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“Look for a place/town with a volunteer job and a BJJ school and mix these two!”
Silas Proton, Jiu Jitsu traveller

Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 30

Belt: White

Profession: Restorer for stone (architecture & sculptures)

How many years in BJJ: 3.5

Other martial arts: 5yrs traditional TaekwonDo, 3yrs K1 & MuayThai

Where do you live: Basically Berlin, but always on the road

Where are you originally from: Berlin, Germany

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

First was the wish to travel. I travelled a lot with my girlfriend, but mostly shorter trips for holidays. Now we both want to use a `gap´ in our working life to take one year off and experience different living conditions. Also moving out of Germany is a big topic for us right now, so we wanted to explore other places and opportunities more deeply and first hand. Also, because training is an essential part of my existence, it just naturally followed!

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

We just finished one constant year on the road. We started in November 2016, went to Israel for 4 months to live in a kibbutz near the Red Sea. There i trained in the nearest town and we went diving a lot. After this, we got our car ready – a 30 year old Volkswagen van, and just started driving in the direction of south-east. We went all the way from Germany via Eastern Europe, Greece, Turkey into Georgia and Azerbaijan and back.

Right now we are home to fill up the cash reserves. The next project is to do a similar tour but this time starting in Asia…

Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

Everything! I enjoy the way we travel, I enjoy that everything has its time. The day is divided into the natural needs. I wake up with the sun and go to bed by dusk. Driving, washing stuff, cleaning, cooking, training – that all fills your day completely. There are no `artificial´ actions, separated from your everyday needs. And I become peaceful with myself as a result.

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

I experienced how differently you get connected with people. If you arrive in a remote city on the Turkish Black Sea coast, you don’t know where to sleep. You are tired and feel a bit lonely. And then you just Google the local BJJ club and within an hour you are welcomed, you have a connection, a place to sleep. You instantly start to be thankful for human support, materially and psychologically! I am always very grateful for that.

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

The most surprising thing is that in 8 months on the road neither the car has broken down, nor did we get robbed or had just one single bad experience. I don’t know how this happened but I´m still surprised that literally NOTHING bad happened to us. Not even a BJJ common injury!

Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters

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

I think every traveller is a budget traveller – it just depends on the amount! Our plan (which worked) – was to travel and sleep in the car, so the only expenses were fuel, food, luxury and (sometimes) laundry or a commercial camping place for showers etc. We also tried to mix in longer stays of volunteer work, so we could stay longer at one place, build up deeper connections with the people there and work for food and accommodation. That keeps your expenses really low. I would recommend that for people with a small budget: look for a place/town with a volunteer job and a BJJ school and mix these two!

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

Go to remote areas. They are the best!

Sounds like you are having a brilliant time Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters! All the best for the rest of your travels and thank you for sharing your stories with us.

“In Seville until recently there were no black belts, but nowadays the level is high. Not only of black belts, but of browns, purples and blues as well!”
Juan José Abad, Owner of C.D. Crossfight

Hi there! Let’s start by finding out a little bit about the location of the gym. Where can we find it?

The gym is located in Seville (Spain) in Virgen de Fátima Street, nº12. It is in the famous neighbourhood of Triana. Seville is a beautiful city in the south of Spain and one of the most visited in Europe with the largest historic centre in Spain.

How many people train in the gym? Are the numbers growing?

Currently in the BJJ team we have approximately 20 students. Combined with kickboxing, taekwondo and yawara teams we have 70 students.

The team is growing slowly but those who come to try seem to stay. We get about one new student each month.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

The training sessions are planned by the teacher and all the students of all levels are together. Thanks to the good atmosphere, the higher level students help a lot of the new ones and in this way the team level is high.

When did the gym open and who founded it?

The dojo where it is practiced today bjj was founded by Juan José Abad and Samuel Espino in 2015.

C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

Quick facts about the owner of the gym...

Name: Juan José Abad

Age: 39

Belt: Blue belt

Profession: Engineer

How many years in BJJ: 3 years

Other martial arts: Black belt in kickboxing, black belt in Kempo and also train some boxing

Where do you live: Seville

Where are you originally from: Seville
But I think I should say that the BJJ teacher is Aure Castilla. He is 35 years old and a brown belt in BJJ. He has been training in BJJ for 11 years and is a teacher in a school as his main job. He also trains some boxing and lives in Seville.

