November 2025 | Episode #19
Pictured: Kelci Wray (first class April 1, 2025) showing off her takedown skills.
There’s always something to learn…
In Jiu-Jitsu, progress isn’t about memorizing katas or rehearsing endless sequences. It’s about learning how to problem-solve against the most dynamic puzzle we could ever face: another human being.
And as new influences like wrestling and no-gi judo continue to shape the landscape of modern grappling, we’re reminded that there’s always something new to learn. These perspectives challenge established approaches, invite creative thinking, and remind us that teaching and training is never static.
At LŌKAHI, we embrace the Japanese spirit of kaizen or continual improvement. It’s what drives our instructors, guides our curriculum, and shapes the experience we’re building together. In this month’s newsletter, we’ll share a few exciting updates inspired by that same mindset :
Highlights from the Justin ‘JFLO’ Flores Seminars
A fresh Re-Launch of our Monday morning class
Refinements to our weekly lineup
And some exciting behind-the-scenes projects we’ve been working on
Keep reading to see what Team LŌKAHI has been up to!
JFLO: Foot sweepin’ the City!
Pictured: Packed house for JFLO, November 8th, 2025.
This past weekend, grapplers from more than a dozen gyms across the Midwest converged at LŌKAHI to learn from one of the best in the business.
An accomplished world-class athlete who discovered his passion for teaching, Justin ‘JFLO’ Flores brought his signature blend of movement-based grappling across two seminars. Across both sessions, he broke down everything from break-fall excellence to engaging foot-sweep drills to chain-wrestling for Jiu-Jitsu.
Beyond the techniques themselves, a few lessons stood out regarding Justin’s philosophy to grappling proficiency:
When taking someone down, either fall second or not at all. - Especially without the gi, sacrifice throws like Tomoe nage are much less effective. Prioritize getting on top and staying on top.
Judo is the missing link between Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu.
For every wrestling attack, there is a Jiu-Jitsu counter. The key is getting in the right position to capitalize.
You can’t get good at Judo without having a good uke, so be a good uke for someone else.
Mahalo nui loa…
Thank you to Justin for sharing your expertise and your dedication to quality instruction.
Thank you to the Drink LMNT team for keeping our crew hydrated throughout the day.
Last, thank you to all the participants who traveled near and far, taking time out of their busy schedules in support of this great day.
We look forward to continuing to grow the Jiu-Jitsu community in the Midwest!
Pictured: JFLO Session #2.
Monday Morning Brew:
Starting Your Week off Strong
There’s something special about starting the week on the mats. Our Monday morning class has been reimagined from a Foundations-level session into a faster-paced Fundamentals class. Still led by Coach Guy, the class will now be taught in the Gi with a strong emphasis on positional sparring and specific feedback tied to our team’s current focus areas.
“I’m excited to teach in the gi again,” Coach Guy shared. “I spent a lot of my time overseas training without the gi and having this class will create a nice balance to my Wednesday No Gi classes.”
The updated format leans heavily into unstructured drilling with clear goals and guided self-discovery. Rather than moving through preset sequences, students are encouraged to explore a position through repetition and constraint-based training. “The opportunity to dive deep into the chosen positions of our Fundamental curriculum will be great for grapplers at any stage of their Jiu-Jitsu journey.”
For example, this past week the focus was the knee-cut position—where the top player aimed to consolidate the pass while the bottom player fought to maintain frames and recover guard. The result? A higher level of situational awareness in the messy middle—that critical space where matches are often won or lost.
“True mastery isn’t about who can memorize the most techniques,” said Coach Guy. “The best Jiu-Jitsu is practitioners develop deep knowledge, tailored to their own physicality, that they can rely on against active resistance.”
So pack your gi and your coffee tumbler… Monday mornings are now built to push your pace and set the tone for the week ahead.
Additional Schedule Changes
**Effective October 27, 2025
MONDAYS
6am Foundations (No Gi) ➡️ 6am Fundamentals (Gi)
FRIDAYS
5:30pm Open Mat ➡️ 4:00pm Open Mat
Beat the traffic and start off your weekend the right way!
