Tyler Richardson

Hey everyone, I’m a student and coach here at Ground-Up. I’m also an Army infantry veteran as well as an OVN Ambassador for Operation Vet NOW Inc. It’s a passion of mine to spread awareness on how beneficial Brazilian jiu-jitsu is for the mental health of not only veterans but everyone in general.

My journey here started after my wife, and I decided to sign our oldest daughter up for classes. A few months in Professor Jag could see how it sparked my interest and offered me a trial class. After that the rest is history and I was hooked. The coaches and team members here at Ground Up are some amazing people and have become like a second family to us. Everyone genuinely cares, pushes one another to be better and is always willing to help you succeed. My family and I love Jiu-jitsu and it has become a big part of our lives. Both our daughters (& occasionally my wife) take classes at ground up now and it’s been a great bonding experience for all of us. I hope to continue to grow, learn as much as possible and help anyone I can along the way.

A lot of BJJ practitioners refer to rolling as mat therapy and I couldn’t agree more. When I got out of the service, there was that missing feeling of camaraderie and competitiveness you have while serving. I found Jiu-Jitsu to be a way of filling that void. For me and many others, it seems like the negativity from a bad day or sometimes just life in general seems to vanish when rolling. Not only is it a great workout for the body, but the mind as well. If you are or know of any Veterans or first responders that are struggling with mental health, I strongly suggest at least a trial class to see the benefits of it. I hope it can help as much as it has helped me.

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”-Thomas Paine.