Archive for category: Blogs

Where is the gym located?
Devonport, Tasmania (Australia)

How many people train there?
All up about 20 people.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We’ve only just opened and are still getting set up, but yes we have doubled our members in a month.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
Highest grade is brown belt – that’s me and I am coaching. We have lots of new white belts which is great to help the sport grow!

When did Bushido Flow Grappling Arts, Tasmania BJJ open?
We opened on the 1st August 2022. At the moment our space is pretty sparse, however in a fortnight we have new carpet coming, new vinyl cover for the mats, and we’ll finish painting.

Some facts about you:

Name: Matt Hull-Styles
Age: 42
Belt: Brown belt
Profession: Academic/University tutor
Years in BJJ: 15
Other martial arts: Luta Livre
Currently living in: Ulverstone, Tasmania
Originally from: I was born in New South Wales in Australia and moved to Queensland and lived there for over 20 years.

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I was training at another gym for a few months, but took a short break due to Covid concerns as my kids have compromised immune systems. In the downtime I started to realise there were some things at the gym I was previously at that didn’t sit well with me from a coaching and leadership methodology perspective. Soon after, some local guys I had met at open mats and casual classes contacted me to come and do some training. We hit it off and I began rolling regularly with them at their shed before it was suggested I start coaching some regular sessions. After doing this for a few months and having some new people join in, we realised we had something special going on and wanted to expand. We managed to secure a nice big space close by and are in the process of fitting it out, but have been training and welcoming new people in the meantime.

Tell us about the people that train in Bushido Flow Grappling Arts, Tasmania BJJ – who are they?
We have a great variety of people already. Some young crew, a few a bit older like me or close to it, some relatively experienced with a few years of training, and others who are brand new. Men and women, mums and dads. Each person comes from a different walk of life and brings a unique background to training which I try to incorporate into how I coach them.

Why do they train?
Many of the students are fans of the new wave of nogi competition as well as MMA, and so it is a logical progression to seek out training. Others are keen for the challenge that martial arts creates and understand that grappling is a highly effective art for self defence as well as fairly safe due to the lack of repeated concussions that can accumulate when training in the striking arts for a long period of time.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
The main challenge for me is structuring classes that are engaging yet practical and build all the necessary fundamentals without being boring! Other than that other challenges are balancing the task of building a new business with my work and family responsibilities. Also, ensuring my way of doing business is community minded and ethical is also really important and needs constant attention. Keeping costs low for my students whilst trying to fit out the place on a limited budget is also challenging.

Bushido Flow Grappling Arts, Tasmania BJJ

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
There are already some other gyms around with their own flavour. I think different and new coaching approaches and gym cultures offer healthy alternatives to people looking to start BJJ, or who need a change from the gym they are in, so hopefully I can be a part of a trend that focuses on quality coaching and great gym culture.

What’s the best thing about your Bushido Flow Grappling Arts, Tasmania BJJ?
The welcoming atmosphere and attention to detail! Lazy coaching is disrespectful and so is an uninviting vibe. From the outset I wanted to run a progressive and inclusive gym. I’ve been around enough to know the atmosphere I want to train and coach in and produce new students from. Racists, homophobes etc can go find somewhere else to train. We invest in people first.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Tasmania is a gorgeous place!!!! I have only been here a year but the beaches are amazing, the numerous rivers and lakes are beautiful, Cradle Mountain is breathtaking, and the forests and natural landscapes are world class.

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Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit Bushido Flow Grappling Arts, Tasmania BJJ, you can find them here.

Age: 51

Belt: Blue

Profession: High school film/media and history teacher

How many years in BJJ: 7 years

Other martial arts: Judo for 20 years (nidan); Toyama and Shinkage Ryu kenjutsu; Danzan Ryu jujutsu for 8 years

Where do you live: Penang, Malaysia, currently training at FLOW BJJ Academy, Penang.

Where are you from: Iowa, United States

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I am an avid diver who enjoyed dry suit diving at Thingvellir during the first Iceland Globetrotter camp in 2017.

James Woodard – BJJ Globetrotters Camp in Heidelberg

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I started training BJJ while I was teaching In Myanmar. I had tried to train judo in Yangon, but there were arcane rules about foreigners training at the only gym in town. Somebody told me about an English lady running a BJJ gym out of her back room, so I went to check it out and was immediately introduced to BJJ Globetrotters, as the visiting coach, Brain Carlsen, was teaching some BJJ fundamentals in my friend Tammi’s apartment. I ended up hosting a couple different visiting coaches who passed through Yangon.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
I had planned on attending the Heidelberg camp in 2020, but then everything went sideways. So I was very happy to come to Heidelberg for the 2022 summer camp. I spent the month travelling around Germany while researching for a history project based in the Baltic.

