CEO Gets Down With Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

In his teens and early 20s, Mark Fromm kept in shape with karate and boxing. But he had to stop practicing his junior year of college after he was in a car crash. Back problems from the accident stayed with him into his 30s.

“I was on a quest to cure the pain,” says Mr. Fromm, CEO and co-founder of Mark David & Company, a residential- and commercial-real-estate brokerage in New York City.

After years of trying physical therapy, yoga and working with a chiropractor, Mr. Fromm finally found an exercise mix and his back pain is now nearly gone. He practices the Alexander Technique, which focuses on improved posture, balance, coordination and body awareness. He does it in one-on-one, 30-minute sessions four afternoons a week.

He also practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a style of martial arts that focuses on ground fighting, five times a week. And he practices yiquan, a Chinese martial art that emphasizes mind-body connection and is also known as “mind boxing,” every morning.

Mr. Fromm stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 164 pounds. He is married and has two children.