He is one of the best nationally and every year he travels to train at AOJ, Atos Wrox Wroclaw and SBG Dublin. He has been at the corner of UFC 200 with Enrique Marin Wassabi.

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

The gym was founded for the first time in 2003 by Samuel Espino. It was a fitness gym where kickboxing and Kempo were also practiced. I taught the classes myself and we achieved many of our goals at a competitive level. I had heard about “the gentle art” so I looked for a school and started to train. After one year, the teacher of that team was hoping to expand the gym and install a good tatami. Since the other school did not have good conditions, he opened up in my place. During these two years the school grew up to 50 students from 15 at the beginning, but seeing the success the teacher decided to start his own school.
In this way we call Aure Castilla the current professor, who curiously was a student of kickboxing 13 years ago. He has been teaching for two months. Our goal is to grow up with a healthy and free BJJ, where they do not impose clauses to train.

C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

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

There are a variety of people who train in the gym from students, engineers, policemen … boys and girls of all ages.

Some train for fun, others are competitors. They also come looking for safety and learn to defend themselves. Others like police officers seek to have an effective tool to carry out their work. And many of them are practitioners of other styles and complete their martial arts life with BJJ.

What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym?

The most important challenge when it comes to running a dojo is to offer a good quality of BJJ. In Seville until recently there were no black belts, but nowadays the level is high. Not only of black belts, but of browns, purples and blues as well!

C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

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

The future has good expectations. There are more and more people who are interested in BJJ, thanks to MMA and maybe also because of social networks. Although there is a cancer that is the teams that want to monopolise their BJJ over the rest and impose their conditions, forgetting and harming the components of their own teams. We have our athletes as a priority and that is why we follow BJJ Globetrotters.

What’s the best thing about your gym?

The best thing about our gym is, without a doubt, the good atmosphere that we have. Friendship and respect for classmates is the most important thing as the most advanced students help newcomers.

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

I would recommend visiting Seville as a city. It is a fantastic place with very welcoming people and is especially beautiful in Spring.

Great! Thank you for sharing your stories with us. If anyone is in the Seville area and would like to visit C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ you can get in touch here.

“We are open minded and have a friendly atmosphere where everyone is welcome.”
Nick R. Cleppe,Owner of Victus MMA, Norway

Let’s start out with some facts about your gym:

We are a Next Generation MMA affiliate and also a BJJ Globetrotters affiliate. Next Generation MMA has 11 affiliates around the world, and we are one of two in Norway. NG also has affiliates in England, Ireland, Australia and many in USA. The one in Liverpool is killing it these days. They have a champ in Cage Warriors in WW, just lost the belt in LW, and have contenders in the female leagues as well.

Where is the gym located?

My gym is located in Solør Norway (HQ), and Elverum. (The name Solør comes from Old Norse and was pronounced Soløyjar).
Solør is a Norwegian traditional district consisting of the valley between the cities Elverum in the north and Kongsvinger in the south. It is part of the county of Hedmark, and includes the municipalities Våler, Åsnes, and Grue. There’s about 16-17 thousand people living in Solør.
My gym is located right in the middle in Åsnes, in the town Flisa. I also teach classes in Elverum twice per week, which is a 35 minute drive from Flisa. Elverum has a population of about 20,000 and has a lot of college students and Norwegian soldiers.

How many people train there? We have about 50 people. Some only do striking and some only do BJJ but about forty per cent crosstrain and do both.

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

The gym is growing slow and steady, and I’m happy if I can have 8-18 students on the mat every night like it is now. If I include both striking and BJJ classes I think there’s between 10-30 guys that comes through almost every day.
The weird thing is that even though Flisa is much smaller with less people spread out over a bigger area, the attendence at my gym is a lot better than in the city Elverum. I’m not sure of the reason why, but I like to think there’s a good culture at my gym.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

I’m the highest ranked at purple belt and I have been for two years. We have got five blue belts. Two of them are our own from white to blue, the others have their belts from other academies. I guess a couple more are getting close to their blue.

When did the gym open/the story of how your gym came into existence?