James Woodard – BJJ Globetrotters camp in Heidelberg

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?
Meeting new people and having at least one good story by the end of the experience.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
I moved to Penang in 2017, but before I moved, I packed my gi and went to Europe, spending a few weeks in Germany and England training at some places I had been recommended through the Globetrotter network, each one of them letting me train for free during my stay. I travelled to Iceland and contacted Gudmundur Gunnarson through the Globetrotter network and he offered me a place to stay and train, and I got to meet his family and learn about different places to visit in Iceland. I travelled and trained in Akureyri and at Mjölnir gym in Reykjavik, where both places let me train for free as a visitor who contacted them as a Globetrotter. Gudmundur and his wife Eydis were amazing hosts, and becoming friends with them was a highlight of my journey.
Soon after I moved to Penang, one of the Globetrotter coaches that had visited Myanmar was giving a seminar in Penang. I went to attend and learned he would be coaching at a new gym close to my home. That summer I attended my first camp in Reykjavik and was again a recipient of Gudmundur’s hospitality.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
I have visited Mongolia a couple of times, and during my last visit was able to see a lot of traditional Mongolian wrestling in the countryside during the summer Naadaam festival. I did not do well, but it was worth the experience.

James Woodard – BJJ Globetrotters

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I’ll be honest, the older I get, the more comfortable I like to be. That said, I am used to couch/mat-surfing, and took a tent and sleeping bag to Iceland. I try to pack a lot of quick-dry stuff that compresses easily, but also find it useful to have a warm hoodie and sturdy pants.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Don’t let the news dictate where you should visit. There are tons of amazing experiences to be had in some pretty off-beat places.

Thank you to James Woodard – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Age: 65

Belt: Black

Profession: Retired building contractor

How many years in BJJ: 12

Other martial arts: Muay Thai

Where do you live: Sierra Madre, California, USA

Where are you from: Sierra Madre

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I trained Muay Thai out of the Sityodtong Camp in Thailand and fought in Thailand at 53 years old. I’m an avid surfer and live on the island of Kauai, Hawaii several months out of the year. I enjoy playing the guitar, especially playing some get-down blues. Every year, I throw a sleeping bag, a pup-tent, and a few gis on the back of my Harley Davidson and do a motorcycle/BJJ tour across the western United States (if I make a wrong turn, I stick with it to see where it takes me). 20 years ago, I was the elected Mayor of the City of Sierra Madre, California.

Glenn Lambdin – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
For many years, and before I started to train BJJ, I would travel abroad to different surfing locations and pursue my passion for travel, guitar, and surfing. After starting to train BJJ as a whitebelt, and while on a surfing trip to Kauai, I dropped in at a school on the South Shore that held classes in the second story of a church in Poipu. Instantly, I was shown so much “aloha” by the locals. It started to show me how the BJJ community is actually a global community where we all enjoy sharing this amazing art. Since I live in Southern California, (and prior to the Covid restrictions) many of the IBJJF Worlds and Pan tournaments were held near my home. At times, people I met while travelling would stay at my home so they could compete in these larger tournaments. Of course, then the book “The BJJ Globetrotter” came out and really planted a seed in my brain to mix travel and BJJ. The idea that every person on the mats is a friend to be made really struck a chord in me. I’ve been addicted to traveling/training ever since.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
After earning my blackbelt, I made the decision that while travelling on my annual motorcycle adventures, I would offer to stop and visit various academies while travelling and do seminars for free. I never charge and will not accept any payment. It’s a “pay it forward” passion that I have. I plan a route and then contact academies close to that route. I just returned from a 3-week motorcycle/BJJ trip where I stopped at several academies teaching my style of Jiu Jitsu in California, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. I try to find academies that are in smaller cities or rural communities that don’t have access to all of the blackbelts that are available in larger cities.

I’m excited to be attending the Austria Camp next month in August, and then from September 1-19, I’ll be travelling throughout Germany and am currently in the process of planning my route and am contacting different smaller academies offering to volunteer to teach a seminar at their academy. I find planning my travels, learning about the local cultures, food, and music is part of the enjoyment of the entire travel experience.

Glenn Lambdin – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?
I enjoy getting a sense of a local culture and the people. On some trips, I’ve taken a guitar, and although I might not be able to speak the native language, I’ve been able to play music with local musicians, using our music to communicate with one another. In some ways, it’s an intimate connection that connects people differently than words can connect them. I find a similar connection happens with Jiu Jitsu; we can communicate and connect using Jiu Jitsu as our language.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
A week ago, while on my motorcycle trip, I decided I wanted to experience “mat-surfing” from one of the hosts on the BJJ Globetrotter website. I stayed with a host that has mats spread out in his living room. After training at his regular academy, he invited a few of his teammates back to his home for additional training. After some delicious pizza and conversation, we trained until 12:30 am sharing many of our own favorite techniques. I find that the friendships and camaraderie we build in Jiu Jitsu are as much a part of the art as the techniques themselves.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The most surprising experience, I suppose, was getting mugged at knife-point by three guys on a beach in Rio de Janeiro. Note to myself: “be aware of your surroundings!”

