* From August 4th – 9th, 2025 *
"My time at the Heidelberg camp was hands down one of the best experiences I’ve had in the last ten years. The atmosphere was an amazing blend of learning, training, exploring, and making new friends! Everyone, no matter what region or country they were from, was on the same vibe! We all experienced world class BJJ instruction, really intuitive and well planned ‘off the mats’ classes, as well as a great social environment! If you’re thinking of doing, STOP thinking, and start planning! You won’t regret it!"
- Michael, United States
HEIDELBERG
Located in a strikingly beautiful river valley, Heidelberg has long been renowned as one of the most charming and picturesque cities in all of Germany. As you walk along its cobbled streets and through its centuries of history, you might find yourself in the shadow of a towering medieval castle one moment, and at the door of one of the oldest universities in the world the next. As befits such a big student town, Heidelberg has a great nightlife, with plenty of options for rehydrating with freshly brewed German beer (and cocktails!) after a hard day on the mats.
"The friendships I have made at Globetrotters camps has gone from people I would smile to on the mats, to facebook friends, to someone I can call or message with questions, to friends that drive 4 hours out of the way to see us, or create a vacation to visit us. I don’t know where I’d be in my Jiu Jitsu journey without the Globetrotters…but I can imagine I wouldn’t be as good or having so much fun."
- Missy, United States
FACILITIES
The Olympiastützpunkt is a dedicated training and sports science facility used by the German national and Olympic teams in such disciplines as boxing, rugby, and weightlifting. For the week of the camp, we have the entire sports hall to ourselves, giving us a huge mat space on which to roll, learn, and unwind with friendly people from all around the world.
"Being my first camp I didn’t really know what to expect, but the only way I can tell it best is to say that this past week was one of the best experiences I’ve ever been fortunate to have. Meeting and making friends with people from all over the world who are not only good people in general, but also happen to share my passion for jiu jitsu was/is truly empowering on many levels."
- Adio, Canada
BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU TRAINING
We’ll be running classes (both gi and no-gi) every day from morning to evening, all taught by a variety of highly experienced instructors who bring their own perspective on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, sometimes incorporating concepts from other grappling arts such as wrestling, Judo, and Luta Livre. We’ll also schedule frequent open mat sessions at which you can roll, drill technique, or just chat with the instructors and pick their brains. There’ll be more training than you can possibly handle over the course of the week, so make sure to bring your notepad!
All of our camps are renowned for their open and welcoming atmosphere. They’re full of enthusiastic, friendly people from all around the world, who enjoy training in a fun, relaxed, and open-minded environment. So regardless of whether you’re there with a group or traveling solo, you’ll always find someone to slap hands with :)
"I’ve done a bunch of these camps, large and small, and honestly I won’t take any other kind of vacations anymore. Christian has an exceptional talent for creating an amazing atmosphere; it’s way more than just the Jiu Jitsu – the camps become this instantly tight-knit community of practitioners and you end up finding a ton of other like-minded people right away, on and off the mats. You want to train hard? No problem. You want to take it easy one day and then go out and sample the local beers? Easy."
- Sean, United States
ACCOMMODATION
When you’re buying your camp ticket, you have the option of including accommodation in one of the 30 rooms located directly in the sports hall. Each room has two single beds, and features a private bathroom, shower, TV, and wi-fi. These cost €299 per person for the seven nights, Sunday through Sunday.
If you want, you can of course just buy the basic camp ticket and stay elsewhere in the city. The closest option is the nearby youth hostel, about a 10-minute walk from the camp venue, and there’s a wide selection of hotels and Air BnBs spread across the Old Town.
Heidelberg is a popular tourist destination all year round, and especially in August when half of Europe goes travelling. So we really recommend that you book your accommodation as early as possible.
"In these camps nobody cares what belt are you, everybody is treated equally and it makes you feel like you’ve known these people your entire life! ... These two camps were the best investments of my life, can’t wait for the next year!"
