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| | | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // December 2025 | | Dear Globetrotters,
Last month, I had the pleasure of going on my annual trip to Arizona for our camp there, which has really become a staple for the region. Including the locals, we are seeing almost 300 people on the mats, all day, every day for a lot of high quality Jiu Jitsu training. Despite the long flight for me, it's always a pleasure to see and roll with everyone there. We already decided to do it again next year and the tickets are available on our website.
Next year is already shaping up to be busy, and here’s the updated ticket status for all upcoming camps: | | | |
What you'll find in this month's newsletter: - Photos from Arizona Camp
- Featured Globetrotters: Kaaren Kytömaa
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: The Sweep Spot
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| | | Together with more than 200 Jiu Jitsu enthusiasts, we’ll will spend a week together in the forest with more training and activities than you can possibly handle. We take care of absolutely everything – food, accommodation, laundry, and Jiu Jitsu. All you need to do is show up and get in your gi or shorts! |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | After 11 years, Winter Camp is retiring. Join us for the last one! |
| | Our Family friendly summer camp in Austria has been incredibly popular, so we decided to do another edition in the Winter! It will be directly followed by our usual adult Winter Camp. Join one or join both!
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| | | | Featured Globetrotter: Kaaren Kytömaa |
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| | Age: 32
Belt: Blue
Profession: Excursion / hotel representative
How many years in BJJ: 5-ish
Other martial arts: Nope
Where do you live: Gran Canaria, Spain
Where are you from: Finland
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: About 10 years ago when I didn’t train yet, I used to complain a lot to my ex about why he had to spend all of his time training and/or hanging with his BJJ friends. Doesn't he have any other friends? The tables have turned. |
| | What inspired you to travel and train? I’ve always loved traveling, and used to travel quite a lot with my dogs to attend dog shows. Then in 2023, a friend of mine went to a camp before me and liked it a lot and I got excited (like I often do) and we decided to gather a group of Finns and went to Beach Camp. Since then, I don’t think I’ve traveled anywhere without training gear. Through BJJ Globetrotters, the world kind of opened even more when I realized how many cool people I can and will meet. Tell us about your most recent trip and what's next – where have you been and where are you going?
For the past two years I’ve been traveling around almost every month. But does moving to another country count as the most recent trip? I packed my bags and moved to Gran Canaria in October. It’s been quite a wild ride so far and a lot has happened, but luckily I’ve also found a new gym that already feels like home. Although they speak only Spanish – luckily I know how to count to three, so I know when to clap.
I honestly don’t know what’s next, which is also very exciting. The only thing I know for sure is that I’ll be at Midsummer Camp in Finland in June.
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| | What do you enjoy most about travelling? Meeting new people and eating! But also the feeling of freedom while not making too many plans. Just going with the flow with an open mind in a big world. It leads to great memories and/or to good stories. And most importantly, to good food.
Any particularly memorable experiences that made it all worth it?
Haha I feel like there are soooo many, I don’t even know which ones to tell. Last year we had an accidental little Camp 100 reunion in London because a few of us happened to be there at the same time. All the lovely people who have opened their doors to me and given me a place to sleep while I’ve been traveling. All the lovely people who have visited me in Finland. I feel like without traveling and training, I would have so much less in my life than I currently have. I also know I will make tons of new (un)memorable experiences.
What has surprised you the most while travelling? How nice people are! Honestly I’m always a bit nervous when going to a new gym, for example, and every single time I come out thinking, why did I waste my energy on being nervous? I enjoy traveling solo, and it has been a bit of a surprise as well how safe it is for a woman to travel alone.
Back in Finland I’m also the most impatient person, and love that everything works efficiently because I don’t like to waste my precious time waiting. As soon as I leave the country, I’m suddenly the chillest person and I have all the time in the world. Mañana mañana! |
| | | Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip? Usually yes, but it depends. I often search for cheap flights or train tickets, but buses I skip. I often try to find someone I know and save with the accommodation costs or stay in hostels, where I also always end up meeting awesome people. If I feel super tired or want a bit of luxury in the middle of budget traveling, I don’t mind spending money on a good hotel either, but I never do it for every night. I prefer to save the money for experiences, or to be able to travel more often. But honestly, I am also the worst planner ever with very little patience, so sometimes I end up paying a lot for procrastinating or making impulsive decisions.
Any advice for your fellow Globetrotters? If you don’t find a travel companion, go alone. In my experience, it's the best thing you can do. Don’t wait for things for too long – make them happen. In the end, it's your own life and you're the one writing the story. If it ends up being the wrong decision, so what? Make the next wrong decision and try for so long that you’ll get it right. Some day you will, or at least hopefully you’ll have fun and make memorable experiences while making the wrong ones. Everybody loves a good story, right?
Also if you’re visiting Gran Canaria, please reach out!
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| | | | Our biggest camp of the year is back next summer! |
| | We’re heading back to Heidelberg for our biggest camp of the year and another incredible week of BJJ training, workshops, diving competitions, morning yoga sessions, midnight cocktail bar crawls, and free beer open mats.
This stunning university town has become a regular on our annual camp calendar and we are excited to see you all there!
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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: The Sweep Spot |
| | Where is the gym located?
We are located on the North side of Lake Tahoe in Tahoe City (California). It’s a pretty awesome location, we are about 50ft away from the lake. In the morning, we can see the sun rising over the water from our gym. Sometimes we’ll finish class and a few of us will just walk down to the lake to cool off. It’s hard to imagine a better setting for Jiu-Jitsu.
How many people train there?
We have about 40 members currently. We’re small by design right now. It gives us a chance to focus on building a solid foundation of students who really care about the art and each other.
