Forged Origin
Forged didn’t begin as a finished idea. It began as raw material—formed through loss, pressure, and time.
When my old gym closed, it felt like something important was taken away. Not just a place to train, but a place that gave structure, challenge, and purpose to my days. After six years of Jiu Jitsu, I knew I wasn’t done. What I didn’t know was that the next chapter would require faith as much as refinement.
I’ve spent enough time in the Jiu Jitsu scene to see the politics, the drama, and the ego that can creep into something meant to build people up. I wanted Forged to be different. No politics. No cliques. No nonsense. Just honest training with good people.
In April of this year, I was displaced from my job. That moment applied real heat to an already forming vision. What looked like a setback became pressure. I prayed through that loss—through the uncertainty, the fear, and the questions about what came next. And in that season, Forged was given to me by the Lord. What had been raw and unshaped was ready to be worked.
So I built it myself.
Every wall, every mat, the bathroom, the layout—none of it was outsourced. I wanted to know every inch of this place because Jiu Jitsu teaches ownership. You don’t get better by blaming circumstances. You get better by staying present, doing the work, and addressing what’s weak.
Building this gym mirrored Jiu Jitsu—and life—perfectly. Progress was slow. Mistakes were part of the process. There were days when everything felt heavy and nothing went right. But under pressure, you learn to breathe, make small adjustments, and keep moving forward. Strike by strike. Rep by rep.
Jiu Jitsu doesn’t end when you leave the mats. Life puts you in bad positions. It applies pressure and exposes weaknesses. You can panic, or you can stay disciplined and work your way forward. Forged exists as a reminder that strength is developed through refinement, not comfort.
The foundation of this gym is simple: discipline, strength, and community.
Discipline to show up when it’s hard.
Strength—physical, mental, and spiritual.
Community—because no one is forged alone.
Forged isn’t meant to be flashy. It’s meant to be useful. A place where beginners are welcomed, where people train hard without ego, and where respect matters more than rank.
This gym wasn’t created overnight. It was shaped through effort, pressure, prayer, and obedience to a calling I couldn’t ignore. And like Jiu Jitsu—and life itself—it will continue to be refined by those willing to step onto the mats and put in the work.
God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called. Be Called!
Justin - Forged Owner