- Katya, Ukraine
PHOTO BOOTH
Once again, we’re offering a free photo booth run by a professional portrait photographer during the camp. Grab your finest gi, favourite accessories, and nearest liftable friend, and get that Facebook profile picture you’ve always wanted!
MORNING YOGA
Regardless of the color of the belt around your waist, six days of 8+ hours on the mats is tough on the body! And that’s not even counting the hours spent sampling Heidelberg’s historic array of beers afterwards. In order to keep us as limber and loose right until the end, we’re bringing back our instructor to run morning yoga sessions every day of the camp.
"I've been to a lot of these camps by now and the atmosphere, enthusiasm and general energy is second to none."
- Oliver, United Kingdom
DAY ONE PUBCRAWL
What started off as a really bad, great idea, has become a stable at our mega-camps: For those who want to kickstart the social (and sightseeing-) aspect of the week, we are organizing a pub crawl, visiting a handful of local bars, sampling the classic, German beers, in between having a nice walk through the old streets of town. We are usually more than 100 campers attending this beautiful evening walk and it’s a great way to start things off. You’re also most welcome to participate without drinking! Bars close at 1 AM on Mondays, so there is still time to get some sleep before training begins Tuesday :)
"Just had my very first BJJ Globetrotters training camp, and I loved it. Besides the many technical lessons, new concepts and inspiring stories, it also gave me some insight into where I am as a blue belt. The many sparring sessions with different people all playing their own styles showed me whether my game plan works or if it needs some changes. To me, this was the most valuable part of the camp. Being able to spar with that many people over the course of a week really gives you the reflection you need for your game plan. So to everyone I rolled with – thanks for helping me make my game better. I recommend that anyone – casual hobbyists or competitive fighters – join a camp like this, be it for either the several hours of sparring a day or for the new techniques you will learn."
- Jelle, The Netherlands
ONLINE VIDEO LIBRARY OF CAMP CLASSES
We’ll be professionally filming many of the classes and then hosting them online at our video library: BJJ Globetrotters in Action. They’ll be entirely free to access (as will the videos from all our other camps), so if you want to refresh your memory you can go back and check out the technique as many times as you want.
"I didn’t know anybody when I arrived, but felt immediately at home."
- Stefan, Germany
OUR CAMP APP
All camp participants will have access to our custom-built BJJ Globetrotters camp app. It serves as the central hub for communication and organization before, during, and after each camp.
- Chat with fellow campers and staff
- Browse the camp schedule, save your favorite sessions, and stay updated
- Coordinate rides and plan your travel with ease
- Introduce yourself and get to know other participants
- Access support and contact info for the camp staff
- Browse the FAQ for quick answers
- Plan meetups, share photos, and keep track of your training statistics
- Sign up for camp activities, events, and dinners
Built specifically for BJJ Globetrotters camps, the app is your go-to tool for staying informed and making the most of your camp experience.
We created this app so you don’t have to rely on big social media platforms during camp. Focus more on the camp experience and less on cat videos!
All camp participants will have access to our custom-built BJJ Globetrotters camp app. It serves as the central hub for communication and organization before, during, and after each camp.
- Chat with fellow campers and staff
- Browse the camp schedule, save your favorite sessions, and stay updated
- Coordinate rides and plan your travel with ease
- Introduce yourself and get to know other participants
- Access support and contact info for the camp staff
- Browse the FAQ for quick answers
- Plan meetups, share photos, and keep track of your training statistics
- Sign up for camp activities, events, and dinners
Built specifically for BJJ Globetrotters camps, the app is your go-to tool for staying informed and making the most of your camp experience.
We created this app so you don’t have to rely on big social media platforms during camp. Focus more on the camp experience and less on cat videos!
WORKSHOPS
Off the mats, we’ll be holding a series of workshops taught by a selection of instructors and highly knowledgeable camp attendees. These will all take place in the camp venue. Generally they focus on Jiu Jitsu and sport-related topics, but we’ve also had presentations on things like improving your photography, making stuff happen, standup comedy and historic grappling arts – basically anything cool that we think might be interesting! You’ll just have to wait for the schedule and see what we’ve got lined up.
