| View this email online if it doesn't display correctly |
| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // December 2019 | | Dear Globetrotters,
I just dropped off the last few remaining guests from the Caribbean Island Camp at the airport and the 2019 season of camps is officially over! What a wild year it has been with twelve amazing camps around the world. I would love to sit down and relax for a minute now, if it wasn't because I'm leaving again in three weeks to kick 2020 off with the Winter Camp in Austria.
Wrapping up the season also means that we've finished the filming part of the BJJ Globetrotters documentary by Stevie Antoniou. This is probably the biggest project in BJJ Globetrotters history and I'm equally excited and scared about diving into six months of editing before the premiere at our Summer Camp in Heidelberg in July.
I hope you've had a great 2019 and I look forward to meet many of you in the coming year!
Have a fantastic day,
| | | |
What you'll find in this month's newsletter:
- Photos from Caribbean Island Camp last week
- Featured Traveller: Heather Raftery
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Merthyr BJJ
|
| | We're going back to Arizona in March! |
| | Our first ever Arizona camp was a huge success, so we’ve decided to go back to the desert. All day classes, open mats and workshops, combined with on-site barbecues and breathtaking landscapes. |
| | | Photos from Caribbean Island Camp last week |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Less than 15 tickets left for Caribbean Island Camp in February |
| | Escape from winter to the ultra-luxurious island of St. Barth in the French West Indies. Surf, beach, Jiu Jitsu, boat trips and great food!
|
| | | | Featured Traveller: Heather Raftery |
| | Age: 33
Belt: Black
Profession: Freelancer
How many years in BJJ: 11 in January!
Other martial arts: Doughjitsu - the art of sneaking into the freezer at night and picking out all the cookie dough pieces from ice cream container while everyone is sleeping.
Where do you live: Mother Earth
Where are you originally from: Tucson, Arizona (USA)
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I’ve lived in a VW bus for nearly two cumulative years (total, with breaks here and there), which I painted myself and named Bonnie Clyde. I'm currently staying in it for a month while training in San Diego, preparing for No-Gi Worlds. I used to ride horses competitively in an equestrian sport called “cutting” (my dad is a horse trainer and former professional bull rider) and I was once a world champion in that. Hung up my spurs in college and then started wrasslin’ people. I have two fur babies: Mr. Fleabags and Gooby the Goblin Hunter. |
| | | Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? Growing up riding horses, we always traveled to other states to compete. When I started training Jiu Jitsu, it was more of the same. In college, I discovered my love for traveling internationally - visiting new, exotic places and experiencing cultures wildly different, and yet in many ways remarkably similar to my own. Luckily, I started Jiu Jitsu at a time when it had already found roots in most major cities around the world, so my gi and rashie always had a place in my travel bag, wherever I went.
Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
I’ve trained Jiu Jitsu on six continents (Antarctica, I’m coming for you!). My most recent international trip was to Thailand to reunite with one of my very first training partners, Alex Schild, now a Jiu Jitsu coach at Tiger Muay Thai. From there I went straight to Australia, where I trained for over a week with Lachlan and Livia Giles and their awesome (and hilarious team) at Absolute MMA. Then I was guest instructor at the incredible 4-day Australian Girls in Gis camp, put on by my good friend Jess Fraser, at a real campsite waaaaay out in the boonies with no Wi-Fi. In all, it was definitely one of the funnest trips of my life. I’m hoping to plan a U.S. road trip in the Bonnie Clyde for 2020. I want to try to see as much of my home country as I can (though I’m sure I’ll break down and get stranded half a dozen times).
|
| | What are the things you enjoy about traveling? The excitement of not knowing what’s around the next bend, what you’ll be doing that day and the next, or who you’ll meet along the way. It’s cliche, but every day really is an adventure. You become addicted to that cocktail of adrenaline and dopamine. And with traveling, not only do you escape the mundane, but also the comfort of a predictable routine, both of which stunt personal and spiritual growth.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
There have been several times in my Jiu Jitsu travels that I’ve become incredibly close to a group of fellow practitioners, despite the relatively short time I was there. For instance, several years ago when I was a purple belt, my work sent me to Colombia for about a month, where I trained at Affinity Colombia in Bogotá. They were some of the most warm and welcoming group of people I’ve ever come across, from the very second I stepped on the mats. Even to this day I still receive lovely messages from my Colombian family. This has happened several other times, around the U.S. and internationally; where I’ve met people that I instantly connect with, despite any cultural differences or language barriers. Some I could swear that I’ve met in a past life.
|
| | What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling? I’m continually amazed at how much people will go out of their way to help a complete stranger. In this day and age, it’s easy to get discouraged about the fate of the human race, but traveling renews your belief in humanity.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip? Absolutely. The less I have to spend on the nuts and bolts of traveling (airfare, transport, accommodations), the more I can spend on the experiences. Of course, #vanlife is probably the most budget you can get, but unless I have unlimited time to get there (the Bonnie Clyde’s top speed is 55mph/88.5kmh), it’s not the most convenient at times. If I’m traveling internationally, I usually try to get the cheapest tickets I can… risking multiple, long layovers, red-eye flights, and traveling on low-demand days. I also try to tap into the local Jiu Jitsu community wherever I’m going, as a kind-hearted jiujiteiro will usually offer rides and sometimes accommodation. If that happens, I always try my best to repay the favor in whatever way I can.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be? Be up for anything, and don’t sweat the small stuff. When you’re up for anything, you’ll always come home with the best stories to tell. As for the second part, shit will always happen when you’re traveling. That’s the nature of the beast. Learning to recognize them as small bumps in the road will keep you from expending unnecessary emotion and energy worrying or getting upset about them, and help you become a more flexible, easy-going traveler… and a more zen human being.
|
| | | | We continue to break new ground with this camp in the ancient yet vigorously modern Baltic city of Tallinn. Join us as we explore the largest and most innovative Jiu Jitsu gym in the country, as well as some of the most beautifully preserved medieval architecture that Europe has to offer. |
| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Merthyr BJJ |
| | Where is the gym located?
