Steve Maxwell: Relson Gracie black belt, revolutionary strength and conditioning coach and father to Zak Maxwell (2009 Mundials champion at Brown belt [featherweight], US Open weight Champion, Pan-Am Champion and [Brown belt] Gracie Worlds Absolute Champion. For those of you that are not aware of Steve he is the type of guy always at the cutting edge of the newest martial arts and fitness craze as they first emerge. Starting Jiu Jitsu in the late 1980’s Steve is a former NCAA Division One wrestler and can claim to be Relson Gracie’s first US BJJ black belt. Steve Maxwell was also the first man in the fitness industry within the United States to stage a Kettlebell seminar, open a Kettlebell specific gym and is responsible for spreading this modality of exercise the world over.

Responsible for taking Gracie Jiu Jitsu to the East coast of the United States (in particular Philadelphia and Atlantic City) Steve has been responsible for starting many Jiu Jitsu careers including those of the Phil and Ricardo Migliarese and Jerod Weiner [Lloyd Irvin affiliate]. A Pan-Am Champion at Purple and Brown belt and an International BJJ Master-Seniors Champion in his own right Steve continues to train BJJ and now runs a Gracie Jiu Jitsu programme in Port Townsend, WA.

In this interview with KombatClinic.com Steve talks candidly about his background in the martial arts and fitness industry and well as his relationships with many of the Gracie family, including Helio, Relson, Royler and both Saulo and Xande Ribeiro, he also discusses the recent emergence of his son Zak to the eyes of World Jiu Jitsu and shares some of his own views of Jiu Jitsu and the way things are progressing in our sport.

Enjoy!

By David Webb, 05 February 2010

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