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“I’ve shared great food, drinks, rolls, sweat and laughs with so many people the past near 3 months that make the long hours travelling and money spent worth it.”
Jake Walton

Age: 21

Belt: Blue

Profession: I quit my job to travel! But I was a signwriter (designing and fitting signs)

How many years in BJJ: 2 and a half

Other martial arts: Karate for 2 weeks when I was 8 but got bored and quit.

Where do you live: Gosport, England. It’s a small town on the south coast.

Where are you originally from: I was born in Salisbury, England but moved to Gosport when I was a baby so to be honest I count Gosport as my hometown.

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I train at a small gym in Gosport called Rogers Jiu Jitsu Academy, we have a handful of blue belts, plenty of white belts and a purple belt coach who is super high level and dedicated. It’s been fun coming from a small gym with a purple belt coach and being able to hang with students from the biggest gyms in America with black belt coaches.

Jake Walton BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

I left school when I was 16 and went straight into full time work instead of education so I’ve been working non stop for the last 5 years and recently I decided it was now or never if I wanted to travel. All my older friends and training partners say the same thing “I wish I had travelled when I was your age!!”. So it was settled, I would travel. I train at least 4 times a week at home and my life revolves around BJJ so I knew that travelling and not training wasn’t possible, I had to figure out a way to incorporate them. A friend told me about the Globetrotter book and the moment I opened it I realised this was for me! For 7 months I saved every penny from work and spent hours planning my trip.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?

I decided on the USA because of the language, level of jiu jitsu and variety of lifestyles available. You can literally feel in a different country from state to state! As an Englishman I can visit the states for 3 months with a VISA, which works out the perfect amount of time to travel on a budget. I started in Oakland, CA and went through California stopping at the major cities before flying from San Diego across to Dallas. Spent time in Austin before going up through the midwest to Chicago stopping off at numerous cities. I flew down from Chicago to Atlanta and then spent time in Tennessee and surrounding areas when I then moved onto North Carolina and slowly went up the East Coast ending up in New York. It’s been amazing, the level of jiu jitsu here is astounding and America is such an experience, it’s just so different to anything I’ve seen in the UK and Europe. My whole trip was also built around Matsurfing hosts with the Globetrotter group, I emailed everyone on there before coming out and planned my stay around them, hence the random cities!
Oakland – San Francisco – Long Beach – San Diego – Dallas – Austin – Oklahoma City – Wichita – Kansas City – St Louis – Chicago – Atlanta – Chattanooga – Nashville – Asheville – Raleigh – Philadelphia – New York – Boston – New York

Jake Walton – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?

Every state is different to the last, the food, the lifestyle, the sports. It’s been so good for my jiu jitsu to train at different gyms where people want to test their abilities so you get no easy rolls! It’s the best way to see how your jiu jitsu is doing and what needs to be improved. As someone who deals with mental illness travelling for 3 months alone has been fantastic, it’s put me outside my comfort zone so many times that now that is my comfort zone. I have no worries about walking into a gym and chatting to people now. So many people know the benefits of Jiu Jitsu for mental health but travelling is equally as helpful, I hope more people have the courage to step up and travel alone.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth travelling and training?

There have been a few, getting the chance to train at the competition class with JT Torres at Essential BJJ was the best though. The nicest guy in the world and simultaneously the most intense guy to roll with, an opportunity I’ll be eternally grateful for as a blue belt in a class of black brown and purple belts (plus an 8 minute round with JT Torres!!). Another one was in St Louis when I messaged a gym asking to train but they were closed, however the coach invited me to a block party they were hosting and I spent the afternoon and evening drinking cold beers in the sun with great people in a random city miles away from home.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when travelling?

Despite what the media may convince you, there are still good people in the world! I’m constantly taken aback by the generosity and kindness of the Jiu Jitsu community. I’ve been to 16 different gyms with at least 15 people in every class and maybe 2 people have been rude, out of the minimum 240 people I’ve trained with. I’ve shared great food, drinks, rolls, sweat and laughs with so many people the past near 3 months that make the long hours travelling and money spent worth it, no doubt at all.

