I don’t care how big or small a threat is. I know I can stay safe and calm. It’s up to me to make a fight out of it or try to get out of it. For as long as I’ve been doing this, only I can beat me. Even if you hurt somebody because they were wrong, there’s more to it than that situation. There’s no sense in people getting hurt over egos,” he said.
Cline was overjoyed and spoke about how great and empowered taking Jiu-Jitsu lessons has made her.
“I started with Marty last September,” she said. “There was a gal at church who did Krav Maga and she did a self defense seminar at the church. The next day, I was calling around looking for a gym that would work with my schedule and I found Steiner Academy of Martial Arts. Then, I became Marty’s student after a camp. Marty is good at taking a person and learning what they’re good at.”
Anderson wanted his students and potential students to know that in order to practice the sport, career, and hobby, you must see yourself in the other person. You need to think from their perspective. See their strengths to imbue them with their strengths.
“If you look beyond the tip of your nose, you’ll learn a lot,” he said. “If you don’t, you are limited, and that’s where conflicts happen. Before you judge somebody, understand what made them like that. I’m not trying to make you, ‘the best me.’ I’m trying to make you the best you.”
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
