money The Buzz: New jiu jitsu studio opening in Grand Chute this weekend
GRAND CHUTE – A new martial arts studio is coming to the Fox Cities' west side.
Theory Jiu Jitsu will hold its grand opening Saturday at 1879 N. Casaloma Dr. in Grand Chute. The studio will offer a variety of classes, catering to beginners who are interested in learning more about the sport as well as more experienced martial artists.
Owner and head instructor Levi Van Stappen is a Fox Cities native who has 18 years of martial arts experience. He previously taught at Karate America and Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Appleton and is excited to bring his own practice to the area. He describes jiu jitsu as a mix of wrestling and joint holds that allows one to manage a physical encounter.
“Jiu jitsu doesn’t have to rely on striking or hurting someone to incapacitate them or control a situation, so that’s what really got to me,” Van Stappen said. “A lot of people relate it to human chess. It’s very cerebral — there’s a lot of positions, and if I can know more than you, if I can outsmart this other person, even if this person is 80, 90, 100 pounds bigger than me, then I have the capacity and the ability to overcome them without having to be bigger and stronger than them.”
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Van Stappen compared the self-defense aspect of jiu jitsu to magic, specifically escape art. He mentioned that one of his inspirations in his training is Appleton icon Harry Houdini.
“I think there’s something magical with jiu jitsu, the fact that we could put people in really stressful situations, and have a mix of taking a breath and being able to use your mind and get out of really bad situations,” he said. “I really love the idea that we’re here in Appleton teaching Appleton’s newest generations of escape artists.”
Theory Jiu Jitsu’s studio in Grand Chute has 1,200 square feet of mat space and will be able to accommodate about 35 to 40 students at a time, according to Van Stappen. Theory offers evening classes as well as early and mid-morning sessions — daytime classes for those with alternate work schedules are something the Fox Cities lack, Van Stappen said. A full weekly schedule is available on Theory’s website.
The studio’s grand opening event Saturday will offer a taste of Theory’s class options. The event will include three “fundamentals” classes, which are akin to beginner seminars.
“It’s basically just learning the basics and the foundational principles of jiu jitsu, like the positions, the different submission holds, kind of just how to navigate it,” Van Stappen said.
At 9 a.m. is a youth fundamentals class for children ages 7 through 12. A women-only fundamentals class is at 10 a.m., followed by a coed adult fundamentals class at 11 a.m. More experienced martial artists will take the floor at noon for an advanced class.
Van Stappen is excited to share his passion with the community.
“(Jiu jitsu has) completely changed my life from being a shy, introverted kid to being able to express myself and have confidence,” he said. “It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Call 920-364-9743 for more information.
Contact Brad Star at bstar@postcrescent.com. Follow him on Twitter at @byBradStar.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton: Theory Jiu Jitsu opening in Grand Chute this weekend