Jake Walton BJJ

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?

I’m a budget traveller yeah, I saved up all the money I could for this trip from work and didn’t have to do anything crazy like sell my car etc. Use matsurfing for the best travel experience, you train and live with people who are just as passionate about bjj and travel, what more could you want? Couchsurfing has also been great, it’s a website that lets you stay on people’s sofas or spare beds etc for free and like matsurfing the best part is that you get the real experience of living in the area because the host is a local who knows the best places to go and what to avoid. If you are travelling the USA use the Greyhound or Megabus as much as possible. It’s not great, it’s not fun but it is so cheap! It costs usually around $20 instead of a $80 train or $120 flight. Just get some films to watch and some snacks and get on with it.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?

On the flight out I watched the film Yes Man by accident. It’s basically about a guy who doesn’t ever go out and see things but one day he attends a seminar about saying yes to everything and it changes his life. I adopted this mentality for my trip and it really has made a difference. So many opportunities pop up when you just say yes to things and remember what’s the worst that will happen if you don’t like it? You just tick it off and don’t do it again. The other piece of advice would be don’t be nervous about going to other gyms, yes it is harder than training at home and yes you will be pushed but it makes you tough and at the end of the session everyone is friends and will ask 100000 questions about your trip!

Thank you Jake Walton – BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview!

“There is no ego at our gym, everyone trains with everyone and rolls with everyone with no expectations other than having fun and learning from each other.”
Travis Browne, Coach at Whaingaroa BJJ

Where is the gym located: The gym is located on the Raglan Harbour mouth at 94 Riria Kereopa Memorial Drive, Raglan, New Zealand. Raglan is a small coastal town of approximately 5,000 people and one of the premier surf spots in New Zealand. Whaingaroa is the Maori name for Raglan and means “the long pursuit” which refers to the lengthy search of the Tainui waka (canoe) for a final destination and is an apt description of the BJJ journey as well.

How many people train there: Approx 16 kids and 15 Adults.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year: The gym only started in Feb of this year so we have gone from 0 to current numbers. However the gym is growing with more students arriving to give it a go.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training: At the moment 1 black belt, 1 purple belt, 2 blue belts and all the rest white belts.

When did the gym open: Feb 2017

Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand

Who founded it: Travis Browne, Andrew Higgins, Rakai Rewherawha, Dai Jenkins and Nate Marshall

Some facts about you:
Name: Travis Browne
Age: 39
Belt: Black
Profession: Primary School Teacher
How many years in BJJ: On and off 14 years
Other martial arts: Previously Kickboxing, MMA, Ninjitsu, Taekwondo, Balintawak
Where do you live: Waitetuna, New Zealand
Where are you originally from: Wainui, New Zealand

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence: Rakai Rewherewha (Blue belt) and Dr Nate Marshall (Brown Belt) had been having casual trainings as Raglan Rollers from May 2016. Rakai had purchased some mats with no place to train and by chance, met Nate at West Coast Health. I shifted to the area from Hamilton where I had been assistant coaching for Ground Control Hamilton and also met Nate. A friend from my old club Andrew Higgins (purple) also shifted out there so we all got together along with Dai Jenkins (Blue). After several months of garage training Rakai engaged with Tangata Whenua to use the space at Whaingaroa ki te whenua and so Whaingaroa BJJ was born as a space with no politics for any and all BJJ practitioners to come and have some fun and for people with no experience to come learn in a safe training environment.

Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they? We have a variety of people at our gym, from school teachers to electricians, but all good people. We are all there to have fun and learn from each other, though the mat tends to empty out when there is a swell running.

Why do they train? Some of us had trained before and wanted a venue to continue, others heard and wanted to give something different a go. There are plenty of adventure options in Raglan so we get a few people trying something new. Most just want to get on the mat and have some fun.

