Martial arts gym opens in Pullman

V7 owners hope to create a healthy and competitive dynamic between their Moscow and Pullman locations

V7+Martial+Arts+Pullman+location

COURTESY OF CATHY HARBOUR CURY

V7 Martial Arts Pullman location

JOSIAH PIKE, Evergreen news co-editor

V7 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Functional Fitness recently opened a second location in Pullman.

Cathy Harbour Cury, the co-owner of V7 along with her husband head coach Nicolai Cury, have been running the business for seven years now at their Moscow location.

Cathy said the motivation to open this new location was in part to have a bigger space to practice and reduce travel times for their Pullman patrons.

“Our space in Moscow is 3,000 square feet, and in order to accommodate everybody and make them feel comfortable, we need to have it at a certain size,” Cathy said. “We have a lot of members that are from Pullman that were driving to Moscow four or five times a week to train.”

They had the idea to start the business because Nicolai enjoyed competing in jiu jitsu throughout his life, and when they moved to the area, there was no central hub for those interested in the sport, she said.

“The response has just been amazing because Brazilian jiu jitsu is one of the fastest growing sports in the world,” Cathy said. “It’s something you and your kids can do year-round.”

V7 also emphasizes functional fitness because both that and jiu jistu are intertwined and working on one can help you improve the other, she said.

One of the main parts of running the business involves trying to create a bond with the members and helping them reach their physical and mental health goals, she said.

“We have members of both Moscow and Pullman and the surrounding area. Trying to get to know and get in touch with our various members is very important to us,” Cathy said. “If we haven’t seen them, we make sure to check in and see what’s going on.” 

Jiu-jitsu practicioner Scott Landis has been going to V7 for about three years after moving to the area from Tennessee and has been practicing the sport for arund six years. 

“I was invited to a jiu jitsu training session maybe five or six years ago and I just kind of fell in love with it ever since,” he said. “I find it very applicable to the real world and it has given me a lot of confidence in that respect.”

Landis first attended the Moscow location and was happy with the bond among other individuals he trained with, he said. 

“I didn’t know if I was going to get that at V7 but right away I established that,” he said. “They welcomed me in and it established that sense of comfort around the other members.”

Now that the Pullman location is open, Landis said he will be going there from now on because it is closer to his home.

“My commute just changed from about 35 minutes one way to four minutes one way. It’s been a great transition, and I’m super excited,” Landis said. “I’ve been going about three times a week, so it’s nice. I’ve gained about an hour of my day.”

The biggest difference between the two locations is that the Pullman location is much bigger, making it harder to overcrowd, he said.

Cathy said it was a difficult process to find a possible spot in Pullman to set up the new location.

“We actually took two years to find a spot,” she said. “Back when we were looking for our original location, we actually looked at this specific location, but it was so big and we hadn’t proven our particular concept yet.” 

The building took around 2 1/2  months in order to design it to their original conception, she said.

In the short time they have operated this new location, Cathy said they have not noticed a major difference in clientele, but they have noticed positives in both cities.

“As far as doing business, both cities have been extremely easy to work with,” she said. “I have nothing but good things to say about both. In terms of the city embracing both locations we’ve seen nothing but good.”

For the future, Cathy said they are happy with the current locations and are hoping to create a healthy competitive atmosphere between the two gyms this summer.