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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // November 2018 | | Dear Globetrotters,
First of all, I would like to apologise for all the camp announcement emails. I know it was a bit many of them, but I promise this is only once a year when I announce a bunch of new camps at once :) I have been working all year on preparing the 2019 season without telling anyone about it, so I have been very eager to finally be able to publish everything.
For the full line up of 2019 camps, see www.BJJglobetrotters.com/camps
Now starts the immense amount of work with logistics and preparations for 11 camps, but I'm excited to get started and as always, our goal is to improve ever camp, compared to the year before.
Looking forward to see a lot of you in the coming season!
Have a fantastic day, | | | |
What you'll find in this month's newsletter:
- Sponsored Traveller: Derrick Kersey
- Photos from Zen Camp last month
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Legion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Tbilisi
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| | Last than 10 tickets remaining for our annual trip to the alps!
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| | * January 2-6 in Wagrain, Austria *
* 70 km from Salzburg airport *
* Beautiful location in the middle of the alps *
* Now FIVE days of BJJ and skiing / snowboarding *
* Four nights accommodation *
* All meals included *
* Free skiing and snowboarding lessons *
* 24 hr free fruit and non-alcoholic beverages *
* Free laundry service *
* Direct access to huge skiing area with 120+ km slopes *
* Free access to water park and sauna facilities next door *
* Afterski parties *
* All levels of BJJ and skiers welcome *
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| | | | | Sponsored Traveller: Derrick Kersey |
| | Let’s start out with some quick facts about you…
Age: 32 Belt: Purple Profession: Landlord / online merchandise services (designing, branding, selling) How many years in BJJ: 7 Other martial arts: Jiu Jitsu is my passion and I’ve developed a love for wrestling as well. Where do you live: I live in a van with my girlfriend and our two cats lol. It’s actually a small RV called a Roadtrek and has all the amenities of home – a fridge, shower, TV, stove, solar power, AC/furnace, and toilet. We've been travelling full-time in our RV for approximately 1.5 years, and work from the road on our computers. We continuously travel with the warm weather. We do have a “home base” in London, Ontario, where we have family and own two rental properties. Where are you originally from: I was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I grew up in a small town 45 minutes from there named Leamington – “The Tomato Capital of Canada”. It’s mostly farmland and greenhouses. Other fun or curious information you'd like to share: I’m very excited to return to the desert so I can try using my new bow and arrow and chiseling tools. |
| | | Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? The idea that I could train with some of the best Jiu Jitsu artists in the world, some of the best there have ever been, simply by choosing to (and of course paying a small fee). I see it like being able to train with Michael Jordan as an amateur basketball player. It’s a no-brainer to me. Years ago, I traveled to NYC solo as a white belt so that I could train at Marcelo Garcia’s Academy. He was my idol at the time. The experience couldn’t have gone better, and it only strengthened my lust to continue travelling and training while meeting people within the community.
Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
I've been driving across Canada from east to west - Ontario to British Columbia. I started out at my hometown academy in London, Ontario (Gracie Barra) and have visited a handful of gyms since along the way: Action Reaction MMA in Markham, Ontario, Gracie Humaita Winnipeg, Complete Martial Arts and Fitness Regina, and Josh Russel Academy in Calgary to name a few. Ideally I'll spend one or two weeks at a gym and train at least once a day, then take a few days off while travelling to the next gym and exploring everything in between. A lot of my recovery time consists of long hikes with my girlfriend. Active recovery. We’re exploring British Columbia right now and will be heading down the west coast to California, then east along the south coast through Arizona, Texas etc. to arrive in Florida. Then it’s back up the east coast towards our home in London, Ontario. This whole route took us approx. 7 months the last time around.
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| | What are the things you enjoy about traveling? I enjoy meeting new people and learning about them and experiences they’ve had. Learning about the different environments I’m travelling to; their ecosystems, weather, animals, and geology. Visiting rare and impressive destinations, artificial or natural, and learning about their history. Of course, trying some authentic local food in any given area as well as some craft beer is always fun.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
There are days where I get to wake up just steps from a picturesque beach. I might make coffee, go for a jog, then work from my laptop in the sand before my girlfriend and I go out for dinner or explore something in the area. There are other times in the desert where we’d hike a mountain to view ancient petroglyphs carved in the side of a cliff face, or mornings where I’d throw in my headphones and strap some chiseling tools around my waist, then free climb up a mountain while looking for rare stones and gems to chisel out and keep as a memento. I can go on and on about experiences like this that I am so grateful for.
But I’m also grateful for the experiences and friendships I’ve made with others within the community. One example is when I was in Tempe, Arizona for two weeks to train at Gustavo Dantes Jiu Jitsu Academy. I had an amazing time here. The training was tough, and I learned so much. I would wake up to do morning class, go for a hike with my girlfriend in the afternoon (that would of course end with some amazing view), and then train again at night or maybe go out for dinner. Before my last day there, I thanked the manager Nigel Kurtz for allowing me to train with them and being so welcoming. As soon as he heard I was leaving, he suggested that we all go out for lunch the next day - a handful of people from the gym, my girlfriend and myself - as a type of “send off” to us. After training the next day he got a few people together and we went out for sushi. This may seem like a small gesture to some, but to me, it’s experiences of meeting new people like this that become some of the most memorable.
Another specific experience I had was while staying on a plateau in a desert canyon. We happened to meet an older man camping on his own who said he basically lives there throughout the year, for as long as the weather permits. He said he was a university Drama professor, who fell in love with the desert at a younger age and now spends all the time there that he can. He was very eccentric, intelligent, and taught us about the different desert plants and animals, gave us some tips for desert survival, as informed us about some “must see” locations that may otherwise be less known to the general public. These are memories that I know I will be able to look back on and be glad I had.
