Featured traveller: Alexander Wolf – BJJ Globetrotters

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Alexander Wolf - BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 39

Belt: Blue

Profession: Boring software & electronics engineer

How many years in BJJ: 3

Other martial arts: I’ve been playing ice hockey since I was 6 years old, does that count?

Where do you live: Zurich, Switzerland

Where are you from: Bavaria, Germany

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: Whenever you find yourself in a beer garden somewhere in Bavaria, order a “dunkles Weissbier” It’s a dark wheat beer! This will make you look like a pro instead of a tourist.

Alexander Wolf – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
Since my younger days I’ve been doing rock climbing, and since you need rocks for that, you have to go where the mountain is. Every free minute we went into the Alps, the Franconian Jura, Fontainebleau, Lago di Garda, Ticino, and many more areas in Europe and around the globe. So travelling and training BJJ abroad instead of climbing a rock from my perspective is pretty normal. Rock climbing brought me to remote places where no tourist would go, and BJJ brought me to hidden gyms. That style of travelling for me is the best way to connect with other people and countries.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
Before the pandemic hit in September 2019, my girlfriend and I did a road trip with our micro bus from Switzerland to Greece, crossing Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Albania.

One reason for doing this trip was that we desperately needed to get our loyal indestructible micro bus repaired. That camper bus technically is worth max the petrol inside its gas tank, but to get it repaired in Switzerland is just not affordable. So a fellow BJJ friend from Zurich, who is originally from Sarajevo, gave us his mechanic and jits contacts there. We spent almost one week in Sarajevo training at Bosnae Team United BJJ while our car got a manicure.

At the moment I’m planning a longer trip to South and Central America. Apart from wanting to acquire a new skill and learn Spanish, I heard so many good things about that part of our globe that I want to go there.

Alexander Wolf – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
After the wild “exploring new things” phase in my twenties, nowadays I honestly enjoy coming back home the most. Home is where your heart, your family, and your friends are. Coming from a first world country and traveling through less privileged parts of our planet grounds me, and makes me grateful of the life I have and the chances I got.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Plenty! For example, my girl and I ended up in Split in Croatia at Black Dragon Alliance which was so cool! We ended up in an industrial area following a YouTube short movie on how to find the gym because it was hidden inside a shut down industrial complex. Once we arrived, Danko (the black belt) explained to us that they usually don’t have female BJJ students. Not because they don’t want women to train with them; it’s just that they had no separate changing rooms or toilets. We as tiny 115 and 150 lbs midgets, not understanding a single word and total white belt noobs, now found ourselves in a Croatian man-cave filling up with big buff guys going there to roll! But luckily also some fellow dwarves showed up, who folded us nicely inside our gis – as we deserved it. After we left happily this evening, we accumulated just another unforgettable experience travelling the planet.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
When travelling through Iran, we once got a flat tire and got stuck on some remote dirt road in the Iranian outback when looking to find a place to camp. But then out of nowhere two Iranian men showed up on tiny motorbikes. At first glace we where a bit intimidated, but it turned out that these two where shepherds and we got stuck on their land. Their names were actually Hassan and Hussein. We communicated only by gestures while they helped us fix the tire. After that, Hussein took out his smartphone, called his wife to inform her that they will have guests over night, and invited us to his place. In that order.

So we went to his house and had a simple but rich dinner consisting of tomatoes, cucumber, self-made cheese and tea. Sitting on a Persian carpet with his family, cousins, and neighbours he invited on short notice, we tried to exchange stories in broken English. Similar invitations happened all the time! These people where so hospitable that I now constantly question my Western behaviour. Would you invite a stranger/traveller from another country you don’t know to your home and offer him dinner and a place to sleep?

Another story would be those policemen in Kyrgyzstan that fined me 70 USD for speeding. And after I paid they bought me some vodka and ice cream from my own money, haha …

Or that drunk Russian sitting in a beer refill kiosk in the middle of Siberia that thought if he only speaks slow enough I would finally understand him…

Alexander Wolf – BJJ Globetrotters

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I would consider myself a budget traveller, but only because I sleep better in a cottage under a mosquito net than in an air-conditioned hotel made of concrete. Usually I don’t plan much, I mostly “flow with the go” which makes travelling a tiny bit more exhausting but exciting. There is always a bus going somewhere, a scooter to rent, or someone you can ask or team up with in the hostel or BJJ gym.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Always be extra friendly. Keep in mind that you are an ambassador of your country! If you’re friendly, everyone else will be friendly. You can’t change other people, circumstances, the past, or the future – you can only change yourself and how you behave.

Thank you to Alexander Wolf – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

 

Featured affiliated academy: Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany

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Jiu Jitsu, Germany

Where is the gym located?
Our gym is located in Muttenz. This is an small village near the city of Basel in Switzerland, close to the border of France and Germany.

How many people train there?
So we didn’t even start yet, but i think between 10 and 20 people will be there on our first session.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Hard to answer this question. In the beginning, maybe 1 to 3 new members each month. We have some advance registrations, but only time will tell!

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The highest belt grading is a purple belt with four stripes. The lowest is, of course, a couple of white belts.

When did the gym open?
The gym will open on the first of August 2021.

Some facts about you:

Name: Patrick Neugart
Age: 39
Belt: Purple Belt four stripes
Profession: Workforce Planning
Years in BJJ: 9 years (with interruptions)
Other martial arts: Wing Chun, Sanda, Kickboxing
Currently living in: Allschwil, near Basel
Originally from: Switzerland

Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I was a coach in a couple of gyms. My friend from MMA Basel, where I gave some lessons, had to move out of their current place. They were searching for a new place to open a gym, so we had some talks. At that point I already I had the idea in my mind to do my own BJJ offshoot, because there are not many options to train BJJ in our region. They asked me if I wanted to join them and open my own BJJ school in partnership with MMA Basel and Enshin Karate Switzerland. I said yes, and here we are now waiting for the date to start.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have many nice folks here from around the world – women and men, old and young. They’re all in different stages of their life (study, work, family).

Why do they train in Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany?
Everyone has their own reason to train, be it for fun and having a good time and meeting new people, or for the fitness, competition, self esteem and self-confidence, self defense, and many other reasons. And that’s how it should be, because everyone should have the possibility to train for whatever their reasons are.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
BJJ is slowly growing here in Switzerland, but it is still a fringe sport. The area around Basel has many martial arts gyms, but most of them are Kick-/ Thai boxing studios. BJJ is actually not a big thing in this region. As well as that, Switzerland is very expensive and the rents are high, so the biggest challenge is not to go broke!

Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
If i could say that, then I would need a new job! Joking aside, like I said before, BJJ is growing slowly, but it is growing. I’m sure that more people will discover BJJ for themselves and fell in love with this art. Like i did many years ago.

What’s the best thing about your gym?
We are open for all. We are one big family. We have a 235 square-meter mat space (including a seven-meter diameter cage). And we work closely in collaboration with Aire Valley Martial Arts in Keighley (West Yorkshire, England) and BJJ Kingston (near London).

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
You can do short trips to France and Germany. Because we’re right on the border of the two countries. But in the city itself, I would suggest to visit the bank of the Rhine (the river runs right through the city). It’s a beautiful place to chill (especially on sunny and warm days), with many small and urban bars and street food stands.

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Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany, you can find them here.

Featured Camp Instructor: Chris Ulbricht – BJJ Globetrotters

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Chris Ulbricht BJJ

Chris Ulbricht – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 30
Belt: First Degree Black Belt
Profession: Owner Of Garden State BJJ/Real Estate Agent
Started training (year): 2008
City/country: Red Bank, NJ USA

 

Chris Ulbricht – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition

Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

Successfully overcoming leg lock addiction, learning to tie unbreakable belt knots, still participating in 5 warm ups this year even as a black belt, and many more.

Chris Ulbricht – BJJ Globetrotters Camp in Iceland

 

Which Globetrotters camps have you attended?

Summer Camp in Leuven and Heidelberg, Maine Camp.

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

Heidelberg

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

All the training at open mats, the epic mosh pit to “Killin in the name of” at the Heidelberg open mat, Barcrawl in Leuven, and the karaoke bar in Heidelberg 

Chris Ulbricht – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Camp in Heidelberg

 

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

Lapel Guard techniques, wrist locks, folding passes 

 

Anything else you want to add to your profile?

I enjoy meeting and training with everyone from all over the world! BJJ Globetrotter camps are amazing experiences that I recommend to all. 