We train inside the local leisure centre called Merthyr Leisure Centre. It's at the heart and soul of the town in which we are based - Merthyr Tydfil (Wales). This is a large town and borough about 30 miles from Cardiff and Swansea, and close to the beautiful Brecon Beacons.
How many people train there?
We have on average 17 people training per session. This can go down as low as 6 and as high as 22.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Every month the club sees new students trying out BJJ with us, as well as existing practitioners trying Merthyr BJJ.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
We range from absolute novices to a blackbelt.
When did the gym open?
We've existed for around 8 years, but we were part of a larger academy up until 16 months ago, when us and our sister clubs (Rob Taylor Jiu Jitsu in Cardiff and the MAT Academy in Treforest) disbanded and became independent of the Chris Rees Academy. Since then we moved premises, and then settled within the leisure centre, where we have now set up home! |
| | Some facts about you:
Name: Alyn Weyman Age: 47 Belt: Black belt (September 2018) Profession: Firefighter Years in BJJ: 15
Other martial arts: Karate from aged 12. I competed internationally and won several titles. Currently living in: Merthyr Tydfil, Wales Originally from: Rhymney Valley
|
| Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
When i decided to retire from karate, I began taking BJJ lessons under Chris Rees and I instantly fell in love with the sport. In between my shifts as a firefighter, I tried to travel down at least twice a week to attend classes. I also began training BJJ with a few friends who had strong interests in BJJ and MMA in Merthyr. Before I knew it I was competing, and as a blue belt, under the guidance of my instructors, I opened a class in a friend's dojo and set up the first BJJ classes in the town. Several years and moves later, we have Merthyr BJJ in its current form. We now train twice a week, and it seems a very long way away from being in a cold warehouse to the heated flooring we have now!
It has always been about making long thought-out decisions and taking the plunge to try and better the club and the facilities for those who train with us. It's now a club that myself and my partner Rebecca run and have set up a beginners fundamentals programme as well as advanced classes in both gi and nogi.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have male and female students from 16 to 63 training with us. The majority are male. We have many overseas students, as the demographics of the town means we see people who've moved to the surrounding areas from outside the UK. We have local, national, and international medalists, as well as people who have and will not ever compete. There is absolutely no pressure on people to compete.
We have students with backgrounds in stand-up martial arts and those with keen interests in MMA who've come to us to add skills to their ground games. We cater for people with physical and mental disabilities. We also have students who have conditions such as diabetes.
|
| | Why do they train?
The majority of our students train because BJJ is their hobby. We have people who wish to compete in BJJ and MMA, and mainly they want to improve their fitness and skill set. Rugby players come to us to improve some of their skills as well as body conditioning.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
Merthyr is known to be an economically deprived area, so £5 per lesson is a struggle for some students, and when you factor in buying a gi and insurance, this can sometimes be off-putting. The fees of competing can be extortionate, and as many people will gauge their progress on results, getting the money together for even local competitions (let alone any of the very expensive IBJJF ones) could prove to be a barrier. Getting appropriate marketing material designed and printed to encourage new students has been one of the challenges. Keeping hold of existing students has also proved to be quite difficult, as we have very little say in moving the times and days of the classes.
|
| | How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
The future of BJJ in south Wales looks promising. When world champions hold seminars nearby, it proves that there are sufficient numbers interested and training. The likes of Brett Johns, John Philips, Jack Marshman, and Jack Shore are all in the UFC and have all trained BJJ locally. That is not something we should overlook. The number of people that approach us and ask us to begin a children's class is phenomenal.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
After years of training in warehouses, it has to be heat! Heat and the range of students we have As long as we have people smiling when they train with us, that is as good as anything to see!
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?We live in a beautiful part of the country, and have many outdoor activities that can be done here due to the geography of the land. We have the internationally known Bike Park Wales (a fantastic facility for lovers of mountain biking, which we also do!), we're right on the doorstep of the Brecon Beacons, with plenty of scenery to take in, as well as many castles for a bit of a history lesson.
Thanks for sharing with us! If you'd like to pay a visit to Merthyr BJJ, you can find them here. |
| | | | | | | | | Make your custom gis, patches and rashguards at our dedicated BJJ Globetrotters factory |
| | | It can be a mess to try and find a manufacturer of BJJ gear that you can trust on quality, delivery and attention to detail.
You can burn a lot of money going through samples from the many thousands of factories in Asia, trying to find one that will provide you with the product as you’ve imagined it. We know, because we’ve been through it all, ourselves! |
| | | | | | | | | |