Glenn Lambdin – BJJ Globetrotters

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
In many ways, I am a budget traveller. I don’t really care for large fancy hotels or pretentious locations. I prefer smaller towns and villages over large cities. I feel like I get a better sense of local culture and local flavors in smaller towns. I prefer to spend my money buying from local shops and independent businesses over corporate businesses. I will sometimes use Airbnb and will often tent-camp. I try to take the advice of the travel expert, Rick Steeves, by packing as little as absolutely necessary but always having a credit card available in order to buy my way out of any trouble that I may encounter.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
We live on a magnificent planet with so much to see and experience. Don’t live your life so that someday you’ll regret never pursuing your passions.

To quote the marvellous Mae West: “You only have one life to live. But, if you live it right, one is all you need…”

My wish for everyone is that they live their life “right.”

Thank you Glenn Lambdin – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Age: 29.99 (30 on June 24th)

Belt: I paint my toenails purple, as I am more often not wearing belts.

Profession: I am more or less unemployed, with a decent share in some local real estate, as well as stocks and cryptos that I’ve been letting accumulate. I genuinely attest my good fortune to manifestation, or for the less spiritually inclined you can just call it dumb luck.

How many years in BJJ: tl;dr 15 years no-gi / 10 years gi.

My sophomore year in high school was when I stopped playing soccer, upon realizing the necessity of faking falls and injuries to tip the odds in one’s favor. That same year my childhood TaekwonDojo started an MMA class run by the owner’s son, Michael Visitacion – at the time a BJJ blue belt, but now a black belt under Noel Smith, who is under Renato Tavares. It had the first elements of Jiu Jitsu, or any grappling for that matter, that I had experienced. I remember practicing each of the moves the next day with friends in gym class. About 4-5 years later, after doing mostly MMA, No-Gi and Muay Thai, I bought my first gi and began training more traditionally.

Other martial arts: I mentioned a childhood TaekwonDojo, but that was more my older sister Samantha’s bag. For me it was more getting the snot kicked out of me each Friday during sparring night. I still remember rotating partners and seeing that grin on her face before she would bow and punish me until I cried. Needless to say, I was not so interested in martial arts as a kid. It was actually Samantha’s death that spurred me into trying to find a healthy coping mechanism to let out my frustrations with the world.

After my initial MMA classes, I was fairly passionate about Muay Thai, as kicking felt more natural with the Taekwondo seeds planted in my youth. Still to this day I will consider myself a kicker more than a grappler, though I’m unsure how true that holds with most of the last six years being heavily Jiu Jitsu focused.

Where do you live: I live in Maryland, USA. Smack in the middle of Baltimore, Annapolis (our state capital), and DC.

Where are you from: I have been living more or less in the same area my entire life, surprisingly. Aside from being an expensive place to live relative to much of the country, it’s a nice enough little world with a lot to offer — but I’ve mostly stayed to have homebase near family.

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: Six years after entering UMBC for Computer Science, I left with a Bachelor’s in Philosophy with a minor in Psychology. I played rugby for all six years, starting at wing and working my way up to flanker where I was a starter during my senior years. I was always the aloof spiritual stoner guy of the team, and with my shoulder length hair my first day of practice I earned myself the nickname “Sunshyne” – a reference to Remember the Titans. I hadn’t seen the movie at the time, but after doing so loved the name and proudly accepted it; I modified the “i” to a “y” to because I am just so unique☺️

I’m still pretty close with some of my team, and play at each year’s Alumni game – except the last three due to Camp (‘21 & ‘22), and Covid (‘20) – and was MVP my last two outings. Some other awards I had earned during my years on the team were “The Grassy Knoll” award and “There in Spirit.” I juggled my martial arts with rugby pretty well, I think, and when I showed up for rugby matches I would walk around the pitch several times in a poncho, holding a runed skull in one hand and burning sage in the other. I thoroughly enjoyed painting a target on my back for the other team in exchange for their mental space.

Kyle MacQuilliam – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I was fortunate enough to grow up traveling quite a bit with my family. Summers always came with in-state and out-of-state family beach trips, and in the winter we would fly to Colorado for snowboarding.

My awareness of a need for travel first reared its head in middle school, when I had to choose between Spanish or French class. French students got to take a trip to Montreal, whereas Spanish students didn’t have a trip. I now have about 7 years of French courses under my belt, but my French is still quite terriblé. After my high school graduation our family took a cruise around the Mediterranean, which expanded my horizons further and kept the itch going.

After graduating from college I took my first big solo adventure, spending two months in Koh Samui, Thailand training Muay Thai. I ended up taking a fight one of my last days there in order to pay for my rent. I got the money regardless of the outcome, but I was happy to walk away with a second round knockout against a Thai; this was definitely the early capstone to my martial arts travels.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
Most recently myself and my fiancée, Larissa, got back from USA Camp in Maine, and a few weeks prior we were in Italy for Castle Camp, as well as an additional week in Rome. Between those camps and the two weddings before and between, it was actually a slow start to our upcoming summer plans.

