Archive for month: January, 2023
Featured affiliated academy: Tropical Squad BJJ, Spain
Where is the gym located?
The gym is located in the city center of Motril, a small town (60,000 people) on the tropical coast of Spain.
How many people train there?
Normally we are between 15 to 20 people. It depends a lot on which period of the year we’re in. For instance, during summertime, because of holidays, there are normally less people coming to train.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Yes! We started in November 2021, so we’re still a really young team. Every month someone new comes to try, and normally they stay and join the team.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
We have many white belts with the same level (1-2 stripes), two recently promoted blue belts, and a brown belt (me). We often have guests from other academies because we’re in the south of Spain, which is a really touristic area, so many people come to train during their holidays.
On Saturdays we have an open mat where everybody is welcome, so many times members from other academies join us for some rolls.
When did the gym open?
The gym itself opened in 2011, originally as an Aikido dojo. When I moved to Spain in Dec 2020, I was looking for a place to train but couldn’t find any in this area, and had to drive a long distance every time. So I decided to open my own, starting in November 2021.
Some facts about you:
Name: Alessandro Roncali
Age: 38
Belt: Brown
Profession: Right now I’m just teaching BJJ, but I used to work as a mechanical maintainer.
Years in BJJ: I started in 2006, and since 2014 I was really addicted. I trained a lot and competed a lot. Then I changed jobs and started working on shifts, so it became very difficult to train regularly. Also, at that time I had some serious issues with my back, and that made me quit for quite a long period. Once I moved here in 2020 I decided to start training again, and here I am.
Other martial arts: I did some Karate (Shotokan style) when I was a kid for a couple of years. I also did a martial art called Yosekanbudo, which is like a mix of different martial arts. There I had my first approach to ground fighting, but of course still really soft compared to BJJ. I did MMA in my old gym, but never with the aim of competing, just training to improve skills.
Currently living in: I live in the countryside near Motril, on the coast of Granada province in the south of Spain.
Originally from: I come from Cividale del Friuli, a small town in the deep northeast of Italy, near the Slovenian border.
Please tell us the story of how Tropical Squad BJJ, Spain came into existence
Hope you’re not in a hurry! Ahahah!
When I moved here from Italy, I was a few years out of training seriously and I was really bored and out of shape. One day my wife (she is from this area) told me: why don’t you search for a BJJ gym around here? I started searching on the internet and asking people, but no one was doing it in my area. When every hope was gone, I casually found on the street a flyer of a gym in a town far from here… so I decided to go there and give it a try.
The gym was also really new (they were basically training in a garage) but I had the chance to train and that was the important thing. After a while, they moved to a better place and opened a real gym. I trained there whenever I could, but it was so far away, so I talked to the coach and owner, who is a really good friend, and told him that I would try to open something in my area. He agreed and supported me.
Then I started looking for a place, but the main big commercial gyms weren’t interested. Everytime i said Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, they used to answer me, “Oh yes, I know it! It’s something like a dance (capoeira)…” LOL
After many attempts, I found the dojo where we currently train thanks to a friend of mine that was teaching yoga there. I spoke to the owner and we got along so quickly. From that point everything evolved really fast… flyers, social media… some people called telling me that they had been waiting for BJJ for a long time…
And here we are.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Some of them are people that have no previous experience in martial arts. Some are police officers, but mainly normal people that try BJJ and get addicted. We also have people coming from other martial arts like Karate Kyokushin, Thai Boxing, and Judo.
Why do they train in Tropical Squad BJJ, Spain?
Different reasons, like learning self defense and getting in shape, but I think most of them train because they like the atmosphere. We’re more like a group of friends. Rolling is a better way to get to know people than talking, I think many people don’t expect the feeling you get when you’re doing BJJ, so they simply get addicted.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
Since there’s still no culture for it around here, many people just see the violent part of the sport and are reluctant to give it a chance. The town is quite big, but if you search for martial arts there is only Karate,Taekwondo, Aikido… nothing related to BJJ.
