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| | | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // November 2023 | | Dear Globetrotters,
A big thanks to the many people who came out to the middle of nowhere in Poland for our first, week long Zen Camp! It was the first time for myself there where I actually had time to lay in a hammock, read a book and take a walk in the forest like a real participant 😄 The dojo is a very special place there in the forest; there really is nothing else like it in the world. I know, because I have been searching out places like this for 10 years. I am very proud that we can bring so many people there to support it. And next year we're going back twice, once in the spring (sold out) and once in October ( +50% booked already).
Next weekend, I am off to Arizona for our big, annual camp there and I'm really looking forward to seeing and rolling with many of you there.
Have a nice day,
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What you'll find in this month's newsletter: - Photos from Zen Camp in Poland last month
- Featured Globetrotter: Nathan Featherstone
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Lake Atitlán BJJ
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| | Can you contribute with something to Camp 100? |
| | Our 100th camp sold out in a few hours after being anonunced, but we have reserved some tickets for people who can contribute with different things to the event. Are you a DJ, comedian, entertainer or something like that? Then you can apply for a contribution ticket and still get in! |
| | | Less than half of the tickets left for next camp in beautiful Tallinn |
| | We're returning to 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. |
| | | | Photos from Zen Camp in Poland last month |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Less than 40 tickets left for next USA Camp in Maine |
| | For a full week, an enthusiastic community of Globetrotters will settle into the cabins and fully equipped sports hall of Camp Manitou, fueled by the crisp woodland air of Maine! Each morning we’ll hit the mats as the sun rises over the lake and keep going until the embers of the 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.
Hope to see you there! |
| | | | Featured Globetrotter: Nathan Featherstone |
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| | Age: 33
Belt: Purple
Profession: Martial arts and fitness coach
How many years in BJJ: 12 (with time off due to injuries and lockdowns)
Other martial arts: Irish stick fighting (Doyle and Antrim style), Dog Brothers martial arts, Collar and Elbow wrestling.
Previously karate, boxing, muay thai, MMA, Judo, HEMA, and capoeira.
Where do you live: Dublin, Ireland
Where are you from: Wicklow, Ireland
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: - I teach both BJJ and stick fighting in my gym. With my stick fighting I teach two styles of Irish stick fighting, which is a martial art indigenous to the island and very unknown to many. With my background in combat arts I wanted to test this material out and make sure it worked, which led me to the Dog Brothers who do full contact sparring bouts with sticks and various other weapons. Picture MMA with sticks and a fencing mask. This has also made me work really heavily on stick grappling, which is a really interesting way to look at BJJ and grappling.
- I run a Youtube channel all about Irish history and martial arts called the Rambling Kern. I have done all sorts of historical recreations since my teens. which led me to combine all of my various obscure hobbies into one place.
- I am a pretty big nerd and like to take on a new pursuit every year or two. Growing up in a rural area I don't want to miss out on things now I'm all grown up and able to do things. As a result I've trained in a lot of martial arts and recently got heavily into learning knife throwing, which has been way more complex than I ever thought. I had a friend pass away during Covid who used to play Dungeons and Dragons, and I started playing with some of his old group at first as a way to remember him. Ever since I've gotten hooked and am big into playing on my time off.
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| | Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? From a very young age I always wanted to grow old and be like Master Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Seeing a documentary about Helio Gracie and seeing him rolling at such an old age made me want to take up BJJ. From there I wanted to travel and learn BJJ. With Ireland being such a small island, early on that was the best way to learn, but now we have some of the best instructors around. This curiosity also made me want to discover if Ireland had its own martial arts, and I found that out it did. This really pushed me to want to visit other places and learn about their past and travel and train with those I could.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
I've just gotten back from teaching Irish stick fighting and Collar and Elbow wrestling in Florida. As part of the trip I got to teach at a yearly Escrima meet up, which was amazing getting to learn so many unique martial arts in one place. Next month I'll be going to Holland for my first actual break in a few years, and I'll hopefully get in some training while there.
