About Us
“Integrity, Intensity, Inclusion”
About us
Find your inner fighter. Start today, be better tomorrow.
Lancaster Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu first opened its doors in 2008 in Ephrata, PA. In 2015, the opportunity presented itself to our current head instructor Mark to take ownership of the gym. With the help of some of the best Jiu-Jitsu minds in the area at the time, and with his own educational background in teaching exercise, Mark began to restructure the LBJJ curriculum and offer a wider variety of classes.
Since then, LBJJ has continued to grow in students and course offerings, and has prided itself on offering as much value to its members as possible through both a focus on fundamentals and an exploration of new and advanced technique. Mark and his instructors take great joy in watching students develop as Jiu-Jitsu practitioners and in sharing a love of the “gentle art” with teammates.
Three I's Principle
Our team works together to help each other improve. We implement our three I's principle:
1.
Integrity
2.
Intensity
3.
Inclusion
Instructors
Meet Ephrata's best martial arts team.
Mark Sweigart
Mark has been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2010. On his first day of class, Mark was amazed at how smaller opponenets, down to even 80 pounds lighter, could control him with little effort, rendering his physical abilities useless. From that point on, Mark was hooked, training every chance he had.
He received his black belt from Shane Mock in 2020. Mark has experience in several other martial arts disciplines as well, none of them attracting him in the way BJJ has. Beyond competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Submission grappling tournaments, Mark has also competed in Mixed Martial Arts. This has given him an understanding of how to adapt traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into MMA.
Mark is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, CSCS, through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the leading sports performance institution in the country. Having received a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Physiology from West Chester University, Mark has a deep understanding of the body's physiology and applies this knowledge to his martial arts instruction.
Will Mason
Will started his grappling journey in wrestling during his high school years. Upon completing high school, he entered the military, where he had the opportunity to wrestle competitively for his base in Massachusetts. After years of absence from the mats, he felt drawn back through watching both of his sons start their journeys in grappling. Together, they trained SAMBO wrestling under the instruction of Vladislov Koulikov, where Will received his intermediate certification.
With a deep desire to explore the grappling arts, his journey led him to Lancaster Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the tutelage of Mark Sweigart. Will is currently a brown belt and is continuing to add and expand to his craft. The love of passing on the gentle art, and seeing others rise to their greatest potential is Wills passion.
Ross Stockdale
Ross, our wrestling coach, started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2014 with Lancaster BJJ. A month into training he entered and won his first competition with owner and head coach Mark Sweigart in his corner.
After winning numerous tournaments as a white belt, Ross decided to pursue an amateur career in MMA where he compiled a record of 1-1. Ross was awarded his purple belt with Team Balance in 2021, although his love lies with no-gi grappling.
Before starting his BJJ journey, Ross wrestled elementary through high school for the Warwick wrestling program in Lititz. Upon high school graduation Ross wrestled on the Elizabethtown Blue Jays where he made the starting lineup on a top 10 NCAA Division III program.
Outside of grappling Ross is a fractional CMO and owner of Thunder Stock Marketing, host of The Thunder Stock Show podcast, and dedicated family man.