However, I think that things are changing… slowly, but they are changing.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
We hope to grow more. In a few years, I would like to be able to open a bigger academy with BJJ and other activities/disciplines that can grow together.
What’s the best thing about Tropical Squad BJJ, Spain?
The fridge is always full of beer. Ahahah! It’s not simple to say just one thing, but if I have to say one, the best thing is the people who train here. There is a good atmosphere.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
This area is absolutely incredible for the weather. We have less than 30 rainy days a year, and we enjoy a subtropical climate, so the average temperature during the winter is 19ºC. Here you’ll find avocado, mango, papaya, and every kind of vegetable and fruit you can imagine, plus being right by the sea means a very rich gastronomy.
The cost of living is really low compared to other areas, so there are many things to do and try also on a budget! Every type of outdoor sport is possible all year! There are many sea sports you can also practice in winter. We have a 3500-metre mountain just an hour’s drive from the coast, so you can ski in the morning and surf in the sea in the afternoon.
If you like history, we have the beautiful city of Granada 40 minutes away by car, where you can visit many many amazing things.
I’m sure that organising a camp here would be absolutely great! The chances to embrace many sports and the guarantee of sunny weather makes it the perfect place for it.
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Thanks for sharing! If you’d like to visit Tropical Squad BJJ, Spain you can contact them here.
Episode 20: The 10th anniversary of BJJ Globetrotters!
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It’s been 10 years since I sketched out a logo for a patch idea and BJJ Globetrotters came into existence. We celebrate that with a special episode where community members are “calling in” from many corners of the earth to leave a message or story for the podcast.
- The first mention of BJJ Globetrotters on the old “Shogun HQ” blog
- Free BJJ Globetrotter audiobook 10 year edition
Trekking across the world to become a talk therapist
Dust Mop Jiu Jitsu: The Expat Files: Chapter Six: Fairborn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy-Fairborn, Ohio
-On basics, learning to conduct therapy around the world and realizing I’m standing next to Dave Chappelle
This is Chapter Six of what I’m calling the Expat Files. If you want to know more about what this project is, you can read more about it in the first article here. – I’ve referenced a few times that I started BJJ around the same time that I began grad school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Right away I felt like there had to be a connection between Jiu Jitsu and therapy. I usually left practice feeling a sense of bliss and clarity that would make any therapist jealous of my coach. But just like at Boston BJJ, in the therapeutic world, I had to learn the fundamentals. In Jiu Jitsu, fundamentals usually refers to the basic moves that everybody needs to survive in our sport. Since everyone knows them, they usually don’t work on anybody but the newest folks. But if you don’t know them, nothing else you do will work. In grad school, fundamentals was the name of a class that had a residency. That’s what brought me to Yellowsprings, Ohio for a week in December, 2018.
My degree was mostly non-residential. That’s a fancy, “chip-on-the-shoulder” way of saying online. I realized I wanted to apply to a program when I was in Korea. But they let me know that I could start working toward it there. In Ulsan, I would wake up early and do practice therapy sessions at Starbucks with a partner who lived in Pittsburgh. For an addictions class, I had to find a substance abuse support group. I found an all-expat Alcoholics Anonymous group in Daegu which is about 45 minutes away via high speed rail. Between teaching full time, jiu jitsu at Ulsan Fight Gym and my Masters, I felt pretty swamped.
As I left Korea, I decided I was going to do one class while on the road. Fundamentals is a course where you focus on all of the skills you need while conducting a therapy session. A part of this is having a lab partner where you take turns being their therapist or their client.. Being on zoom, it made it easier to watch recordings of yourself and nitpick everything you say as the counselor. A classic assignment is to pick something you said and answer the following questions.
- What did you say?
- What skill were you demonstrating? (Options could be: open-ended question, reflection of feeling, summary, paraphrasing, non–verbal affirmation etc.)
- What could you have said instead?
- What skill would that have been?