What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym? Obviously keeping a roof over our heads to train under but we have the support of the local community and as we all have other jobs we do not have to rely on the academy for income. The other challenge is ensuring that the culture remains consistent and welcoming for all and is modelled by all those on the mat, not just the leadership.

Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area? It’s growing and will continue to do so as the population base grows.

What’s the best thing about your gym? Definitely the location. Harbour 5 steps away from the door and one of NZ’s best surf beaches five minutes drive away. Also the culture, we are nice and relaxed and welcoming with nothing to prove. We are also steadily increasing classes from starting with a single class when first opening to classes 4 x per week including Gi, No Gi, kids and open mat.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand? So much. Go for a surf at Manu Bay, climb Mount Karioi, visit Bridal Veil falls, stand up paddle down the Harbour and explore the estuary, go to Mount Pirongia and do the walks and caves at Kaniwhaniwha. Drive into Hamilton and visit the world famous Hamilton Gardens or watch the Chiefs Super Rugby team play. Raglan also has a bunch of adventure activities such as hang gliding and parasailing along with some very good cafes and organic food stores.

Any other comments, you are welcome to write them here. There is no ego at our gym, everyone trains with everyone and rolls with everyone with no expectations other than having fun and learning from each other. Check us out and like us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, we’d appreciate it and hope to see you on the mat one day.

Thanks for sharing this with us! Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand sounds like a great place to visit. If any Globetrotters are in the area, you can find more information here.

“I like to see how other people do things differently than the way I do them and see how other people think differently than the way I think.”
Jeremy Loflin

Name: Jeremy Loflin

Age: 44

Belt: Black under Paul Thomas Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Profession: I own and run a window covering installation company. My second business is the Fight Lab in Katy, Texas. It’s a small Jiu Jitsu school.

How many years in BJJ: I’ve been in Jiu Jitsu since 2005.

Other martial arts: I’ve done no other martial arts except wrestling when I was a freshman in high school.

Where do you live: I live in Katy Texas that is just on the outskirts of Houston.

Where are you originally from: I’m originally from Houston but I grew up in Southern California and left there in 2005.

Fun fact: I was lucky enough to live next door to a girl in high school who I started dating married and we just celebrated our 20 year anniversary.

Jeremy Loflin BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

I like to see how the other half lives, whether it be how they live in their lives or how their gyms operate. I like to see how other people do things differently than the way I do them and see how other people think differently than the way I think. Hopefully I’ll learn something and maybe I can share something that keeps it fun.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?

I’m going to Mexico for Christmas unfortunately I will not be training. I will be going to the Globetrotters Caribbean Island Camp to learn as much as I can in February. In January I will be cornering an MMA fighter in Louisiana and hopefully I will have an opportunity to go and train while I’m down there. In May I will be going to the Maine camp.

Jeremy Loflin BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

I love seeing new destinations as much as possible. I personally like to cruise – I’ve been on 30 cruises. None of them were Jiu Jitsu cruises but while on ships I’ve been fortunate enough to find gyms that do BJJ and have some fun rolls.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?

I was in Spain sitting outside of a gym that look like it had been closed down for years and I was starting to think I was given some bad information. Slowly people started showing up one by one – the place came to life and we rolled for hours. At the end of it all we all hung out and I caught a ride on the back of a moped to the hotel to meet my wife and share some of the stories.

Jeremy Loflin BJJ Globetrotters

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?

Another great experience I’ve had was while working down south near the border of Mexico I was wanting to train real bad but no gyms were nearby. I drove an hour one way and found a gym where nobody spoke English except one kid. We rolled and I was invited back. I came back, we rolled some more and I started coaching every time I went down that way and sharing Jiu Jitsu.

The most fun part of that was the delayed response in jokes and the wave of smiles and expression as we understood each other through delayed translation. I still talk to those guys today my Spanish has not gotten any better but thank goodness their English has!

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?

Unfortunately I am not a budget traveller. I should be but I like to be comfortable. I usually rent my own car and get my own hotel – that way I can come and go as I please.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?

Always have training gear with you and always be up for the unexpected opportunity to train!