SATURDAYS
8:00am Foundations #2 ➡️ Foundations Review
Coach Nolan will now be using Saturday mornings as a review of Tuesday and Thursday’s Foundation lessons.
SUNDAYS
Leglock Fundamentals will be taking a short break, BRB.
Updated Schedule **October 27, 2025.
“I have so many positive things to say and feel for LŌKAHI. For starters the instructors care & appreciate every single person that steps foot on the mat & off of it. New people are welcomed with positive attitudes, patiences, & step by step instructions. It does not just stop there the people who train here seem to be just as welcoming & willing to help teach in any ways they can. As a woman it is harder to find a gym that doesn’t feel toxic. Since starting at LŌKAHI I have always felt respected & gained so much confidence in not only my abilities but also knowing what atmosphere I now expect for gyms to train in. I would 100% recommend trying a class and getting to experience it for yourself!”
Technical Spotlight:
The word ‘SASAE’ means “to prop” or “to block” in Japanese. But to create predictable opportunities, spamming calf kicks will only lead to bruised feet and grumpy training partners (been there, not fun).
One thing that’s helped me is to find grips or scenarios that get your opponent to move towards you. This could be as simple as a collar-sleeve in the Gi or an underhook-overhook in the No Gi. Once you can reliably get your uke to step, focus on getting your hips and leg in a position to block their foot - preferably earlier than later. With their momentum traveling forward their foot caught on yours, they will be unable to support their falling weight.
Save the Date!
Saturday, December 13th
LŌKAHI Winter Promotions (am) + Holiday Party (pm)
We are excited to once again hold our Youth and Adult Promotions next month. Promotions are great opportunity for us to come together and celebrate the efforts of our teammates.
COLLECTIVE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
This month’s Collective Member of the Month is KELCI WRAY!
As someone who had never taken a martial arts class before starting, Kelci’s enthusiasm for Jiu-Jitsu and fun-loving energy is inspiring. Her poor vision may lead her to not recognize you from more than 5’ away, but there are few people friendlier at our gym!
Fun Facts
Favorite music artist: “Gorillaz (but I’ll listen to anything besides Country).”
Favorite food: “I could eat Bibimbap or Panang curry everyday.”
Favorite Food: “Probably an Opossum, just because I love them so much as they just kinda… exist.”
Work: “I work at a local, family-owned pet store!”
Random fact: “I really like paleontology, especially weird prehistoric animals. One of my favorites is the Chalicotherium. They look like a mix between a gorilla and a horse.”
Additional Collective Member Spotlights
We’re glad to see ‘Big’ BRIAN SORENSEN back on the mats! Coming back from a torn bicep tendon, Brian has been diligent on his physical therapy and rejoined the Morning Crew a few weeks ago. Good to have you back, bud!
A big congratulations to Coach Guy Rouelle for his successful outing this weekend in Kansas City for the IBJJF Open! Guy went 2-0, having a hard-fought Gi match on Saturday before running a 16-0 clinic this past Sunday in the No Gi. Guy has had a great competitive season for 2025 and we’re proud of his accomplishments.
Pictured: Coach Guy sporting some new hardware from the IBJJF Kansas City Open.
Upcoming Tournaments
November 8th - IBJJ Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
November 8th - Sub Spectrum Fallout
Des Moines, IA
November 23rd - Nebraska Jiu-Jitsu Championship
Lincoln, NE
December 7th - Submission Challenge
Omaha, NE
Upcoming NOVEMBER Birthdays
Wishing all of our Collective Members a very happy birthday!
4th - Dylan ‘Mac’ McCormick
5th - James Richardson
8th - David Bates
8th - Tim Lockear
10th - Keiani Leon
12th - Jack Powell
13th - Dalton Daeges
15th - Brad Williams
15th - Christian Anderson
16th - Sam O’Loughlin
20th - Owen Sanchez
23rd - Roldan Vilarreal
24th - Mitchell Johnston
26th - Guy Rouelle
28th - ‘Handsome’ Rob Ragland
29th - Samantha Rouelle
“Awesome place, very clean gym, great atmosphere!! Definitely a good place to train.
”
Pictured: Adoni Faxas playing the ‘Level Change’ game in Foundations.
Done Scrolling? Start Rolling!