I opened it in 2015. I wasn’t even finished with my Bachelors degree when I got contacted by the former owner. It was just a fitness gym back then, and I guess he was tired of the fitness business and he also had another job on the side. The gym/fitness business is a tough business after all. He asked me if I wanted to buy the gym from him. At first I was hesitant. I had lived in the capital (Oslo) for so many years and had almost all my friends there. But I’m happy I moved back. I feel more at peace here away from all the crowds, trams, tubes, traffic and the stress of commuting around in the city. Here I’m surrounded by nature and there’s less stress in the daily life. People sort of know you around here while some people like to be anonymous in the big city. But I like to go outside and be able to talk to people when I’m at the grocery store, the local bar or restaurant etc.
Many of my closest friends are starting to move back now too and are getting into BJJ again which is awesome!

Victus MMA, Norway BJJ

Some facts about you:

Name: Nick R. Kleppe

Age: 28

Belt: Purple

Profession: Gym owner/Personal Trainer/ BJJ/MMA Instructor

How many years in BJJ: I started late in 2008, trained for a couple of years and competed a lot at white belt. I went abroad and lived in Brazil and Bali for a year and got some training done there, but had some problems with injuries and I guess there also were other temptations like surfing, diving, and other summer sports while I lived there. When I got back from Brazil I was sick and had to have surgery. I had gotten peritonitis and sepsis and almost died. I did my rehab and was out for almost a year, came back and had to have surgery on my hip because of a torn labrum in a beach soccer accident in Brazil. So I had a total break for 2 years before I got through rehab (again) and back in mental and physical shape to do BJJ again. I got my blue belt from Dean Lister in 2013 when my gym in Oslo was affiliated with him, later I got my purple belt in January 2016 from Chris Brennan.
After I opened my gym, and later when I got my purple I’ve been much more serious about my training. When I was a blue belt I maybe trained 1-3 times per week. Now I train BJJ 5-6 days a week and sometimes 2 times a day, and I do striking 2-3 times per week, and supplement with cardio and strength training 2-3 times per week. In total I’ve trained 5-6 years.

Other martial arts: Muay Thai, Sanda/Sanshou, Taekwondo, Boxing, MMA

Where do you live: After living in the capital Oslo and traveling for 8 years, I’m now back in my hometown of Flisa.

Where are you originally from: Flisa, Norway

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

It’s mostly young guys with an age range between 15-35ish. But we have a couple that are younger and older than that.
Unfortunately we don’t have a lot of girls, we’ve had some here and there, and if all the girls that tried it had stuck with it, we would probably have around 10 girls training.

Why do they train?

We have guys that just want to exercise and keep fit, some train for self defence. Others want to compete in pure grappling, and some want to cross train and learn grappling for MMA.

Victus MMA, Norway BJJ

What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym?

Of course a challenge is to have enough students. The sport is still new and growing here and hasn’t reached it’s peak. The fitness gym is what brings food on the table.
For me personally though it is that I’m the highest belt, and probably could use someone that could challenge me more during rolls. But it can also be a blessing in disguise I think – it forces me to travel to other gyms and train, have seminars with high level guys to keep updated and it keeps you creative when you roll, and you get to practice and hone your offensive skills.
 As Joe Rogan says “the best way to get good at jiu-jitsu is to strangle blue belts”. And I think he’s onto something there. I also feel that I learn a lot from teaching, it forces you to analyse what you do, and why you do it.
Another challenge as a coach is to balance the time between training for yourself and at the same time focus on your students, especially if you want to compete as a coach.

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

I think there’s potential for growth, especially at my other location. But I’m happy the way it is now if it stays like this. One thing that I think is super cool is that I managed to get a teacher position with the local high school. Like you guys have wrestling in America I have managed to get them to have BJJ/grappling and kickboxing. So I have kids that are 15-18 that have BJJ/Kickboxing/MMA as a subject in school. This is very unique in Norway.

Victus MMA, Norway BJJ

What’s the best thing about your gym?

I like to think we are open minded and have a friendly atmosphere where everyone is welcome.