Thank you Jeremy Loflin BJJ Globetrotters for sharing your travel stories with us! I’m sure a lot of our readers will bump into you at upcoming camps!

Alexander Neufang – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: I am 33 years old
Belt: BJJ Blackbelt
Profession: Currently working as a fulltime instructor for Gi/Nogi and MMA in Braunschweig, Germany
Started training (year): I started training Jiu Jitsu 1. January 2009 and have committed my life fully to the Art since then. I have competed all over the world in various rulesets with roughly half a thousand matches in Grappling, BJJ and MMA accumulated.
City/country:  Braunschweig, Germany

Alexander Neufang BJJ

Main achievements in BJJ:

While I have fought some of the Worlds best and still sometimes step up on the elite competition scene if the chance presents itself, my focus was always on exploring and developing the Art of Jiu Jitsu more than just trying to win.

Before going full time in BJJ I was working as a Tattoo Artist and have a lot of experience with Manga/Comic Illustration.

Regarding achievements I have roughly 150 medals with over 100 of them being gold and several of those being European Titles in Gi and Nogi, also a submission of the year award in German Pro MMA and having fought the Legend Rodolfo Vieira in MMA at ACB in Brazil. But to cut it short, probably my single most outstanding feat was submitting Adam Wardzinski once with an Armbar at CBJJF Europeans in 2015.

Alexander Neufang BJJ

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

I attended 10 Globetrotters Camps yet, once Zen Camp and several times Belgium, Austria and Heidelberg.

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

I enjoyed Belgium and Heidelberg the most because of the sheer amount of rolls and other high level grapplers I met.

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

Honestly there are too many great moments to pick, it’s like half of my life happened at globetrotters.

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

My favorite classes to teach are my Inverted Backmount System and my Hardcore Lapel Bondage because they are both competition proven systems I developed myself.

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

I’m always open for seminars if anyone is interested in stuff they probably never seen before ;)

Anyone is welcome to visit me and train together.

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Alexander Neufang – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

“Go to places you are not so much attracted by, meet the locals and discover that there is beauty in everything. Everywhere.”
Tango DiNero, Jiu Jitsu Traveller

Age: I am 27 years old. Since 2004!

Belt: Purple

Profession: Police Officer in Frankfurt, Germany

How many years in BJJ: I started in late 2012, so it’s been 5 years so far.

Other martial arts: Since I’ve seen my first Rocky movie, I always wanted to be a boxer. My parents didn’t agree with that, so I actually started with Judo as a kid. That worked for some weeks till I figured out that the boxers were training at the same time at a nearby gym. So I told my parents I went to Judo but went to boxing. Those guys were great and let me train with them. Training back then meant they showed me how to move and let me ‘work’ the heavy bag. I guess to them I was some kind of attraction, a mascot or something like that. But that was it with my Judo career. I later really started boxing and did some Thai and Kickboxing. For job reasons I did a bit more Judo and some Ju Jitsu. Oh…and I did some Wing Chun. But just because I wanted to get to know the female trainer.

Where do you live: Gießen. That’s 50kms north from Frankfurt, Germany.

Where are you originally from: Dillenburg. Just 50 more kms away

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: About me? I guess the most curious information about me is that I travel the world for BJJ while being aviatophobic. I am dying while take off and landing and most of the time the whole plane is laughing about me trying to survive. That causes some really curious situations – in fact I really hate myself on the edge of a plane journey.

Tango DiNero BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

It was Mike Hartmann who brought me to BJJ and in contact with the Globetrotter spirit. I didn’t know anything apart from boxing. In fact I guess I was looking for something like that since my old boxing gym closed doors. We had a really good companionship and lots of fun in training and at tournaments. That’s something really rare in German boxing. As the gym was closed I missed that companionship in the new gyms a lot and found it later in BJJ. Then one day in 2015 I went to my first Globetrotter Camp in Copenhagen and that was it. Nowadays all my holiday schedule is about BJJ.

Fun fact: I started to train a small group at my hometown early this year and nowadays most of my former boxing companions are now training BJJ there. Even my old Coach!

