BOULDER, Colo. — Martial arts is growing across Colorado. The Easton Training Center is a testament to that.
“Martial arts and [Brazilian] jiu-jitsu are pretty male-dominated," said Natalie Ortiz, a Colorado native who has dedicated most of the last five years to the art of fighting. “I would say it’s really pushed me out of my boundaries, out of my comfort zone."
Ortiz is honing her skills at the Easton Training Center in Denver, one of nine Front Range locations developing martial artists for over two decades.
"It’s been really awesome to see more women joining jiu-jitsu," said Ortiz. "When I started, it was pretty light. Sometimes I’d be the only woman in class. [That's] a little intimidating, but we’ve been growing a lot as a community, and I’m really happy about that.”
Her anecdotal experience is backed up by the fact that Easton's yearly in-house competitions have moved out of their facilities to larger venues. What was once drawn up on a hand-made bracket and executed in makeshift rings has now expanded to a two-day event with paid staff.
This year, the Easton Open will feature more than 400 competitors at the South Suburban Sports Complex in Littleton.
“All year long, we’re working really hard, doing our own thing, training at our own gyms," said Mike Tousignant, the CEO of Easton Training Centers. "Then we all come together for the Easton Open twice a year, and it’s a massive party. We’re all just beating each other up, but at the end of every match, everybody walks away happy with a big smile on their face.”
The growth in jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and a variety of other martial arts stems more from friendship than fighting.
“You’re going so hard in here [that] everything else just gets easier out there," said Tousignant. "The community, they hold each other together. Once you start sweating with somebody and working that hard with them, they become your friends.”
Meanwhile, Ortiz is perfecting the perfect move to win first place at the upcoming open.
“So it’s like a choke with your legs," said Ortiz. “You like figure four over somebody’s neck and arm.”
The Flying Triangle, as it's called, may sound intimidating, but Ortiz encourages anyone seeking self-improvement to at least try this sport that's grabbed hold of her heart.
“I think anybody and everybody should give it a shot,” said Ortiz. "Even if it’s just to try a class. Maybe you don’t want to do this every day, but I think it’s at least worth a try.”
The Easton Open tournament runs all day on April 5 and April 6. Tousignant said it's the perfect place for any interested person to get a feel for what they're all about.
“It’s like the energy of this group, this community, it spreads across everybody that walks into that room and they’re like, 'Man, I want to be a part of this,'" said Tousignant.
For more information on Easton Training Centers and Colorado's martial arts scene, click here.
