Kurtis is a husband, dog father of two and avid Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. His journey began in 2005 after Kurtis joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to 1st battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, an elite Special Operations unit. It was during this time, where he was first exposed to the Gym Jones philosophy while training with his unit. After a career-ending parachute accident, Kurtis realized his ability to continue a military career was over. While reflecting back on his service, he found a common thread among his Special Operations brethren, the greatest weapon they possess was a strong mind. After an honorable discharge in 2010, Kurtis carried forward the Gym Jones philosophy that “The Mind Is Primary” to Illinois State University, while pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Sciences. In preparation for a career training others, Kurtis spent his last semester of college working an internship in Orlando, FL. During this time, he was able to work closely with professional athletes and began implementing some of his own philosophies into training programs. Kurtis and his wife, Ashley, currently own Element 26 where they continue to spread the Gym Jones training philosophy in the central Illinois area. He enjoys training athletes of all levels in private, semi-private, and small group settings. He is a firm believer in quality over quantity and commits to those he works with. Kurtis currently holds the rank of black belt in Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Alan Shebaro.