The Real Meaning of Training Together

Training as a Family

By Edna Jiménez

This piece comes from lived experience and many conversations between Felipe and me. While I am writing this, the lessons come from both of us.

I used to think training as a family would look a certain way.

I imagined all of us on the mats at the same time, moving through the same journey, sharing the same routines forever. What I learned instead is that training as a family is not a fixed picture. It is a story that changes over time.

The layers behind training together

Training with your partner is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can do. There are days when everything flows. Communication is easy. Movement feels connected. And there are days when it feels heavy. When small frustrations surface and emotions sneak into places you wish they would not. Jiujitsu has a way of removing the mask. Especially when the person across from you knows you deeply.

There are moments when training separately sounds easier. Less emotion. Less overlap between life, business, and the mats. Owning a gym together while also being training partners adds layers most people never experience. We are not just a couple. We are business owners. We are practitioners. And on the mats, he is my coach.

Respecting those roles is essential. At home and in the business, we operate as partners. On the mats, that dynamic changes. I am a student in that space, not a co-owner or a decision maker. That distinction requires humility and intention. It requires clear boundaries and trust.

Accepting coaching from someone who is also your partner is not easy, but honoring that structure is what allows real growth to happen.

Those layers do not weaken the relationship. They refine it. When roles are clear, training becomes cleaner, communication improves, and the partnership grows stronger both on and off the mats.

That layered understanding does not stop with us.

As parents, training adds another dimension. Watching your child step onto the mats changes how you see effort and struggle. Pride is part of it, but understanding becomes the bigger piece. When you train yourself, you recognize how hard it is to remember steps, to stay calm when something feels uncomfortable, and to keep going when nothing clicks. You stop measuring progress by wins or losses and start seeing effort instead. Every small moment matters.

Our kids no longer train, and that reality fits into the same lesson. Growth has many faces. What training gave our family did not disappear when they stepped away. It continues to shape how we support them, how we listen, and how we respect their independence. Jiujitsu reinforces something we already know but often forget. Growth is not linear and it does rely on one singular activity.

The value that stays with you

One of the greatest gifts Jiujitsu gives families is shared language. We understand what it means to struggle and keep showing up. We know what it feels like to want to quit and choose to stay. Those lessons live far beyond the mats.

If you are a parent watching from the sidelines and wondering if stepping onto the mats yourself makes sense, I understand that hesitation. Training can feel intimidating at first. But it does not ask you to be confident or athletic. It asks you to be willing. Willing to learn. Willing to be uncomfortable. Willing to grow.

Training as a family is not about being the best at Jiujitsu. It is about connection, understanding, and allowing each person to grow in their own way.

That is where the real value lives.

About Us

Mavericks Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu goes beyond the mats.
It’s a mindset, a daily practice, and a way of life.
We build an inclusive community where anyone—regardless of age or background—can find confidence, discipline, and a sense of belonging through training.