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

This place doesn’t seem like much at first glance. It’s a small town in the countryside of Norway, and Elverum is a small city. But many people in the capital have cabins around here in Solør, they like to come here for the nature experience, fishing, hunting and skiing etc. So if you’re into that stuff it’s awesome. It’s also not too far away from Oslo, or Trysil if you’re into skiing/snowboarding/downhill biking etc. There’s also good local hiking trails and cross-country skiing opportunities.

Any other comments you would like to add?

I want to say thank you to my girlfriend for putting up with my lifestyle with late evenings because of work and training.
Also a thank you to Mats Taihaugen, he’s the headcoach for the Thai boxers and is doing a good job with them.

Thanks for sharing with us Nick! If anyone is in Norway and would like to pay Victus MMA, Norway BJJ a visit, you can find them here.

Age: 36… sheesh… am I really inching towards the big 4-0? When did that happen?

Belt: Lowly, clue- and stripe-less white belt.

Profession: I’m a Filmmaker (mostly documentaries). And yes, I’m working on “something about BJJ”.

How many years in BJJ: I began “training” via DVDs in early 2016 and finally joined an academy in May 2016. Work has been busy in 2017 and I’ve not trained half as much as I’d have liked. Honestly, I’d say the equivalent of 6 months… maybe.

Other martial arts: I’ve done Muay Thai in the past and am pondering joining an academy that offers it as well as DBMA, which I’d love to try!

Where do you live: Leipzig, Germany

Where are you originally from: Rostock, Germany

Florian Dedio BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

As a filmmaker, I travel quite a lot. I’ve been working on a documentary series for the last two years that was co-produced between France and Germany and did a lot of filming in the UK. Whenever I know I’ll abroad somewhere, I try and find a gym nearby and ask about dropping in for a training session. I’ve been lucky to be able to learn at 13 academies across Europe, Canada and South Africa since I began, and enjoyed my stay at every single one.

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

My wife and I were in London for a long weekend in November… and oh boy, there are A LOT of BJJ options there! I posted in the Globetrotters FB group and got tons and tons of recommendations and invitations and actually had to make a list with pros and cons for each (the cons being distance from where I was staying and compatibility with my schedule). We ended up going to one class at Fight Zone London and one class at London Fight Factory, both of which were absolutely fantastic. Next up? I’ll be in Toronto for a week or two in January. Looking forward to seeing what I can get up to there! Got a tip? I’m all ears.

Florian Dedio BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

Honestly, it’s the hospitality. You hear and read so much about how Jiu-jitsu unites people around the world, but to experience it is really something else. It’s been warm welcomes everywhere I’ve been. It’s been open arms and respect. I really hope I can re-visit some of the places I’ve been when I, well, know a bit more about BJJ.

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

Where do I begin? How about lasting friendships! My wife and I connected with some wonderful people at this year’s BJJ Globetrotters winter camp, with whom we got to reconnect just last month in London, at their home academy. Or how about being stuck in Bournemouth, England for a week and finding probably the prettiest academy I’ve ever seen there? Or being welcomed into his academy and getting to learn from a red and white belt? I could go on…

Florian Dedio BJJ

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

I’ve trained a few times at academies in countries where I didn’t speak the language. If it’s a small group setting, the professor usually just translates what he’s teaching, but in larger groups, I’ve been on my own trying to work things out a few times, both in Polish and in French. And you know what? It works! Found myself switching off listening and just watching and imitating what I was seeing. Very interesting experience.

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

Most of my trips have been business in nature, with me trying to get some BJJ in “on the side”. I’ve yet to try Matsurfing, but I’m looking forward to doing so in 2018.

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

Try and plan in advance. As in, post to the group (or write to academies where you’re going) a week or so before your actual travel. I’ve made the mistake of waiting until trips were confirmed last-minute and then it was too late to organize things. So, if you even think it likely you’re going somewhere, do some research :)

Thank you to Florian Dedio – BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview

Where is the gym located?

Thanh Cong Ward’s Community Hall, Thanh Cong Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, VN

How many people train there?

Around 30 members.

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

We started with a core team of 8 to 10 people eager to learn 5 months ago, and we got around 5 new people per month plus a lot of visitors from all over the world on a weekly basis.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

We are led by head coach David Lapetina (purple belt under Akio Long, RNK Paris) and there are purple, blue and white belts training at the gym. We have black belts and brown belts visiting us from other gyms and from other countries quite often.

