Owners: Dr. Gaetano Scuderi

Martial Art: BJJ

How did you choose your school name? 

"Jupiter is a growing suburb of Palm Beach and we wanted to highlight the true goal of our program, which is self-defense."

What is your school's mission statement or student creed?

"Jupiter Self Defense's mission is to build a life long skill set of self-defense techniques through a comprehensive approach of real-world fighting. We strive to improve the confidence of students of any age by teaching a complete and efficient self-defense program within a safe, clean, positive and respectful environment. We are committed to preserving the roots of jūjutsu (jiu-jitsu)."

How long have you been teaching?

"15 years."

Who or what inspires you?

"My inspiration comes from 2 sources both of similar importance. First, the Valente Brothers and their approach to street fighting self-defense. Secondly, each one of my students. Their time and dedication inspired me every day."

What is something special or unique about your school and/or students?

"Our students are extremely encouraging and helpful with one another. Regardless of what belt level they are, they treat each other with the utmost respect and always strive to build each other up. The camaraderie at our school is unparalleled."

What made you choose FUJI Mats for your facility?

"We spent a lot of time researching every aspect of the development of a state of the art facility, right down to the door handles. FUJI Mats were a natural choice to pair with our advanced subfloor system as they are the premier system to protect our students."

What is the most rewarding part about working in the martial arts field?

"The most rewarding aspect about working in the martial arts field is the impact that I see on students who gain the physical and emotional confidence associated with grasping the techniques of jiu-jitsu. I am an orthopedic surgeon and have received appreciation from the medical community, but the gratitude received from my jiu jitsu students strikes a deep chord. Witnessing each student’s transformation as they gain the attributes has been very impactful."

If you could give one piece of advice to other martial art school owners what would it be?

"Every step you take do it with heart and soul. Spend time on the mat. I make sure that I work with every student personally, so they get individual feedback on techniques and their progress."

Tell us about your Gym / Dojo / Training Center:

Jupiter Self Defense is a 5000 sf state of the art facility which teaches self-defense jiujitsu, a classic street fighting self-defense system. We have classes focused on striking, self-defense against surprise attacks, throwing and ground fighting techniques, against an armed or unarmed attacker. We use real-world scenarios for our training.