Tomorrow (at the time of this writing) we leave for my current favorite place in the world – Iceland. We will be there for camp, and then another week and a half for my 30th birthday. I’m quite excited, as I even convinced my parents and my recently [high school] graduated little brother to fly in. From there we spend the next two months going to Copenhagen, then to Oslo and adventuring a bit through Norway to Bergen. We then fly to Stockholm, where we’ll stay until we fly into Estonia for Pärnu Beach Camp. Afterwards we spend two weeks in Turkey, where Larissa has family, and then we make our way back through Copenhagen and over to the Faroe Islands for our last camp of the year. Then we will mostly be home, with the exception of ADCC in September and two more weddings come Fall.

Kyle MacQuilliam – BJJ Globetrotters camp

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?
I love damn near everything about traveling. The local foods are always a must, though I do tend to find a favorite place wherever I go that I will visit again and again (but not exclusively). I also enjoy learning the basics of the local language. Many people I meet traveling know more than one language quite well, but my aim is to know enough to get by everywhere around the world. I generally aim for hello, thank you, the best insults, and I love you – in no particular order.

Of course making new friends is great, especially because you never know if, when, or how these people may enter your life again down the line. This past trip to Italy, totally by “coincidence,” me and two other friends I trained with in Thailand were all in Rome at the same time – and this is just the most recent instance. You also never know whose dreams may align with yours, and making friends across the world is really a great way to both broaden the scope of one’s dreams as well as narrow in on who or what is needed to create them – though even simple, more mundane connections unrelated to your self can be quite enlightening.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Honestly this is an experience that makes it worth traveling and training. Just by doing what I have grown to love I am given an outlet to share some of my travel experiences and advice. Connecting with the world around us in all of its forms and the people within it are what we have; it’s nice to share and be heard, as well as listen and observe. This is the human experience. I’m sure just from this I’ll meet someone down the line who knows a little bit about me, and may even relate to some of my more unique experiences to which we can share a drink or a doobie over.

On the training front, you can’t get rounds in at your home gym the way you do traveling. People grow accustomed to your style, or worse – your style becomes stale and stops evolving. Somebody at your gym has to be traveling, or learning from someone somewhere else in some manner, otherwise you’re still drilling the same techniques day-in-day-out with no exposure to the ever-growing world of martial arts. “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
This is going to come off a bit corny, but how easy it is to make people smile. This is really the most surprising thing I could think of besides that one time in Thailand that I won’t mention here. It’s somehow much weirder in America, or at least in the clustered parts I am accustomed to, to be very outwardly friendly to strangers. This isn’t always the case, for sure, and there are many more variables that certainly come into play, but I’ve definitely seen how simple it is to be in another country, covered with tattoos and dressed like a total goober, and then saying “I love you” to a foreign military officer in their language and walking away. They light up with an astonished smile, it’s great every time – allegedly.

Kyle MacQuilliam – BJJ Globetrotters camp in Iceland

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Yes and no; I generally budget, but I’m moreso into ballin’ on a budget. If I’m going to be spending money traveling the world doing martial arts I might as well get the best experiences I can within reason. I will always do at least one fancy meal, although my favorite spots tend to be the cheap ones.

I generally like to stay at places that are average in pricing, but on long travels I will go a little cheaper. It’s nice to dip into a culture and then find where their local-ish vacation spot is, and then have that be your two-night recovery time. Treating myself to a nice bed, or a spa day is essential to keep me from falling to pieces, and if done right doesn’t need to break the bank.

I do usually spend a great deal of time looking into trips before I travel. I will plan times, prices, potential sights, must-have foods; the works. It’s quite funny to me because of how loose I can be during travels, but I like to have a very precise plan to float around. This all helps me keep within that ballin’ budget, have time managed well enough to feel I immersed in the destination, and also feel free to do everything or nothing with minimal stress.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Do the thing. A general rule of thumb I use is “Hell yes, or no.” If a potential whatever has you saying “Hell yes” in your head, heart, or otherwise – do it. You will most likely regret it if you don’t, and will learn something along the way. In the past few years I made a vow to never go back on a trip I commit to. If you get that “Hell yes”, seriously.. commit to it. I find there is usually a deeper calling in those feelings, and what good is life without living it the way your inner, truer self wishes. Those spur of the moment decisions that risk surface level “things” in exchange for happiness… always worth it.

Thank you to Kyle MacQuilliam – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Name: Sarah Prescimone – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 31 (even though many people guess way less)

Belt: White with four stripes

Profession: Choreographer / Dancer / Performer / Model

How many years in BJJ: 3 years

Other martial arts: Had a few encounters involving shinais and gloves

Where do you live: Tilburg, the Netherlands

Where are you from: Sicily, Italy

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: When I was a student at the dance academy, my most inspirational teacher proposed an exercise: take one single step up on a bench! The duration of this one step should be 10 minutes, and throughout those 10 minutes you have to try to control every muscle in your body while gradually moving vertically up. Try to control and coordinate the step with your blinking. This exercise was bound to a Japanese practice called “Butoh”, the literal translation of which is “to step inwards or to step through”. It’s also called “the dance of utter darkness”, based on the transformational characteristics of Mind and Body.

