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| BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // March 2021 | |
Dear Globetrotters,
I'm always nervous before camps, but even more during pandemics. The next one is no exception, as I am planned to leave for Arizona in 3 weeks from now. Luckily, things are finally looking to go in a positive direction and I'm very optimistic about the camp. Registration is looking good and we're down to less than 30 tickets left. Stay tuned for pictures and videos from another epic week in the desert :)
Have a fantastic day,
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What you'll find in this month's newsletter:
- Featured Traveller: Ian Auchmoody
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu
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Less than 30 tickets left for Arizona Camp this month
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* March 24th to 28th in Tempe, Arizona * * 15 minutes from Phoenix International Airport * * Five days of training * * Gi and no-gi classes all day long * * Daily workshops and lectures * * Outdoor BBQ in gym’s back yard * * Yoga classes * * Extra mat space for all-day open mat / drilling * * All experience levels and affiliations welcome! *
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Sign up for the free online premiere of our documentary! |
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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. |
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| Featured Traveller: Ian Auchmoody |
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Age: 31 as of this Feb 27th
Belt: Purple
Profession: Jiu-Jitsu and English teaching.
How many years in BJJ: Eight years ago I started in my first BJJ academy in Utica, New York. Since then the better part of my training has actually happened in several different parts of Mexico.
Other martial arts: As a teenager, my friends and I would try to replicate Bruce Lee and we actually practiced what we could learn from the Jeet Kune Do manuals. After moving from home, I was watching UFC and decided to start at a Muay Thai gym near where I was. There were some really weird circumstances surrounding the gyms I visited that ended up with me doing a freestyle grappling class. The seed was then planted for my later finding BJJ, but in that time I messed around with Muay Thai and other styles around MMA. Once I found a solid BJJ program I pretty much focused on that.
Where do you live: I live in Oaxaca, Mexico, which was my first city to visit in Mexico and has been my home base ever since. It’s a really beautiful city with some of the best food on the planet.
Where are you originally from: I’m from a small town in the Hudson Valley (New York State) called Wallkill. Lots of cows, not a lot of BJJ… at least when I was growing up.
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I was once in a situation where I had to cross a land border into Guatemala from Mexico at a place called Tecún Umán which sounds like an Indiana Jones destination. It had some Indy vibes, too. |
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Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? When I first came to Oaxaca, traveling a lot wasn’t really on my agenda. It wasn’t until about a year later when I was competing as a blue belt that I started finding opportunities to travel and train. I was making friends all over Mexico and found some opportunities to teach in different cities. Each visit to a different city and different academies kind of just added fuel to the fire and I was in the groove of it for a while without thinking about it much. I would hang around some places longer than others but what kept me moving most of the time was the desire to compete, meet new people, see new Jiu-Jitsu, and have great experiences.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?This last year has been pretty tame, as you can imagine. I spent most of 2019 back in the USA visiting family and saving some money working. I came back to Oaxaca in March 2020 with the intention of competing in the state tournament and visiting my girlfriend, but almost immediately after arriving the lockdown went into full swing. I realized I didn’t have a job to go back to in NY, so I just stayed here and started laying the groundwork for my BJJ academy. I am hoping I can roam around Mexico and do the big tournaments once things are back to normal. The usual stops are Mexico City and Guadalajara.
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| What are the things you enjoy about traveling? Definitely the people. It’s amazing how well you can get to know someone when you’re open and in a “learning” state. When your intentions are good and your attitude is right, people will open all kinds of doors to opportunities for you that can make a huge difference in your life or what you’re doing with it.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Sleeping for free on gym mats within walking distance from the beach comes to mind. Making friendships that last a lifetime based on pure chance is probably the most impactful. Also, learning Spanish almost completely through conversation has been awesome.
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What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling? The most surprising thing about traveling to me may be how diverse and delicious street food can be. I haven’t thought about it much, but growing up in a cow town in upstate New York I never imagined that.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip? I’ve never really done a long term backpack trip or anything like that, but I’ve had to do a lot of traveling around Mexico on a seriously tight budget. The key has always been to travel extremely light, and get used to sitting around or sleeping in bus stations.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be? Take every opportunity you can to train with new people, unless they have a seriously bad reputation or something. Even if it’s a hole in the wall with two blue belts there’s still a good chance they can show you something you’ve never seen before. Also, be humble and open minded; this will open many doors for you and you’ll be invited to do really awesome stuff. Also, if you’re ever in Mexico let me know if you need any recommendations on where to train. If you’re in Oaxaca then come visit my academy! |
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| Come join us in beautiful Tallinn! |
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* From April 26th to May 1st, 2021 *
* In Tallinn, Estonia *
* Less than 20 minutes from Tallinn airport *
* Huge mat space in a beautiful medieval town *
* Six-day training camp *
* Gi and no-gi classes all day long *
* High-level international instructors *
* Free ticket for world premiere of BJJ Globetrotters documentary *
* Competition in classic wrestling styles *
* Yoga every morning *
* All experience levels and affiliations welcome! *
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| BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu |
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Where is the gym located?
Just on the outskirts of Yeovil (UK), 5 minutes from the train station and 10 minutes from the town centre.
How many people train there?
We are a fresh new club just waiting for restrictions to lift and start filling the mats.
Is the gym growing - if so by how many new members each month or year?
I feel that when Covid ends, people will be yearning for close contact with other humans and what better way than learning BJJ? I'm confident that the membership numbers will rise in no time.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
With plenty of travelers passing through Yeovil ,due to the fact that Yeovilton air base is nearby and with many tourist locations, we should eventually have many different coloured belts on the mats at any one time.
When did the gym open?
For the love of god, let it be soon.
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Some facts about you:
Name: Roger Age: 44 Belt: Blue Profession: Postman Years in BJJ: 4 Other martial arts: Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Japanese Jujutsu Currently living in: Sherborne, Dorset, UK Originally from: Born in the Netherlands |
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Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence Frustrated with the politics of the massive chain BJJ clubs that dominate the area, I thought I would try and provide an alternative.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, from all walks of life.
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Why do they train? Jiu jitsu provides so many different things to different people,it could be for self defence or fitness to socializing and mental health or all of the above.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
Yeovil is a small town surrounded by lots of other towns and villages,just trying to get the word out that you exist can be tricky.
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How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
A little more vibrant and with more options.
What’s the best thing about your gym?Its family oriented and the emphasis isn't on generating champions but sharing all that BJJ has to offer.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym? The list is long! We have the ancient town of Sherborne, with its castle and abbey. Stonehenge is 30 minutes away and the town of Bath, with its Roman baths, is an hour away, to name but a few of the wonders in the beautiful West Country.
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Thanks for sharing with us! If you'd like to pay a visit to Blue Dog Jiu-Jitsu, you can find them here. |
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