 

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Chris Ulbricht – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

 

Featured traveller: Katie Taylor – BJJ Globetrotters

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Katie Taylor - BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 28

Belt: Blue

Profession: Digital Marketing Analyst

How many years in BJJ: 4 years this July (I will actually be celebrating my Jitz-aversary at this summer’s Iceland Camp)

Other martial arts: I am a white belt in Judo. I do not train Judo nearly as often as BJJ, but it has been a ton of fun to explore a new side of the sport and incorporate a new focus on throws and sweeps into my BJJ gameplan.

Where do you live: Providence, Rhode Island, USA. I have lived here for just over 4 years, and I began BJJ shortly after moving here in hopes of connecting with new people in an unfamiliar city.

Where are you from: Oxford, Ohio – a small town an hour from Cincinnati.

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I have a blog at messykatie.com where I like to write about grappling and life! It helps me reflect on the important lessons I’ve learned while training and I hope that others can relate to some of the experiences I’ve had.

Katie Taylor – BJJ competition

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I moved to Rhode Island from a small town in Indiana over 900 miles away. I knew ZERO people in Rhode Island before making the move, so I was really on my own in brand new surroundings. I had to leave my comfort zone to thrive, and learning to do this independently has instilled a great sense of confidence to pursue my curiosity about the world.

I quickly realized I can really just “figure it out” in any new situation – I couldn’t just call my dad to ask him about what apartment would be best to rent or hang out with old friends from school on the weekends if I wanted to have a good time.

So I paved my own way. When I got into BJJ, I had no way of knowing what a vast community I would become a part of. Through studying such a complex and boundless art form, the individuals who continue to train BJJ share a bond – and though each of us expresses this in different ways, it becomes a beautiful representation of just how limitless the art can be. In one training environment, you grow familiar with your partners, so the first time you ever venture to a new school for open mat you will be stunned at the unexpected ways your new partners move with you and create never-before-seen flows.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
Most recently, I attended the BJJ Globetrotters Maine Camp, which I wrote about on my blog. I loved being able to relive the experience of childhood summer camps, but with a grappling twist – plus I’m now (legally!) able to enjoy a beer by the lake!

Katie Taylor – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
My daily life is such a routine – even more so now that I have started working remotely. It can be so easy to fall into a quite dull existence where you become consumed with work, chores, and the same conversations over and over again. Some consider travel as an unnecessary luxury; but it can be an opportunity to bring a splash of color, art, music, emotion to an otherwise ordinary life. Normalcy and comfort is so overrated.

Above all, I travel for the joy of learning. I am so curious about the stories behind a place – why their architecture looks a certain way, how cultures have blended their cuisines into flavorful dishes, and why one group of people says ‘y’all’ and another group of people calls it ‘pop’ instead of ‘soda’. It’s refreshing to have your expectations challenged.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Jumping from open mats among new schools was actually my first exposure to the aspect of playfulness that could be achieved in BJJ. I found large groups of women that would organize training sessions so we could finally have similar training partners (still a rarity to find more than a few women in one BJJ class), and I experienced moments with grapplers that had no preconceived notions about my skills or style of movement.

I traveled to an all-female Girls in Gis event as a white belt, and I had never seen so many grappling women in one room! It was my first time ever seeing female black belts, and best of all it was outside the context of competition. Many times, women who train only get to roll with another woman when they are trying to win a medal! Being able to take the pressure off and actually focus on making friends with women on the mats was really exciting, and I still have all those connections today.

I believe that traveling for BJJ is not only an important factor for exposing yourself to new techniques and methods, but it is a wonderful reminder that the art of Jiu-Jitsu is so much more intricate than we could possibly imagine. Each new roll is a gift.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The kindness of humanity amazes me. Women are often cautioned when traveling, and with fair reason… but I don’t feel that the negative stories should hold us back from exploring. I have had multiple circumstances where humans I didn’t know at all completely saved my day, expecting nothing in return.

I remember one instance where I was driving outside Chicago mid-winter (which I can’t recommend doing to anyone, ever). My car skidded across the icy street and had a major part break. Meaning I was stuck basically in the middle of a cornfield nowhere close to home. A man who lived down the road spotted me on his way to work and together, we rolled my car up into his driveway and he called a friend of his over to tow it to a service shop – and refused to accept any kind of payment.

Another surprise is just how many little random connections you can find across the world. I mentioned to my good friend that I planned on traveling to Iceland, and lo and behold she had a friend willing to rent out his apartment in Reykjavik. It’s easy enough to post on Facebook asking for recommendations in a new city and you’ll always get a handful of comments with helpful tips and tricks (or gyms to visit!).

Katie Taylor – BJJ Globetrotters

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I believe there are plenty of things worth splurging on, and other areas where it’s wise to save your change. I would much rather spend money on a once-in-a-lifetime experience than on luxuries that won’t make a lasting impact on my life.

The biggest way to save is really to make a plan of activities ahead of time. What attractions do I need to check out? Are there restaurants or unique local cuisines that I must try on my trip? I make those my highest priority, and keep a tight budget everywhere else.

Buying groceries to make meals is a huge way to save cash… I have realized that I really don’t need to visit a restaurant for every single meal. Mostly, I want to stick to my plan. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement when you see signs for local tours and events, but if you do the research ahead of time, you can often find the coolest things to do at much lower prices (and it helps having a friend who can tell you which attractions are really worth seeing).

When it comes to accommodation, I try to find a really happy medium of comfort and cost. The most important aspect to me is LOCATION! Usually, the hotel room or hostel bed I am paying for is simply a place to rest my head at night – so as long as the accommodation is clean, safe, and (mostly) quiet… I don’t need much in the way of upgrades. With the exception; as a grappler, I’m always looking for a place with laundry machines.

While traveling solo can be a wonderful way to discover a new place freely, it can also be expensive. There are so many ways to share costs with other travelers, whether it is staying in a hostel with bunk beds or ride-sharing to the airport. I was really excited to see how fellow grapplers in the Globetrotters community really jump on these opportunities as well – there are so many generous people offering their couches to surf on and inviting others to their academies to train with no drop-in fees.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Giving off positive energy will open the door to so many joyful moments. People gravitate toward smiling faces and generous spirits, and as you make new friends across your travels, they will provide unexpected views of the world.

Thank you to Katie Taylor – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Featured affiliated academy: Vienneau MMA, BJJ Canada

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Vienneau MMA, BJJ Canada

Where is the gym located?
Tracadie, New Brunswick, Canada.

How many people train there?
We have over 110 members and we plan to have more than 200 by next December.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We started in September 2020 and had 40 members in total. Then we moved to a bigger place and almost tripled the members. And we’re moving again this week to another bigger place!

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
We are training mostly MMA. But i’m a blue belt in BJJ and have a guy with over 7 years experience in no-gi BJJ.

When did the Vienneau MMA, BJJ Canada open?
September 2020.

Some facts about you:

Name: Gabriel Vienneau
Age: 27
Belt: BJJ blue belt, Karate black belt, Taekwondo black belt, Tema-Jujutsu black belt
Profession: Crisis Intervention worker
Years in BJJ: Two years in gi BJJ, three-four years in total
Other martial arts: I’ve fought in MMA and Muay Thai. And I’m a black belt in 3 different martial arts.
Currently living in: Pont Lafrance, New Brunswick, Canada.
Originally from: Pokemouche, New Brunswick, Canada.

Vienneau MMA, BJJ Canada

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
When Covid-19 hit, I was planning my rematch for the heavyweight belt in Muay Thai. And I decided to start my own gym since everything else around was closing. So I started to clean my small garage. Then I bought tatamis, bags, and other gym equipment. I then decided to try a few classes with friends during the summer. Then I decided to open to the public in September. And the rest is history.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
I have three different classes right now. We have the Little Warriors (4-7 years old) who train MMA in a friendly and playful environment, then we have our 8-16-year-old group. We have a Monday and Wednesday group, and then a Friday group which is different people. And we have our adult group, which is called the Acadian Fight Team because it’s mainly a competition class. We have amateur fighters, upcoming pro fighters, and people who have the desire to just train in an intense environment.
And we’re also starting a gi BJJ group soon, as well as a women’s cardio-boxing class taught by my girlfriend.

Why do they train?
For the kids it’s mostly for self defense and helping them with their confidence. For the adults, mostly it’s for competition and some come just for the fun of it.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
For myself for an MMA gym, the only challenge I’ve faced so far is being able to fit all the people without breaking restrictions due to Covid. And having enough parking for everyone haha. That’s why we’re moving to a bigger place where training space and parking won’t be a issue.

 

The current location of Vienneau MMA, BJJ Canada. We’ll be moving to an even bigger space this week.

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
BJJ and MMA is a growing sport all around the world. So it will be bigger and bigger every year.

What’s the best thing about your gym?
We accept anyone. Were friendly and we take care of our members. We believe in the approach that everyone who has the dream to fight deserves our time, and is treat as an equal. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 5-0 fighter or a new guy who never fought. We will help you reach your goal no matter what it is.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
There are a few good things to see around here. We have a historic village of Acadian people that is like 20 minutes’ drive from the gym. We have the best seafood, and in our new spot we will have the best conditioning gym just behind us that is run by my conditioning coach and good friend Marc Godin. His gym name is l’Asile Athletique.

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Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit Vienneau MMA, BJJ Canada, you can find them here.

Featured traveller: Geeta Bhat – BJJ Globetrotters

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Geeta Bhat BJJ

Age: 45

Belt: Purple

Profession: Dentist for children

How many years in BJJ: 9 and counting

Other martial arts: None

Where do you live: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Where are you from: New York State, USA

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: My fan name is Jiu-Jitsu Cowgirl. I love to train Jiu-Jitsu but I’m also passionate about country-western dancing and can Two-Step and West Coast Swing with the best of them. I boast an impressive collection of cowgirl boots.

Geeta Bhat – BJJ competition

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
After I had children I lost 75lbs through diet and exercise, and Jiu-Jitsu was part of my get-fit journey. I live a super busy life, so I made a decision to train Jiu-Jitsu faithfully twice a week (no more and no less) starting in 2012, and I’ve been training consistently since then for 9 years with no breaks. Even on a limited schedule I managed to win the IBJJF Masters Worlds at blue 3 times for my age group, with double gold in 2019. I’m so proud of that. I also love the social aspect of Jiu-Jitsu. There is nothing I love more than going to class to talk, laugh, hang out, and maybe get some rolling in. The ability to go anywhere in the world and drop in and train and meet new people is priceless. I try to train wherever in the world I go, and even got to train in Ireland and India.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
I enjoy bike adventures, so I most recently rode the Kentucky Bourbon trail along with a bike trip through Oregon. I will admit that I cheat with an e-bike, but sometimes we all need a little boost! I also went to St. Barts for the Globetrotters Carribean camp this past February, and last week I just got back from a trip to Las Vegas… just because!

My upcoming travel plans include a bike trip through Ojai Valley in Santa Barbara, a beach trip to South Beach Miami, and a visit to NYC to see my college friends.

Geeta Bhat – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
I’m a huge foodie. Also meeting people, socializing, relaxing, and a change of scenery.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
I just got back from the Globetrotters St. Barts Trip and still talk to people I met on that trip even after the fact… shout out to campers Charles and Natasha! Especially with social media, you find that people you know, know other people you know, and it just snowballs into a big community.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
How easy it was to make friends and meet people. I was the oldest camper (even older than the coaches) at the camp but I never felt out of place. I just thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Geeta Bhat – BJJ Camp in St. Barts

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Not even close! I live large and make no apologies for it. There were people at the camp from all economic backgrounds and no one was judged, period.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Do it! You will be happy you did. I just signed up for Castle Camp in Italy and I cannot wait!

Thank you to Geeta Bhat – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Featured affiliated academy: MPOWER Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ Micronesia

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BJJ Micronesia

Where is the gym located?
Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.

How many people train there?
We currently have 20 members training and are slowly but steadily growing our numbers.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We are approaching our one year anniversary this June and have been slowly growing our numbers with three to six new members every few months.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The highest belt grade here is a purple belt and the lowest being fairly new white belts. We also have two resident blue belts who have trained at notable gyms in the United States such as the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York City and Ryan Hall’s 50/50 in Virginia.

When did the gym open?
June 2020.

 

Some facts about you:

Name: Christopher Andrei Abello Alfonso
Age: 24
Belt: Purple
Profession: Hospital Administrator/Business Owner
Years in BJJ: 5 and a half
Other martial arts: Briefly trained in Muay Thai and currently training Boxing
Currently living in: Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
Originally from: Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

MPOWER Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ Micronesia

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I started training as a New Year’s resolution back in 2016 after being recommended to by a cousin who trains BJJ as well while attending college in the United States. I graduated in 2019 and returned home to Pohnpei for work and was bummed about not having anywhere to train at. I traveled around quite a bit for work and would always pack a gi and rash guard with me in hopes of finding a place to train at wherever work would send me.

Once the pandemic started near the beginning of 2020, the Federated States of Micronesia implemented strict travel restrictions and has not allowed any inbound travelers for more than a year now and continues to be one of the last few places in the world that are free of Covid-19. I luckily made it in before these strict travel restrictions went into effect but was essentially grounded and no longer able to travel for work. I found myself with a bunch of free time and decided to begin building the first and only BJJ club in the country.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Our members range from high school students to working professionals in their respective fields. The majority of our members are high school students, but we’ve recently gotten a few adult members into the mix as well.

Why do they train?
They train for the same reasons why many of us who train BJJ started training in the first place. To learn self defense, lose weight, and de-stress after a hectic day of work/classes

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
I think the hardest thing about running a BJJ gym/club here in Pohnpei is our location and how geographically isolated we are. The cost of having things like mats and gis shipped here is not cheap. Taking members out to compete in tournaments abroad in the future would also prove to be quite expensive as well due to our geographic location.

MPOWER Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ Micronesia

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
I would like for us to have an even bigger mat space with even more members in the future. I would also like to see our more senior white belts take a more active role in coaching beginners in the future. Once our country’s travel restrictions are lifted and in-bound travel is allowed, I will have to resume traveling for work again and would feel comfortable knowing that there are members I can count on to hold down the fort while I am away on work. Another thing I would like to do in the future is to take a few members out to compete and represent the FSM in regional and international BJJ tournaments.

What’s the best thing about MPOWER Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ Micronesia?
I think the best thing about the gym is the culture we’ve cultivated here. Everyone is super nice and welcoming and you’d be able to get a solid roll out of any of our members here. I think the second best thing about our club is that training is free. I started the club, ordered the mats and gis, and run the classes alongside my cousin who recommended I start training in the first place. Training BJJ and other martial arts has done a lot for me as a person. It taught me what hard work was, discipline, and all the other benefits you usually hear people mention about training. It helped me with both my physical and mental health, made me a much more confident person, and allowed me to make lifelong friends from all over the world. It’s why I continue to train and why I hope it does the same for our members and anyone who decides to begin training as well.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
If you’re a fan of the outdoors and love being near or out on the water, there is tons to do here. From world class surfing and scuba diving/snorkeling to hiking to picturesque waterfalls, to even booking an overnight fishing trip/stay at one the nearby islands. We also have the mysterious ruins of Nan Madol to explore which recently became a UNESCO World Heritage site and is often referred to as the Venice of the Pacific.

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Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit MPOWER Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ Micronesia, you can find them here.

Featured Camp Instructor: Brad Wolfson – BJJ Globetrotters

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Brad Wolfson BJJ

Brad Wolfson – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 44
Belt: Black Belt
Profession: BJJ coach
Started training (year): 1999
City/country: New Haven, CT USA

https://beltchecker.com/profile.php?id=25

 

Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

Traveled the world, made tons of friends, and ate some good food. Still in awe that I get to do what I love every day and get paid for it.

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

I’ve taught at 15 camps.

 

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

Some of the highlights were Copenhagen back in 2014 or 15 as my first Globetrotters experience, visiting Greenland 3 years ago and getting to be a part of the first unofficial camp in St. Barts before Christian relocated. So many good camp memories!

Brad Wolfson – BJJ in St. Barths

 

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

So many amazing memories. Some of them are hazy at this point. Old people should not drink. Mostly memories of amazing moments and great Late night conversations with friends, fun rolls, and crazy parties.

 

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

I don’t have a favorite class I’ve taught, but I received  lots of great feedback on my triangles from everywhere class in Iceland a few years back. Lots of people have told me they use stuff I’ve taught, so that’s always nice to hear!

 

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

Maybe a pic with some hair photoshopped in?

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Brad Wolfson – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

 

Featured traveller: Nick Daniel – BJJ Globetrotters

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Nick Daniel - BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 28

Belt: Purple

Profession: Personal trainer

How many years in BJJ: 6 years

Other martial arts: Nope

Where do you live: Currently living in Istanbul, Turkey

Where are you from: Gold Coast, Australia

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I once heel hooked a fully grown kangaroo

Nick Daniel – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
The shortness of life, in a nutshell. Everything in life is temporary, and life itself is so damn short, so why the f*** not do everything you want right now? Granted that there can be some definite set-backs, but as humans, we always find a way to pull through when we find the courage to initiate action. Majority of people, including myself, find excuses not to do certain things because we are scared to let go of comfort. We worry about job security. We are worried about the future. Every year the same story. I have worked countless jobs through my lifetime and the majority of my colleagues would run the same story; “Oh I’m over this job…”, “I would love to travel but I just don’t have enough holidays…”, “I wish I could just quit!”. Man, I was so tired of hearing it, but it fuelled me to do something amazing with my life so one day I can look back and smile.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
So, I am currently based in Istanbul, Turkey. This was a really random destination for me, because I just came to visit a friend that I met in London. My original plan was to come here for 3 days and then fly to Germany, but partly because of the pandemic and instant attraction to Turkish culture, I have been here for a little over 5 months now. In the time I’ve managed to find an amazing group of mates and awesome training partners at Corvos Combat with the main man Burak Biçer.

I’m just cruising right now, soaking up the summer vibes that are well on their way, and then after that I will head to Ibiza, Spain once again to train with some pals that I met last year.

Nick Daniel – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
The people. The freedom. The spontaneity. The growth. The experiences.

Diving into the unknown is f**king breathtaking. The positive changes that I’ve seen in myself definitely outweigh the temporary waves of fear from not knowing where you’ll end up next. The more you travel, the easier it gets. Man, it’s a rush!

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Man, the people! Hands down the people you meet are the best thing about travelling and training. Especially through these Globetrotters camps. I can safely say I am confident to travel to several places around the world solely because I know I will be looked after by the amazing people I meet on the mats. It’s crazy to think.

One dude I rolled with in London spends a fair bit of time in Ibiza, Spain. So after absolutely crushing this poor little white belt (ahah love you Paul), he actually invited me to go stay/train on the island with him and his team. The vibes were unreal!

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The most surprising experience is how friendly and accommodating strangers can actually be. I don’t know if it’s because we are Jiu-Jitsu folk or what, but man it’s made my travelling so cruisy.

Nick Daniel – BJJ Globetrotters

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Definitely! I think it’s all part of the travel and train lifestyle and it’s something that you should learn how to do. Just don’t buy unnecessary crap. It’s pretty simple.

Money comes and goes, and if you have a Stoic mentality, then those things won’t worry you and it will all just work out. Create a plan, initiate action, buy only what you need, and don’t look back.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
You’re born with nothing, and you die with nothing – everything else in between is borrowed. So go out and make some sh** happen!

Thank you to Nick Daniel – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Featured affiliated academy: Te Manawa Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ New Zealand

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BJJ New Zealand

Where is the gym located?
Queenstown, New Zealand.

How many people train there?
Around 90 currently and growing.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We opened recently, and are organically growing numbers to keep the good vibes we want to have on the mats.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
We have brand new white belts to a 5th degree black belt.

When did the gym open?
February 2021.

Te Manawa Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ New Zealand

Some facts about you:

Name: Brent & Paula Te Kawa
Age: 51 & 50
Belt: Black and Brown
Profession: Jiu-Jitsu Academy Owners
Years in BJJ: 12 & 8
Other martial arts: Kickboxing
Currently living in: Queenstown, New Zealand
Originally from: Wellington, New Zealand

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
We travelled extensively to train and compete prior to Covid, being lucky enough to train with some of the best in the world. Covid halted our travelling, so we had an idea we could bring a high-level instructor to our small town so that the community could get a chance to learn high-level, technique-based BJJ in a world-class environment if they wanted to. Turned out Rodrigo Teixeira was in a small country town in NZ, so we flew him down for some lunch and some rolls. Once we felt his technique and found that his values aligned with ours (and was such a nice guy) we knew we had the right person for the position.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We are around 50% kids and 50% adults currently, from 5 years old through to 56 years old, and all types of professions. One of the best stories we heard was from one of our older members that said when he was a farmer, a cow fell on him and while being trapped he thought to himself if only he knew Jiu-Jitsu he could have used leverage to get out from under this cow. He is no longer a farmer, but started his journey around 3 weeks ago. Lots of kids due to our coaches’ great demenaour with them – lots of play and fun while learning.

Why do they train in Te Manawa Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ New Zealand?
Some kids train because their parents want them to, while some definitely want to be there. We have a few that have already done their first competition, which has triggered an interest from a few more members to compete. Although competition is not our sole focus, our instructors have competed in most countries and done well in some of the larger tournaments. Some members are trying something completely new and out of their comfort zone, while some have been training for a few years and are liking our relaxed, concept-based approach to learning, and the opportunity to learn under a 5th-degree Black Belt with legitimate competition and training history.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
In our area specifically, Covid cleared a large number of our population out due to jobs being lost. There’s also the “new kid on the block” sentiment that holds a few people back back from coming through the door. We’re just focusing on what we can control and ensuring everyone is aware of our open door – no politics policy. Time will show that, first and foremost, we are here for the long haul to benefit the community through Jiu-Jitsu, and not here to purely run a money-making entity.

Te Manawa Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ New Zealand

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
We are a tourist destination (or at least we were prior to Covid) so specifically in our area it will be a challenge until the world gets back to normal, but it also benefits us in that it gives us time to build a solid foundation on which the club can grow. Queenstown has an international airport with flights coming in from Australia, which is only a 2.5 – 3 hr flight depending on the tail wind, so we plan to eventually host camps with guest instructors (many of whom we met while traveling and kept in touch with) As a small town we are at the bottom of the world and so far away from the Jiu-Jitsu scene, so there will always be a sense of “big fish, little pond” going on here unless practitioners take it upon themselves to explore what the big pond has to offer. We will be sending our scholarship athletes overseas to get a taste of overseas tournaments and training as well.

What’s the best thing about your gym?
Its hard to pick just one but, in Maori we have a saying that goes: “He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata”. It is the people, the people, the people.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
There is so much to see and do if you love the outdoors, from Fiordland, boating on the lake, or one of the many hikes, plus 3 ski fields in winter. We are also the best producing Pinot Noir region.

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Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit Te Manawa Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ New Zealand, you can find them here.

Featured affiliated academy: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Qeqertarsuaq,BJJ Greenland

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BJJ Greenland

Where is the gym located?
Our gym is located in a local multi-court gym on Disco Island, Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland.

How many people train there?
We have around 4-5 adults and 8-10 kids who train in our academy.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
The sport is so new that many people don’t know it yet, and our academy is so new, so it’s difficult to say yet if it is growing.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Qeqertarsuaq, BJJ Greenland?
We are all white belts, since there’s no one to promote us. I’ve been training martial arts for approximately 5-6 years, and BJJ for 4-5 years.

When did the gym open?
The gym opened in 2019, and in the beginning it was just us getting together to train. As people got more interested in the arts, we got together and officially became a club/academy.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Qeqertarsuaq, BJJ in Greenland

Some facts about you:

Name: Aputsiaq Olsen
Age: 34
Belt: White
Years in BJJ: 4-5 years
Other martial arts: As a kid Tae Kwon Do, as an adult Muay Thai and BJJ
Currently living in: Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland
Originally from: Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Qeqertarsuaq, BJJ Greenland

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I came back to my hometown to work in my profession in 2019. I have been training BJJ, and the only martial art the town had was Tae Kwon Do. I told my friends about BJJ and that they could try it out to see if it interests them. We did one training session, and they were hooked.

We’ve been training ever since. The kids saw us training, and they asked if the could try it. They tried it, and told their friends about it. At most we had 18 kids in a single training session, of which 8-10 have become regulars.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
They are fight enthusiasts like myself. We love to fight and grapple.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
The gym where we train only allows us to train on certain days. We still aren’t enough people to buy or rent a dedicated place to train.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Qeqertarsuaq, BJJ Greenland

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
I hope the art can keep growing and become a national one, so we can have national championships.

What’s the best thing about your gym?
We do not charge for our members. It is free to become a member, and it is free to train with us.

I have just bought 15 BJJ gis so that members don’t need to buy their own. 11 gis for the kids and 4 for the adults. By doing this, the parents don’t need to buy a new gi every time their kids grows bigger.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
We have some of the most beautiful nature in our area. You can look it up on Visit Greenland and search for “Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland”. Everyone in the town is welcoming.

And we would love to see other BJJ enthusiasts in our town.

Thank you to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Qeqertarsuaq, BJJ Greenland for making this interview

Featured Traveller: Tatu Piispanen – BJJ Globetrotters

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Tatu Piispanen – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: Master 2 for the final year

Belt: You guys are getting belts..? (Purple)

Profession: Designer

How many years in BJJ: I’m in my 10th year of training. Yeah, I should be better by now…

Other martial arts: None whatsoever. Hell, I hadn’t even done any other sport before BJJ, let alone a martial art! I believe starting later in life has its pluses too. For example, I had zero past injuries coming in – my bad knees are all pure BJJ. Also, I don’t have bittersweet memories of an attributes-based “young man’s game” – I’m stronger, more mobile, and better looking now than when I started, thanks to training. I hate when people say, “I wish I started sooner”; it’s just another way of saying you wish you were better without having to work for it. Just fucking own being a late bloomer.

But I’m pretty sure I’m still a top-5 authority on kung fu movies in Finland. So, feel free to challenge my knowledge about vintage martial arts cinema any time!

Where do you live: Helsinki, Finland. Our capital area has a very healthy BJJ scene. Lots of gyms and open mats, and cross-training at different places is encouraged. The level is high – as long as you don’t spar with me – and drop-in fees are not a common practice.

Sadly, the pandemic is putting a giant stress not only to the practitioners, but also to the business side of things. Training contact sports is currently not allowed in my area, but hopefully is again when this interview comes out. I really wish all the academies will be able to bounce back.

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: If you’re a fan of conspiracy theories, you’ve likely heard about the one that disputes the existence of Finland altogether. Well, this has spawned a spinoff theory claiming that I do not, in fact, exist. There is an amusing discussion about the topic on the Beltchecker.com forum, which is a few hundred messages long and has been going on for a year now.

I don’t know what to believe anymore either. Maybe I am just a hoax.

Tatu Piispanen BJJ

Tatu Piispanen BJJ training. Photo by Sammy Hämäläinen

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I guess you’re running out of people to interview… I can’t consider myself a “traveler”, really. Of course I like to travel, but that’s like saying I’m a foodie because I like to eat. I work a corporate 9-to-5 office job, which thankfully is quite flexible. In a typical pre-Covid year I’ve been managing to make about six or seven trips abroad, most of them shorter ones. Training camps and competition trips are pretty much my favorite type of vacations.

No matter what form of travel, I always bring my gi and hunt for a gym to drop in. BJJ people are cool wherever you go. And trying to strangle a person while a drop of sweat from their forehead finds its way onto your eyeball – that’s a meaningful interaction and connection right away, which also transcends possible language barriers. Especially if I find out you’re a fellow deep half guard player, I can trust without a doubt that you’re a superior human being worth getting to know better.

But my biggest inspiration in combining these two for the past five years has for sure been the BJJ Globetrotters community and the friends I’ve made through it. I already have invitations to more gyms and homes that I will ever have time for, for which I’m truly grateful.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
You know there’s a global pandemic fucking up everybody’s travels right?

Considering that, I’ve actually had a relatively sweet travel year, thanks to careful planning, a lot of luck, and some Globetrotter friends helping me out. Within the past year I’ve made it to Norway, Italy, the Caribbean, and the United Arab Emirates. I have literally entered a country both one day after it has opened for tourism and one day before it has closed for tourism. I’m pretty sure you can see my brain through my left nostril now due to the amount of Covid tests I’ve taken.

When traveling can’t be taken for granted anymore, you start to appreciate it on a different level. This February I managed to transport my pale ass to the Caribbean Island Camp in St. Barthélemy, and holy shit that was a special experience! Warm sand between my toes had never felt so good. Right now, I’ve relocated to Dubai for a few weeks, because Finland shut everything down from gyms to restaurants. More Jiu-Jitsu and cocktails, less snow blizzards. I still work remotely on weekdays, but just to be able to go to a class after work feels like a privilege in these times.

For the next one… who knows? It’s more up to the ever-changing travel restrictions than me. I’m hoping to make it to at least one BJJ Globetrotters camp later this year and can’t wait to compete internationally again.

Tatu Piispanen – BJJ Camp

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
It’s mainly the genuine generosity of people that keeps surprising me, because you run into so much terrible human behavior these days, especially on the internet. It’s easy to succumb into a slumber thinking all of humanity deserves to be consumed by a gargantuan bone-eating mutagenic plant-god, but then you get to travel and train, and encounter some really wonderful people that you suddenly don’t want to meet an instant grisly demise. I mean, you will still attempt to wrist lock them, but that’s different. People have gone out of their way to provide good experiences for me, and I try to pay that forward of course.

For actual juicy travel stories, you have to catch me on the side of the mat or over a pint of beer. Perhaps we can even produce a new one together right then and there.

Photo by Juha Koivisto

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Not really. I don’t care about luxury and prefer to save wherever I can, but I’m in a position now where time is more valuable to me than money. These days I’m also more concerned about minimizing the environmental impact of my travels rather than cutting all possible costs.

That said, I guess the true pro tip here is to know or get in touch with the locals before you go. If you can crash their couch, eat their food, storm their dojo, and use their finger tape, you will save a ton. And in case you don’t have any friends already at where you’re going, don’t be afraid to reach out to strangers. The worldwide BJJ community is amazingly welcoming. If you both know what an oil check means, you’re already connected on a profound level.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
That traveling to a camp during a global pandemic might not be as impossible or risky as it may first seem. Of course, you might be in a situation where there are restrictions factually preventing your freedom to exit or enter a country, but if that’s not the case, I believe it can be done in a reasonably responsible way. It’s never zero-risk opening the door of your home and venturing out. But given the way that the situation is handled at the Globetrotters camps, combined with common sense measures to ensure your and especially others’ safety, I say going doesn’t have to mean you’re a Covid-denying, self-infatuated prick. Traveling now comes with a certain amount of stress and uncertainty, but the rewards have made it more than worth it. Attending a BJJ Globetrotters camp has been the year’s highlight for me both in 2020 and 2021.

And to paraphrase Blaze Foley, remember that you don’t always get what you go after, but you do get what you wouldn’t have got if you hadn’t gone after what you didn’t get.

 

Thank you to Tatu Piispanen – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

 

Featured Camp Instructor: Michael Currier – BJJ Globetrotters

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Michael Currier BJJ

Michael Currier – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: I am 40 years old as of July 27th. I’ll spend my birthday in Germany with the Globetrotters!
Belt: I am a black belt under Michael Chapman
Profession: I own Impact Jiu-jitsu Fountain Hills and I am a professional grappler
Started training (year): I started training in Jiu-jitsu in 2014, but I’ve been a life long martial artist and wrestled growing up
City/country: I live in Fountain Hills, Arizona USA

 

Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

I’ve been lucky enough to have a great career in Jiu-jitsu. I’ve competed at submission underground 5 times, Fight2win twice, I fought on the inaugural world series of fight grappling event in Las Vegas, that was the first time a grappling even has been shown on cable TV. I competed in the first EBI Jiu-jitsu overtime event, and EBI combat world’s Bantamweight tournament. I was also a member of the current bullpen series Quintet Champs. 

Michael Currier BJJ competition

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

I’ve only been to the Tempe camp and the Maine camp, though I’m scheduled to attend the Heidelberg Germany camp this month and the Zen Camp in October! 

 

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

Maine was definitely my favorite camp. It was my first chance to be completed immersed in the camp. It was amazing. 

 

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

Maine camp was all pretty memorable. So much amazing Jiu-jitsu, but the talent show won my heart. It was so much fun!

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

I really like bendy, weird, inversion stuff. Anything that makes the students scratch their heads. 

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

I’m so thrilled to be a part of this amazing family. BJJ Globetrotters has been absolutely amazing to me and I can’t wait to travel the world sharing my Jiu-jitsu with this incredible group of friends. 

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Michael Currier – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

 

Featured affiliated academy: Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu UK

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Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu UK

Where is the gym located?
Just on the outskirts of Yeovil (UK), 5 minutes from the train station and 10 minutes from the town centre.

How many people train in Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu UK?
We are a fresh new club just waiting for restrictions to lift and start filling the mats.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
I feel that when Covid ends, people will be yearning for close contact with other humans and what better way than learning BJJ? I’m confident that the membership numbers will rise in no time.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
With plenty of travelers passing through Yeovil ,due to the fact that Yeovilton air base is nearby and with many tourist locations, we should eventually have many different coloured belts on the mats at any one time.

When did the gym open?
For the love of god, let it be soon.

Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu UK

Some facts about you:

Name: Roger
Age: 44
Belt: Blue
Profession: Postman
Years in BJJ: 4
Other martial arts: Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Japanese Jujutsu
Currently living in: Sherborne, Dorset, UK
Originally from: Born in the Netherlands

Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu, UK

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
Frustrated with the politics of the massive chain BJJ clubs that dominate the area, I thought I would try and provide an alternative.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, from all walks of life.

Why do they train?
Jiu jitsu provides so many different things to different people,it could be for self defence or fitness to socializing and mental health or all of the above.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
Yeovil is a small town surrounded by lots of other towns and villages,just trying to get the word out that you exist can be tricky.

Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu UK

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
A little more vibrant and with more options.

What’s the best thing about your gym?
Its family oriented and the emphasis isn’t on generating champions but sharing all that BJJ has to offer.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
The list is long! We have the ancient town of Sherborne, with its castle and abbey. Stonehenge is 30 minutes away and the town of Bath, with its Roman baths, is an hour away, to name but a few of the wonders in the beautiful West Country.

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Thanks for sharing with us! If you’d like to pay a visit to Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu UK you can find them here.

Featured Traveller: Ian Auchmoody – BJJ Globetrotters

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Ian Auchmoody – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 31 as of this Feb 27th

Belt: Purple

Profession: Jiu-Jitsu and English teaching.

How many years in BJJ: Eight years ago I started in my first BJJ academy in Utica, New York. Since then the better part of my training has actually happened in several different parts of Mexico.

Other martial arts: As a teenager, my friends and I would try to replicate Bruce Lee and we actually practiced what we could learn from the Jeet Kune Do manuals. After moving from home, I was watching UFC and decided to start at a Muay Thai gym near where I was. There were some really weird circumstances surrounding the gyms I visited that ended up with me doing a freestyle grappling class. The seed was then planted for my later finding BJJ, but in that time I messed around with Muay Thai and other styles around MMA. Once I found a solid BJJ program I pretty much focused on that.

Where do you live: I live in Oaxaca, Mexico, which was my first city to visit in Mexico and has been my home base ever since. It’s a really beautiful city with some of the best food on the planet.

Where are you originally from: I’m from a small town in the Hudson Valley (New York State) called Wallkill. Lots of cows, not a lot of BJJ… at least when I was growing up.

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I was once in a situation where I had to cross a land border into Guatemala from Mexico at a place called Tecún Umán which sounds like an Indiana Jones destination. It had some Indy vibes, too.

Ian Auchmoody – BJJ competition

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
When I first came to Oaxaca, traveling a lot wasn’t really on my agenda. It wasn’t until about a year later when I was competing as a blue belt that I started finding opportunities to travel and train. I was making friends all over Mexico and found some opportunities to teach in different cities. Each visit to a different city and different academies kind of just added fuel to the fire and I was in the groove of it for a while without thinking about it much. I would hang around some places longer than others but what kept me moving most of the time was the desire to compete, meet new people, see new Jiu-Jitsu, and have great experiences.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
This last year has been pretty tame, as you can imagine. I spent most of 2019 back in the USA visiting family and saving some money working. I came back to Oaxaca in March 2020 with the intention of competing in the state tournament and visiting my girlfriend, but almost immediately after arriving the lockdown went into full swing. I realized I didn’t have a job to go back to in NY, so I just stayed here and started laying the groundwork for my BJJ academy. I am hoping I can roam around Mexico and do the big tournaments once things are back to normal. The usual stops are Mexico City and Guadalajara.

Ian Auchmoody - BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
Definitely the people. It’s amazing how well you can get to know someone when you’re open and in a “learning” state. When your intentions are good and your attitude is right, people will open all kinds of doors to opportunities for you that can make a huge difference in your life or what you’re doing with it.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Sleeping for free on gym mats within walking distance from the beach comes to mind. Making friendships that last a lifetime based on pure chance is probably the most impactful. Also, learning Spanish almost completely through conversation has been awesome.

Ian Auchmoody – BJJ Globetrotters

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The most surprising thing about traveling to me may be how diverse and delicious street food can be. I haven’t thought about it much, but growing up in a cow town in upstate New York I never imagined that.

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I’ve never really done a long term backpack trip or anything like that, but I’ve had to do a lot of traveling around Mexico on a seriously tight budget. The key has always been to travel extremely light, and get used to sitting around or sleeping in bus stations.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Take every opportunity you can to train with new people, unless they have a seriously bad reputation or something. Even if it’s a hole in the wall with two blue belts there’s still a good chance they can show you something you’ve never seen before. Also, be humble and open minded; this will open many doors for you and you’ll be invited to do really awesome stuff. Also, if you’re ever in Mexico let me know if you need any recommendations on where to train. If you’re in Oaxaca then come visit my academy!

Thank you to Ian Auchmoody – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Featured Traveller: Al Ghuneim – BJJ Globetrotters

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Al Ghuneim – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 35

Belt: Blue

Profession: I have a Masters degree in marketing that I haven’t used much. Otherwise, I’m a business person who does everything from trading, investing, translating, and some marketing.

How many years in BJJ: Six

Other martial arts: I did Tae Kwon Do when I was 5! Does that count?

Where do you live: I’m a digital nomad. I live wherever feels right.

Where are you originally from: Jordan

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: My favorite submission on people who don’t know Jiu Jitsu is the Mother’s Milk.

Al Ghuneim – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I got bored with my old life and had a break up after a long relationship, then decided to change everything and go!

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
I was in Colombia for a nice 10 months as the airport was closed. I am now in Rio training with many Brazilians and other COVID refugees like myself.

 

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
Seeing new things, meeting new people, and learning new cultures (Brazilians are crazy)!

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Walking into BJJ clubs in Rio and training with world champions is pretty cool.

Al Ghuneim – BJJ Globetrotters

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
Getting robbed! No matter how many times it happens it’s always surprising haha! But with that said, I’m the kind of guy who’s not afraid of walking into Cartel territory in Mexico, Favellas in Rio, and less than reputable neighbourhoods in Medellin and funnily enough, I was never robbed in the dodgy areas… Only in the fancy gringo places.

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I don’t do the backpack thing! I go to a new place and usually rent an apartment for 3 months. This really cuts down on hotel costs. Going to a new location every few days gets really straining on the body and it isn’t good for BJJ. I like to go to cities that have good BJJ gyms, then stay there for a while in order to learn their systems. Switching gyms every few weeks isn’t good.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
You can save money on everything while travelling, but make sure to have good equipment. Good shoes, pants, shorts, and phone. Take half of what you plan on bringing with you, because you will accumulate stuff on the way.

Al Ghuneim BJJ

Thank you Al Ghuneim – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Featured affiliated academy: Mitane Budō Kai, BJJ Japan

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Mitane Budō Kai, BJJ Japan

Mitane Budō Kai, BJJ Japan

Where is the gym located?
Mitane, Akita, Japan

How many people train there?
13 regulars. Classes range from 1-10 people on any given day.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Currently, no. COVID-19 protocols restrict us from accepting new members. However, we have a lot of local interest and get an average of 2 inquiries a week.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
Brown, purple, blue, and white.

We currently do not have a Black Belt instructor. We hope to remedy that in 2022.

When did the gym open?
July 2020

Some facts about you:

Name: Michael Brevig
Age: 39
Belt: Purple 1 stripe
Profession: Software engineer
Years in BJJ: 8 years, 4 months (https://www.beltchecker.com/u/mitanebudo)
Other martial arts: Judo
Currently living in: Akita, Japan
Originally from: Minneapolis, MN USA

Mitane Budō Kai, BJJ Japan

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
Oh man, where do I start… I suppose you could say it started back in 2019. I was walking around Chiang Mai, Thailand when I bumped into a Jiujiterio I trained with at Pure Grappling (puregrappling.org). He asked if I wanted to grab a drink. Well, one became many and the rest of the night is a bit of a blur.

I woke up the next morning sitting upright on my couch, shoes on, and my phone in my hand. I unlocked my phone, hoping for clues as to what happened the night before, to find the website for TaneHub (tanehub.asia), and no Tinder replies. I’m not sure why I was looking at the site, but what I found was a co-working space in rural Japan. They were running an experiment to see if digital nomads would want to live in reclaimed abandoned homes.

I was intrigued.

I contacted the owner via Facebook, booked a flight, and arrived in Japan a week later. I fell in love instantly. The rice fields, clean air, nihonshu (sake), cheap eats, friendly farmers, and hundreds of years worth of history at your fingertips. I was amazed by how at home I felt.

I left Japan three months later.

Fast forward to March 2020 – I was traveling around Portugal when various countries started shutting down due to COVID-19. I saw the writing on the wall, weighed my options, then decided to get “stuck” in Japan.

Three months went by. I was isolated, getting fat, and missed training regularly. So, I bought some mats, used gis from a friend in Malaysia, and invited a few locals to train with me. They loved it! They told their friends and we grew unexpectedly. Since then, we’ve had local judoka cross-train, a sumo instructor drop in a couple of times, and several people come from across the prefecture to take part in our Super Saturday class.

This past August, I teamed up with TaneHub and Start-up Akita to develop a plan to revitalize Mitane’s local economy with martial arts tourism and digital nomad cohabitation. Things are moving slowly but surely. We’re close to acquiring a new (to us) building for our dojo, our first shared house ready to go, etc.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
They’re probably the most diverse club in all of Akita. Our members are teachers, engineers, business owners, a model, etc. And from all over the globe.

Our gym is inclusive.

Why do they train in Mitane Budō Kai, BJJ Japan?
The new guys do it for stress relief, to get in shape, for the community, etc. The rest of us are just obsessed.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
I’m always fixing or cleaning something haha. Besides that, collecting payments, adjusting lesson plans on the fly, answering questions, and taking a beating from new students day-in-and-day-out.

Not being Japanese has created its own set of challenges. Everything from getting my business visa to finding out who owns xyz property. The customs, rules, regulations are so vastly different than the US. This process has deepened my respect for immigrants everywhere. Every day is fucking challenge, but I’m grateful for it.

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
We have big plans to expand our little club into a village for martial artists, digital nomads, and travelers. Check out our site for more information :p

What’s the best thing about your gym?
We’re a chill academy. Lots of drilling, discussion, and trial and error during each class

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
In this order:
1) Onsen – natural and man-made hot springs are sprinkled all over Japan. We have four within a 5-minute drive from the dojo. Tattoos okay!
2) Hiking/Camping – There’s a crazy amount of hiking and free camping in our area.
3) Food – We’re near a fishing port, a horse butcher, etc.
4) Beach – We have a great beach (camping allowed) about 8km from us.
5) Festivals – Japan is known for its crazy street festivals. There’s one or two a month in this area during the warmer months.
6) Nihonshu – Sake! Akita rice is the best in Japan. Brewery tours abound!
7) Moritake Kabuki – Moritake Kabuki has been performed for over 200 years, and is a local production put on by community members.

For more, check out: https://visitshirakami.com/blessings/

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Thanks for sharing with us! If you’d like to pay a visit to Mitane Budō Kai, BJJ Japan you can find them here.

Featured Camp Instructor: Jay Pages – BJJ Globetrotters

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Jay Pages BJJ

Jay Pages – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 43
Belt: 3rd Degree Black Belt under Caio Terra (6 months away from 4th degree!)
Profession: Full Time Gym Owner and Instructor
Started training (year): 1994
City/country: Phoenix, AZ, USA

 

Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

Here’s a bullet point of my main achievements:

  • 1999 ISCF Light Weight Champion
  • 1999 Full Contact Jiu-Jitsu Gold Medalist
  • 2011 Abu Dhabi Pro Trails Silver Medalist
  • 2016 Fight to Win Pro 12 Veteran
  • 2018 Fight to Win Pro 93 Veteran
  • 2x United Grappling Federation Gold Medalist
  • 3x Grapplers Quest Gold Medalist
  • 3x Grapplers Quest Silver Medalist
  • 1x Grapplers Quest Bronze Medalist
  • 8x AZSBJJF Gold Medalist
  • 5x AZSBJJF Silver Medalist
  • 1x AZSBJJF Bronze Medalist
  • 1x IBJJF Worlds No-Gi Silver Medalist
  • 1x IBJJF Pan-Ams Bronze Medalist
  • 1x IBJJF American Nationals Gold Medalist
  • 2x IBJJF American Nationals Silver Medalist
  • 4x IBJJF American Nationals Bronze Medalist
  • 1x IBJJF Phoenix Open Silver Medalist
  • 1x IBJJF Las Vegas Summer Open Silver Medalist
  • 1x IBJJF San Jose Open Gold Medalist
  • 2x IBJJF San Jose Open Silver Medalist
  • 4x IBJJF San Jose Open Bronze Medalist
  • 5x NABJJF/SJJIF Gold Medalist
  • 1x NAGA Gold Medalist
  • 1x NAGA Silver Medalist
  • 1x Copa International Bronze Medalist
  • 3x Absolute Grappling Gold Medalist
  • 2x Five Grappling Gold Medalist

 

 

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

 

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

St Barts! Hands Down!

Jay Pages – BJJ Globetrotters Camp in St. Barts

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

  • Any time Chris Hauters speaks!
  • My first time trying to shower in New Hampshire! The building the showers were in was riddled with spiders and I’m terrified of spiders!  In the ceilings, walls, floors, etc.! One even came out of the drain when I went to shower. I sat outside of the building actually debating whether or not I should shower or just jump in the lake for a bath.

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

Anything choke, wrist lock, or leg lock related.

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

  • I’m Youtube/Internet famous! (Not Jiu-Jitsu related)
  • I love chick flicks, romcoms, and musicals!

 

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Jay Pages – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

 

Featured Travellers: Pámela Bóveda and Josue Gonzalez – BJJ Globetrotters

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Pámela Bóveda and Josue Gonzalez BJJ

Age: 32 (Pámela) and 29 (Josue)

Belt: Black (Pámela) and Purple (Josue)

Profession: Aerospace Engineer and Language Teacher (Pámela), Chef (Josue)

How many years in BJJ: 14 (Pámela) and 8 (Josue)

Other martial arts: MMA (Pámela), only BJJ (Josue)

Where do you live: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Where are you originally from: Paraguay (Pámela) and Argentina (Josue)

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: Pámela was the first female black belt from Paraguay and also the first female aerospace engineer from her country. Josue can juggle and he cooks the best vegan pancakes in the entire world.
We have a YouTube channel where we show the academies and other places we visit while traveling.

Pámela Bóveda and Josue Gonzalez – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
Self improvement keeps us motivated. From every place we learn more and more, not only technically but mentally. Also, getting to know so many different and cool people around the world is what keeps us inspired. We hosted a lot of globetrotters at our place in Buenos Aires, and always had such cool experiences. We can’t wait to host again. We also have been hosted in Europe when we had the chance to travel.

Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
After living in Cordoba, Argentina for several years, then Asunción, Paraguay for a year, and finally in Buenos Aires, Argentina for 4 years, we decided that experiencing the US BJJ scene would be a great option. So we applied for a Sports Visa, came to Miami, and started training at Fight Sports Miami and Vagner Rocha’s martial arts academy. We competed a lot. We also had the chance to teach and travel to El Paso, Texas, where we trained with Kings MMA El Paso and Fight Sports El Paso. Then we came back to Florida and trained at Fight Sports and Aviv Jiu Jitsu.

Next we’re going to South America, to visit our family and compete around there. We miss the food so much, that we need to get back for a while. (kidding)

Pámela Bóveda and Josue Gonzalez BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
We enjoy being in places we haven’t been, getting to know people, training and learning from the culture and the people. We also enjoy sharing what we know. Teaching Jiu Jitsu or languages is always cool.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
I remember one time Josue and I were going to Germany to compete, and this girl reached us out because she saw we were from South America, so she actually went to the train station to wait for us and show us around. Someone we had never met before. Our friend from Paraguay was also there waiting for us, and they ended up training together because he was living there.
Getting to know these kinds of people is priceless. After that we trained together, and now she is a friend.

Another thing that happened in Germany is that we made a mistake on the date while booking a hostel, so we had no place to sleep and no extra money either. So I just googled “jiu jitsu Munich” and found this academy, Munich MMA. I asked if we could spend the night there. The owner had never seen us in his life, and he said yes – he trusted us with his academy with no one there. The next day, I had the chance to teach a women’s class at his academy. It was amazing.

Pámela Bóveda and Josue Gonzalez – BJJ competitions

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
This happened back in 2013. My friend Raith and I went to compete in Gramado, Brazil, and we had no money to go back to Argentina. So we started to hitchhike, and this guy saw us with a Jiu Jitsu t-shirt from the tournament, so he stopped his car, took us to the bus station and bought us tickets back. We asked him for his info so we could send the money later, but he said no. He said one day we also need to help someone, and then left.

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
As you guys have read, we are 100% budget travelers. Competing and traveling is not easy at all, but it is worth it! We plan a trip using public transportation as much as we can, buying the tickets in advance to get better prices, matsurfing or couch surfing or staying at a friend’s place. We also try to teach seminars or classes when we go to a new city. We have a lot of experience at refereeing, so we offer that kind of training also.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
The advice would be – go for it. There is nothing like seeing the world and enjoying what you love doing. It will be very hard sometimes, but it will be worth it, especially if it’s a long trip.

Thank you to Pámela Bóveda and Josue Gonzalez – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Featured affiliated academy: Kampfsport Manufaktur, BJJ Germany

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Kampfsport Manufaktur, BJJ Germany

Where is the gym located?
Our gym is located near the city center of Mannheim (Industriestraße 39, 68169), Germany. Mannheim is a “Universitätsstadt” (university town) close to Heidelberg (20 minutes by car), and about one hour from Frankfurt Airport. Mannheim is famous for its 18th-century palace where the university is located nowadays. The streets are unusual in comparison to other German cities, since they’re laid out in a grid pattern. Therefore the city’s nickname is “Quadratestadt” (the Square City).

How many people train there?
We have around 110 registered members in total, and about 8 trainers in different areas (BJJ/Grappling, MMA, Muay Thai, Boxing, Kids BJJ, Self Defence, and Functional Training). But obviously, like in any other gym, not everybody who is registered will join in every training session. Before we had to close the gym because of Corona restrictions, we would have about 10-20 people in a training session. The gym is a newly built industrial-style hall with 300m2 of space, so we have different areas where the people can hang out or train (mat space, boxing ring, fitness area, chillout area) so even when more people are there it doesn’t feel too crowded.

Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Bad timing for answering this question, because we just opened the gym in October 2020 and had to close because of Corona restrictions after only 3 weeks of training. Luckily there was a martial arts club in our location beforehand, and after renovating all the facilities and opening as a new gym, I took over most of the members from the previous club. At the opening party and the weeks afterwards, we welcomed around 35 new members that trained their asses off for the next weeks and were also motivated to join the online courses and thereby support the gym so that it can still exist after the lockdown. Right now we’re still closed and don’t know when we will be able to open for normal training. Just today, we started a new offer for interested people where we show them the gym, explain everything, and they can start with online training for free and start paying in March, in order to give new people a chance to start with the sport.

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
Our highest belt is the newest member of the instructor team: BJJ black belt Thomas Stoll, who also runs Team Choco in Heidelberg. I’m very happy to have such a competent and warm-hearted trainer in the Kampfsport Manufaktur to support our BJJ and Grappling program. As well as that, my long-time friend Rene Becker, who is a well-known black belt in Germany, gave me the opportunity to affiliate with his team, Matrix Jiu-Jitsu, so he’ll often be in our place teaching and giving seminars. Our people can also go to Matrix headquarters in Kaiserslautern (about a 1-hour drive) and train with some of the best grapplers in all of Germany.

I’m a purple belt myself after a long time training, because we had no black belt training with us and most of the time we figured stuff out by ourselves or by learning from friends’ videos and Globetrotters camps. We have another purple belt teaching with a big focus on no-gi, and a bunch of blue belts training for a really long time who are probably at a higher level because they didn’t have the chance to get promoted in the years beforehand. Obviously because we opened in October 2020 as a new gym, we also have a lot of white belts, and thus structured the training to be very beginner-friendly with a lot of fundamentals. Our lowest belts are probably the “Mini BJJ” group we started because of my 3-year-old daughter. I just wanted to give parents the chance to come on Saturdays with my daughter’s friends to let the Minis move a little bit, run around, and do their forward rolls. Out of nowhere, we had around fifteen Mini 3-year-olds running around and training BJJ. This was really cool! Can´t wait to start with them again soon!

When did the gym open?
The gym opened in October 2020. I worked as a trainer before in the Martial Arts Academy Mannheim for Muay Thai and Grappling. In summer 2020, I was asked if I’d be interested in buying that club. From the second I taught my first class in 2008, it was a dream to open my own gym, so I didn’t hesitate and agreed. From that moment we started working on the gym and pretty much re-made the whole place into something new. Most members stayed with me, so I had a good foundation. Sadly, like I said before, after only 3 weeks of training we had to close because of Corona restrictions. But we’re doing the best in this situation as we can, and we look forward to training with all our people again soon.

Kampfsport Manufaktur, BJJ Germany

Some facts about you:

Name: Björn Laubenstein (born: Feil)
Age: 32
Belt: Purple
Profession: Social worker
Years in BJJ: 10 years
Other martial arts: I started Muay Thai in 2006, had 17 fights (8-7-2) and fought at some local championships, then did MMA (1-0-0) before I decided to focus more on BJJ.
Currently living in: I live in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, which is the city next to Mannheim. The two cities are separated by the river Rhein/Rhine, which is the longest river in Germany.
Originally from: I grew up in a small village called Ellerstadt in Rhineland-Palatinate, which is about 30 minutes away. My mother is from Sweden and I still have some family living there, so even if my Swedish sucks I feel connected to Swedish traditions and the country.

Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I taught Muay Thai in the Martial Arts Academy in Mannheim for a very long time, as well as BJJ for a while. The gym owner opened another gym in another city years ago, and eventually couldn’t be in Mannheim as much as he used to. After some time, he asked me in summer 2020, kinda out of nowhere, if I would be interested to take over the gym. Because it was a dream for me to open my own gym one day, I didn’t hesitate and quickly agreed. But I knew that I wanted to rebuild the gym, structure everything new, and make it completely how I wanted a gym to look, create the right training atmosphere, and make it a place you really love to go. I was able to start working on the gym in summer, making small changes, while training sessions were still running for the old club. Then I took over the gym in October and we closed until 10th October to really put in the hard work. After rebuilding everything – from new matspace and fitness areas to a chill out area – we opened Kampfsport Manufaktur on 10.10.2020.

Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have pretty much everybody in the gym, especially because we now have a mix of the old guys and BJJ nerds from the previous gym, to complete beginners that never trained in their life before. I want the gym to be a place where everybody feels welcome and wants to hang out. I’m very happy that my plan worked when opening the gym, and we welcomed a lot of women that started BJJ and even MMA.

Why do they train?
In general, I would say that most people joined the Kampfsport Manufaktur for fitness reasons at first. They wanted to start martial arts and feel better, get fitter, and feel safer. In our club, you only pay one fee and can train every martial art. The moment they try BJJ and enjoy it, you can see most of them focus on BJJ and get sucked into the BJJ nerdiness and totally forget the fitness reasons they had in the first place.

What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
I’m pretty new to running a gym, so in general the paperwork and all the associated admin stuff is pretty challenging and annoying. Of course the situation with the Corona lockdown is really really challenging at the moment, because in my case I don’t get any support from the government for the gym. So it’s pretty challenging to offer the members the best I can in this situation, in order to keep them satisfied and to keep on supporting the gym financially. But of course everybody is struggling with this at the moment. In our area, we have a few more gyms that offer BJJ and Muay Thai, but I think that this is not a problem for anybody. I think every gym has its focus, atmosphere, and training habits, so everybody will join the gym that makes them happy.

Kampfsport Manufaktur, BJJ Germany

How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
In my opinion, Germany was a little bit behind compared to other countries in terms of BJJ or even fight sports in general. Maybe because MMA or other martial arts are still not so accepted or so popular in society compared to sports like soccer. But nowadays it feels like we are back on track. This has been made possible through the exchange of knowledge, like when you e.g. join a Globetrotters camp and everybody is eager to make you better in BJJ while having a really great time together. Now a lot of people join the gym because they’re interested in learning BJJ specifically, whereas in the past a lot of people started BJJ only because they started boxing and ended up wondering what that rolling around thing was. So it seems BJJ keeps on growing.

What’s the best thing about Kampfsport Manufaktur, BJJ Germany?
The people, the atmosphere, and the spirit we want the gym to have. I think you can have the best looking gym, the biggest mat space, or the best black belt in the world, but if people don’t feel good when they’re there, what’s the point? We welcome everybody, regardless if they’re a white or black belt, and will have a good time training, hanging out together and going out for a beer and a burger if you visit us.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
In Mannheim you should check out the palace, the water tower, and go out in the “hip area” called Jungbusch, where you can find a lot of cool bars and nightlife. Then you should definitely make a trip to beautiful Heidelberg, which is about a 20-minute drive by car. There you can check out the famous castle, the old town and hang out in summer at the “Neckarwiese” (a riverfront park). Furthermore, you should drive to the city Bad Dürkheim in the Rhineland Palatinate area (about 30 minutes by car) – a spa city in the Palatine Forest where you can enjoy traditional German food and local wines, and walk through beautiful old wine villages or the forest. If you wanna check out the best traditional German food I have ever eaten, while sitting outside in summer in the woods, you should check out the restaurant “Thomashütte” in Forst an der Weinstraße. Feel welcome to join us in the Kampfsport Manufaktur when you’re travelling and we can make these trips together.

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Thanks for sharing with us! If you’d like to pay a visit to Kampfsport Manufaktur, BJJ Germany you can find them here.