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| | What are the things you enjoy about travelling? I love to learn about a country's past. Not just the old buildings, but the land, wildlife, foods, and cultures. It's a real bonus for me to learn about their martial past as I love that stuff. Things like local martial arts styles, wrestling, or fencing are all really fascinating to me. Getting to train with local people often opens up some really fun chances to see and experience parts of a country only a few people get to see.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
It's hard to pick out any single moment due to all of the weird martial arts I have had the chance to train in old fortresses and castles, on top of mountains, in swamps, and just experience some amazing parts of the world with really cool people. On my last trip alone I got the chance to swim with dolphins and manatees, which was incredible.
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
I've found for me it's coming across people in really far-flung parts of the world who know all about some obscure town in Ireland. Or, even more surprisingly, knowing someone you know, which I have had happen. |
| | Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Yes, I tend to travel on a budget. Travelling light and staying somewhere I can cook at least a few meals often saves me a lot of money and allows me to spend more on worthwhile things like training and experiences.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be? Look up. Often there are some really interesting things above us in cities that can be hard to spot if you're focused on the streets below.
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| | | | Last 5 tickets left for the Caribbean Island Camp in January/February |
| | During this week on the tropical island headquarters of BJJ Globetrotters, you’ll get to experience multiple Jiu Jitsu classes each day, a sunset Open Mat overlooking the Caribbean Sea and complimentary surf lessons every morning on some of the world’s most stunning beaches. |
| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Lake Atitlán BJJ |
| | Where is the gym located?
San Marcos, Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
(Locally we organize under the umbrella name “KEFI Collective” as a way to brand ourselves beyond just “the dudes who do Jiu-Jitsu.” Makes it easier to find us when you’re in the area.
But for all intents and purposes, “Lake Atitlan BJJ” works just as well.)
How many people train there?
We have about 4-6 core members who train regularly (and who actually live here long enough to train regularly). This number is constantly fluctuating since it’s a small town with lots of travelers coming through.
We live in a small town in rural Guatemala. So formalized martial arts is hard to find out here. But one thing we do have is lots of travelers. We’re constantly posting about our trainings with the intention of catching any traveling practitioners who have an itch to train.
It works great during the high season when lots of travelers are around (Nov to Apr). But come low season (May to Oct), it’s mostly back to our dedicated core members.
Is the gym growing - if so by how many new members each month or year?
We’re not a gym. It functions more like a structured open mat session.
We’re simply a group of martial arts how train together, and welcome anybody else how has skills/experience to share.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
We’ve had the full range of belts training with us. Just recently we had a brown belt stay in town for a few months. He helped out a lot in teaching techniques.
When did the gym open?
~Spring 2021
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| | Some facts about you:
Name: Alphi Quitevis Age: 37 Belt: White belt (my skill level is probably closer to blue belt, but since we don’t have a formal gym/school, there aren’t belts being earned) Profession: Business Development Manager Years in BJJ: 3 Other martial arts: MMA (a little bit from everywhere: Muay Thai + boxing + wrestling + judo), escrima. I was in the US Marine Corps for 8 years and trained in various modalities of combat and defense, including multiple weapons. Currently living in: San Marcos, Lake Atitlán, Guatemala Originally from: Chicago, USA |
| | Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence In the first half of 2021, Jonathan Landa and his friend Milton (blue belt) threw out a post on the local Facebook community group, to paraphrase, “Anybody want to do Jiu-Jitsu?” All they had was a single set of puzzle-piece fitness mats. Two weeks later, I answered their post and joined the training. Another week later a giant blue belt Scotsman joins (who would later put us onto BJJ Globetrotters).
With other people coming in/out of the mix, we then start rolling twice a week, every week. Open mat style.
We did it for 6-7 months straight, just a handful of us. The blue belts helped spin Jonathan and I up to speed (I had some grappling experience from my time in the Marine Corps, to which we transitioned to more BJJ-specific training). We soaked up whatever experience travelers had to share. Blue belts, purple, brown, black. They’ve all come through. Couple of Globetrotters too.