Is the gym growing - if so by how many new members each month or year?
Growth here is slow, this place is driven by the seasons. On average we are gaining about 1 member every couple of months or so. It’s a little different from running a city gym, in Tahoe, people come and go with the snow. But it also means the people who stick around are deeply committed, and every new member changes the energy in a meaningful way
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training? We have white belt through black belt. Most of our members are white belts though as we have not been open very long. I enjoy teaching white belts because you can watch their confidence grow week to week. We also get visiting purple and brown belts from all over the world, which keeps things dynamic and gives everyone a taste of different styles.
When did the gym open?
We opened our doors in May of 2024. Opening day was surreal. It felt like planting a flag in one of the most beautiful corners of the world. It’s been a challenge, but one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’ve met a ton of interesting people that I otherwise never would have met.
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| | Some facts about you:
Name: Matt Mills Age: 39 Belt: Black Profession: Jiu Jitsu coach. I was in the United States Marine Corps, and also worked in Executive Protection for 15 years. Years in BJJ: 12 Other martial arts: A little bit of Muay Thai, some Krav Maga, and a lot of Systema. Currently living in: Truckee, California Originally from: The Twin Cities in Minnesota |
| | Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence I originally moved to this area with the intent to open a gym in Truckee and compete with them. When I got here though I found out that the gym had changed owners and they had moved into a new facility. Turns out I knew the new owner, so I went to him and asked him if he would want to compete or if he would want to work together as partners. We decided to try partnership, and opened The Sweep Spot in Tahoe City. It ended up being one of those rare win-win situations. Instead of creating competition, we built community. Tahoe has enough room for everyone who wants to train, and our collaboration has strengthened both gyms
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they? Lake Tahoe is full of interesting people. Just like most gyms, you get people from all walks of life. Tahoe is interesting because people here are very interested in the outdoors, and there are a lot of great athletes here. We have everything from doctors, five-star chefs, and stay-at-home moms. It’s a great blend of people who just want to get after it. There’s a shared toughness among the people here. Whether they’re carving down a mountain, paddling across the lake, or rolling on the mats, Tahoe people love a challenge. That translates really well to Jiu-Jitsu.
Why do they train? It’s funny, I usually find that people change their “why” over the years. Initially I think most people start Jiu jitsu typically as a form of self defense or fitness. But as time goes on, most people end up staying because they have fallen in love with the process of learning. It is one hour out of your day where you can’t think about your bills or that horrible thing your boss said to you. All you have to do is focus, and try not to give up your arm to that purple belt! Jiu jitsu is the easiest way I have found to get into a “flow” or “meditative” state. I usually find the reason people train after a while is just simply because they love to train. I think a lot of my students find that Jiu-Jitsu gives structure to their week. It’s a reset button, something consistent in a place where the seasons and pace of life are always changing. |
| | What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically? The seasonal nature of this area, our biggest competitor, is simply the outdoors. Why train Jiu Jitsu when you can go find world-class skiing? Or hop on a boat and cruise around the lake? We have highs in the summer and winter, and lows in the spring and fall. We get a ton of visitors though, which is a lot of fun for our members. If someone wants to train during their vacation in Lake Tahoe, they’re usually very into Jiu Jitsu.
It forces you to get creative. We run outdoor open mats in the summer, we run Training Labs in the off-season, and we lean on community events to keep people connected year-round.
Our Training Labs are one of the things that make The Sweep Spot unique. They’re intensive, theme-based weekend camps that focus on one area of the game. It could be top pressure, guard passing, or a specific submission. Over the course of a weekend we will have 6 hours of live grappling games. We use a constraints-led approach to coaching, where students learn through problem-solving and live scenarios instead of endless repetition of fixed techniques. The result is faster skill development and better adaptability under pressure.
This method works perfectly for Tahoe’s rhythm. During slower months, we turn the downtime into high-quality training opportunities for locals and visitors who want to dive deep into a concept. It keeps everyone motivated, helps the gym stay active year-round, and gives our students a chance to experience a more modern, research-driven approach to learning Jiu-Jitsu.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
I think it will continue to grow. I don't think this area will ever support huge gyms with hundreds of members. There is demand for it, Jiu jitsu is one of those things that can easily become a big part of your identity or what you enjoy doing for fun. It’s not about numbers for us, it’s about longevity. I’d rather see a small, passionate group training for 10 years than a huge wave of people that come and go. I think Tahoe will develop a tight, experienced Jiu-Jitsu community over time.
What’s the best thing about your gym?The students, we have a great gym culture. We love to learn, and we do our best to always look after each other. I always tell my students to get after it, but our goal is never to harm. After all, if I hurt one of my students, then who am I going to beat up on? They’ve helped create a place where everyone feels welcome, whether it’s your first class or your 500th. I’m proud of the culture we’re building, tough rolls, with lots of laughter.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym? Globetrotters would love it here. If you love being in nature, this place is a playground. There is something very special about the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. There are tons of trails here if you like hiking, obviously you have the lake for any kind of water sports. In the winter you would be hard pressed to find better skiing. This is one of the most naturally beautiful locations on our planet. If you come train with us, bring your hiking shoes and maybe a wetsuit. We’ve had visiting students go paddleboarding after class, or even train a few rounds outside on the grass by the lake. It’s the kind of place where adventure and Jiu-Jitsu blend perfectly. If you ever make it up to Lake Tahoe, come roll with us, we’ll make sure you get good rounds and a great view.
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Thanks for sharing! If you'd like to visit The Sweep Spot, you can contact them here. |
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