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?

The last trip was to the Caribbean Island Camp, which was a very unique experience. I really fell in love with the island and the spirit there. Next stop will be the Winter Camp in Austria. That´s a must on every years schedule!

Tango DiNero BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

I love to meet new people and see different places. I guess the very unique thing about BJJ travel is that there seems to be no better way to make new friends than to try to choke each other out. After your first training at a foreign academy you have got a bunch of new and local friends. So you really experience the place you are traveling and you are not just seeing the touristy stuff. It is really interesting to see how people in foreign places organise their living and recognising what is similar and what differs.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?

Sometimes it is just a small thing that makes a situation special. I remember the day at the Medina in Rabat and the night in a bar in the same town. It seemed to be a clash of times. On one side the old fashioned market in the old town, on the other side a modern bar with young people partying like you are in some big city in west Europe or the USA. I remember sitting on that surfers beach in Mexico where some guy was diving for mussels. I had never had such fresh mussels before! Another great experience was sitting in a car with two total foreigners driving through eastern Poland for several hours on a way to a Cyborg seminar. Or maybe all those special moments when you visit a Globetrotter friend from one camp at his hometown. It’s really hard to describe but to be honest – I don’t find any reason why you should not travel and train. Everybody loves travelling. If you like BJJ it really should be no question to travel and train. You should!

Tango DiNero BJJ

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?

I was planning my first Poland trip in 2016 and found the Akademia Octopus in Lodz on the Globetrotters page as an affiliated academy. When arriving to my first class I had THE biggest welcome ever. You know, every academy I ever visited on my travels was super friendly and gave me a warm welcome, but nothing like that. I really felt like some super famous Brazilian black belt standing in front of at least 70 fighters and getting introduced to them. I didn’t expect such a welcome. In fact I only saw such welcomes when guys like Fabio Gurgel or Cyborg showed up for a seminar but not some random purple belt from Germany. They later pretty much whipped my ass and I really did not feel like a good training partner but everybody wanted to train and connect with me. It turned out that not one of them ever was at a camp or did any traveling. They just affiliate with the Globetrotters because they like our values. And I was their first Globetrotter visitor!

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?

I am! I find it pretty easy to plan for a cheap trip. Look for countries where wages are low, Google a bit for academies and some interesting things there and that’s it. It doesn’t have to be some super famous travel destination – you can find nice places everywhere. When I did my first Poland trip it was just because I knew that the Polish fighters are known to be really tough fighters and the prices are low. Most facilities were amazing (much better than in Germany). Even the railway was good. I guess you guys experienced that at the Zen Camp this year. I really fell in love with the country and it’s people.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?

Travel as much as you can. Go to places you are not so much attracted by, meet the locals and discover that there is beauty in everything. Everywhere.

Thank you to Tango DiNero – BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview!

We are currently counting more than 300 BJJ Globetrotters members signed up on Beltchecker.com. It is a great way to meet and connect other people from our community. Just create a profile and add “BJJ Globetrotters” as your affiliation, then you’re automatically joined!

Oliver Geddes – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 36
Belt: Black Belt 3rd Degree
Profession: Formerly full time BJJ instructor, currently waiting for classes to
become legal again
Started training (year): 2005
City/country: London, UK

Main achievements in BJJ:

European Champion, Purple Belt 2009/2010
Abu Dhabi Pro Trials Qualifier Purple/Brown/Black 2009
Abu Dhabi Pro Trials Qualifier Brown/Black 2011
World Masters Bronze Medallist Black Belt 2016
Pan Masters Bronze Medallist Black Belt 2016
Europeans Masters Bronze Medallist Black Belt 2019

Oliver Geddes BJJ

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

I don’t even know anymore! I’ve been to an awful lot. Off the top of my head, the USA camp, the Zen camp, Leuven, Winter Camp, the UK Camp, Germany – I had a period where I did almost every one. :)

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

It’s really hard to pick just one. I think as an experience, it’s hard to beat the Zen camp and the USA camp, if only because the immersion there is so much greater. You’re all sharing a space, there isn’t anything else for a long distance in any direction so you can just settle in and enjoy spending time with likeminded people doing silly things to pass the time between rolls. Ever so slightly behind those, I’d probably say the Winter Camp because it’s very similar – shared space, not that much nearby, and you have the ‘slopes in the day, mats at night’ dynamic which you don’t really get anywhere else.

