Featured affiliated academy: MPOWER Jiu-Jitsu, 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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