Meet Josh Childress | Josh Childress | Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh Childress and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
Give up or keep going?

Throughout my life there have been many times in my journey as a martial artist in which I have faced this very question. As a young 25-year-old, I was frustrated with life. I was in desperate need of a healthy, controlled outlet for the stress that had become overwhelming. I tried several activities, but none seemed to fulfill my needs. Then, I discovered Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). I joined a gym and began my training in Pueblo, CO. Within a short time, I had five amateur fights under my belt. This was revolutionary to my lifestyle, everything changed. As part of my training, I had to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). This is where I found my true passion, my calling. I decided to hang up my MMA gloves and focus my efforts and attention solely on BJJ.

I started my journey as a White Belt with one goal in mind, GET THAT STRIPE knowing this path would be filled with challenges and self-doubt. I thought this is what it meant to be great. However, after consistently being on the mat, I had an epiphany there is so much more to becoming a great mixed martial artist than just earning a stripe. It was about also becoming a better person. The stripe was just a bonus. After years of dedication and hard work, I successfully earned the rank of Brown Belt, my current level.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In 2016, my experience and connections set me on a path that I had not anticipated. I was hired as a BJJ coach at a local MMA gym. This gave me the opportunity to begin sharing my passion for the art of Jiu-Jitsu with others. Within a year, our student base had outgrown our facility. We moved to a much larger building and I was awarded the title of Head BJJ Coach. I had the humbling responsibility of coaching beginner, intermediate, and elite level competitors in the art with which I had fallen in love.

All was going well and in 2020, the pandemic hit. It devastated the BJJ community. Hand-to-hand grappling in our gym was out of the question. Gyms were closed, including mine. The answer was easy. With all those students counting on me to help them with a healthy, controlled outlet, BJJ had become important to them too. In the middle of a pandemic, I took the biggest leap of my life. With every penny in my possession accounted for, I invested in my passion and myself. I became a business owner and opened my own academy in June of 2020. I hoped that my students would return and continue this journey with me despite the pandemic. My goal: provide a space where I could continue my love of coaching BJJ and mentoring students, whom I NOW consider my family. I am pleased to say that I am glad that I kept going. Not only for me, but for every student that walks through the doors at Childress Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Hang out at the Pueblo Reservoir

grab some food at Juanita Burritos 719

road trip up the mountains to Bishops Castle

And most importantly hang out at the Academy!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

MY TEAM:

Juan Martinez V | Head Coach | Purple Belt

Juan Martinez Jr | Coach | Purple Belt

Ray Barnard | Coach | Blue Belt

Website: www.childressbjj.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childressbjj/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/childressbjj

Image Credits
Mike Calimbas