While being in this highly concentrated condition, trying to embody the concept of “ma”, a diverse set of qualias (sensations/memories) can infiltrate you. As Rumi said, this being human is a guest house! Invite them in! While being in this transformational state, whether it be somewhere in the Arava desert in Israel or the volcanic beaches of Stromboli, I noticed how animals are particularly triggered. Dogs always start to bark or howl when a strange little creature appears…

Sarah Prescimone – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I’ve been travelling and training dance since 2014. My first dance-related trip was near Barcelona, at Deltebre Dansa. There I found different movement methods which had a close affinity with martial arts. One of them was the practice of the “Fighting Monkey”. This practice amplified my view on manipulation, restoration, and dynamic changes of the physical body. It was a personal invitation to explore the realm of martial arts in more detail.

Since then, my curiosity towards functionality of movement through a set of playful exercises started. The possibility to discover the unknown, the irregular, and the uncomfortable expanded in both the appreciation and adaptation to a new location and its cultural patterns. In 2018, during a summer dance intensive in Portugal, I got introduced to the functional intelligence of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. After the class, I noticed a sense of bliss – as if puzzle pieces were presented to me in order to connect them within my craft of choreographing. This new and vibrant investigation began, and I decided to follow Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes at Brasa team Holland in Tilburg.

After a few months of training, I noticed a colourful sticker of a van on the window. My curious mind and vagabond spirit was drawn towards it. Shortly afterwards I booked my first BJJ Globetrotters camp in Iceland 2020. There I was, in the land of fire and ice, experiencing a new landscape. From a choreographic perspective I noticed similarities bound by cultural identity and patterns of movement. Questions arose: What can I learn from my immediate surroundings? What question can be answered while moving on an irregular surface? Is rolling with an unknown person the equivalent of visiting an unknown country? What information is being shared within these interactions? This transfer of physical and cultural knowledge became addicting!

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
At this moment in time, I’m still recovering from the wonderful Spring camp in Estonia. After losing my voice from karaoke, and the overwhelming and inspiring BJJ classes – which I hopefully captured in my notebook – I’ ve been persuaded by friends I met at the camp to join Pärnu Beach Camp and Heidelberg. I believe I need to buy a new notebook and start singing classes.

Sarah Prescimone – BJJ Globetrotters Summer Camp in Heidelberg

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?
Exploring new territories, learning about the art and culture of the location, trying to pronounce very difficult words in the foreign language, food, the kindness of humanity.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
A recurring word of my travelling and training so far would be: connection.

It is wonderful to connect with like-minded people that practice the Gentle Art. With each and every meeting and roll, I found a mirror. I’ve learned so much in trying to pass guards, and trying to defend myself from being choked or tossed around the room. Each roll is a dialogue. I’ve noticed how the person thinks and moves through life. Reflecting and shining light on my own blind spots. The connection or disconnection which is then established on the mats, resonates further – finding similarities in interests and affinity of movement practices and life paths. Immediate bonds are created; friendships that last the test of time and distance.

A memory which just now entered my mind is an enriching experience that I had during Zen Camp in 2020. During the rush to find mushrooms in the forest next to Dojo Stara Wieś, silence and patient hit me. Instead of actively searching, I decided to step back and receive. Descending from the forest, I got some insights and created a connection. This led to me harvesting the seed for an Acro-Yoga workshop which took place at the Heidelberg camp in 2021. Unfortunately, I only found 1.5 mushrooms that day…

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
Picture this: you’re in another country to attend a BJJ Globetrotters event. What to do in the meantime? (*Dancing brain activates*) Let’s go find a Techno Party!

After a long while waiting in the queue outside in the cold, your teeth start to chatter. Perhaps it’s a sign that I need to talk to someone…

Heyy security guard! How is the party inside? They play good music? Great! (Conversation fast forwards ->) Security guard: I am a BJJ blackbelt teaching in 5 gyms here! You are very welcome to attend a class!

Sarah Prescimone – BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp in Poland

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
For my next trip, I’m already planning on printing a shirt that says: ‘’DON’T TRUST GOOGLE MAPS’’. It’s such a pity to be constantly looking down at your phone in order to find the way, missing out the wonderful architecture and street art which is bound to the particular location.

Instead of following the Google Maps maze and walking in circles, I prefer wandering around a city and asking locals for directions to hidden gems. Many times there are language boundaries, but with non-verbal communication and with the knowledge of a few universal gestures, you will either come a long way or get lost. I don’t mind either! There’s always something new to discover.

A cliche which I live by: focus on the journey, not the destination!

