Father inspires son through Jiu Jitsu at Renzo Gracie Spokane Valley

Originally interested in “the gentle art” for his bullied son, a local truck driver stepped onto the mats and found his own love for the sport.

When Jason Marvin noticed his son was lacking confidence and a reliable physical outlet, the solution was a trial Jiu Jitsu class.

Jiu Jitsu, widely known as the best martial art for self defense, also boosts confidence, provides a space for physical activity, and fosters relationships between students. All these were aspects that Jason wanted his son to experience.

“(After) watching the intro class, it kind of sparked my interest,” Jason said. “(I) thought, ‘What the heck? I'll give it a shot and see if I like it.’”

Thus, Jason dove into the world of Jiu Jitsu.

Like any white belt, Jason struggled at the beginning. However, unlike most white belts, Jason persevered through the hard classes.

“He is very committed,” Professor Markus Carvalho said. “(Commitment) is the number one thing that we need when starting Jiu Jitsu in the first place.”

Jason was tired after his first class, but he was hooked.

“I was kind of like, ‘Okay, let me try this again and see if it’s something I could get into,’” Jason said.

Even though Evan decided he didn't like Jiu Jitsu at first, Jason started training himself, hoping that he could convince his son to give it another chance.

Soon, Jason started coming to classes three times a week. As his Jiu Jitsu skills progressed, he started noticing other benefits when he was off the mats.

“It's really helped me outside of the mats and not (be) stressed about life,” Jason said.

Since joining the gym and making other lifestyle changes, Jason has dropped 75 pounds and is no longer considered a diabetic for the first time in 17 years.

Regarding Jason’s weight loss, Professor Markus said that the 47-year-old is an inspiration to everyone, especially since he is a little older.

Jason kept showing up to learn. Along his journey, weight came off, his mental health improved, and he gained a second family.

On December 14, 2024, Jason earned his blue belt from Professor Markus.

Shortly thereafter, Jason’s son, Evan, decided to give the sport another shot.

“Evan has ADHD, and I put him into (Jiu Jitsu) for learning body control and (being) able to focus his mind better,” Jason said, adding Evan needed more friends and confidence.

Now a gray-white belt, Evan comes at least three times a week—just like his dad.

“This last year really showed us (that Evan had) more confidence in school. (He) did really well, especially when starting a new school,” Jason said. “I think starting Jiu Jitsu prior to that really, really helped.”

Through his two years of training, the truck driver has seen and experienced many things on and off the mat. The best piece of advice he would give to people is “to control your breathing and just to keep pushing through.”

“I just love everybody here. I love training (and) seeing everybody's growth,” Jason said. “I love helping at class with the kiddos and seeing them grow and just (the) overall community.”

“Jason is just an amazing human being and a very valuable asset to our community,” Professor Markus said. “I just appreciate his inspiring commitment to the art of Jiu Jitsu and to our school and to our family.”

If you are interested in trying one of our fundamentals classes or have further questions, book your trial class here!

Written by Madison Broderius and Charlotte Carvalho.