ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve both the individual and the community through the celebration of play, movement, and Martial Arts.
MEET OUR TRAINERS
Gavin Van Vlack
Gavin Van Vlack: An established name in the fitness/wellness and combat sports community in New York City, Kru Gavin Van Vlack has worked over the past 20 years honing his craft as a strength and conditioning expert, martial arts instructor and movement specialist. Gavin holds an Associates Degree from the Swedish Institute for massage, is a nationally certified Master Trainer under both DVRT Sandbag Systems and Monkey Bar JGXT Suspension Systems, and is a Training for Warriors Level 2 instructor under Martin Rooney. He is highly recognized in the martial arts community as a Kru (high level instructor) under Master Cheetah Chanthanao as well as the holding the rank of Brown belt in Jiu Jitsu under Sensie Josh Griffiths of Clockwork Jiu Jitsu and has worked with every facet of client over his career from high level competitive athletes to absolute fitness beginners as well as helping clients with rehabilitative and corrective strategies.
Coach Sandy is available for both private and semi private sessions and they can be booked by appointment personally.
Sandy Nuñez
Sandy Nuñez began his MMA training and discovery while studying Economics at Pennsylvania State University. A life long New Yorker, he identifies with the raw lifestyle associated with Jiu-Jitsu. In 2011, he decided to work toward his Black Belt which he currently holds under Josh Griffiths at Clockwork Jiu-Jitsu. Sandy has been competing since he started as a White Belt.
During his time training he has also put focused on his hospitality career as a Drink Maker at The Aviary NYC, one of the World’s 50 Best Bars. He still finds time for training hard and doing it all. Sandy hopes to one day move to the mountains and get to rest. For now, he continues to enjoy his time with strong training partners like Gavin Van Vlack. Sandy says he is very excited to be a part of the innovative American Jiu-Jitsu story here at PCC.
Coach Sandy is available for both private and semi private sessions and they can be booked by appointment personally.
Hugo Lin
Hugo’s foundation for martial arts began at age 11 with the art of Capoeira. The art’s emphasis on mobility and balance became the foundation for his approach to martial arts.
In High school he took up Scholastic Wrestling, becoming co-captain of the team his junior year. He would train Boxing and Judo off-season at PAL (Police Athletic League). Hugo became Judo state champion in New Hampshire in 2010, and runner up in 2011. His Senior year, Hugo began training Mixed Martial Arts with Team Link in Hooksett, NH, while continuing to train wrestling at PAL.
After a long break from Martial arts due to acquiring his BFA in Communications Design, a 3 month trip to Japan led Hugo to rediscover his passion for combat sports while training Mixed Martial Arts at AACC in Tokyo, Japan.
After returning to Brooklyn, Hugo started training with Diamond Heart Muay Thai/Jiu Jitsu. His current goal is to expand his base of knowledge as a multi discipline instructor and coach while helping to grow the combat sports program at PCC/DiamondHeart.
Brent Bartley
Long and arduous are the two words that come to mind when describing my personal road to being physically fit. Life as a severely obese high school student made me popular with the football team, but presented many other challenges socially. As a result, this has led me on a quest to be in the best shape possible. Sometimes with great results, sometimes not so much, but my experience has helped me to fully appreciate the hardships of a person who struggles with his/her weight.
In 2000, I discovered Muay Thai. This intense sport from Thailand continues to rank as the best workouts I’ve ever experienced. I tend to base most of my training with clients/students on the things I’ve learned while training myself. With that said, it’s pretty obvious that most of my clientele have no desire to ever step in the ring, so workouts are complimented with a balanced program of free weights, flexibility training, and cardiovascular exercise. Like most people who start training Muay Thai, I had no desire to get into the ring, but six years later that all changed when I decided to enter the World Kickboxing Association’s national tournament. Taking second place in a field of eight was very rewarding, but left me with regrets. I have continued fighting on an amateur level and to date have amassed a record of 2 wins, with 2 KO’s, and 2 losses.