Thank you to Sarah Prescimone – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Where is the gym located?
Slavonski Brod, Croatia. Eastern Croatia. The least popular part of the country. :)

How many people train there?
We have currently around 20 members, but mostly there is 7-10 guys on the mats each session.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We just opened less than 2 months ago and got to 20 members with no marketing. I would say we had like 2+ new members each week coming in.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training in JJK Fortress, BJJ Croatia?
White till Purple. We already had black belts coming over to teach. Actually this week we have a two time ibjjf european champion and multiple ajp grand prix champion coming to visit us and spend 5 days of training with us.

When did the gym open?
We opened less than 2 months ago.

Some facts about you:

Name: Mateo Brekalo
Age: 34
Belt: Purple
Profession: iGaming. Not even sure what my exact role is in the company :)
Years in BJJ: 10
Other martial arts: Boxing, but very low level. And Taekwondo for two sessions when I was 6, but I found it stupid to wear a kimono. :) Now at 34 I only wear kimonos.
Currently living in: In my hometown, Slavonski Brod in Croatia.
Originally from: Slavonski Brod

Please tell us the story of how JJK Fortress, BJJ Croatia, came into existence
In 2020, my wife and I were supposed to travel to Brazil and live there for a year, but Covid cancelled our plans, so we bought a place from the savings in my hometown. As I didn’t have proper training, I had to drive 100km one way almost on a daily basis to get some training. And that was super exhausting. So I found a couple of guys who were interested in BJJ and I opened the place.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Local guys, mostly white belts, but some of them love it so much already so they show huge improvement in just such a short time.

Why do they train?
I ask myself the same sometimes :D

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
Covering the rent and finding a facility that fits the needs of a BJJ gym.

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
Sometimes I think there are things that can be done and it will change for the better, but my gut says it will be very hard. I trained in many places; and in Croatia the people are the least enthusiastic about training. I really hope I am wrong about it.

What’s the best thing about JJK Fortress, BJJ Croatia?
So much space for improvement, so every day and week we see a lot of improvement!

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
When it comes to natural beauty, Croatia is really amazing and beautiful. We have a couple of different climates in such a small country and more than 1000 islands, but unfortunately we got a bit unlucky since we got placed on the opposite side of the “popular” Croatia. But I can guarantee you the best local food possible here, and people willing to barbeque whenever they have a chance.

We do have a couple of interesting things to see, like our fortress (the one we named our gym after) built in the 18th century by the Austrian Empire to defend against the Ottoman Empire. We also have the biggest main square in Croatia even though we are 20 times smaller than the capital city of Zagreb. Also a beautiful long promenade next to the river Sava.

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Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit JJK Fortress, BJJ Croatia, you can find them here.

Ryan Fennelly – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 37
Belt: Black
Profession: Public Insurance Adjuster, Boxing/MMA Commissioner
City/country: Manchester, NH (USA)

Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

3x Naga champion. Teaching weekly class at Team Burgess MMA. Running a successful competition team with Team Burgess MMA.

Which Globetrotters camps have you attended?

Maine (2016,2017,2018,2019,2021) 

Iceland (2018,2021) 

Germany (2019), 

Arizona (2019), 

St. Barts (2021).

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

Maine camp 2021 was great. After sneaking around to train during the pandemic it was great to see some old friends and have such a large group openly training in Maine. The masks weren’t a discussion for the first time in a long time. The pub crawl was foolishly awesome and the personalities will set the bar quite high for “best camp ever”. 

Ryan Fennelly – BJJ Globetrotters Camp

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

1. Throwing a cabin party at an early Maine camp to the disappointment and frustration of the older cabin mates. I was playing the assassins game and could not be squirted in my own cabin. What better way to enjoy the festivities while being safe than inviting everyone over to party. 
2. Seeing a fairly quiet student of mine (Connor) become the life of the party. By the end of camp people were chanting his name in hopes of hearing him sing to us once more. 
3. Getting the police called on us in Germany for not leaving the bar ontime. The barkeep asked us to vacate quite a few times but we weren’t ready to leave. No one ended up in trouble. 
4. Showing up to Maine camp (actually was in New Hampshire) in 2016 to find people wearing blonde curly wigs and impersonating Christian. He missed camp due to a child being born and sent a wig and cardboard cutout of himself in his absence. I won’t share the details of what happened to the cardboard cutout by the end of the week.

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

My favorite class to teach is called “knee’d to know basis”. It is a shin-to-shin half guard system that seems to get people thinking out of the box a bit. 

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Ryan Fennelly – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

Age: 31

Belt: Blue

How many years in BJJ: 6

Other martial arts: Sambo, boxing

Where do you live: Blantyre, Scotland

Where are you from: Narva, Estonia

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I took a silver medal in the Estonian adult boxing championship in 2009 by losing all my matches.

