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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // July 2020 | | Dear Globetrotters,
So here we are, just two weeks before the first camp will finally take place. I equally nervous and excited, it's been the longest I've gone without a camp in 8 years and the longest without traveling in close to 20 years.
Iceland camp is going ahead ( tickets still available) and I'm not really sure how many participants will actually show up, since there are still some uncertainties with travel restrictions from North America. But I always say that the camps are my dream holidays and even if nobody show up, I would still go. This summer looks like it'll be where I must put my money where my mouth is; I have stopped counting and calculating on size of camp and I am overly excited to go, no matter how many people can join.
Should you want to join us, you are of course most welcome. Due to all the complications this season, we are offering full flexibility on all tickets in case you can't go because of the virus situation.
Have a fantastic day,
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What you'll find in this month's newsletter:
- Sign up for the online premiere of our documentary
- Featured Traveller: Daniël Bertina
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Singapore
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| | Sign up for the free online premiere of our documentary! |
| | The Gentle Art of Travel is following the BJJ Globetrotters camps behind the scenes over the course of one full year and 12 training camps around the world. Sign up now to receive an invitation for the free online premiere. |
| | | Iceland Camp is on - last minute tickets still available! |
| | Against all odds, the camp in Iceland next month is gonna go ahead!! - A negative COVID-19 test is required to enter the country
- Training has been officially allowed since end of May
If you feel like getting away from all the craziness for a little bit, come join us in Iceland, it will be fun! :) If you want to get a feeling of what the camp is like, check out our video from last year here: |
| | | | LAST CHANCE: Iceland Camp gi and rashguard bundle (Deadline July 1) |
| | Due to the challenging logistics of pre-producing and shipping gis to camps at the moment, this year’s Viking Edition gi and rashguard will only be available for ordering online. Ordering is available to everyone, including non-participants of the Iceland Camp. |
| | | Training is back in Estonia! Join our big movie premiere in beautiful Tallinn |
| | The camp in Estonia is fully planned to go ahead and tickets are still available!
Estonia has re-opened its borders Training allowed since June We do daily temperature checks on participants and locals at camp Should you be unable to participate in a camp due to the virus, you will – as a minimum – be offered a voucher for a future camp.
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| | | | Featured Traveller: Daniël Bertina |
| | | Age: 4 decades of excellence. I’m aging like fine wine (or vinager…)
Belt: Black belt 1st degree. COVID-19 undermined my promotion to 2nd degree. I blame the Chinese biolab. Let’s hope I don’t get demoted once this madness ends.
Profession: Writer, journalist, and critic working in art, culture, and media. Creative translator and language specialist for several voiceover studios that deliver content for streaming platforms (I try to turn funny US cartoons into funny Dutch cartoons). I am also working on a BA in primary education, because the youth need saving…
How many years in BJJ: 20 years and change.
Other martial arts: Judo and Japanese Jiu Jitsu. I started training around age 5 or 6. In the Netherlands, the judo federation (JBN) has a "fighting system" competition style of Jiu Jitsu, which kind of looks like a blend of karate and judo. I did that and got my black belt under the JBN at age 18 (if I recall correctly). Also trained Capoeira and Wing Chun a few years. And did a bit of Muay Thai - you kind of have to, if you’re from Holland.
By the way, if you are confused about the terms "Dutch", "Holland", and "the Netherlands", this video will be insightful.
Where do you live: Culemborg, the Netherlands. A small 700-year-old town, south of Utrecht, roughly 1 hour from Amsterdam. Home of the guy (Jan van Riebeeck) who founded the Cape colony, which ensured the Dutch ruled the planet for a while. I’m sure there’s probably a statue of him being torn down somewhere as I write this. We live in a strange simulation.
Where are you originally from: Hamsterdam, formerly known as the city of sleaze, now the place of dwelling for hipster dorks, scumbag expats, Airbnb profiteers, people who like to pay a lot of money to live in a closet-sized "apartment", and segway-riding tourists high on shrooms falling into the canals.
