Archive for month: July, 2024

Sebastiaan Munter – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 46
Belt: 1st degree blackbelt
Profession: Physical Education / Self defense teacher at a school for security attendents
Started training (year): Way back in 2001
City/country: Heemskerk, The Netherlands

 

Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

Several times Dutch champion in white-, blue- and purple belt. But nothing big.

 

 

Which Globetrotters camps have you attended:

Faroe Islands 22, Tallinn 23, Pärnu 23, Heidelberg 23 and Winter 24

 

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

That’s a tough one. Each and every camp has it’s unique vibe. But I guess Spring Camp 23 had the best mix of awesome classes, unique city, awesome people and an off the hook final party

Sebastiaan Munter – BJJ Globetrotters Spring Camp

 

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

So many! From a very slow tattoo artist in Torshavn that took for ever to put a small puffin in a gi on my leg and made me miss an entire day of training, to the champagne party in Tallinn, the bolt scooter race in Pärnu, the massive open mat karaoke crowdsurf session in Heidelberg and me teaching a morning class still kind of drunk in Wagrain… But also all the cool and very different people you get to meet at every camp that all share the same passion foor jiu jitsu!

Crowdsurfing Sebastiaan Munter – BJJ Globetrotters Summer Camp

 

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp? 

I love teaching anything, and I’m always kind of surprised which topic gets chosen. But since I have trained with Rickson Gracie and a lot of teachers representing his style a lot, I especially like to teach the pressure game form side control.

 

Anything else you want to add to your profile:

I truly feel that this BJJ Globetrotters approach to camps is so cool. Only cool people, almost no egocentric over eager competioners trying to overcome their insecurities by injuring others. A great mix of jiu jitsu, partying and getting to know so many cool people from all over the world. I truly like the vibe and I encourage all my students to join these camps. 

And if anyone from wherever in the world ends up in The Netherlands, you’re always more than welcome in my gym Bushido Martial Arts. It’s located in an unpronounceable village called Uitgeest, only half an hour from Amsterdam!

***

Sebastiaan Munter – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

Where is the gym located?
Sociedad Secreta BJJ gym is located on Jacinto Dávila and Tnte. Hugo Ortíz streets in downtown Puyo, a beautiful city in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Its warm weather, breathtaking landscapes, and tourist attractions like rivers and waterfalls create the perfect setting to be in contact with nature and BJJ.

How many people train there?
The training team consists of approximately 25 people – including kids.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Sociedad Secreta is the fastest growing academy in the province. Despite being a relatively new academy, after just four months since our opening we have had great acceptance among people. Actually, we have on average 5 new students per week.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training in Sociedad Secreta, BJJ Ecuador?
Of the people currently training in Sociedad Secreta, purple is the highest belt, and we have several white belts. Additionally, we often receive visits from Joaquín Gavilanes, who is the black belt in change of the academy.

When did the gym open?
Sociedad Secreta BJJ opened on February 14th 2024. However, our official opening event was on March 9th, where people who attended watched Ecuadorian Chito Vera’s fight for the UFC bantamweight championship.

Some facts about you:

Name: Ivan Esteban Diaz
Age: 30
Belt: Purple
Profession: Dentist
Years in BJJ: 8 years approximately
Other martial arts: BJJ was the first martial art I got interested in. However, I have also tried kickboxing and Muay Thai.
Currently living in: Puyo city, Ecuador
Originally from: I was born in Puyo and I currently live here

Please tell us the story of how Sociedad Secreta, BJJ Ecuador came into existence
It all started with a group of four friends – me being the leader. We started practicing in my living room. At that time I used to live and train in another city, but I had the idea of creating an academy for many years due to the lack of BJJ gyms in my hometown.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
The people training in Sociedad Secreta are part of my friends group, as well as other people who have joined this martial family, and we have created a solid group of friends full of good vibes and energy.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
One of the biggest challenges of running the academy was starting and positioning ourselves, but excellent marketing, good vibes, and love for Jiu-Jitsu have put us on the map, not only within the city, but the country.

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
We work hard every day to give BJJ visibility within the city, because a short time ago people didn’t know a thing about it. Our objective is to prepare athletes for national and international competencies. That’s why I remain active participating in competitions, to practice what I preach.

We take advantage of visitors like Joaquín. He supports the academy with workshop activities where students can learn and practice new techniques and, most importantly, have fun while doing what they like.

What’s the best thing about Sociedad Secreta, BJJ Ecuador?
I believe that the best thing about Sociedad Secreta is the friendly environment we have. We try to instill the BJJ lifestyle to every new student and make them feel part of this family.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
The Ecuadorian Amazon is the hometown of strong and capable people. This is a place full of potential to prepare world-class athletes just like Roberto Jiménez, Johnny Tama, the Iturralde brothers, and many others who put Ecuador in the BJJ map.

—-

Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit Sociedad Secreta, BJJ Ecuador, you can contact them here.