Anton Bulkin – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
When I first tried Sambo in 2014 in Glasgow, I fell in love with it straight away. We had a lot of BJJ practitioners coming to improve their stand up and I was invited by one of them to try a BJJ class. I turned up in my red Sambo kurtka and was asked by the coach if my red belt means if I am a master. I found this question bizarre, as in Sambo, as well as in boxing, colour simply depends on a draw. Nevertheless, I had to take my first class without a belt. For the next class I turned up with a brand new BJJ white belt and since then started to combine both sports, which I like equally.

I became close friends with the Sambo guys. We’ve been competing in Highland Games backhold wrestling competitions and then travelling around Scotland together. At nighttime after the long hikes, we’ve been opening a bottle of whiskey and having endless martial arts chats. Experiencing friendship, adventures, and having a common passion opened a new world for me.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
Since I was a kid I’ve always been a big fan of the Balkans. A few years ago I travelled with a friend to Montenegro, which is tiny but has so much to offer to a visitor. We travelled the whole country together by car in three days. It was such a fantastic experience that I decided to come back next year and find a club which has BJJ classes.

I’ve now travelled to Montenegro three times and trained BJJ there – even the strictest travel restrictions haven’t stopped me! Montenegrins are very welcoming people and it is a pleasure to share a mat with them. At the same time it is a very tall nation, and even a round with a white belt with no experience can be super challenging. The gym location is perfect and there is no better feeling in the world than jumping in the sea after solid rounds and then chilling at a rooftop bar with a fancy cocktail.

For the next adventure I’m planning to return to the Balkans and cross the peninsula, travelling from the Bulgarian coastline to the Adriatics with Montenegro being the final destination, visiting as many Jiu Jitsu academies as possible. I’ve also booked two camps in 2022 – Spring Camp in Tallinn and Summer Camp in Heidelberg, where my aim is to meet as many fellow globetrotters as I can.

Anton Bulkin – BJJ Globetrotters

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
After my first BJJ Globetrotters camp in 2019, I went to Malta for two weeks where I had booked the cheapest hotel with the most awful reviews on Tripadvisor. But I couldn’t care less because I knew that there is a BJJ gym in the basement.

I spent most of my day by the pool reading Christian’s book. Every night at 7pm I was putting my gi on and heading down to the gym, proudly passing the girls I’d been hanging out with in the party district after the class.

The gym was run by two Belgian brothers who maintained strict discipline in the gym and turned white belts into killers. The most impressive thing about the club was that it was so diverse that I could not find two persons of the same nationality other than the actual coaches. Every session was tough, but the gym is located in Paceville, Malta’s party district, so I was having my pint straight after washing my gi and often with a person who was trying to choke me out just minutes before.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
In 2016, I travelled with my Sambo coach to Rostov-on-Don, Russia, to see the Cossack national games called Shermicii. This is essentially a celebration of the Cossack culture gathered in the middle of Don River steppe. Part of the games is a belt wrestling competition, which has similarities with Scottish Backhold wrestling.

I never realised that I ended up being a part of the Scottish team. We were met with hospitality I’ve never experienced before. People were so friendly and nobody wanted to miss a chance to take a picture with a man in a kilt! The main event of the festival was a belt wrestling match between a huge kilted Scotsman and a massive Russian lad. A huge crowd gathered to watch the battle of the giants!

Three months later the Cossack team visited Glasgow’s World Bagpipe Championship, where we competed against them in Scottish Backhold wrestling. The decision was quickly made by me and my mates to go back to Russia next year.

When we arrived we felt like celebrities, with local TV channels filming us and newspapers asking us for an interview. We spent just a few days in Rostov and managed to compete and host a couple of events about telling people about Scotland. One of my friends ended up marrying a girl he met during the trip, and another started learning Russian to impress her hot friend. We then travelled on the train for over 30 hours to St Petersburg with a long stop in Moscow, finishing our trip in Estonia.

Anton Bulkin – BJJ Globetrotters

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Mostly. I travel as a solo traveller, which allows me to have longer holidays by staying in budget accommodation. However, I still like having some fancy experiences.

After the Tallinn Fall Camp 2021, a few guys still stayed in Estonia, so we decided to meet in Tartu and have a night out there. We managed to have a few rounds at the local gym and then checked in a fancy penthouse where we watched The Gentle Art of Travel documentary while having some nice champagne.

In the morning I realised that all the tickets to my next destination were sold out, and I had to stay in Tartu for one more night. I checked into a hostel where I stayed in a 16-bed mixed dorm where I met some cool people as well.

The key for me is to stay disciplined with finances during my travels.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
First of all, you need to be open to the new opportunities which are brought by the people you meet during the trip. New friends can open doors for new experiences.

Secondly, visiting Scotland is a great idea. Feel free to drop me a message if it’s already on your list!

Thank you to Anton Bulkin – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Age: 28 years old

Belt: White w/ four stripes

Profession: Artist

How many years in BJJ: 3 years

Other martial arts: One semester of Judo, one of Taekwondo, and one of Jujutsu

Where do you live: Zürich, Switzerland. I have moved around a lot the past few years (three countries in three years) and I’m finally in a place where I feel like I can stay a while. Zürich is an amazing place, it has a great culture scene as well as incredible nature (the Alps) just around the corner. Come visit us!

Where are you from: Göteborg, Sweden

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I’m a visual artist (@majamalmcrona) working primarily with abstract mixed–media paintings. I’m told quite often that my work is rather sinister, and people are often surprised when they find out how happy and silly I am in real life.

I think all of us have those two poles inside of us — the existential pessimist and the playful optimist — and we all need to find a space in which we can safely express both of these sides. If we don’t, we are, I think, depriving ourselves of being able to fully understand ourselves.

I act out the former in my art, and the latter primarily in, like many of us, BJJ. I think it’s easy to forget how extremely lucky we all are in this regard. Imagine the number of adults out there who don’t have a safe place in which they can fully express this playful and childlike (as well as aggressive!) side of themselves. When I for whatever reason can’t go to training I start to feel deprived somehow — not just physically, but perhaps even more so, emotionally. I feel the same way when I can’t make art. Oppressed almost, and as if I can’t fully experience myself.

I think we all need to remember how lucky we all are to have found not just this weird sport itself, but each other. Hair fallout and ugly knuckles notwithstanding. :-)

Maja Malmcrona – BJJ Globetrotters camp

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I’m curious and very interested in people, places, and anything that holds an opportunity for learning. Some friends of mine told me about BJJ Globetrotters and the amazing people they’d encountered there. Having gone to my first camp, I instantly fell in love. Next life goal: 10th camp pizza.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
I was in Sweden last month and at the Estonia camp last fall, am going to the Heidelberg camp and for a week of sailing in Sweden this summer, and the Poland camp this fall.

That’s everything that’s booked so far, but I’d love to fit in a road trip somewhere too. Living in Switzerland is amazing travelling–wise: a six hour car ride can take you anywhere from Luxembourg to Slovenia. Fingers crossed I’ll fit that in somewhere this year too.

Maja Malmcrona – BJJ Globetrotters camp

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
The basics: seeing new places, meeting new people. One of my favourite things to do is to aimlessly wander around a new city (and hopefully get a little lost), sit at cafes, read, people–watch, and strike up conversations with strangers. (The Situationists, a group of 20th century far–left artists and revolutionaries, actually had a name for it: dérive.)

I’m a big museum–goer too, especially in terms of contemporary art. Fondation Beyeler in Switzerland, Louisiana Museum in Denmark, MoMA in New York, and Mori Art Museum in Tokyo are some of my favourites.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
I started training BJJ in Sweden and continued for a year in the UK before I moved to my current gym here in Switzerland. Seeing how things are done in different gyms is always really interesting, especially so since the gyms I’ve been at have been so different. My Sweden gym was full of MMA superstars (and more testosterone than oxygen); my UK gym was like a pirate ship (very few rules, hardcore banter); and my current gym here in Switzerland is like 90% nerds (i.e. my favourite kind of people).

BJJ is (as we all know) an amazing way of instantly forging strong friendships. I’m not just in touch with the people I’ve encountered in these places, I have done creative projects with many of them: small writing gigs, podcast recordings, art projects… Anyone you meet really does have the potential to change your life — as long as you keep your eyes open for it.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The most surprising thing to me is something that shouldn’t be surprising anymore: the speed at which you instantly become best friends with a complete stranger just by virtue of having had their butt in your face (okay, you get what I mean).

BJJ is such a superpower in that way — it instantly removes all barriers and cuts straight to the chase. If we can hug and slap–bump after just having tried to murder each other, I can trust you — and it doesn’t matter who you are and how you look like.

Maja Malmcrona – BJJ Globetrotters

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
In general, yes. But I try to pick and choose: I’d happily spend extra on a certain experience granted I can keep the costs low elsewhere. A few years ago I spent a week alone in New York wandering the streets and visiting museums. I didn’t want to stay in a hostel (introvert perks) so I spent some extra money for a tiny room in an old sailor’s residence (and, apparently, the housing for the Titanic survivors back in 1912).

To make up for the extra cost I cut down on food expenses: I went, every day, to those outdoor falafel stands asking for plain rice – “no falafel, no salad, just a bit of sauce”. They laughed at me pretty much every time, but I got a massive bowl of rice for two dollars. I did the same thing in Tokyo some years back, eating only onigiri (rice balls) from 7–Eleven for two weeks straight. Conclusion: I like rice.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
During one of the evenings out at the Estonia camp last year, I began all of my conversations with: “Besides BJJ, what are the three things in life that you are the most obsessed with?” (We all know that we have BJJ in common, and even if talking about that day’s class is fun too, it sometimes gets a bit old…)

It was such a great conversation starter since it instantly bypassed all the stiff smalltalk that you inevitably engage with at the beginning of meeting a new person. And even if people’s interests do not at all align with yours, the fact that they get to talk about something that they are really passionate about makes the conversation highly engaging anyway. Let me know if it worked! :-)

Thank you to Maja Malmcrona – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!