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
It’s tough to speak in absolutes, but I did notice the surprising amount of personality similarities that we all have within the BJJ community, as well as how welcoming the community is. In most gyms I’ve visited, I heard the same conversations, friendly ribbing, sometimes even drama, but it felt familiar. We are all so much the same. Even a new gym could feel somewhat familiar after only a few minutes of conversation with someone.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Absolutely. We bought an RV specifically because we determined it was the most cost-effective way for us to travel to all the places we’d like to see. There are many online resources to take advantage of: countless Facebook groups and apps, made specifically to assist you with travelling on a budget. We have dozens of apps that we use and online communities that we are a part of that contribute some way into making this lifestyle possible. Networking is important. There are resources like Matsurfing within BJJ Globetrotters that allow you to connect with others who are offering up a place to stay in their area while you train.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Plan to your comfort level and do it. Stop thinking about reasons not to. Understand that yes, while travelling things can happen that you can’t control, and learn to accept that. Most peoples’ concerns with travel are worrying about “what if”s. Which is normal. It was - and still is - my largest concern, but I'm much better at managing that now. Travelling and training the way we are now is the best decision I’ve ever made.
“A ship in harbor is safe – but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd
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| | | | * From July 15th to 20th, 2019 * * In Reykjavík, Iceland * * Six-day training camp in the largest grappling and MMA gym in the world * * Classes all day long * * Full use of all sauna, hot tub and weight-lifting facilities * * 45 minutes from Keflavik international airport * * Vikings vs. Intruders Icelandic wrestling competition * * Free coffee all day * * Camp party in Viking bar * * Everyone welcome, regardless of experience or affiliation *
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| | | | Photos from Zen Camp in Poland last month |
| | | | | | | | | | | | The first ever, family-friendly BJJ Globetrotters camp! |
| | * June 28th to July 2nd in Wagrain, Austria *
* 70 km from Salzburg airport *
* Beautiful location in the middle of the Alps *
* Five days of training *
* Four nights accommodation *
* Families welcome *
* Daily class and open mat for kids *
* Yoga classes *
* All meals included *
* Daily workshops, lectures and movie nights *
* 24-hr free fruit and non-alcoholic beverages *
* Extra mat space for all-day open mat / drilling *
* Free laundry service for training gear *
* Free access to water park next door *
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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Legion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| | Where is the gym located?
The gym is located in Tbilisi, Georgia. Currently we're located in a judo academy in the Dighomi area, but our location will most likely change soon.
How many people train there?
Currently we have around 45 people actively training in the academy. We are a growing team with many BJJ practitioners visiting from around the world, all year long.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We've had over 200 members since opening last year in May. The vast majority of them really enjoy it and wish to become part of our team; however, contrary to popular belief Jiu Jitsu is not for everyone after a certain period. Therefore the core team is growing at a relatively slower pace than the total numbers would suggest. Currently we have 5-6 new people signing up every month.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The highest ranked student I have is a purple belt, and of course lowest belt training is a white belt. Currently most of our team is comprised of white belts, but I expect a lot of them to be blue belts by the end of next year.
When did the gym open?
May of 2017.
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| | Some facts about you:
Name: Alexander Umantsev Age: 37 Belt: Black Profession: Information Security Specialist / Entrepreneur Years in BJJ: 11 Other martial arts: Boxing, Kali Currently living in: Tbilisi, Georgia Originally from: Israel |
| Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
Last year, me and my friend, partner, and student Temo Mamatsashvili were introduced to each other by an American purple belt, Kevin Meyers. Temo had been training BJJ In London at the Roger Gracie Academy, and had been looking to start a BJJ program in Tbilisi since returning, since there was no real Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team in Georgia at the time. For those reasons it was pretty much a no-brainer for us and we decided to open an academy and try our hand at developing the sport.
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| | Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have team members from all walks of life, as you often see in BJJ gyms around the world. We have everyone from 14-year kids with achievements in mind to 40-year-old businessmen who want to train martial arts and get in shape.
Why do they train? They came for a combat sport, but stayed for Jiu Jitsu and its unique trait of uniting everyone; all while being a legitimate martial art.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
Besides the challenges that come with running every business, in Georgia the hardest part of running a BJJ gym is the fact that it's a completely new and unfamiliar sport/martial art in the country. Furthermore, in Georgia martial arts are usually considered as being relatively cheap sports, because sports like judo and wrestling are usually funded by the government. Therefore, given the fact that BJJ is obviously not funded by the government, we have to run it like a business and it does require some adjustment in the public opinion.
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| | How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
We have done a lot of ground work so far, and I wish to proudly say that there is and there will be Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Georgia. We have a lot of talented guys training with us, and more are joining everyday. Georgia has an amazing pedigree and history in wrestling/grappling sports, and there's absolutely no reason why BJJ will be any different. I predict that in the years to come Georgia will have very formidable competitors at various belt levels internationally.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
In our gym you can get a high level of coaching and a beautiful atmosphere to which all of our members contribute. All our experienced visitors truly enjoy the atmosphere in our academy and the level of skill present on the mat.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?Georgia has amazing food, nature and history. I recommend that people see different landmarks around the city, but the Old Town is a must. Visitors can also travel from Tbilisi to the mountains for sports in the winter and to the seaside in the summer.
Thanks for sharing with us! If you would like to pay a visit to Legion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you can find them here. |
| | | | | 3 tickets left for February Caribbean camp |
| | * From May 6th – 11th 2019 *
* In Tallinn, Estonia *
* Less than 30 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 *
* Yoga every morning *
* All experience levels and affiliations welcome! *
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