Six years ago, LOTAR Self-Defense became Elite Training Center, expanding its curriculum and making it more palatable for the average, everyday person. “Before, you could come in as a soccer mom, stepping on the mat with special forces,” said Sean Derhammer, an instructor at Elite. “It was intimidating.”
And intimidation isn’t the goal — it’s preparation. Elite, Derhammer said, tries to get students comfortable in every arena of combat, from krav maga to jiu-jitsu to kickboxing and beyond, helping them to recognize a situation for what it is.
“We believe that the world is a better place when everyone trains,” Derhammer said. “How you are on the mat is how you are on the street, and how you are at your job. It gives you perspective, to know what you’re capable of.”
Elite Training Center, 1628 South Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach, 310-543-1600; 1601 Pacific Coast Hwy, Ste. 170, Hermosa Beach, 310-376-0500. elitetrainingcenter.net
