Misfits Jiu-Jitsu of St. Charles combines martial arts and mental health support – Show Local

ST. Charles – Misfits Jiu-Jitsu takes a different approach to martial arts, emphasizing mental fitness over toughness on the mat.

Owner Brad Edmondson has battled mental health issues for most of his life, but has found peace in sparring and created a safe space for others going through the same battle.

Edmondson grew up in Elgin and currently lives in Geneva. His gym at 1150 N. 5th Ave. in St. Charles opens in 2022.

Misfits fosters an inclusive environment with an emphasis on mental health, focuses on technique and control rather than submission and competition, and offers Jiu-Jitsu classes for all ages and skill levels.

Mr. Edmondson said the top priority is safety and that he has implemented measures within the gym to prevent injuries so that students can remain focused on improving themselves and learning rather than beating their opponents. He stated that there is a code of conduct.

Edmondson described his upbringing as a really difficult time in his life. He suffered from severe depression from his early teens until his early 20s. He grew up playing basketball, but he was cut from the team at age 13, and says that was the beginning of his downturn. He fell into a group of children who were in terrible condition and began to lose his friends to addiction and prison.

Edmonson was diagnosed with bipolar depression and became reclusive and isolated from the world for nearly five years. He had severe panic attacks when he was out in public, so he rarely went out and no longer exercised at all.

“I was a mess,” Edmondson said. “It was tough. I stopped going out because I was so depressed.”

During that period, Edmondson wasn't getting much sleep anyway, so he started going to the gym in the middle of the night. He didn't know anything about weightlifting or working out until the night manager started teaching him how to lift weights.

By his late 20s, Edmondson was going to the gym five days a week, and after a few years his mental health also began to improve, although his attitude at the gym was mostly angry. His first experience with martial arts was when he signed up for a Thai boxing class as a way to vent his anger, and during his first sparring session, he was choked by a 15-year-old boy.

“He beat the crap out of me,” Edmondson said.

In 2011 Edmondson started Jiu-Jitsu. Although he started martial arts as a way to vent his anger, he said he saw Jiu-Jitsu more as a game and it became a more enjoyable and positive outlet for him. He said it's similar to wrestling because it's based on using leverage and position to defeat an opponent who is bigger and stronger than you.

“I fell in love with this puzzle and was training all the time,” Edmondson said. “What's incredible to me is the details and little tricks of this sport. I spend a lot of time studying the craft, I strive to perfect the craft, and I'm constantly improving. .”

Through a balance of jiu-jitsu, medication, and therapy, Edmondson noticed that his mental health began to improve. Soon he was teaching jiu-jitsu classes at a gym in West Dundee. A few years later, he began teaching jiu-jitsu full-time at a CrossFit gym in Elgin, where he launched the Misfits brand, but just as he was about to get started, the 2020 pandemic forced the gym to close. .

Edmondson said she had wanted to open her own gym and was already aiming for an Addams Family theme when she found the space in St. Charles. It happened to be across the street from a cemetery, so he knew it was the perfect spot.

He said he loved the sport, but there were times he didn't like it. He said he had always disliked wearing the gi, the traditional martial arts robe, and did not like the belt system. This is because it seems to focus on rank rather than effort to improve.

“If they didn't sit down and tell us what's going on, we'd have no idea what they've been dealing with and what they're doing. It's really special. That’s true.”

— Brad Edmonson, Owner of The Misfits Jiu-Jitsu

Those who train at Misfits don't wear traditional gi, and they don't train based on belts like most martial arts gyms. Edmondson said traditional gyms aren't necessarily the right environment for kids going through difficult times.

Edmondson said he treats all students like adults because the last thing these kids want is for others to try to police them. He said he's not trying to change anyone, just encouraging them to be positive, have fun, and be happy with who they are.

A safe space to share

After class, the gymnasium is where they hang out and talk. He said Misfits members are always supportive of what others are going through and celebrate each other's sobriety and growth.

He said the name Misfits represents a strange group of people who train together.

“I have a very strange group of people, many of whom are incredible in their own right,” Edmondson said. “If they didn't sit down and tell us what's going on, we'd have no idea what they've been dealing with and what they're doing. It's really special. That’s true.”

Edmondson said he tries to share his stories with students every chance he gets. He said his mental health worsened when students started coming forward with their stories and sharing their struggles and fears, realizing that the environment was making a difference and helping people. . The main focus of the gym.

Edmondson said the gym fosters an open environment where people can talk about what they're going through and the challenges they're facing, which makes others feel comfortable opening up and not being judged. He said it creates a safe space where people know what they are doing.

“When I was going through this depression, I felt like I was the only one going through it,” Edmondson said. “Just knowing there are other people going through the same thing makes a huge difference.”

Edmondson said martial arts gyms are not places where most people would expect to address their mental health, and the culture at other mixed martial arts gyms can be quite different.

“A lot of it in the MMA world is like a meathead culture and it's not good for your mental health. I'm trying to change that,” Edmondson said. “My workplace just does something completely different.”

Matt Okigawa lives in St. Charles and has been training with Misfits Jiu-Jitsu for six months. He is a Judo teacher in Barrington and has been training in Jiu-Jitsu for several years. He's been to a lot of martial arts gyms with really toxic environments, but he said Misfits does things differently.

“It's a very welcoming environment and healthy culture,” Okikawa said. “Brad knows how to train everyone from beginners to really high-level instruction.”

“It's very different than what people expect,” Edmondson said. “There's this idea that in order to be a tough guy, you can have one emotion, and that's anger. That's why people get killed because they don't deal with depression or cry. Because there's this idea that it's not normal.”

Combine physical and mental health

Edmondson said he emphasizes to all students that exercise alone is not enough and that they need to talk to someone and get the help they need.

“I always like to stress, it wasn’t just jiu-jitsu,” Edmondson said. “I've had to take medication for years and undergo a lot of treatments, and it's still a work in progress. It's hard, dude. Some days I still struggle, but I'm better than I used to be. It’s much better.”

When Misfits officially opened its doors in St. Charles in April 2022, Edmondson had just eight students, but has now grown to more than 50 members.

“I never thought I would do something like this,” Edmondson said. “I can't go out in front of people, so now I'm teaching classes.”

St. Charles resident Chad Siemens' son Mason, 12, has been training with Misfits for about a month. Mason loved training at Misfits, which he said really gave him confidence.

“Brad is great,” Siemens said. “He has a heart of gold and Jim is really inclusive. He's been spending a lot of one-on-one time with Mason and has already made a lot of progress.”

Siemens said he chose Misfits because he was looking for a live gym rather than a traditional martial arts program where he trains with GIS and aims for a belt. He said safety is a top priority at Misfits and Edmonson's training method is a great way to be exposed to contact sports and learn proper self-defense techniques in a secure residence.

“Mason will train with anyone, no matter their size. The staff here are all very friendly, attentive, and happy to teach you,” Siemens said. “They're all about mechanics and learning how to execute a controlled finish in a safe way.”

Misfits offers classes Monday and Wednesday from 5pm to 10pm, Tuesday and Thursday from 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm, and Saturday from 11am to 3pm doing.

To learn more about Misfits, check out their schedule or sign up for a class, visit their website.