Brad Edmondson, owner and operator of Misfits Jiu-Jitsu in St. Charles, wears a Misfits T-shirt that says “Mental Health Matters.”
David Toney/Show Local
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 is located at 1150 N. 5th Ave. in St. Charles and opens in 2022.
Brad Edmondson, owner and operator of Misfits Jiu-Jitsu in St. Charles, watches the class.
David Toney/Show Local
Misfits fosters an inclusive environment with an emphasis on mental health, offering Jiu-Jitsu classes for all ages and skill levels that focus on technique and control rather than submission and competition.
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.
He described his upbringing as a really difficult period 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 out in public, so he rarely went out and his exercise stopped completely.
“I was a mess,” Edmondson said. “It was tough. I stopped going out because I was so depressed.”
During that time, 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 in 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 to death by a 15-year-old boy.
“He beat the crap out of me,” Edmondson said.
In 2011, Edmonson discovered Jiu-Jitsu. He said he started martial arts as a way to vent his anger, but considered jiu-jitsu to be more of a game, and it became a more enjoyable and positive outlet for him. He stated that this is similar to wrestling as it is based on using leverage and position to defeat a larger and stronger opponent.
“I fell in love with this puzzle and was training all the time,” Edmondson said. “What's incredible to me is the details and the little tricks of this sport. I spend a lot of time studying the technique, I strive to perfect it, and I'm constantly improving. .”
Brad Edmondson (right), owner of Misfits Jiu-Jitsu in St. Charles, shows off his moves during a class.
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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. .
Edmonson said she knew she wanted to open her own gym and was 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 would be a perfect fit.
He said he loved the sport, but there were times he didn't like it. He said he always hated wearing a dogi (traditional martial arts robe) and did not like the belt system. This is because the belt system seems to focus more on rank than on striving to improve.
Those who train at Misfits don't wear traditional gi, and their training isn't belt-based 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.
safe space
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.
Members of the Misfits Jiu-Jitsu class practice what they learn at the St. Charles Martial Arts Gym.
David Toney/Show Local
He said the name Misfits refers to the 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 it.”
Edmondson said he tries to share his stories with students every chance he gets, and when students come forward with their stories and share their struggles and fears, He said mental health became a top priority as he realized he was making a difference and helping people in his environment. 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. He said it will create a safe space.
“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.
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. Okikawa said he has been to a lot of martial arts gyms with really toxic environments, but 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.”