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I am a better cook than your mom. I was a long-time meditator, but I fell of the horse. I am a #hardcorekidtrainingbjj. I can eat an apple in 30 seconds. I like to drink kvass. I like gardening and growing plants. |
| | Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? For a while, work allowed me to travel to strange places to do interviews. I always brought a gi along. That’s how I met The Great Blonde Dane (Graugart). He said he wasn’t feeling well, and that he still had a cold. When we rolled at his gym in Copenhagen, he proceeded to play possum at first, then suddenly he attacked me like I’d just ran over his mom. He likes to do that, I noticed. I got violently guillotined a few times. Somehow, we became friends after that. He invited me to teach at the first (or second?) BJJ Globetrotters Camp, and I’ve been on board ever since. Work also took me to Hungary, Russia, the UK, Germany, and some other places, and I always found a spot to train. Trying not to let strangers strangle you in a foreign country is the best way to experience it.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?I have two kids and I’m super busy now, so I don’t travel a lot. Hopefully I’ll teach at the next Estonia Camp. I was there last year and the place is glorious. I also taught two seminars at my friend Jorgen Matsi’s gym, Vôimla, in Tartu, which was excellent. Hope to get back. I love the countries of the former Eastern Bloc. Good folks, good food and drink, good stock. |
| | | | What are the things you enjoy about traveling? I hate it with a passion. It’s a stressful hassle, and I detest waiting in airports, surrounded by crowds of imbeciles sneezing into their hands. I just like hanging out with good folks, and I’ve met a bunch of them at the camps. I have to endure the travel nonsense so we can hang out properly.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training? Once, I stood next to an obnoxious boomer at Heathrow Airport, waiting on our luggage. The same green suitcase did five laps past us. By lap six, he suddenly realized the suitcase was (in fact) his, then tried to grab it clumsily, but stumbled into another group of boomers and knocked them over like bowling pins. I was overwhelmed by emotions.
Also, my friend Alex picked me up from my Moscow hotel once and drove me far, far, far out into an extremely posh neighbourhood (“Putin has a house there…”), where we trained at a super high-end gym. After training he poured me a glass of kompot, and I ate the best borscht of all time.
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| | What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling? People that enjoy full contact martial arts are insane across the board.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip? Yes. I don’t like to waste money on nonsense. Don’t eat or buy anything at airports. Bring your own food. Ask the local BJJ geeks where you eat, and where you should go to get a true sense of the place. Stay clear of tourist traps and boomers on electric bikes. Also, travel light (carry-on only).
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be? Realize gym enforcers exist for a reason. Don’t start none, won’t be none. |
| | | Training allowed again in Austria and our family friendly camp is on! |
| | The camp in Austria is fully planned to go ahead and tickets are still available!
- Austria has re-opened its borders
- All sports allowed from July 1st
- We do daily temperature checks on participants and locals at camp
- Should you be unable to participate in a camp due to the virus, you will – as a minimum – be offered a voucher for a future camp.
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| | | Summer Camp postponed to November, get your ticket! :) |
| | 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, martial arts movie nights and live DJ open mats (with free beer). |
| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Singapore |
| | Where is the gym located?
The gym is located in Singapore. The exact address is 326C King George's Avenue, King George’s Building, 208567.
How many people train there?
Roughly, we have around 40-50 kids and 50-60 adults at the moment.
Is the gym growing - if so by how many new members each month or year?
It's growing, slowly but surely. Our target is 150 members in total, around the same number of kids and adults. After that we will open a new branch or move to a bigger facility.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
Our lowest belt is white, of course, and the highest is brown.
When did the gym open?
The gym started in early 2016.
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| | Some facts about you:
Name: Vladimir Popovic
Age: 30
Belt: Black
Profession: BJJ coach and PE teacher
Years in BJJ: 10
Other martial arts: Black belt in judo Currently living in: Singapore
Originally from: Serbia
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| Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
One guy from Australia started the gym, in cooperation with Singaporean partners. After 3 years, he decided to go back home to Australia, and gave me the honor of continuing his legacy.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Our gym has people from 4 to 70 years old. It is a very international community, with students from the US, Australia, Ireland, France, Russia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines… Children are mostly local Singaporeans, while adults are more a mix of expats and locals.
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| | Why do they train?
Our gym is recreationally oriented when it comes to adults, and most of them train because of quality socializing, health awareness, fitness development, fun, and self defense. Kids are a bit more competition-oriented, but fun and socialization are also their primary goals. And not to forget - character development (which is more my task as a coach).
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
I didn't find any challenges so far, except this virus. This is deadly for us, absolutely the worst possible thing for a contact sport like ours. Other than that, nothing really. People are very nice and grateful, and it's a pleasure working with them.
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| | How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
I reckon that Jiu-Jitsu has great potential in Singapore. Martial arts here are very popular, especially BJJ and Muay Thai. OneFC has its headquarters in Singapore, so Singapore is like a centre of martial arts in Asia, I would say.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
Lovely people and friendly atmosphere.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Singapore is one of the most popular tourist places on the planet, so there are many things to see here. The famous Marina Bay Sands hotel, the gardens by the bay, the botanical garden, the airport of course (the best airport in the world), Orchard Road, Sentosa island, little India, Arab street, Chinatown, many nice parks, many temples and so on and so on.
Thanks for sharing with us! If you'd like to pay a visit to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Singapore, 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! |
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