Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Aesir.
Hi Joe, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey to running Ragnarok Athletics is a story that goes full circle. I started martial arts at 3 years old in Karate. I had to convince my father, who was a sensei at the dojo, to let me train as he didn’t want to feel like he was pressuring me. I found success in karate growing up winning national and world tournaments. In my young adult life I found Kickboxing and Muay Thai. I trained and competed in those arts before deciding to not pursue a career as a professional fighter. Instead I chose to go to college to become a Marine Biologist. While attending college I was invited to train with and help coach MMA teams near Monterey. It was here that I found that I enjoyed and was skilled in coaching. Also in Monterey, is where I stared to learn Wrestling and Brazilian Jiujitsu. While I was training I was working as a Naturalist for a local Whale Watching Company, while still personal training on the side. I even had a stint as a teacher and a substitute teacher during that time. While the work I was doing was incredible, I realized that my true passion is teaching martial arts. A local Brazilian Jiujitsu gym that I trained at, allowed me to rent mat time to start my own program where we focused on Muay Thai and MMA. Over time I saved up and eventually I moved out to get my own space. I want to bring something that doesn’t exist for the Monterey area. A program of Muay Thai and MMA, that can empower people in their fitness and Self defense journey, as well as be a home to those who may want to pursue martial arts professionally.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My main struggles were early on as most business. At first I had to teach myself marketing and business. Not knowing when and how new students were going to show up. There was a brief moment early on where I really considered quitting as I was not growing at the rate I needed to be able to stay open. Ads seemed pointless, local groups didn’t seem open to working with me. It seemed like parts of the community didn’t want MMA in the area. And as all businesses there is an ebb and flow in students so it can be hard sometimes to prepare for the future when next month can look very different that nthis month.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Ragnarok Athletics is a Martial Arts and a fitness facility. Our main focus currently is martial arts for self defense, competition, health, and of course just fun. Our specialty is competition. We are the only competitive and full time Muay Thai and MMA program on the Monterey Peninsula. While most of our student don’t compete, they do enjoy the fact that what they are learning is used in competition, which means it definitely works. We do also offer a free women’s Self Defense class every Saturday at 9am, free for all women. The thing we are most proud of is watching how people’s lives have changed. We have seen people in the hardest parts of their lives come through our doors and the skills they learn here such as discipline, fortitude, humility, confidence as helped them turn their lives around. Those will always be our proudest moments. The big thing that sets us apart is community. Our goals as a gym is to become a force in the community. As we grow we have multiple planned programs that are not for our gym but for the community as a whole.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My superpower has always been my composure. It can be easy to make decisions based on current circumstances or how you feel in the moment. But not letting those force me into making hasty decisions has been the thing that has let me succeed as much as I have so far.
Pricing:
- Youth MMA $150/month for Unlimited
- Adult Martial Arts $175/month unlimited
- Lil Ninjas Program $100-$150/month based on attendance
- Bag Class $140/Month Unlimited
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ragnarokathletics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragnarokathletics?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