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

Hard to pick just one. I’m not sure if this counts as even a camp in the way it is now, but wayyyyy back in the early days of the globetrotters, the impromptu MMA event where people who attended the camp agreed to an MMA match, the suit match, children vs adults MMA…all in all, a very silly evening but a fine example of people just showing up to the camps and being up for anything. Probably wise it doesn’t happen that much these days, but was great when it did.

Oliver Geddes – BJJ Referee

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

I think part of the appeal is there is just such a range of approaches and material that you can find a class on literally anything. I can show up and watch a berimbolo expert give a one hour focused class on a series of techniques I don’t have massive experience in, or I can listen to someone explain a theoretical structure for half of jiujitsu and take elements of that into my own teaching and training. And those two classes can literally be back to back with each other. For the teaching part, I honestly really like just having someone ask me about something, and then one thing leads to another and you move through about five different topics and suddenly you realise that an hour has passed. That’s probably my favorite thing, and when I teach classes in camps it’s always good when you finish, the next class starts up and there are people still asking questions about the class you’ve just finished and you can keep going on that in a corner. Genuine enthusiasm is always appreciated, and returned in kind. :)

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

I don’t think so. Since this is getting published, I just want to say I know that everyone has had a pretty awful year in so many ways, but hopefully 2021 brings better things and everyone who’s currently unable to can get back onto the mats and start doing the sport we love in the way we love it again. :)

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Oliver Geddes – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

Maciej Grzelak – BJJ Globetrotters

Let’s start out with some quick facts about you…

Age: 26 years old

Belt: Purple

Profession: Final year Med school student

How many years in BJJ: 4

Other martial arts: Dangerous black belt sushi sticks user

Where do you live: Bydgoszcz, Poland

Where are you originally from: Warsaw, Poland

Maciej Grzela BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train

If you want me to say something romantic, I would say it’s all about meeting BJJ people, sharing my knowledge, and taking knowledge in return. I love meeting the local people that share your passion with you.
There is also another side. Lets be honest, when you travel with such a low budget you are looking for any opportunity to lower cost as much as possible. BJJ is a great tool to meet people that can help you do this. Host you, feed you and show local areas. In return i can always share all my knowledge and good vibes. I thinks it’s not a bad thing to say – BJJ helps me to travel further when I’m out of cash.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?

A few years ago I bought an old Volkswagen T4 and completely renovated it. I built a tiny home inside. That’s the way I was traveling for the last few times. I would just stop somewhere near the road and sleep inside. We took a month long trip all around Scandinavia the year before, and last year we travelled across the Balkans. We planned to go back to Georgia and Armenia but the engine broke down in Greece.

My upcoming travel is bit different.
I finished my Med school last year and decided to spend the next 6 months travelling around Asia. I sold some of my properties and borrowed a backpack from my friend. Now I’m buying Visas. In two weeks I should get a flight to my first destination which is Kazakhstan. I will teach there for a few days and then go to Uzbekistan which is also a place that I have set up some seminars. Okay, maybe not official seminars, but just to teach a class.

From Uzbekistan I will fly to New Delhi to people that invited me there. That’s the place I will spend some time on just BJJ and eating! There is nothing better then Indian food.
From India I will land in Sri Lanka also to share all I have with local BJJ guys. That’s the point where my plans are over. All I know is I just want to visit as many places as possible and train in the next countries which are: Indonesia-Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand-Cambodia-Vietnam-Philippines. If I still have money I would love to travel to Taiwan and China also. But again, it’s all about money! –

Maciej Grzelak BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

Food. No doubt about it. Food!
And also creating relationships with people. It’s amazing how quick you can get a friend on the road with someone you met a few days ago at a party, or somewhere. That’s almost magical.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?

On the one hand, there is great possibility to roll with various people from other countries. When I was in Belgrade I met Masa. Everybody knows that small Japanese wicked guy who travels all the time. Two years ago I was able to invite him to my home and mats. We got to party (but I’m not sure if he remembers that) and the next day he made us Japanese food. Some say “Hey, it’s nothing” but I think it is great. In one part of the world I met a guy from a country located 8000km from my home and two years later we spend some great time at mine. Now he has offered to help me if I want to go to Japan. How cool is that? You can have friends all over the world. Thats the point!

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?

No doubts, how helpful people are. When I was traveling by motorbike, I crashed twice. One was in Silivri, Turkey and it was a pretty bad crash. The other time was in Georgia. In both situations people helped me with everything. In Turkey a met a guy who took me to his home and hosted me for few days. He organised everything to repair my bike, and his mom made me some amazing food. The didn’t speak very much English. In Georgia some guy with only one hand welded my broken frame. I have a lot of stories about people that just wanted to give me what they had and didn’t want anything in return. Just because I was a traveller! This is more than amazing.

Are you a budget traveller Maciej Grzelak BJJ – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?

Yep. My budget to Asia (flights are not included) is around 8-10$ per day. I don’t know how to do that but hope I will do it somehow. I have no plan. Just to ask local BJJ gyms if I can sleep on mats, or clean for it etc. If I’m out of cash I will try to find some quick job. But isn’t it just about taking what the road gives to you? All will be fine!

Thank you to Maciej Grzelak – BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview

In light of the development of the pandemic, we have decided to change the requirements for participating in a BJJ Globetrotters camp. So far, a test administered shortly before the camp was necessary, but we feel confident that we can expand this requirement with additional options, to make it more flexible and fair for our participants. Therefore, until further notice, one of the following is mandatory to present for participation in a camp:

1. A certificate of vaccination
2. A negative PCR/antigen test administered no more than 72 hours before arrival at camp
3. A positive antibody test no more than 3 months old
4. A positive PCR/antigen test no more than 3 months old, along with proof of recovery/release from quarantine from a doctor/health official.

We are constantly monitoring the situation and will be flexible to update these requirements, should it be possible or necessary. As researchers learn more about the effectiveness of antibodies, we will likely extend the period of acceptance for these.

As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us on ma**@**************rs.com.

We are looking forward to some great experiences with you in 2021.

Where is the gym located?

Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo.

How many people train there?

For BJJ, roughly 10 to 15 people. We have also 40 people for taekwondo, 10 for kickboxing, and about 25 in fitness & cross-training.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?

The gym showed really good growth from 2011 to 2016, but unfortunately there’s been a big economic crisis in Congo since 2015. This led to fewer people staying in the country, and the number of members has now stabilized.

But we always get a fresh influx of new members in September (when the new academic year begins), and often in January too.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

Our highest grade is purple belt (myself). We also have a few blue belts and white belts.

When did the gym open?

The gym opened in 2011, and we had our first BJJ class in October 2013.

Some facts about you:

Name: Lucas Di Gleria
Academy: Congo Top Team, Congo BJJ
Age: 32
Belt: Purple
Profession: I work for a French fitness brand
Years in BJJ: 4.5 years
Other martial arts: Taekwondo, Kickboxing
Currently living in: Bordeaux, France
Originally from: Sainte-Adresse, France

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:

I grew up in Congo with my parents (from 1987 – 2003) and then left to go to high school in France. I came back to Congo in 2010 to work for a French TV channel.

In Congo at that point, there were some karaté, aikido, and taekwondo gyms, and some western boxing too. Myself and some friends organised a place to train (about 50m2) and, since we were already taekwondo black belts, in September 2011 we started giving taekwondo classes. In 2012, we started teaching fitness & cross-training classes after becoming IKFF (International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation) certified trainers. In January 2013, we met an amazing Congolese kickboxing coach and launched a kickboxing class with him and his top students.

