Featured affiliated academy: Inverted Gear Academy
Where is Inverted Gear Academy located?
Bethlehem, PA, United States.
How many people train there?
16 active members as of this morning.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We opened less than a month ago. We hope to reach 100 members within a year. So shooting for 8 new members per month.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training in ?
Brand new white belts, to second or third degree black belts.
When did the gym open?
December 5th, 2021
Some facts about you:
Name: Nelson Puentes
Age: 35
Belt: 2nd degree Black Belt
Profession: Entrepreneur
Years in BJJ: 15
Academy: Inverted Gear Academy
Other martial arts: Wrestling, Judo, Sambo.
Currently living in: Whitehall, PA. Little town in the Lehigh Valley. An hour north of Philadelphia, 2 hours west of New York City.
Originally from: Quinchamali, Chile.
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
Lehigh Valley PA had 5 schools as of a few months ago; two of them were 10th Planet and did only nogi. The other 3 did both but leaned heavily towards nogi. Nogi has become really popular in the area. So we felt the area needed a gym that dedicated itself to not only gi Jiu Jitsu, but also had a strong fundamentals program.
Tell us about the people that train in Inverted Gear Academy – who are they?
Right now we are in a unique situation for a new gym. We are mostly upper belts. We have more black belts signed up than white belts. A lot of the upper belts in the area that want to focus on the gi have joined the gym. As well as lots of visitors that want to sharpen up their gi skills or add variety to their training.
Why do they train in your gym?
We have mainly hobbyists at this point. They train to stay in shape, to learn how to defend themselves, and for the community aspect of the sport.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
Opening a gym during a pandemic might not be my brightest idea. Starting a gym can be stressful, and it can be months before the gym is profitable. I am in a situation where my main source of income, Inverted Gear, is fairly stable and I will not depend on the gym for income. This allows us to make good long term decisions.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
The area is having an influx of population. It will be fascinating to see what the future brings. The area is renowned for their wrestling, both at the high school and college level. So if we could get some of those kids interested in grappling, throw a jacket on them early, and teach them some basics as they come up and learn wrestling at the same time, the sky is the limit.
What’s the best thing about Inverted Gear Academy?
We spent a lot of time working on our curriculum. We are also planning on taking a look at it every three months to make adjustments. We hope this allows us to bring up some well rounded grapplers, that are comfortable playing different guards, passing in different styles, and escaping gamut positions. Once they are comfortable with that, they can specialize in whatever game they want, since they have a solid foundation.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Historic Bethlehem is a must, 5 minutes drive from the academy. Neat restaurants and bars, and lots of amazing historical buildings. Another stop is the Steel Stacks, the remains of Bethlehem Steel, and one of the coolest open air museums I have ever seen.
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