Today we’d like to introduce you to JJ Howard.
Hi JJ, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Santa Cruz, CA, and grew up immersed in sports—football, track and field, and wrestling. At 16, I began interning under my mentor, Charlie Parker, where I started learning the fundamentals of training during my off-seasons.
After high school, I attended Cabrillo College, where I set the national touchdown record and multiple rushing records as a tailback. I later transferred to the University of Missouri, and eventually continued my football career in Europe, playing professionally for Berlin in the European Football League.
Following an injury, I relocated to Los Angeles and shifted my focus to mixed martial arts and personal training. Over time, I earned black belts in Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Pankration, and also competed in Muay Thai.
In 2016, after years of training and working with clients, I opened my own high-end facility—giving me a space to teach what I love and to create an environment with top-tier equipment and training standards.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has definitely not been smooth. I’m dyslexic, so certain administrative and business tasks can be more challenging for me, but I’ve learned to build the right systems and support around me.
At the same time, I was navigating a difficult personal chapter, including a dysfunctional home environment, an abusive marriage, a divorce, and an ongoing custody battle for my three kids. Trying to grow a business while managing emotional and logistical challenges like that was something I never could have anticipated.
On top of that, my work requires being in close physical proximity to clients, so COVID-19 created a significant obstacle. Practically overnight, my ability to operate and generate income was restricted.
These challenges didn’t just make me resilient—they sharpened my focus. I became decisive about how I spend my time, selective about what I give my energy to, and unapologetic about protecting what matters.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We specialize in group classes as well as one-on-one training in: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Krav Maga, Muay Thai & MMA, as well as weight lifting and conditioning and athletic performance.
What matters most to you? Why?
I opened this facility so I could train my kids here, I keep all of this going for them.
It continues to be of the utmost importance to me to offer an affordable place where students can learn these skills at the highest level.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spartaacademyla.com
- Instagram: @sparta.academy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spartaacademyla?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/jqhopaZpCM
