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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // August 2019 | | Dear Globetrotters,
It's been nine days since we wrapped up the 50th Camp anniversary party at the Summer Camp in Heidelberg, Germany but my head is still slightly buzzing. This was was definitely the most hectic and intense camp of the entire year. We had a live band at the final open mat and we spent half the week building a cake for someone to jump out of during the biggest party we've hosted since the very early camps back in 2012 and 2013. It was the most fun I've had in a long time but I'm also glad we came out well on the other side and there's now two whole months of rest before we go again.
At the end of this crazy summer of seven camps in 3 months, I'd like to thank everyone who has been helping out, teaching, participating or just dropping by. There are more memories in this one summer than I would have had in a decade if it wasn't for these camps.
I'm gonna spend a few months now on catching up on a lot of ideas and projects behind the scenes, as well as start working on confirming some of the 2020 camps I have on my list. Hope to see some of you there!
Have a fantastic day, | | | |
What you'll find in this month's newsletter:
- Photos from Iceland Camp
- Featured Traveller: Cristiana Theodoli
- Photos from Summer Camp Heidelberg
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Kambiz Warriors Gym
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| | | More than 100 participants already signed up |
| | Once again we’re plunging headfirst into the heart of the forest for our annual USA Camp. For five whole days, an enthusiastic community of Globetrotters will settle into the quaint cabins and fully equipped sports hall of Camp Manitou, fuelled by the crisp woodland air and the finest lobster that Maine has to offer! Each morning we’ll hit the mats as the sun rises over the lake and keep going until the embers of our own private bonfire settle down for the night.
We take care of absolutely everything – food, accommodation, laundry, and Jiu Jitsu. All you need to do is show up, get in your gi or shorts, and get ready for the experience of a lifetime.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Featured Traveller: Cristiana Theodoli |
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Age: 33 Belt: Blue
Profession: I'm a nurse. I work in an Emergency Department in Glasgow which covers the city centre, and the east and north of the city. It's physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging, but I love it.
How many years in BJJ: I've been training Jiu Jitsu for about 7 years now. The first couple of years I used to train 5 or 6 times a week, but in the last few years I unfortunately only manage maybe once or twice.
Other martial arts: I first started training at an MMA gym, so I did a little boxing, a little Muay Thai, and a little wrestling. Those days are long gone though!
Where do you live: I live in Glasgow, Scotland.
Where are you originally from: I'm Italian, but I grew up in Lugano, Switzerland. I became Swiss as well when I was 17, but I've been Italian my whole life. Culturally, I'm probably more Swiss than Italian, and some days I feel more Italian, some days more Swiss. It's complicated.
Any other fun or curious information you'd like to share: Before being a nurse, I studied and qualified as a journalist. For a year, I worked as a crime reporter and spent my time either sitting in a courtroom or staking out criminals.
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| | | Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? I've always loved traveling, and when I started training I brought my gi along with me to Rome while visiting my grandmother. There I had a great experience as a raw white belt going along and being welcomed by the team. That first experience made me want to read Christian's book, "The BJJ Globetrotter". It was 2013, and around the time my partner Giles and I started seeing each other, so when booking our first holiday as a couple I thought, "Why not a training holiday in Copenhagen?". I messaged Christian and we went to train at CSA for a week. Christian then adopted us - as he does with all the weird and wonderful characters he comes across - and the rest is history!
Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
In the past couple of years, most of my travels - others than going home - have been camp related. Going to BJJ Globetrotters camps has allowed me to visit cities I'd never been to before, like Reykjavik, Warsaw, Porto, and Heidelberg, and live through jaw-dropping experiences like rolling on a terrace in a 15th-century abbey, or watching the sunset from a beautiful, state-of-the-art dojo at the top of a replica Japanese village in the Polish countryside.
The thing about camps is, they're addictive. You meet amazing people and share an amazing experience with them, so you then look forward to replicating this experience over and over again. As I'm writing this, I'm on a flight to Germany heading to this year's Summer Camp. There I'll catch up with 60 friends from around the world and meet some more out of the 300 participants. You don't get this sort of connection and big party atmosphere anywhere else!
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| | What are the things you enjoy about traveling? I love trying new foods, seeing new places, and learning about different cultures. Every time I visit a new place, I'm in awe at how varied and beautiful our world is, and yet how similar we all are when it comes down to it.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
The best thing is really the connections we make, as well as knowing that wherever I go I will always find a welcoming family. We've also had loads of people come to stay with us in Glasgow - both people we knew from previous travels and people we'd never met before, so as well as being able to visit amazing places around the world, I'm also getting a little snapshot of other people's travels when they stay with us. Like a ray of sunshine cutting through Glasgow's dreich weather.
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| | What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
I think the most surprising thing is actually how easy it is for the Globetrotters community to go along with random ideas or spontaneous plans. After the recent camp in Portugal, three of us went and spent a few amazing days on the Azores islands - a trip born out of a simple question crossing oceans via messenger: "Does anyone fancy doing something for a few days after the camp?". This is a small example, but the list of unusual and amazing experiences is long. Over the past few years, I've rolled on a mini football pitch in Italy as well as in a 15th-century Italian church. I helped organise a wedding in Germany, attended late night salsa lessons in Poland, and took part in a medieval murder mystery in a Portuguese castle. The memories I have of the time spent at camps are made all the better by just how game the community is.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I'm a comfortable traveler. I don't really drink or go out shopping or partying, so my outgoings while on holiday are really just food and postcards, with the odd museum or monument tour thrown in. I travel light and only ever bring hand luggage, saving on flights cost and time spent in airports, but I do tend to book Airbnbs or private rooms, as I'm an introvert and like to make sure I have some peace and quiet in between all the madness (and a washing machine!).
