Coach Brook going over technique with the students. Photo by Ben Myers. 
CrossFit section of the gym. Photo by Ben Myers 
Coach Brook going over technique. Photo by Ben Myers. 
Waiver drop off area. Photo by Ben Myers. 
Pax Gym logo and motto. Photo by Ben Myers.. 
Students doing “Live Rolls”, which consist of 5 minutes of grappling. Photo by Ben Myers 
Wall of Students and Coaches, and their respective belts (White, Blue, Purple, Brown, Black). Photo by Ben Myers. 
Friday Jiu-Jitsu Class warm ups. Photo by Ben Myers. 
The Entrance for Pax Gym. Photo by Ben Myers. 
Inside the entrance for the gym. Photo by Ben Myers.
By Ben Myers | Guest Writer
Pax Gym, located at 1415 Timberlake Road, is a brand new hybrid gym with a powerful message: Engage to Transform. The gym opened in January and plans to expand into a premier training gym for wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and CrossFit.
Warren Stewert, the owner of Pax, has had a vision for this space for a long time: “We actually started our wrestling club about five years ago, and ever since I started that, I’ve been thinking about this. At one point, I finally thought, I just want to combine them.”
Currently, the gym has two spaces: a wrestling/ jiu-jitsu mat with padded floors and walls, and a CrossFit weightlifting space. Stewart plans to expand both spaces.
Brook Studley, the jiu-jitsu coach at PAX, is a purple belt and has been doing jiu-jitsu for four years. He explained the idea behind the gym’s message, “The idea behind ‘Engage to Transform’ is we want to engage with each other—in wrestling, jiu-jitsu, fitness. We want to do hard things together to transform our character, discipline, and interpersonal relationships.”
Members like Matthew Day, who joined the gym less than a month ago, wanted to get their children involved in a new form of exercise. He thought jiu-jitsu would be a good way for them to learn new skills: “With grappling, you’re often in tight spaces, people targeting your neck—it’s easy to panic,” Day said. “I thought learning to stay calm and use your body effectively would be a healthy exposure for my kids.”
Like Ryan O’Connor, other members have been practicing for longer and found PAX to be a place to hone their skills. “The Lynchburg jiu-jitsu community is pretty tight. When a new gym opens, word spreads quickly. I already knew and trusted the instructors, Brook and Josh, so coming here was an easy decision.”
If you want to learn more about Pax Gym, visit their website at https://www.pax-gym.com/, follow them on Instagram at @paxgym, or stop by at any of the open mat times; everyone is welcome.
