Dr. Ernie Tom
Ernie has well over a quarter century of experience in grappling and martial arts. He practiced Kung Fu for a decade, and his interest in grappling led him to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. His first BJJ instructor was Rickson Gracie, who promoted him to Blue Belt after one month of training. Ernie continued his training with the world-famous Machado brothers, with Roger Machado as his primary instructor. In 2007 Ernie was promoted by Roger to Black Belt, the first from the RCJ Machado Academy in Pasadena.
Ernie earned a Doctorate in Pharmacy from USC in 1999, demonstrating a deep mastery of the metabolic functioning of the cell -- the fundamental unit of biological activity. Fitness starts at the cellular level. His abiding interest in optimal health and fitness is matched by his dedication to teaching CF and BJJ techniques that positively affect the lifestyles of his students.