When did the gym open?

September 2017

Who founded it?

Nguyễn Hoài Nam and David Lapetina. Nam setup the whole place and started with teaching striking at the beginning of January.

Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

Some facts about you:
Name: David Lapetina
Age: 40
Belt: Purple
Profession: Chief Operations
How many years in BJJ: 7
Other martial arts: Before starting BJJ I did 3 years of Muay Thai/Wrestling and little bit of MMA, all this leading me to BJJ.
Where do you live: I live 70% of my time in Hanoi, 30% in Paris where I continue to train with my master Akio Long, and my original team RNK Paris.
Where are you originally from: Paris, RNK.

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

Nam created the gym based on a Dog Brother affiliation early 2017. The teaching was only striking orientated. People were eager to learn BJJ but due to the lack of gyms in Hanoi it was difficult to satisfy this need. Nam and David met during the summer of 2017 thanks to a mutual friend. The vision about the teaching and the core values of what must be a martial arts gym were immediately shared and they decided to try a BJJ program. The main difficulty was to establish it with mainly pure beginners with very little “ground” experience. After some weeks it was clear that the motivation of the team was high and more people were – and are – joining us continuously.

Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

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

We have grown up from 18 to the 40’s. Some students, mainly people who work, female and male. We want to keep it balanced and that is why we insist on the “BJJ for everyone” motto.

Why do they train?

For many reasons. Some come from a long striking background (more than 10 or 15 years for some of them) and want new challenges. Others want to learn a martial art without striking but still thrive for more than a kata-only approach.

What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym?

To keep a balance between the hard work required by BJJ while on the other hand have fun and joy what it can bring in our life. We must teach, learn and practice with accuracy and safety but also keep a smile on our face all the time. Be respectful and thankful with our partners but also allow our self a good laugh on the mat.

Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

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

Considering we have around 8 million people in Hanoi, around 5 gyms which means maybe 300 practitioners tops, the growth will be huge in the next decade. On our side we do our best to promote our passion and work with the other gyms to support this growth.

What’s the best thing about your gym?

The balance we want to keep between fun and serious. There is a time for everything, a time to be serious, a time for fun, a time for hard work and pain, a time for relaxing and just play all this in a safe environment and a beautiful place to train.

We are also strongly advocating for teaching and sharing with everyone, male or female, wherever they come from with the only expectation in return that people who come will follow some basics rules such as: ensuring the safety of their partners, being humble and do not brag, helping the other to be better.

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

We are in a beautiful country, with very nice and welcoming people. Come to visit us and our country, you will have good memories for years. In Hanoi you can discover so many good places to visit but also where to eat, have a nice drink or party. Just come. You will understand.

Any other Comments, you are welcome to write them here.

We believe that BJJ and Vietnam are enough to motivate people to come to see us.

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

Where is the gym located?

We run out of two locations: Ballymoney and Ballycastle on the north coast of Ireland.

How many people train there?

Around 30 members.

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

We have been open for just over a year and grown slowly over that period. We have had some new members this year and have a great core group of guys and girls.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

Our highest grade is blue belt. We learn from our black belt coach, Peter Lavery, in Belfast and bring techniques back to our own gym. We recently had some of our members promoted and now have seven blue belts training between Ballymoney and Ballycastle.

When did the gym open?

September 2016 in Ballycastle, January 2017 in Ballymoney.

Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

 

Some facts about you:

Name: David O’Neill

Age: 27

Belt: Blue
Profession: Caravan Park Warden
How many years in BJJ: 4
Other martial arts: None
Where do you live: Castlerock, Northern Ireland
Where are you originally from: Castlerock, Northern Ireland

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

BJJ on the north coast of Ireland still has quite a small community – we were travelling for 1.5 hours to train with our head coach and he advised that we should open up our own gym under his instruction.

Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

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

We have lots of different people training for different reasons – most of them enjoy competing but some just want to learn a new skill and keep fit.

Why do they train?

We like to keep training fun and have a really positive atmosphere in the gym. Most of our members love the social aspect of BJJ but mostly are training because they find it fun and a great form of exercise.

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

We both have full time jobs as well as running the gym so squeezing everything in to one day can sometimes be a challenge depending on how hectic work has been! We have classes on six days a week and fitting this around an already busy work schedule can sometimes be tough.

Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

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

Hopefully it will continue to grow – the Irish BJJ scene has developed a lot even in the past few years with more competitions available to us and Irish competitors achieving great things at international level. There will even be the first IBJJF tournament in Dublin at the end of this year!

What’s the best thing about your gym?

I think the best thing about the gym would have to be the balance between fun and serious training. Everyone is welcoming to new members and we have also welcomed a couple of Globetrotters from Germany and Texas who have taught us great techniques to add to our games.

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

We live in a very beautiful part of the world. Just about fifteen minutes away from Ballymoney you can visit the Giants Causeway and loads of the Game of Thrones locations around the coast as well. The weather may not be the best but there is still lots to do and see!

Thanks for sharing with us! If you would like to pay a visit to Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ, you can find them here.

Aaron Ross – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 42
Belt: Belt Black
Profession: International consultant
Started training (year): 2006
City/country: St. Petersburg, Florida USA/ Tokyo, Japan

Main achievements in BJJ:

I think the ups and downs of the whole journey is an achievement in and of itself but I think for me personally it was going from white to black belt in a foreign country/language. Additionally, being able to share my jiu-jitsu with thousands of people at the camps from around the world is a personal achievement that I hope to continue to add to.

Aaron Ross – BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

Attended over 20 camps to date, too many to list.

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

Difficult question being to so many but I truly love them all but every time different. Every new camp is a new favorite as corny as that sounds. Each one offers something special and when you add new faces the same camp its a unique experience.

Aaron Ross – BJJ Globetrotters Summer Camp

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

Had 300 straight rolls at Heidelberg 2019, that was cool. Sang in a punk band once, hosted an impromptu bodybuilding contest in a German bar. Rode a bicycle down a giant staircase in Belgium drunk and my bike came apart and I crashed fracturing a bone in my hand 2 steps from the bottom. Went to a Polish disco in a farm warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Broke a record in an Austrian bar with a couple other guys for most Jaeger bombs drank, our photo is on the wall there. I can go on for days, this is tip of the iceberg, haha. Most of the good stories I shouldn’t tell on the internet :) Additionally, making new friends every camp I go to is a favorite moment that keeps perpetuating the more I attend.

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

Don’t really have a favorite but I want everyone there to learn and really take something away from my classes. I’m really there to help everyone to the best of my ability without any bullshit. Everything I teach is stuff I actually use.

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

If you see me scheduled for a camp, you better believe some shenanigans is in store so sign up, join the fun! If you have never been to a camp and are undecided, just do it. It will be more enjoyable than you anticipate. You will make friends, train and share a lot of laughs and memories.

Really grateful to all the people that have attended my classes and appreciated what I’ve had to offer. Thankful for all the friends I’ve made so far and looking forward to all the new adventures/friendships ahead. Appreciate Christian and the Globetrotters staff for all the work they do.

***

Aaron Ross – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

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

Name: Liadain O’Driscoll – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 33

Belt: Purple

Profession: Technical writer

How many years in BJJ: 6

Other martial arts: MMA until I detached a retina in a fight.

Where do you live: Cork, Ireland

Where are you originally from: Baltimore, Ireland – a beautiful fishing village on the south coast which I encourage everyone to visit.

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: In a previous life I played in several metal and hardcore bands. Besides my day job I work for the Irish Open Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships, who run the biggest competitions in Ireland. When I’m not on the mats you can usually find me on my yoga mat or indulging my other obsession – knitting.

Liadain O’Driscoll – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

I got bitten by the travel bug the same year that I started training. I took up MMA and BJJ at the start of 2012, and later that year I had my first big trip outside Europe, when I spent a couple of weeks in Peru. I didn’t train on that trip, but it fuelled my desire to travel more, which coincided with me wanting to work less and train more. I went to Thailand for two weeks a couple of months later and spent a week travelling the north of the country and then a week training at Phuket Top Team, and within a couple of days of landing there my plans were hatched. In 2014 I left my job to train full-time in Thailand for a year, which was a crazy experience. Since then I’ve trained in some amazing places, including Tristar in Montreal and Mjölnir in Iceland, and I’ve competed all over Europe.

