FARMINGTON – Two people with sweat beading off their faces rolling around in a tangled cluster on the floor certainly looks funny to the untrained eye.

But for Farmington residents Noel Danforth and Jon Lamarche, it’s a way to get a heck of a workout and tone the muscles on the body, and the mind.

On Monday, the two, who are training partners and good friends, will open the door and welcome people in to hit the floor at their new business ECOHealth and Elite Jujitsu Academy, located at 232 Broadway in Farmington.

Both Danforth and Lamarche say the business has been a long time coming.

It will offer Brazilian Jujitsu, judo, kickboxing, strength and conditioning and personal training, yoga, massage therapy and holistic approaches to health and wellness,

Both men have trained in martial arts since their teenage years, and Danforth used to train with members of the United State Olympic Judo team. Judo training, which will be offered at the center, is surprisingly the second most popular sport in the world behind soccer.

Jiujitsu, a form of martial arts or grappling training, translates to mean the art of gentleness. It’s a style of self-defense that Danforth says uses every single muscle in the body.

“It looks funny,” Lamarche admits. “But the more practice you get, the more comfortable you feel in uncomfortable situations. It teaches you to utilize all your strength. The whole game is to be intense in a rough situation.”

Danforth echoes that sentiment saying, “It helps you get over a lot of insecurities. It gets over so many different types of phobias.”

Brazilian Jiujitsu appeals to all types and sizes of people, the two say, whether for competition, self-defense or just a good workout.

It doesn’t matter how much you can bench press or squat, or even your height and weight. The skill in getting your opponent to surrender, or in fighter language, “tap out,” is to use couple self-control with mental quickness and knowledge of your body.

“We are both 150 pound guys,” Danforth said laughing. “But we can take a 250 pound guy and tie him into a pretzel. It’s a very methodical, spiritual way of fighting.” He points out that all animals wrestle when they are young, as a way to gain confidence and test their strength.

It’s about patience, finesse over brute strength and hanging in the pocket until you mentally see a window to physically topple your opponent. “You won’t get better until you learn self control,” said Lamarche, demonstrating a move on the floor of his basement.

Although the business is new-found to the Farmington area, the sport isn’t. The two currently teach classes at the Farmington Recreation Center and have a handful of adults and another group of children already hitting the mats.

With the opening of the academy and training center, the two hope the sport will pick up steam. Although it won’t be open 9-to-5, as both Lamarche, a counselor for Richardson Hollow in Rumford, and Danforth, a guidance counselor at Nokomis High School, have day jobs, the center will be open at night for group lessons, and for individual training as needed.

Offering a holistic approach to health and wellness is also an underpinning of the business. Lamarche’s wife, Gina, will teach yoga classes, and Steve Lancaster, a licensed massage therapist will be on hand to ease sore muscles. There will be nutrition classes, family exercise programs and outdoor adventure classes.

The goal of the business will be to help everyone from amateurs to athletes develop coordination, balance and stamina and relieve stress, improve breathing and in the end, improve health wellness.

For more information, phone 778-2235 or stop by at 232 Broadway in Farmington.

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