Featured traveller: Karl-Johan Larsson – BJJ Globetrotters

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Thailand, San Diego and Beyond: We caught up with Karl-Johan Larsson to find out where he’s been and plans for future travels.
“Travelling and training often brings you out of your comfort zone. You have no choice but to talk to strangers and ask questions that feel stupid.”

Karl-Johan Larsson BJJName: Karl-Johan Larsson – BJJ Globetotters
Age: 25 years old
Belt: Blue, 3 stripes
Profession: I’m an electrician
How many years in BJJ: I have trained BJJ for about 1.5 years
Other martial arts: Grappling, Full Contact Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and MMA
Where do you live: Örebro, Sweden
Where are you originally from: A small village outside Örebro, called Glanshammar
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I am a pretty mean tattoo artist when I’m drunk, I think…

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

The first time I travelled to train was in 2014. I went to Thailand for a month to do Muay Thai at Dragon Muay Thai in Chalong. I had set my mind on doing my first fight ever but while training for the fight I realised that meeting people from all over the world who shared my passion for a good fight was the thing I wanted to do. I won the fight, but compared to the friends I met that doesn’t matter much does it?

Karl-Johan Larsson – BJJ Globetrotters

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

My most recent travel was to Barcelona with some of my students who I currently coach in my home town. My girlfriend and I used to live in Barcelona and that is why we graduate under Robin Gracie who is the son of Helio Gracie. We chose to live at Rocket Hostel Barcelona which I can recommend to everyone regardless what your plans are in Barcelona. Everyone at the hostel was so helpful and friendly, I really can’t give them enough credit for it! The hostel is located about 300m from Gracie Barcelona academy, which obviously is perfect if you go there to train. A friend of mine, José, who is a brown belt under Robin, hosted a self-defence seminar with Robin at Gracie Molins de Rei, which is located 20 min outside of Barcelona. After the seminar José threw an amazing BBQ in his house up in the mountains. The ride home from the mountains was also an experience. For those who have had a car-ride with a Brazilian you know what I’m talking about! On the weekdays Robin does four one hour sessions, always the same setup: light stretching, three techniques and three rounds of sparring. The atmosphere at the academy is one of a kind! Everyone is welcome to train at their own pace. You can do all the techniques and all the sparring or you can choose to just sit back and chill or try some cool stuff you saw on YouTube. Anything goes as long as you aren’t too loud.

This past summer me and my girlfriend Elina travelled to San Diego for a month to train at Atos HQ. Atos had just won the prize for ‘Best Academy’ at Worlds the week before and it really met all of our expectations. The training reflected the gold medals decorating the walls, you could understand why the place is pumping out some of the best BJJ athletes. The sessions were 1.5 hours consisting of a thorough warm up, drills, super detailed techniques and at least 35 minutes all in sparring. At first we were feeling smashed and defeated but after a few days we got more used to the tempo. It was easy to talk to everyone and the general feeling in the gym was very welcoming. Their well deserved reputation of being the best gym in the world brings a lot of travellers to pass by. It is also common that people move to San Diego just to train full time. While we where there we met Marcus Tan and Alessia Frissina, two super nice globetrotters who currently run a blog that you can find on globetrotters.com.

Elina and I just recently bought a van that we are rebuilding into a home to live in. We are gonna drive it all over Europe as soon as Elina finishes law school, to train BJJ and meet new friends for as long as possible – stay tuned!

Karl-Johan Larsson – BJJ gym

 

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?

Like I mentioned earlier, my favorite thing about traveling is to meet friends from all over the world! Other than that I love to experience different cultures and eat my way through new cities, gladly trying some new (vegetarian) dishes accompanied by a cold tap beer.

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

Travelling and training often brings you out of your comfort zone. You have no choice but to talk to strangers and ask questions that feel stupid. I first started training BJJ in Barcelona, with the consequence of having all instructions in Spanish. I had to swallow my pride and not only get smashed in sparring, but also at the language. The experience made me a better person, more humble and more open.

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

How fucking gangster sea-lions are.

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

No, not really. But when we get the van on the road the budget-issue is gonna be real. Hit me with your best tips and tricks!

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

There are no strangers here, only friends you have not meet yet (quote: William Butler Yeats).

Thank you Karl-Johan Larsson – BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview!

 

Featured affiliated academy: Submission Lab, BJJ New Zealand

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“We created a non-profit, open and inclusive gym, owned by the members and administered by a committee elected annually to steer clear of the politics and business issues experienced in the past.”
Submission Lab, Dunedin, New Zealand

Submission Lab, BJJ New Zealand

Hi guys! Tell us some facts about your gym – where is it located?

114 St Andrew St, Dunedin, NZ. We have 132 sqm of mat space. The gym is centrally located in the CBD. Dunedin is a small but vibrant city of 120,000 people with a strong Scottish heritage, good beaches and good access to wildlife, remotely situated in the South of the South Island of New Zealand.

Sounds cool! How many people train there?

We have around 30 to 35 regular members.

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

The gym is very new (4 months), but we are slowly getting new students. Hard to say we are currently growing though, as the increase in members due to new students has been offset by a few experienced people leaving the city.

Submission Lab, BJJ New Zealand

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

One newly promoted black belt, 2 brown belts, 5 purple belts, around 20 blue belts and under 10 white belts.

When did the gym open?

May 2017.

Who founded it?

Around 20 students (virtually all the senior students except from the owners) walked out of a local BJJ gym a few months ago and hooked up with all the students from another small local BJJ gym (around 10 people) whose head instructor had recently left for Canada. The 2 gyms actually used to be together until a previous split occurred in 2010 so a few students from both gyms used to be team mates a long time ago. BJJ politics…

All together we created a non-profit, open and inclusive gym, owned by the members and administered by a committee elected annually to steer clear of the politics and business issues experienced in the past. We have since attracted a few students from a third BJJ gym in town.

Submission Lab, BJJ New Zealand

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

Most people are experienced members (blue belts or above, and blue belts make up the bulk of the people training) since we didn’t start from scratch. We have a mix of younger and older people training (mostly from 20 to 40 years old), including students from the local university and professionals from all walks of life. We have a few members with other martial arts experience: MMA, judo, wrestling, kick boxing. We are also starting kids’ classes, but have only 5 kids training for now.

Why do they train?

For a variety of reasons but mostly because it’s fun. We cater for everybody; some members are actively competing but not all.

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

Until recently we didn’t have a black belt in-house which limited our ability to promote people legitimately (at least under IBJJF) and created problems with entering IBJJF competitions. This should be all sorted soon when our black belt gets IBJJF certified and we can register our gym directly under the IBJJF. No other major challenges otherwise.

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

Bright. There are 3 BJJ gyms in town including us and all 3 seem to be thriving. We don’t have a particularly good relationship with the owner of one of them at this point as a lot of us come from there and we didn’t part in good terms with them but we are hoping this will get resolved over time. Some of their members and former team mates cross train with us however, which is awesome. We also have excellent relationships with other gyms in the country.

Submission Lab, BJJ New Zealand

What’s the best thing about your gym?

We have a long list of teachers (around 10) rotating to teach, which gives us a lot of variety and allows each of us (including teachers) to attend many classes. We offer classes 6 days a week, including morning classes 3 days a week. We offer a balanced mix of gi and no gi classes and open mat, and also one kickboxing class a week. We have experienced members from many different lineages, which adds to the variety of teaching and rolling. The gym is unaffiliated to any large BJJ organization and completely open and welcoming.

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

Lots of opportunities for outdoor activities and nature and wildlife with the Otago Peninsula nearby, beautiful beaches and good surfing (the weather is very cold however!). The city also offers a lot for its size, a few nice buildings and museums, and tourist activities, and a healthy number of bars and restaurants. The nightlife is good when students are around but can be pretty quiet during the university breaks (especially summer).

Any other comments you’d like to add?

We had 3 members competing at the IBJJF World Master recently, 2 of them under BJJ Globetrotters. One of these 2 medalled in the Master 3 female heavy weight blue belt division. Another member medalled in Master 3 male medium heavy brown belt.

That’s brilliant, congratulations! We wish you all the best in the future and hope the gym goes from strength to strength. If anyone would like to get in touch with Submission Lab, BJJ New Zealand, you can find them here.

Featured traveller: Lim Ming Kern – BJJ Globetrotters

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It’s been great to hear how the Globetrotters community can help out when plans change on your travels!
“Don’t be too stressed about it and go with the flow.”
Lim Ming Kern, Jiu Jitsu Traveler

Lim Ming Kern BJJ
Lim Ming Kern BJJ Competition

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

I went to the BJJ Globetrotters Summer Camp in Leuven! After the camp I visited a few cities in Belgium (Brussels, Gent, Bruges) and moved on to Copenhagen, then Bangkok. For my upcoming travels, I haven’t confirmed any trips yet but I am planning to visit Laos in early 2018.

Lim Ming Kern – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?

I think it’s the people you meet along the journey, the conversation, the hangout. You can always visit the place again but the people you meet might not be there the next time.

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

I suppose the main thing would be that I get to roll with different people with different styles of BJJ, which is an eye opener and also helps me in developing my own game. The other little experiences can also make a huge impact – I had a great time at the post camp party at Leuven and then after that watched UFC with camp mates from 4am to 7am, end up not sleeping for the entire day because I was having so much fun!

Lim Ming Kern – BJJ Globetrotters Camp in Belgium

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

I arrived in Leuven a day before the camp started and realised that I did not have a place to sleep for the night due to miscommunication between my roommates and I (my fault totally). I panicked and asked for help at the camp Facebook group. Luckily a local Jiujiterio, Kris, offered to let me stay at his place for the night and I accepted it. It turned out to be my first Matsurfing I guess!

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

Yes I am, I would look for cheap flights a few months before my trip and plan accordingly to the dates. I would look for cheap accommodation like hostels or Matsurfing to save some accommodation cost. I would also sort out the public transportation of the cities before I go so I can save some taxi fares.

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

It’s always good to have your journey planned, but sometimes when things don’t go our way it’s alright – don’t be too stressed about it and go with the flow!

Thank you Lim Ming Kern – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!

Quitting a job to Travel the World with Jake Walton – BJJ Globetrotters

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

Jake Walton BJJ

Age: 21

Belt: Blue

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

How many years in BJJ: 2 and a half

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

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

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

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

Jake Walton BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

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

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

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

Jake Walton – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?

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

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

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

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

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

Jake Walton BJJ

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

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

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

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

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

Featured Camp Instructor: Charles Harriott – BJJ Globetrotters

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Charles Harriott BJJ

Charles Harriott – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 34
Belt: 1st degree blackbelt
Profession: Jiu Jitsu Instructor
Started training (year): 2006
City/country: Gainesville, Florida, USA

Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

BJJ Fanatics Instructor

Visited 98 gyms in 18 countries in 2018 (Globetrotter of the Year 2018)

Lived as a nomadic instructor from 2018 to 2020 

Sometimes compete sometimes win

 

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

Heidelberg 2018 and 2019

Estonia Camp 2019

Iceland Camp 2019

Maine Camp 2019

Arizona Camp 2019

Winter Camp 2019 and 2020

Charles Harriott – BJJ Globetrotters

 

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

Winter Camp 2019

 

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

Getting to compete in glima in Iceland against a giant local then having a beer with him after

Learning to poledance at Winter Camp

Maine Camp Talent Show / Stand Up Comedy

Storytime at Arizona Camp

 

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

Choke theory because it makes jiu jitsu feel like magic and the art of inversion because it helps people realize they can do things they thought were impossible

 

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

I love to dance and teach breakdancing

I love rolling and answering questions so please ask me to roll and ask me your jiu jitsu questions.

***

Charles Harriott – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

 

Featured affiliated academy: Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand

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

Whaingaroa BJJ - New Zealand

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

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

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

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

When did the gym open: Feb 2017

Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand

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

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

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

Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand

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

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

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

Whaingaroa BJJ – New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

Featured Travellers: Marcus and Alessia – BJJ Globetrotters

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“Don’t be afraid to put everything else on hold for a bit and do something you’ll love. It’s easier and less scary than you think.”
Marcus Tan

Marcus and Alessia BJJ

Marcus and Alessia – BJJ Globetrotters

Age:
29 and 32

Belt:
Brown belt and blue belt

Profession: We both have been working in Marketing/Social Media, but are both hoping to make a change in our careers soon (e.g. Alessia has recently received her 500hrs Yoga Teacher certification and is hoping to pursue that).

How many years in BJJ:
Marcus 8 years, Alessia 2 years

Other martial arts:
M: Some kickboxing a long time ago.
A: No previous experience. I was always more into dancing and yoga and would have never thought that I would fall in love with a martial art.

Where do you live: Most recently London, now we are on the road kind of permanently and we aren’t sure where we will settle down yet.

Where are you originally from:
Australia and Italy

Other fun or curious information you would like to share:
Marcus: It’s not my first time travelling the world with a gi. I previously cycled 4,000km across Europe from Sweden to Romania carrying my gear on my bike, got badly injured in Hungary while training, and then after travelled across Asia training BJJ.
Alessia: I was the lead singer of a band during my time living in Beijing, I can speak 5 languages including Mandarin and I am a Yoga teacher and love dancing salsa

Marcus and Alessia – BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

To be honest we were simply a bit fed up with the grind and the weather in London and wanted a change. Training with the guys at Roger Gracie Farringdon was one of the things we loved the most about London, so we decided to hit the road and keep training as much as possible, visit the motherland of BJJ and meet some of our grappling heroes on the way.

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

We’ve been to NYC, San Diego, LA, San Francisco, Colombia, Peru and Brazil so far, training everywhere we can find a gym, or sometimes some impromptu rolling just the two of us if we can’t. We’ve been trying to balance training hard with taking time to explore the country we’re in and experience the culture, which can be a bit difficult/tiring to manage at times.

We are currently in beautiful Rio and planning on staying in Brazil till the end of November when our visas run out. Next year we would love to go to Japan, Bali and the Phillipines to train and chill if we still have money left!

What are the things you enjoy about travelling?

Just waking up and thinking ‘I could be at a desk right now’ and feeling immense relief. We’re able to train as much as we want, because even if we are tired, we don’t have to go to work the next day!
Also we love just having the time and freedom to do what to we want, without a set routine, enjoying the little things like being outside sipping coffee in the sun and not worrying about a million little things other than what time is training.

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

Training at Atos HQ in San Diego and at Renzo Gracie’s in NYC were definitely two of the highlights of our trip. To be able to train alongside BJJ legends and to experience some of the passion and commitment they put into their students was really inspirational and we can’t wait to go back someday. High altitude training in Peru was also an interesting experience – just walking up the stairs can kick your ass, so it adds a new element of challenge to training but vastly improved our cardio.

Marcus and Alessia – BJJ Globetrotters

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

Safety in South America (especially Colombia and Brazil) was a really pleasant surprise, after all the overcautious warnings we heard from family and friends before leaving on the trip. Also, we knew the BJJ community is very friendly worldwide but people turned out to be even nicer than we had expected – we’ve met some incredible people at almost every gym we’ve visited, who had gone out of their way for us on several occasions.

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

We are definitely travelling on budget! First advice, if you’re headed to South America, many things are cheaper at home than buying locally – contact lenses, supplements (protein and pre-workout etc), but most other things you can pick up on the way.
Secondly, get a travel credit/debit card cause you really don’t want to be charged every time you take money out. Before leaving the UK we got the Barclaycard platinum travel card which has no fees on foreign transaction or withdrawals (for now). Lastly, if you’re staying in one place for a while, get an Airbnb with a kitchen and most importantly a washing machine – it’s often cheaper than hostel dorms or hotels and you can save more money cooking simple meals at home rather than eating out all the time and save yourself a ton of hassle with your daily gi washing!

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

Pack light and get used to wearing the same things over and over! If you’re lugging around a gi or two plus rash guards and all the rest, you’re not going to have much space for ‘normal clothes’. Besides that, the most important thing is just to go – don’t be afraid to put everything else on hold for a bit and do something you’ll love. It’s easier and less scary than you think.

Thank you to Marcus and Alessia – BJJ Globetrotters for doing this interview!

Travelling, Teaching and Training with Jeremy Loflin – BJJ Globetrotters

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

Jeremy Loflin BJJ

Name: Jeremy Loflin

Age: 44

Belt: Black under Paul Thomas Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jeremy Loflin BJJ Globetrotters

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

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

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

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

Jeremy Loflin BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

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

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

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

Jeremy Loflin BJJ Globetrotters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Featured Traveller: Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters

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

Silas Proton BJJ

Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 30

Belt: White

Profession: Restorer for stone (architecture & sculptures)

How many years in BJJ: 3.5

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

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

Where are you originally from: Berlin, Germany

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

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

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

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

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

Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

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

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

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

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

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

Silas Proton – BJJ Globetrotters

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

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

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

Go to remote areas. They are the best!

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

Featured Camp Instructor: Alexander Neufang – BJJ Globetrotters

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Alexander Neufang BJJ

Alexander Neufang – BJJ Globetrotters

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

Alexander Neufang BJJ

Main achievements in BJJ:

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

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

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

 

Alexander Neufang BJJ

 

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

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

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

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

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

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

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

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

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

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

Anyone is welcome to visit me and train together.

***

Alexander Neufang – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

 

Featured affiliated academy: C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

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

C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

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

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

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

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

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

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

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

When did the gym open and who founded it?

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

C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

Quick facts about the owner of the gym...

Name: Juan José Abad

Age: 39

Belt: Blue belt

Profession: Engineer

How many years in BJJ: 3 years

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

Where do you live: Seville

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

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

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

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

C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

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

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

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

What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym?

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

C.D. Crossfight, Spain BJJ

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

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

What’s the best thing about your gym?

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

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

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

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

Featured Traveller: Tango DiNero – BJJ Globetrotters

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

Tango DiNero BJJ

Age: I am 27 years old. Since 2004!

Belt: Purple

Profession: Police Officer in Frankfurt, Germany

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

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

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

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

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

Tango DiNero BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

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

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

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

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

Tango DiNero BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

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

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

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

Tango DiNero BJJ

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Featured affiliated academy: Victus MMA, Norway BJJ

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

Victus MMA, Norway BJJ
Let’s start out with some facts about your gym:

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

Where is the gym located?

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

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

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

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

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

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

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

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

Victus MMA, Norway BJJ

Some facts about you:

Name: Nick R. Kleppe

Age: 28

Belt: Purple

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

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

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

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

Where are you originally from: Flisa, Norway

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

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

Why do they train?

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

Victus MMA, Norway BJJ

What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym?

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

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

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

Victus MMA, Norway BJJ

What’s the best thing about your gym?

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

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

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

Any other comments you would like to add?

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

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

Join the other BJJ Globetrotters members on Beltchecker.com!

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

Featured Traveller: Florian Dedio – BJJ Globetrotters

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Florian Dedio BJJ

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

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

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

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

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

Where do you live: Leipzig, Germany

Where are you originally from: Rostock, Germany

Florian Dedio BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?

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

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

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

Florian Dedio BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

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

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

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

Florian Dedio BJJ

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Featured Camp Instructor: Oliver Geddes – BJJ Globetrotters

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Oliver Geddes - BJJ Globetrotters

Oliver Geddes – BJJ Globetrotters

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


Main achievements in BJJ:

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

Oliver Geddes BJJ

 

Which BJJ Globetrotters camps have you attended?

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

Which camp has been your favorite so far?

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

Favorite stories/moments from the camps?

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

Oliver Geddes – BJJ Referee

Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?

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

Anything else you want to add to your profile? 

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

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Oliver Geddes – BJJ Globetrotters instructor

 

Featured affiliated academy: Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

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Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

Where is the gym located?

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

How many people train there?

Around 30 members.

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

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

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

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

When did the gym open?

September 2017

Who founded it?

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

Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

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

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

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

Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

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

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

Why do they train?

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

What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym?

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

Agoge, Vietnam BJJ

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

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

What’s the best thing about your gym?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Featured Traveller: Maciej Grzelak – BJJ Globetrotters

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Maciej Grzelak BJJ

Maciej Grzelak – BJJ Globetrotters

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

Age: 26 years old

Belt: Purple

Profession: Final year Med school student

How many years in BJJ: 4

Other martial arts: Dangerous black belt sushi sticks user

Where do you live: Bydgoszcz, Poland

Where are you originally from: Warsaw, Poland

Maciej Grzela BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train

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

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

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

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

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

Maciej Grzelak BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Featured affiliated academy: Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

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Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

Where is the gym located?

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

How many people train there?

Around 30 members.

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

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

What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?

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

When did the gym open?

September 2016 in Ballycastle, January 2017 in Ballymoney.

Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

 

Some facts about you:

Name: David O’Neill

Age: 27

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

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

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

Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

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

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

Why do they train?

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

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

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

Kyoujin Ballymoney, Northern Ireland BJJ

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

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

What’s the best thing about your gym?

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

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

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

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

Changes to Covid-19 testing requirement for participation in BJJ Globetrotters camps

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

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

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

As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected].

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