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

My last big training trip was about a year ago, when I spent five weeks in Thailand and Bali. I haven’t got anything major planned for the short to medium term now, but Mongolia and Brazil are high on the list of must-dos when I do get back to travelling.

Liadain O’Driscoll – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

The opportunity to get exposure to coaches and styles that you wouldn’t get at home is a big one for me. Especially coming from Ireland, where we don’t have a wrestling culture, being able to spend a year training under a high-level American wrestling coach was invaluable for me. Other than that, I love seeing new places, meeting new people and building up a network of friends and acquaintances all over the world.

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

Spending my Christmas Eve at nogi class and then going swimming at night on a tropical beach. Rolling with Cris Cyborg. Drilling in the gi with Tiffany Van Soest. Competing on a beach. Eating deep-fried Magnums every day for a week.

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

Being asked if I was on steroids was a good one! Also the amount of high-level black belts and MMA fighters you see on Tinder who you know full well have a wife or girlfriend at home. My screenshots folder is a world of trouble.

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

Not entirely – I’m probably somewhere in the middle between budget and luxury. I do tend to book flights a long time in advance, but that’s more because I like having something planned to look forward to than out of budget considerations. Airbnb has been a godsend the last couple of years though – I’ve made trips that I never would have been able to afford otherwise and stayed in some really nice places.

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

Tea tree oil is a godsend for fending off staph. Also, never underestimate staph.

Thank you to Liadain O’Driscoll – BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview!

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

Name: Wale Adelakun – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 32

Belt: Purple

Profession: Engineer

How many years in BJJ: 6

Other martial arts: Wrestling for 4 years (yes, I’m considering it a martial art)

Where do you live: Wiesbaden, Germany

Where are you originally from: San Francisco, CA

Other fun or curious information you’d like to share: I didn’t start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu until I came to Germany, despite having been born and raised in a hub of high-level gyms. After beginning, I stumbled backwards into some of the best gyms in the world. I casually dropped into AKA, not connecting American Kickboxing Academy with Khabib, Daniel Cormier, and the legendary Camarillo brothers. I got smashed.

Wale Adelakun – BJJ competition

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

After I began training in 2012, I started another position at my job that would entail a significant amount of business travel. In order to stay in shape on the road, I started looking up gyms that were near my travel destinations, calling ahead, and dropping in. I actually learned a great deal about myself in the process, as it is rather intimidating to walk into a foreign gym in a foreign country to train how to break bones and choke each other unconscious. As I walk into the locker room, conversations grind to a halt. People begin sizing me up, everyone stops and watches my rolls during sparring, and people become eager to prove themselves to their professor with the newcomer. By the time I go through practice and spar, all tension is gone, and more often than not I share a post-training drink and talk shop about upcoming MMA fights.

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

I have rolled in the following countries: Germany (obviously), Israel, Estonia, Serbia, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain and all over the US. My next drop-in will be in Huntsville, AL.

Wale Adelakun – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

I enjoy getting out of my own myopic worldview and experiencing a place as locals do while traveling. I enjoy the people, interaction, and feeling that travel provides more than the sights themselves.

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

Traveling and training automatically plugs you into the local culture in a way that is difficult to replicate otherwise. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is still a rather niche art, and it has a unique flattening effect to those who practice. Those from all walks of life, from students, skilled laborers, professionals, and everyone in between, simply become your training partner while practicing. As a visitor, this means that you interact with all these people equally when dropping in. I have been invited to share family dinners in places where I never could have forged that connection otherwise.

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

I dropped into Ralph Gracie San Francisco with Kurt Osiander. He is exactly the same person as depicted on Youtube. That gym has a great juxtaposition of being in a beautiful space with homeless bums outside and great food immediately surrounding the area. I was surprised at the style of instruction (demonstrate one movement, then drill it for an hour), intensity of the sparring (they pull no punches for visitors), and the intensity of Ralph Gracie himself (he was at the gym watching his purple belt destroy me, while critiquing the purple belt’s inadequate technique. It was eye opening.)

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

I try to eat, travel, and train as the locals do. I also try to eat and train anywhere that Anthony Bourdain recommends, obviously.

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

Don’t be afraid to drop-in to a gym, be humble, and have fun!

Thank you Wale Adelakun BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview!