Tough guys eat their broccoli

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, UNITED STATES

12.12.2015

Story by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hecht and Airman 1st Class Julia Santiago

108th Wing

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - By day, Staff Sgt. Leon Jackson wrestles the heavy metal exoskeleton of aircraft. By night, the 108th Wing Airman tosses grown men to the ground and twists their bodies till they give up the fight.

A single-minded determination led Jackson to the gold medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation 2015 World Jiu-Jitsu No Gi competition in Long Beach, California, on Nov. 7 after only three years of competing in the sport.

The first key to his unlikely success?

“My mother raised me right,” said Jackson, 25. “She raised me to be tough.”

The second?

Vegetables. Lots and lots of vegetables.

“I’m a no-meat athlete,” Jackson said. “A lot of people ask how someone so big can get by on a vegan diet, but I’m used to it.”

Jackson switched to the vegan diet when he earnestly began Jiu-Jitsu training after one of his Middle East deployments with the Air National Guard.

At first, he marveled at the diet’s ability to boost his cardiovascular endurance and reduce inflammation – huge benefits in a martial art where the objective is to throw an opponent to the ground and lock them into a submission hold.

Then Jackson began to embrace veganism as a lifestyle, even creating a website to unite other no-meat Jiu-Jitsu athletes.

“I feel better knowing that my dietary choice reduces my carbon footprint and saves the lives of animals,” Jackson said.

Jackson visits the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst gym every morning at 5 a.m. for his first workout of the day. After his workday as a full-time aircraft structural maintenance mechanic, he hits the gym again before heading to his neighborhood Jiu-Jitsu academy.

There, he trains with Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters like Frankie Edgar, Edson Barboza, Corey Anderson as well as World Series of Fighting Feather Weight Champion, Marlon Moraes. It might be the quality of training partners that has helped the six-foot-one, 215 pound Jackson win more than 20 tournaments in addition to the one in Long Beach.

In addition to his personal training, he also trains young people.

“We teach the kids about perseverance and having a non-quitting spirit,” said Jackson. “You learn a ton
about yourself through Jiu-Jitsu. There will be times when you get frustrated with your technique or you lose a major tournament. Sometimes you doubt yourself and want to give up, but if you stick with it, you learn to fight your way out of certain situations. If you’re stuck in a submission (hold), you have to learn how to escape or else your arms are going to break or you’ll be choked unconscious. You can apply this mentality to your life and in everyday situations.”

Jackson applies this to his demanding job with the Air Guard, where mistakes can compromise the safety of air crews.

Jackson’s supervisor, Master Sgt. Russell Howarth, calls Jackson an asset to the team.

“Leon is ambitious and not afraid to try new tasks. He’s always volunteering and willing to learn,” said Howarth. “He’s a full-timer, so I can always rely on him when I’m in a pinch. He’s open-minded and a great asset to everyone. I hope he continues to have the same mindset and attitude, and I can definitely see him moving up in the world.”

For now, Jackson is motivated by the prospect of more world championships.

“Every day when I wake up, I think about this quote, ‘Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard,’” he said.

Someday, though, he wants to own his own academy to share the joy of what he calls “the gentle art.”

“Not only is Jiu-Jitsu very addicting, but it’s also very therapeutic,” he said. “We all have something that we turn to when we need to clear our minds. Jiu-Jitsu is the tool I use to escape and free my mind.”

• Date Taken: 12.12.2015
• Date Posted: 12.14.2015 09:05
• Story ID: 184418
• Location: JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, US