"I booked my first Globetrotters camp as a solo traveller. I knew I wouldn’t know anyone there, which was a bit daunting. But when I met everyone, no one felt like a stranger – it was like we were all old friends. I still listen to the music we rolled to, and have applied the moves to my game. I am still friends with the people I met, and those relationships somehow grow despite the geographical distance. I’ve become part of a network of awesome people, and booking that trip was one of the best decision I ever made."
- Gemma, United Kingdom
FREE BEER OPEN MAT
As always, on Saturday afternoon we’re going to finish off the week of training with a giant end-of-camp Open Mat. What makes this one unique though is that we’ll have our own personal nightlife entertainment and catering experts, the BJJ Globetrotters Bar Team, providing free beer throughout the entire thing. And live music to keep the vibes flowing. Rest assured, you’ve never rolled like this before!
"When I booked my ticket to what would be my first BJJ Globetrotters camp, I was quite nervous for different reasons, but my friend convinced me and I am so grateful that I went, because WOW. I knew that I was about to learn some new and awesome techniques, but I did not expect it to give me the best weekend I’ve ever had."
- Louise, Sweden
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Heidelberg is surrounded by nature and history of all kinds. If you ever need a break from training, you can wander up through the woods to an old Roman-style ampitheatre, hop on a boat cruise along the Neckar river, or just spend an afternoon people-watching over a coffee in one of the plazas in the Old Town.
We’ll be organizing a pub crawl some evening too, so you’ll have the chance to decide whether Pils, Hefeweizen, Kellerbier, or Warmer Erpel is your thing. (Disclaimer: Science has not yet determined what effect more than two Warmer Erpels will have on the average human body).
"One of the most important things about any camp is that you get to spend time with a truly broad spectrum of people from all walks of life, which can only enrich you as a person."
- Giles, Scotland
Book your tickeet before May 1st and get a special Heidelberg Camp edition of either our light weight travel gi or pearl weave competition gi for just €120. You can pick any color of the gi (blue, white, black, brown, pink or gray) and it will have a special design just for this camp.
Pre-order with your camp registration and you can pick it up at the camp and pay in cash there. Binding, gentleman’s agreement :)
BJJ Globetrotters Travel gi retro
* Special Heidelberg Camp design *
* Available in blue, white, black, brown, pink and gray *
* Super light ripstop jacket and pants *
* From just 1.1 kg *
* Perfect to bring for traveling *
* Regular price €149 + import taxes *
* Special camp pre-order price €120 *
BJJ Globetrotters Competition Gi retro
* Special Heidelberg Camp design *
* Available in blue, white, black and gray *
* High quality, 100% cotton 550GSM pearl weave jacket *
* 10 oz canvas pants *
* IBJJF competition legal *
* Regular price €179 + import taxes *
* Special camp pre-order price €120 *
Book your spot before May 1st and get a special Heidelberg Camp edition rashguard for just €45. If you pre-order, it will be ready to pay and pick up at camp upon arrival.
CONFIRMED INSTRUCTORS
- From Arizona, United States
- 3x Submission Underground winner
- EBI Combat World's vet
- Bullpen Series Quintet champion
- Very eager to show you his backflip
- From California, United States
- BJJ black belt
- 25+ years of Jiu Jitsu
- Won some competitions at some point
- Tap him = he'll destroy you in Dungeons & Dragons
- From Saint Barthélemy, F.W.I.