One of the things that has helped me immensely in my training has been my experience working as a Muay Thai instructor and personal trainer at various fitness clubs in NYC. Teaching has helped me realize and learn how to correct mistakes for myself and others and I also love the opportunity to show my competition clients/students how to get in the ring and perform at their highest levels. In January of 2010, I decided to escape the cold of NYC and spend time traveling and training in Thailand. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I trained twice per day for roughly three hours per session with some of Thailand’s best Thai boxers. The closest thing I can compare it to would be like going to spring training with the NY Yankees. It was a great way to shore up some of my old techniques and learn some new skills, but most importantly it left me feeling highly invigorated and motivated to get my students/clients into the best shapes of their lives.
I’m really excited to announce a new chapter as I begin teaching classes with the team at PCC.
Coach Brent is available for both private and semi private sessions and they can be booked by appointment personally.
Sinclair Denton
Sinclair began martial arts and fitness training at the age of 15 at the Austin Kickboxing Academy in Texas. This curiosity in combat sports, Muay Thai, and Jiu Jitsu quickly grew into a love and appreciation for the physical, mental, and emotional benefits that marital arts and fitness could provide. Sinclair has been training and coaching at Physical Culture Collective since the start of 2019 enlivening the room with his positive energy and respect for the community of the gym. He is currently attending BMCC while working to grow as a coach, competitor, and martial artist at PCC.
Briana Myers
In 2012, I was ready for a change and needed an activity that would challenge me physically and mentally. A friend suggested I try Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and — despite having no prior martial arts experience — BJJ quickly became the best part of my week. In December of 2019, I was awarded my brown belt.
Through my years of practice, I’ve met incredible people that I wouldn’t have met anywhere else, I’ve learned really cool things, and I look forward, every day, to the new puzzles and challenges I can only find on the mats.
I am so excited and honored to coaching for Diamondheart Jiu Jitsu at PCC and look forward to sharing my love of this amazing sport with you!
When I’m not grappling or preparing to grapple, I work as a risk manager for a leading boutique professional services firm in Manhattan.
See you on the mats!
Mike Pinero
Coach Mike became involved in Jiu Jitsu like most folks, through watching the UFC. He was very intrigued by the sport after watching the first few UFC event and became a huge fan of the sport through the reality show “The ultimate fighter”
In late summer 2012 Mike hit a rough patch in life out of work, over weight, and depressed He began looking for creative and interesting options, Having done the “normal” gym thing before and it never caught on and didn’t keep him interested. After a bit of googling He found Clockwork Jiu Jitsu where He currently trains and holds a brown belt under Sensai Josh Griffiths, Josh got his black belt from UFC star Kenny Florian.
He walked into the gym and never walked out, He began my journey weighing in at 330lbs and a size 44 inch waste. Since then has lost 155lbs and is down to a size 32 inch waist while being in love with the art of Jiu Jitsu which has helped to improve every aspect of his life.
“Jiu Jitsu saved my life in more ways then one. My goal is to give back in the same way Jiu Jitsu did for me, and eventually open up a school of my own. Till then I am excited to be teaching at PCC”.
Coach Mike Pinero
Will Van Amerongen
Will began his martial arts training in 1996 under Olympic Judoka Radomir Kovacevic and later went on to wrestle under Jeff Buxton at Blair Academy. In 2006 he began his strength and conditioning work with Gavin and has been training the full spectrum of Mixed Martial Arts ever since. He is currently a Renzo Gracie Black Belt emphasizing feet to floor jiu-jitsu with a focus on submission. He holds a BA from Columbia University.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
No, We have set our program up so that the total beginner will feel safe learning the skills at a pace they are comfortable with.
No, We love our competitors and we love helping them on their journey but we do not require our members to partake in our sparring classes if they do not feel safe about it. Our program is primarily designed to help people build skills while getting in awesome shape at the same time.
No, This may some nerdy but all human movement is based off basic patterns that carryover right down to how we walk , crawl and climb. Using these concepts we have been able to have practitioners from other disciplines be able to add awesome new tools into there already well stocked movement tool box.
We supply loaner gloves and wraps for all our new members for their intro class. We do suggest that you eventually acquire your own gear but to sttt out, we got you covered.
We strive to keep our program as safe as possible and all of our competitors have been grown up and raised within a system that understands that your training partners are the most valuable pieces of equipment we can supply you with.
All participants need to be cleared by our coaches to take part in the advanced program and this might take a couple of weeks to a month for us to make sure that all new entries to that program have an understanding and respect for the community and our program structure.
Achieve Your Fitness Goals
Flexible membership packages to suit all levels of training to help achieve your fitness goals