Adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Student of the Month: Dan Kang

Hi Dan, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am an ordinary guy who is constantly trying to be a better man than I was yesterday. Born in Los Angeles, but growing up we moved quite frequently due to my father’s occupation as a South Korean diplomat. In June I will receive my Master’s degree in public administration. So now I am more than ready to simply focus on my career instead of constantly jumping all over the place. I’m also a huge fan of heavy music e.g. Slayer, Lamb of God, Pantera, etc. Music is definitely a huge part of my life. I grew up playing the drums, and if I weren’t actively engaged in BJJ, I would most definitely be spending most of my spare time playing the drums. I am in the military as an active reservist.

What classes do you take and what got you interested?

I take both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai classes. I actually have a background in Judo, which I trained in from 2006 to 2012. Personally, I found Judo to be one of the most frustratingly hard sports that I ever engaged in. Sometime around 2011, it dawned on me that it was time for me to quit. It was downright demoralizing getting thrown by white belts who were still in high school. So I quit! But I decided to continue my grappling journey by transitioning into BJJ. I have never looked back since. I also started training in Muay Thai last year in 2017 when I finally felt comfortable with my BJJ. Having solid fundamentals is key, I firmly believe. Unless you’re a genetic freak like Lebron James, there is just no way that you can be good at anything if you’re dabbling in multiple things half-heartedly.

How long have you been training and what is your belt color?

I started training BJJ since 2012 with a one-year break. At the moment I am a blue belt with 4 stripes.

What current and future goals do you have?

My goal is to go all the way in my BJJ journey. I will continue to train in BJJ until I can no longer walk. That’s how much BJJ means to me. My other goal is to continue with my Muay Thai training. I am considering to have one or two amateur fights before I turn 35 years of age.

Is it correct that you have a kinesiology degree? Does it help you with training Jiu-Jitsu?

Yes. Having a kinesiology degree absolutely helps with my Jiu-Jitsu training. In my opinion, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the quintessential example of the laws of biomechanics manifesting themselves right in front of your eyes. For example, physics dictate that the closer your limbs are to your torso, the more mobile you are. Which is why when you throw someone in Judo or Jiu-Jitsu, you maintain a narrow stance as opposed to a wide stance. A wide stance, on the other hand, is good for stability.  That is the reason why when you squat or lift weights, you usually maintain a wide stance. This also applies when you do a backflip, yo curl up into a fetal position and make yourself as small as possible. That particular position makes you more mobile. You don’t do a backflip with your legs and arms stretched out to the side. It’s all physics!!!!

How have you been able to manage training Jiu-Jitsu, being in the active military reserves, full-time job and finishing a master’s study recently?

It has been a challenge and I am ready to move on to the next chapter in my life. I think It all boils down to priorities. Sure, for the past two years, I’ve been busy with a full-time job, a Master’s program, and an unconventional MOS (military occupational specialty) in the Army Reserve that regularly had me go out of town, but my love for BJJ helped set my priorities straight. I for sure did not have a social life. What little time that I did have left, I would spend it on the Tatami mats training BJJ. It was a great compromise. I could have been spending that time in an unproductive manner e.g. drinking alcoholic beverages or doodling around on the computer, but every minute that I spent on the mats was worth it. There are people and events in my life that I never wish had encountered, but every minute that I spent training BJJ has been nothing but a positive influence on my life.

Being an active military reservist, do you think Jiu-Jitsu would help with defending yourself in that context?

Nowadays, hand-to-hand combat rarely happens in modern warfare, but BJJ does help. The movements you do in BJJ, really help prevent some unnecessary injuries in military life. In particular, shrimps, sideways falls, and the technical stand-up. In a combat situation, BJJ helps control your breathing. If you can’t control your breathing, you can’t shoot. If you can’t shoot, you can’t be effective on the battlefield. Every soldier needs to be able to “shoot, move, and communicate.”

Is there anything else that you would like to share with us?

Yes. I definitely do have a special fondness for BJJ. About three months after I returned from Afghanistan in 2014, I started having extreme difficulties sleeping at night. So was adjusting to the real world due to having lost a sense of purpose. That in itself is frightening, to say the least. I have always been a Reservist with a combat support job. The only training with the Army I had was only one weekend a month prior to deployment. Yet, I was having this huge identity crisis. I could only imagine how much worse than the active duty military folks have it when they leave the military. It was so bad that I became manically depressed at one point in 2015. I got placed on medical leave at my job. I noticed that the only time of the day I actually was living in the moment was when I was training BJJ. After all, you don’t have time to wallow in self-pity when someone is trying to choke you or break your arm on the mat. So I kept showing up. Even on days that I did not even want to be alive, I showed up to the mat just for those two hours of the day. I could then be in the present moment, not anywhere else. It’s been four years since Afghanistan happened. Although I still struggle with my demons, BJJ keeps me occupied and has been a positive influence in my life. As cliche as it may sound, I will even go so far as to say that BJJ saved my life. I just want to keep training BJJ and share my experiences with others who may be in need of an outlet in their lives.

Benefits of Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai

Jiu-Jitsu helped Sgt. Dan Kang in various ways serving in the military. Discover Jiu-Jitsu or Muay Thai to see how it benefits you and request a Free Week Trial. Read more about other Adult Students of the Month such as Jacob, Ismael or Nikki. Check out our Schedule here.