- Author of The BJJ Globetrotter
- 2nd place IBJJF Europeans brown belt
- IBJJF London Open black belt champion
- Multiple x IBJJF default bronze medalist
- From Paderborn, Germany
- BJJ & Luta Livre black belt
- Gold Grappling Industries Amsterdam Absolute
- Gold ADCC German Open
- Grand Master in the Gentle Art of Panicking
- From Florida, United States
- BJJ black belt
- Won some stuff, drank a lot of beer
- Golden Croissant Surf Champ 2023
- Once armbarred a moose in Alaska
- From Heemskerk, Netherlands
- BJJ & Judo black belt
- Head coach of Bushido BJJ
- Former Dutch champion
- Actually enjoys Minttu shots
- From Imatra, Finland
- BJJ black belt
- Bachelor of Sports and Exercise Medicine
- Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200)
- Has never, ever tapped to a banana split
- From Dublin, Ireland
- Judo & BJJ black belt
- Former Irish Judo Champion
- IBJJF World, European & Asian medalist
- Will footsweep you using beer only
- From Ontario, Canada
- BJJ black belt
- 6 times European no champion
- 30+ years of Jiu Jitsu
- Has a meme for every question in class
- From Glasgow, Scotland
- BJJ black belt
- Coach at Ronin Grappling
- Did almost 10 years of Globetrotters camps
- Actually understands what Giles says
"I had a blast at the USA camp! I didn’t want the camp to end! This is hands-down one of the most memorable experiences in my BJJ career. "
- Jay, United States
INSTRUCTORS’ CODE OF CONDUCT
- Respect and treat everyone at the camp equally, regardless of gender, sexuality, age, belt level, and skill; on and off the mats.
- Behave respectfully and with the integrity to be expected of an instructor, role model, and representative of BJJ Globetrotters; on and off the mats.
- Be a team player and support their fellow instructors.
- Treat neither rolling nor teaching as a competition.
"Heidelberg Camp truly tested the limits of how much awesomeness can be packed into a single week! I am just completely overwhelmed by the amount of fun I had catching up with friends and making new ones, learning some awesome BJJ, rolling at open mats, jumping around in mosh pits, pub crawling, visiting a castle, eating kabobs, getting flamingo tattoos, flexing it up at the bodybuilding competition and dancing my ass off at the best party ever!"
- Danielle, United States
SCHEDULE & GUIDEBOOK
* Camp starts Monday around noon *
* Daily training and open mat sessions from around 9 am to 9 pm *
* Last training will be a long open mat session on Saturday until around 4 pm *
* We are trying to make an equal amount of gi and no-gi classes *
* You can arrive/leave early or late as you like *
"the Globetrotters team have mastered the balance of offering both superior training and an enjoyable, relaxing vacation in one package. The instructors were all highly skilled, not only in the practice of Jiu Jitsu but also the capacity to teach it."
- Noah, United States
BOOK YOUR SPOT
Six days unlimited training camp
20+ black belt instructors
35+ gi and nogi classes
25+ hours of open mats
10+ hours of workshops and lectures
Yoga sessions every morning
Optional evening dinners, pub crawl and parties
€299
Accommodation in sports hall twin rooms (Sunday to Sunday) with bathroom, shower & wifi +€299
AVAILABILITY: MEDIUM (Less than 75 tickets left)
ACCOMMODATION: LOW (Less than 5 tickets left)
ANY QUESTIONS?
Christian Graugart
Vara Poorisrisak
Hi there, we are Christian and Vara!
We run the BJJ Globetrotters camps behind the scenes and are always happy to answer any questions you might have. Click below to get directly in touch with us any time!
"The week was full of positive vibes from amazing people. Everybody was so generous in sharing their time, experiences, and knowledge, that it began to feel real comfortable, real quick. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will morph into a lifetime of opportunities. "
- Jeff, United States
ALL UPCOMING CAMPS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR HEIDELBERG CAMP
What is the location of the camp?
The camp will be held at the Olympiastützpunkt, Im Neuenheimer Feld 710, 69120 Heidelberg.
How do I get there?
The main airport nearby is Frankfurt am Main (FRA) – roughly an hour from Heidelberg. This is a major international hub, so you’ll most likely be able to get flights there from basically anywhere in the world. From there, you can just hop on a train, bus, or shuttle that’ll bring you right down to Heidelberg.
If you live in Europe, you could possibly also fly with a low-cost airline (like Ryanair or Wizzair) to either Frankfurt Hahn (HHN) or Karlsruhe-Baden (FKB) airports. A bus service runs from both of them to Heidelberg.
My friend and I are all staying in the onsite accommodation. Can you make sure we stay in the same room?
