Alpha’s Story: How It Started
In August of 2019 Hernando Thola who was born and raised in Los Angeles California felt God calling him and his wife Amanda (Originally from Pullman, WA) to move to Spokane, WA. Hernando and Amanda came up to run a mixed martial arts school in Spokane Valley, WA and ended up buying it in January of 2020. Hernando and Amanda renamed the school as two separate entities known as Jean Jacques Machado Spokane and Alpha Female Fitness. Shortly after purchasing it in March of 2020 Covid-19 forced the school into a temporary shutdown. The school quickly went online to serve current and in coming customers during the lockdown.
After two months they felt called to open a school in Idaho and renamed it to Alpha Jiu-Jitsu + Fitness. They prayed about it and God opened the doors to a beautiful unit on the street side of Seltice in Post Falls, ID. The first unit they took over was 3,000 sq. ft. They ran all three of their programs; jiu-jitsu, fitness and kickboxing out of that unit until December of 2020 when they took over the adjacent unit. This addition added 3,000 sq. ft. to Alpha. Renovations began quickly to open up an entry way to connect both units. The Initial unit now became pure Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with new mats to suit. The second unit became dedicated to kickboxing & fitness as well as a small office to conduct business.
Due to continual growth and God’s blessings, In April of 2021 the final expansion took place adding the last unit into Alpha. Again, an entry way was made to connect the second and third unit. The last unit added then became the entrance, and it houses changing rooms, showers, an office area and pro shop.
The name Alpha was chosen because God is the Alpha and Omega (The beginning and the end). Alpha is dedicated to providing a Christ centered training environment. It is evident in the way staff, members and owners interact with one another as well as the Christian rock and rap that is played to motivate gym members while training. Upon walking into the fitness side there is a large mural of Christ’s pierced hands hovering over silhouettes of jiu-jitsu practitioners. This mural is known as the “Covering”.
This is only the beginning…
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
