Our Instructors

Logo for Avant-Guard Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu featuring a black circular brushstroke border with colorful brushstrokes inside. Text in the center reads 'Avant-Guard Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu'.

We bring different perspectives to the table, but we’re united by a love for Jiu Jitsu, thoughtful instruction, and real connection.

Brittany began her journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a way to immerse herself in a new passion. What started as a hobby quickly transformed into a love for the sport, propelling her into the competitive arena. Today, Brittany is not only a skilled practitioner but also the Owner and Head Instructor at Avant-Guard BJJ. 

As the Head Instructor for kids’ program, Brittany is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of martial artists. She also passionately leads a women’s class every Sunday, believing in the importance of building confidence, community, and a safe space for women to train and thrive. 

Brittany’s commitment to BJJ has turned her passion into her profession, and she continues to inspire others on and off the mat.


A woman in a blue martial arts uniform smiling as she adjusts a boy's martial arts gi in Avant-Guard Brazillian Jiu Jitsu in Longmont, Colorado.

Brittany Borders

Professor James began training Jiu-Jitsu over ten years ago and quickly developed a deep passion for the art. Shortly after starting, James caught the competition bug, and has since won several local competitions as well as making the podium on the international stage at IBJJF Pans and IBJJF World Masters. 

You can find James on the mats before class starts, drilling the latest K guard techniques and counters to omoplata defenses.


A man wearing a white Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi with black belt standing in Avant-Guard Brazillian Jiu Jitsu in Longmont, Colorado.

James Borders

Jorge Arias

Jorge has been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2002, and received his black belt in 2014 from Professor Vinicius Amaral (Game Fight) in Lima, Peru. 

He considers himself lucky enough to have trained with great teams across different parts of the continent – in Peru, Mexico, Canada, and within the US in San Diego CA and now Longmont CO. 

Since moving to Longmont, Jorge took over the Wednesday evening Intermediate class at Avant-Guard BJJ and enjoys showcasing his style of Jiu-Jitsu and training hard with the team.


A man and woman sitting together on a train, smiling at the camera.
Abstract circular logo with brush strokes in blue, purple, brown, and black

Dan DeGerlia

Professor Doug started Jujitsu at the tender age of 34 after having listened to too much Joe Rogan (Pre-covid Joe Rogan). He somehow got his Black Belt in 2024. Doug is unathletic so instead of working on this his goal is to make his opponents less athletic than he is. His Jiu Jitsu style is personified by his last name Stone; hard, heavy, unrelenting, lacking agility, and unrefined. Doug is mostly safely quarantined from the majority of the population teaching 6am classes where he can be among others who not only wake up and choose violence but wake up psychotically early to do so. Professor Doug has an undefeated competition record. He competed twice at white belt and then retired as he was unable to treat his family with warmth and compassion and participate in local old fat guy tournaments simultaneously. While not on the mats you can find him with the other unclean painting Warhammer 40K and reading fantasy novels. Doug is also a micro influencer. You can follow his sartorial fashionista journey on the gram. He tricked his poor wife into marrying him in 2013. Doug is the father of 2 children, 4 cats and a dog. Remarkably even with his influence they are all healthy and somewhat well adjusted. 

A group of men dressed in white BJJ Gis sitting on the floor with their hands clasped or resting in front of them, waiting to roll at Avant-Guard Brazillian Jiu Jitsu in Longmont, Colorado.

Doug Stone

Charles Yhap has been training martial arts since the 1990s, with experience spanning karate, aikido, silat, escrima, ninjutsu, Muay Thai, and more. That breadth of disciplines gave him a deep appreciation for what the body is capable of — and what it takes to get there. Charles brings that same intensity to conditioning, drawing on firsthand experience to help athletes build strength, durability, and resilience. He is passionate about meeting people where they are and watching them grow into stronger versions of themselves.

A man in a blue BJJ gi sitting on the mat with his right leg bent in front of him and his left leg extended, in Avant-Guard Brazillian Jiu Jitsu with other practitioners in gi and a person in an orange gi seated against the wall in the background.

Charles Yhap

Chad vividly remembers his first day on the mats in 2022, and the nerves that come with being a total beginner. That feeling drives his passion for building a safe, welcoming, and genuinely fun training environment. As a foundations instructor, he uses the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) to guide students into dynamic, creative training contexts from day one. Off the mats, Chad escapes into the Colorado backcountry to fish high-gradient streams with his tenkara rod, or hits the road in his camper with his husband and two dogs.

Two people practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the mats, with one person in a black gi and the other in a purple gi, smiling and giving a thumbs-up in Avant-Guard Brazillian Jiu Jitsu in Longmont, Colorado.

Chad Grossman