Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Houck.
Hi Christina, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in 2011 under Rene Nazare-Azevedo. After training for about three years, I was given an opportunity to move halfway around the world to UAE and teach BJJ to an all girls’ school, Al’Eertqaa girls school.
I was there for about four years and during that time our school worked hard enough and earned the UAE Jiu-Jitsu World Championship title.
After my daughter was born in 2016, I decided to relocate back to the USA so that we could be closer to family. During this time, we came up with a business plan to open a gym in Sidney, NY. Sidney is a very small town and like many small towns, there is not much for the local kids and families to do. Our plan was to open a BJJ gym and give classes to the kids there. I wanted to inspire them and show them that even if you are from a small town, you can still become anything you want and see the world.
Unfortunately in 2020, due to COVID-19 we, like a lot of small businesses were forced to close and were unable to reopen in that area.
It has been a year and a half since then and now we are looking to reopen our BJJ in Chalfont PA, where we currently reside.
During the time, our gym was closed and we were looking for a way to reinvent ourselves. I started a nonprofit with a friend of mine, Samantha Glenn. Our nonprofit is called, A New Grip, and our mission is to help sexually exploited individuals and sex-trafficked survivors take back their lives and find their inner peace again using BJJ as a form of therapy and exercise.
We do this by working directly with other nonprofits that house these individuals and put on workshops for them. During these workshops, we focus on teaching trauma-informed BJJ.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In short no. The road has been long and hard. However with every obstacle that I have faced, I have taken a step back to reevaluate the situation before moving forward.
You have to keep in mind that there will be pressure and things out of your control will continue to test you but if you want something bad enough, you will figure out a way to move forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a brown belt in BJJ. I am most proud of that because I know that work and effort that I put in to get there. I was blessed enough to have a solid team and coach behind me to help me get to this level.
I believe what sets me apart from others is my humbleness. I never take anything for granted and feel like I am always willing to go the extra mile and help others. I would love to be able to use my knowledge and skill to help positively impact at least one person’s life.
How do you think about happiness?
My daughter makes me happy. Before her, I felt like I was just going through the motions of daily life. I didn’t know what my purpose was and felt lost.
Once she was born, I was able to see more clearly and everything I do is to show her that with hard work and kindness you can be a successful and strong women. But you need to be willing to put in the work.
Contact Info:
- Email: chouck09@gmail.com
- Website: www.hybridfitgym.com
- Instagram: @chouck9
- Facebook: Christina Lea Houck
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6nmbVX5BHw
Image Credits
Fuji BJJ Hybrid Fit Gym LLC Clube Feijao BJJ RNACF BJJ team