In October 2013, a friend of mine, Ronny Kunta Roc, came back to Congo as well, and we decided to start training together as two white belts in BJJ. And we decided to open the “class” to anyone else who was interested. We named the team “Black Rock BJJ”, operating out of Congo Top Team.

After two years of training BJJ, I travelled to Thailand to train under Professor Olavo Abreu, a 4th-degree black belt under Carlson Gracie Jr, and I got my blue belt. I came back to Congo and continued to train with the team. In April 2016, I set out on a BJJ tour that lasted 1.5 years, during which I competed (mainly around Southeast Asia) and trained extensively under Luc “Doberman” Rousseau, an ADCC Europe Silver Medallist who specialises in leglocks, and is an amazing coach on top of it. I trained in San Diego, Poland, and France, and, in August 2017, I got my purple belt under Redouane Ait Said (Boxing Squad, 2nd-degree black belt).

After that, I came back to Congo to train with the guys, and awarded some of the first blue belts in the country to some of them, since we are the first BJJ team and gym in Congo. The team is currently being run by a blue belt.

Congo Top Team, Congo BJJ

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?

They are amazing people – they love BJJ !

We have people from all kinds of backgrounds here: Africans, Europeans, Asians, girls, guys, people from high social classes, and people from more modest backgrounds. We try to offer low prices so that everyone is able to train with us. For some Congolese students who are really in love with BJJ, we sometimes offer training for free, because sometimes they have no money and they have to travel for more than an hour each way to come to training…

Why do they train?

I think they train because they love this martial art, which is new in Congo, and because they feel the efficiency of Jiu Jitsu. Some are black belts in other styles like taekwondo, karate, and judo, and they come with an open mind to learn something new.

Some girls train for self-defence, and fall in love with the spirit and practice of Jiu Jitsu.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym?

• Retaining members and keeping people motivated. Jiu Jitsu is a gentle sport, but also a tough sport. You need mental strength, consistency, courage, and humility. And belts are not easy to get, the path is long, so sometimes people lose motivation.
• Attracting girls to the gym. Because it’s a such a close-contact sport, we sweat a lot on each other during training, and some girls and even some guys don’t like that kind of contact. But once you’re hooked on Jiu Jitsu, you forget all about that and you can just love it.
• For us in Congo, one challenge is to get enough money to bring a black belt over for a seminar. Because it’s not a traditional tourist destination (even though it’s safe and we have nice beaches to surf – maybe Christian should come haha), and it’s tough for students to gather enough money to bring an expert in.

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?

I hope BJJ will continue to grow in Congo. An important next step would be to establish a BJJ federation, but getting the local authorities to cooperate is proving a bit difficult.

We need new gyms to open, and we need to spread BJJ around Congo. A French brown belt has just arrived for a few months in the capital (Brazzaville), and he’s opened a BJJ gym there. Now he’s the highest belt in the country, and he has the goal to spread Jiu Jitsu in this area as well. So we will work together on it.

Once we have enough people training, we’ll try to organize the first competitions in Congo. Or maybe some Congolese athletes will go to some other African countries like Angola to train and compete.

What’s the best thing about Congo Top Team, Congo BJJ?

Opening the door and seeing people motivated on the mat! And seeing how BJJ people can share the mat with other disciplines, together under the same roof.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?

In Pointe-Noire we live right by the sea, where we can always take a beach break and surf some nice waves. There are many surfers and bodyboarders here.

What’s really interesting to see in Congo is nature: you can go into the bush to visit forest monkeys, surf spots lost in the jungle, and walk along red sand gorges. You can also go to Brazzaville, the capital of Congo, where you can experience the Congo river by kayak, wake board, or waverunner, and maybe see a hippotamus along the way. And you need to meet the Congolese people, who are really friendly guys that like partying and having fun, and of course training and discovering martial arts!

Thanks for sharing with us! If you would like to pay a visit to Congo Top Team, Congo BJJ, you can find them here.