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| Shakib Nassiri (2nd from left) with the team helping prepare Eddie Bravo for Metamoris III at Jean Jacques Machado's Tarzana BJJ HQ |
- Hello. Why don’t we start by you telling us a
little about yourself?
My name is Shakib Nassiri
and I am a bjj purple belt under Jean Jacques Machado. I am also the president
of Submission Fight Co.
- Are you currently working? Is that Full time /
Part time?
Yes, I am currently working
full time at Submission Fight Co. with 1 part time employee, Chase Gould.
- You also set aside time to practice a sport.
Which sport(s)?
I was on lots of sport
teams as a kid but when I took up Jiu Jitsu a few years ago, it took over my
life and have only been training BJJ ever since.
- Have you competed much?
I have competed a few times
as a white and blue belt, but haven't got the chance to compete yet at purple.
Dream Jiu Jitsu is actually having a purple belt submission only tournament
coming up soon that I really want to compete in, but I have some injuries so
we'll see.
- How do you manage to fit your training around
work, study and family time?
It's really hard actually,
so I have put a priority on work for myself but I still train about 2 - 3 times
per week. I've also taken up yoga recently and it's been helping me a lot with
injuries and my Jiu Jitsu game.
- What is the greatest thrill you have gotten
out of practicing your sport and working in the martial arts industry?
Every day is a thrill for
me, weather I'm working in the Jiu Jitsu industry or training BJJ, I love every
day and every second of it.
- Give us your top 5 tips for time-management
(to fit exercise around life)
- Schedule your daily activities
- Schedule your daily meals
- Get your work out done
early in the day
- Sleep early
- Wake up early
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| Submission FightCo representing with Eddie Bravo |
- Do you feel that there is a difference in
style of gi from brand to brand? What are those differences? After all, jiu
jitsu is jiu jitsu!
Besides the brands
themselves and their marketing, yes there can be a lot of differences between
bjj gis from the cut, fit, design, material, weight, weave, etc.
- Tell us how you started in the MA business?
I had just started training
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and loved it when a friend of mine gave me the idea to
start a bjj gi brand. I took a shot at it and now I’m here.
- Why do you choose to stay in it?
For the love of Jiu Jitsu.
I can't imagine my life without Jiu Jitsu.
- When did you put together the idea for the
hemp gi?
A few years ago.
- What were the inspirations behind it?
I wanted to be different than the rest
so I asked my supplier if he can produce a hemp gi and he said yes. It took him
about a year for him to send me a sample, and as soon as I felt the gi for the
first time, I knew there was something special about this bjj gi. But that
story doesn’t end well.
-Tell us what has happened over the past few months with
your Sensation gi?
It’s been a long story that’s been
covered extensively, but basically people questioned the legitimacy of the
fabric used in our Sensation gi. We could have handled it better, but we ordered
lab tests to be done and in fact there was no hemp in a product that
essentially built our brand. You can read the details in our blog post. It’s been a struggle, but we’ve made
it a priority to reach out to every customer to make things right and we’re
getting a lot of support. I’m focused on the future now.
-If someone is in two minds about choosing your gi, what
would you say to them?
Every person has their own reasons for
why they choose a gi. Some are looking for style, others for fit, and some just
need something basic to get work in. Obviously I’m going to speak highly of my
gi, but I would tell them to try any gi out before you buy it. If it feels
good, then it’s probably the gi for you.
- Finally, do you have any regrets?
Of
course there are regrets. I should have done more research. I should have
collaborated more with people who are familiar with the hemp gi industry rather
than going about it on my own making the mistakes I’ve made. But now I am going
to be on top of the details and educate myself on every aspect of the industry.
I know it will make Submission Fight Co. have stronger organization, customer service
and products for the future.
I'd like to thank Shakib for taking the time to answer my questions and for sending me the beautiful Sensation gi. If you missed the review, you can find it here.
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ZHOO ZHITSU IS FOR EVERYONE!
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