With exception of periods wherein the core group breaks away due to travel (since many of us are foreigners on tourist visas in Guatemala) this “collective” style of training continues.
As mentioned earlier, Jonathan is a big part of why we still train. He’s the one that started organizing people under the KEFI Collective.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they? Our core group is an international group of misfits. Jonathan is local Guatemalan; he’s the bulldog. Fitness trainer background, strong af. He’s the backbone of this whole operation. Has an iron half guard that damn-near impossible to pull out — like a bulldog.
We have an Italian guy, Edo. Background in MMA/boxing, with professional cage experience. A big dude, Italian Stallion. Has a mean overhand left, but on the ground he’s quite fluid.
We have Timo, French guy. Tall and long, slender limbs. Years of Muay Thai experience who helps us when we train MMA/striking on Thursdays. He teaches us Muay Thai, we teach him ground game. Has a beautiful question mark kick.
There’s Medhi, another French guy. Years of BJJ experience, Animal Flow trainer. Another beast of a man. Loooong arms which he takes advantage of by specializing with the darce and anacondas.
Until recently, we had a brown belt — Tom — from the US, train with us regularly. He had to go back to the States, but he plans to return in the Spring to stay for long term. Older gentleman in his 50s with average height and build, but could put a hurtin’ on any of us young bucks with his big ol’ head. He gives Edo and Medhi a run for their money.
Why do they train? I suppose it’s the same for most people on the Warrior path: learn skills/stay sharp, challenge ourselves, stay in shape, camaraderie, and most importantly, have fun.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically? Getting enough people to train has always been the challenge since day one. It’s in part to the fact that we’re in rural Guatemala, and that a lot of people who train are only traveling through (whether only for a few days or a few weeks).
For our core group, since we are so few, we have to rely on our training partners to stay committed to training and show up in order to have a solid session.
We have a rule of thumb: if at least three people are available for a training session, we’ll open up the space and train.
A majority of the time it’s no problem, but we all have different lives. Some weeks we may have some guys out to due to travel, or work, or injury, etc.
It’s always possible to train 1 on 1, but having various people to roll with is a lot more fun.
Social media marketing helps to bring in new bodies.
Again, this isn’t so much an issue in the high season, when lots of travelers come through.
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| | How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
The more the merrier.
ONE IDEA: Jonathan owns a local hotel business. It would be interesting to have some kind of work exchange for traveling practitioners (higher belts) to come and stay for a few week/months to teach us things in exchange for, say free accommodation and a place to train while they’re traveling. We’d have to figure out those logistical details, but it’s an interesting idea to play with.
Aside from our group, there are other BJJ/martial arts practitioners around our area. So I only hope to continue spreading martial arts in all its forms in the area.
There are other grapplers on the other side of the lake. But since boat travel across the lake isn’t really convenient for regular training, they don’t come through as much. It would be nice to grow the group AND training facilities to the point where we can host each others’ groups, say once a month, to have friendly training sessions together.
Additionally, there’s an MMA fighter in the area (trained in Gracie Barra lineage; aiming for the UFC) who wants to eventually build a formal martial arts school and have other fighters come through. His organizational philosophy is quite different from ours, as you might imagine from his time with Gracie Barra, but as long as we have more and more practitioners in the area we see it as a benefit.
What’s the best thing about your gym?We train hard, kickin’ each other’s asses, but we’re all pretty laid back because of the relatively informal nature of the training.
And we live in a jungle paradise.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym? We live on an insanely beautiful lake surrounded by three volcanoes. A simple Google search of “Lake Atitlan” will turn up endless sights and activities to see.
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Thanks for sharing! If you'd like to visit Lake Atitlán BJJ, you can contact them here. |
| | | Our biggest camp and biggest mat space of the year! |
| | The first two Beach Camps in Pärnu were a tremendous success, so we’re once again heading off to this summer gem on the Baltic coast. A full week of sun, sea, sand, and all the Jiu Jitsu you can handle. Hope to see you there!
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