The martial art of jiu-jitsu means “gentle art,” and that is exactly what head instructor and owner James Emfield teaches at SOMA Jiu-Jitsu Academy. This Friday, SOMA Jiu-Jitsu Academy will have its grand opening at its new location located on N. 2nd E. in Rexburg.
Emfield has been training in Jiu-Jitsu since he can remember with his father, who is his jiu-jitsu instructor.
“It’s how I get to spend time with my family,” Emfield said.
Emfield says SOMA Jiu-Jitsu teaches more than Jiu-Jitsu, it also teaches morals to its students.
“But I think if ji- jitsu, if done properly, it should be making you a better person,” Emfield said. “If it's not, then you, as a student, are doing something wrong, or I am, as an instructor, in doing something wrong as well.”
The process of opening a new location has been a fast one, as Emfield works 16-hour days to make sure the grand opening on Friday is ready.
“So currently our space is big and nice, but this is going to be the next level of niceness,” Emfield said. “It's going to be newer, a lot nicer. We're in a more popular spot of town where people can see us and so we're just really excited to get going. That's why we've kind of tried to really rush it along and open this Friday. We've done it in less than a month really is just because we want to get the word out.”
SOMA Jiu-Jitsu Academy will have its grand opening on Friday. For more information about the academy, head to their website or follow them on Instagram.