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
My best advice is: always be up for trying new things, and don't take life too seriously. The BJJ community is great, and there are some really interesting, welcoming, and funny people sharing our passion, so go out there and meet them.
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| | | New 2019 competition & travel gis now available! |
| | | | | Photos from Summer Camp Heidelberg |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Year six and still going strong! We’re kicking 2020 off in proper style, as we head back up to the towering white heights of the Austrian alps for our annual Winter Camp. Four days of skiing, snowboarding, and Jiu Jitsu, nights full of beer, schnitzel, and impromptu pole-dance lessons, and a hotel full of fellow Globetrotters to share it all with.
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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Kambiz Warriors Gym |
| | Where is the gym located?
The gym is downtown Kuala Lumpur behind Ampang Point Mall, on the 4th floor above the TIME ZONE shop. We're about 10 mins away (via bus or taxi) from Malaysia’s iconic landmark KLCC twin towers, and the nearest train lines are Ampang Park (Putra LRT train line) and Ampang (Star LRT train line).
How many people train there?
Around 60-70. That’s Muay Thai and BJJ.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Growing gradually. We’re a gym that is more focused on producing local talent rather than making money.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
White is the lowest and purple is the highest.
When did the gym open?
The gym opened in 2002, but the BJJ programme started in 2014. |
| | Some facts about you:
Name: Seyed Ali Ramezani Bayani, AKA Coach Ali Age: 39 Belt: 1st degree black belt Profession: I'm an English teacher by trade. The teaching of BJJ, which I do two hours a day, five days a week, is purely for the purpose of giving back to an art which has given me so much. Years in BJJ: 18 Other martial arts: I started my martial arts journey at the age of seven. I have a black belt in Kenshen Karate, and full contact Karate. Currently living in: Based in Malaysia for 11 years now. Originally from: Iran, but I was born in Kuwait and I was raised in the UK.
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| Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
The gym was opened up in 2002 by Master Kambiz, and initially it was purely a Muay Thai gym. Master Kambiz himself is a 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo and a true master in Muay Thai, which he practiced and fought in Japan. He has produced multiple champions and even world champions. I joined the gym in 2014 and started the BJJ classes. Since then, Master Kambiz and I have been working in perfect harmony alongside each other. He teaches Muay Thai and I teach BJJ, and together we teach MMA.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Our gym has practitioners from all walks of life. Master Kambiz and I have always been focused on teaching the very essence of martial arts; we’ve never been a commercial gym. Through the years we've produced many Muay Thai and BJJ champions, but our crowning achievement has been the fact that we've produced humble, kind, and generous human beings. That is how we aim to give back. A lot of our members are refugees, and from low income families. I myself have never made money from the BJJ I teach. There was a short documentary that was made on our gym and how we've taken in refugees and given them an opportunity through martial arts.
You can have a look at it here.
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| | Why do they train?
They all have different reasons. Some do it for fun, some to become champions. We try to cater to all needs. The practitioner who does it for self-growth and the one who goes on to become champion are all given the same treatment. I always tell my boys and girls that they do not need to compete to be great martial artists. There is so much to the martial arts, and competition is only one small part of it.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
Well, we have such a mixed background of students studying here, and once they're done with their school course they return to their home country.
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| | How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
Definitely growing. There are a lot of new competitions popping up, and the interest in the art has gone up. When we first started our BJJ classes here, there were only a handful of gyms and competitions, but now there are quite a few of both.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
I would say the environment. We’re not a fancy gym with a lot of facilities, but we do put our heart and soul into our practitioners. We’ve built an environment where all members are respectful and very caring of each other no matter what background of life they come from. Our BJJ class is run in a very unique way. Due to my experience of teaching inside a classroom, I am able to apply some of my teaching knowledge into my instruction of BJJ. Our BJJ class has differentiation, meaning that practitioners are divided into groups based on ability and everyone follows a scaffolded curriculum when it comes to technique. Start our class with solo BJJ drills, then partner drills, and then one throw for the week. We then go on to technique and rolls.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?Malaysia is famously known for its iconic twin towers (KLCC), beautiful beaches, and for its mouth-watering cuisines. Luckily enough, our gym is located only about 10mins away from KLCC (which you can see it from the gym's window) and it's in one of the most multicultural parts of the city. The Ampang Point area is also home to a variety of famous local and international dishes from Malay, Indian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, and Western cuisine. So after a training session the hardest decision to make is what you want to eat.
Thanks for sharing with us! If you'd like to pay a visit to Kambiz Warriors Gym, you can find them here. |
| | | | | Come run away from the cold winter together with us! The tiny island of Saint Barthélemy in the Caribbean used to be a hideout for pirates before Sweden and France invaded. Today it is usually off limit for anyone but Hollywood celebrities and the super rich, anchoring the world’s biggest yachts and staying in ultra expensive luxury hotels.
Working closely with the local St. Barth Jiu Jitsu club, we’ve managed to book a newly built accommodation facility there and will be hosting yet another Brazilian Jiu Jitsu camp on the island! A full week of training, surfing, exploring, beaches and sailing that you don’t wanna miss.
* February 3-9, 2020 in Saint Barthélemy * * Easily reachable from United States and Europe * * Seven days Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training camp * * Six nights central accommodation * * An affordable chance to visit exclusive celebrity island * * Dinner in new local restaurant every evening * * Daily surf lessons and board rental * * Catamaran boat trip * * Fresh bread from local bakery every morning * * Laundry service * * Stay extra nights at affordable rate * * Mini vans and cars available for exploring the island * * Some of the world’s best beaches *
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