Yep, no problem at all. Just shoot us an email with your names after you’ve registered, and we’ll do our best to sort it out.
What else can I spend my time on, besides training?
Heidelberg has everything from stunning medieval castles to picturesque riverside walking trails to bustling pubs full of only the finest German beer (and cocktails!). You’ll have absolutely no problems passing time off the mats.;-)
You have to be at least 18 years old in order to attend the camp. The only exception is our family friendly camp in Austria, where kids can participate together with at least one adult. Our minimum age required to participate in the camp without an adult is 18 years and unfortunately we can not make any exceptions. If we allowed one, we would have to allow all and then we could end up having hundreds of teenagers at the camps every year.
I'm not sure if I'm free on those dates yet and/or can't afford to buy a ticket right now. Can I reserve a spot at the camp and pay later once I've made my decision/ saved enough money?
Sorry, but we can't bookmark spots for people in advance. It would make it far too difficult to accurately determine how many spots are still available, and would cause additional confusion if people then cancel their reserved spots on short notice. To make it fair for everyone, we only secure camp spots for people who have bought a ticket.
I'll be nearby during the dates of the camp. Can I drop in for just one day / one class / one open mat?
Unfortunately, this isn't possible. The logistics of trying to keep track of day tickets for these camps would be a nightmare. Not to mention that if we allow one person to drop by, we have to allow everyone to drop by, and then we'd risk not having enough mat space for the people who actually paid for the full camp. Also, we often have a long waiting list for camp tickets, and it wouldn't be fair to those people if we let someone skip the list and come for a day. Same deal for everyone!:-)
Can I bring my kids to sit around/on the mats during the camp?
In order to create a quiet and focused training environment for the camp classes, we ask you to not bring your kids to the training area during camp. It would not be much of an issue with one or two, but if we allow one, we have to allow all and then we could risk suddenly having way too many babies and children there. Thank you for your understanding of this.
What are the terms and conditions of the booking?
Here you go.
Is it safe?
Yes :)
How many gis should I bring?
It depends on how much you want to train and if you also train nogi. We recommend two gis, that's enough for most people. Some people switch their days between gi and no-gi, and can do with a single gi.
Will I be allowed to film during the camp?
Yes, but always check with the instructor beforehand.
I only train with/without the gi, will there be enough training for me?
Yes! We promise there'll be more classes than you can possibly handle.
Where do the participants come from?
Our camps are usually attended by happy people from all over the world.
What language will the classes be taught in?
All classes are in English.
How can I coordinate rideshares with other campers to/from camp?
In our camp app there is a rideshare feature where you can post if you look for a ride, passengers or just someone to share a taxi or train with.
Is it possible to buy private lessons at camp?
We don't allow selling of any kind of services or products at the camp, including private lessons, massages, therapy, treatment, merchandise etc. This applies to both instructors and participants. So the answer is yes, but it has to be free :)
Is this just a BJJ camp?
Yes.
Will I receive a ticket in the mail?
There are no physical tickets for the camps. Your name is on our list when you arrive and check in.
When will there be training?
Training is running all day, every day!
I'm a complete beginner, can I still join?
Yes!! We have many hundreds beginners participate in our camps, every year.
I have booked a spot but have to cancel. Can I get a refund?
All bookings are non-refundable. You are most welcome to sell your spot to someone else, just let us know about it. In case the camp is sold out, we might have a waiting list you can obtain by emailing us. Click here for more information
Where do the participants come from?
All over the world.
What other camps are you hosting?
See our full schedule of camps here!
Is it possible to test for belt promotion?
The Council of Traveling Black Belts can offer a brutally honest evaluations of skill level at our camps – no belt promotion guaranteed, naturally. If you’re interested in the opinion of the instructors at a camp, shoot us an email with a description of your training career as well as link to a verified profile on www.beltchecker.com and we’ll catch you on the mats for a few rolls and some feedback. We do not consider anyone for promotion who already have an instructor or are in between gyms.
ANYTHING ELSE?
Feel free to email us if you have any questions!! We will get back to you right away :)