Similar to Jiu-Jitsu, the fundamentals are what you need to communicate effectively as a therapist. But if you only use those tools in session, you can sound robotic and formulaic. Kids in therapeutic settings can see these rhetorical tools coming a mile away. That’s when the emotional walls come up. The trick is to build an awareness of why you say what you say without sounding like a freaking therapist. It’s like what my friend and teammate Jovan says about techniques, “Nothing works. Unless it’s a surprise.”
The class culminates in a residency in Yellow Springs. For that week, you gather with a few other students who took the same class. For five days my classmates and I watched each other do therapy. We got and gave feedback. They need to do this so that they can vouch for us before we do internships. I actually had an amazing time. It all felt very natural to me. During the day we would all practice therapy and at night hit up the few spots you could go to for drinks and pub food.
Before that week, I had finally been living my dream of doing BJJ every day. I wanted to get to at least one class before the week was up. Unsurprisingly, there was no studio for it in Yellow Springs. It’s a very small town that has its charm. It’s actually where Dave Chappelle and John Lithgow are from. (I actually realized I was standing next to Dave Chappelle at a crosswalk one of the nights I was there). So the closest place was Fairborn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy which was about a 30 minute drive away.
This was almost four years ago but one thing struck me that I haven’t seen anywhere else. The instructor introduced himself, and asked why I was in town. At first it was just him and me there, but for everyone who walked in the door, he greeted them and said, “This is Adam, he’s just in town for the week and so he’ll be joining us tonight.”
That might seem like a small thing but you have no idea how much going to a new BJJ academy can feel like the first day of kindergarten. All the other children are playing in the sandbox or on the swings and you just know they’re all thinking, “who’s the new kid?” But that introduction really helped get rid of that awkward feeling. If you’re a Jiu-jitsu instructor and you’re reading this, take note. A study I read once tried to find the single highest predicting variable of who at a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio will continue their membership. The result: how many other students know your name.
The lesson was helpful as well. Like most gyms I’ve been to, I was one of the smallest guys there. They all had that midwest powerlifter look. But the lesson really helped with something I had struggled with. I would often get mount on folks and get launched off right away. But the technique was to make my body parallel to theirs and snake my legs under theirs. Then, without looking, you can feel what direction they are trying to push you and you can resist. It helped me survive a lot longer on top.
A week later, I found myself rolling with Tom, one of the guys from Boston BJJ. Like normal, he was kicking my ass. But I managed to get on top and use the leg-snaking technique from Fairborn. I stayed on for a full minute before getting swept-up. But as soon as the timer marked the end of the round he looked at me and said, “You are a LOT better than you were a month ago!”
I’d like to say that it was Fairborn that helped me get that compliment. In reality, there’s no magic technique that helps fix your game. But it’s the slow tweaking of fundamental movements overtime that makes you more efficient and better at the sport. Even the fanciest of moves needs to be built on the awareness of the basics. Similar to therapy, it can be tempting to think that you need some fancy tool to break through to your clients so you can feel like Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting. But more often than not, it’s just making a minor switch and then practicing it over and over again.
As far as I know, the academy doesn’t live where it used to anymore. If you want to meet those guys and train with them, they merged with Dayton Mixed Martial Arts Academy. I remember them talking about the move when I was there. If any of you are reading this, I hope the transition went well.
Dust Mop Takeaway:
That leg snaking technique served me for a really long time. So did the idea of being more friendly to new folks at the gym. I always want to be more like that instructor who introduced me to everyone. But more often than not, I was at a new gym where I was waiting for folks to welcome me in. Fairborn is the only place where I didn’t feel that.
As I look back, Fairborn is emblematic of the importance of fundamentals. It’s the building blocks of everything in BJJ, therapy and almost everything else I can think of. Building that awareness of what you are doing, and why you are doing it. Using them doesn’t mean that you will win, but not knowing them means almost certain failure.
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My goal is to visit 100 gyms! If you ever want me to visit yours and write about what it’s like to learn from you, feel free to reach out at [email protected]. You can also follow me @DustMop_JiuJitsu
If you want to read my articles as soon as they’re published be sure to subscribe below!
Featured Camp Instructor: Francesco Fonte – BJJ Globetrotters
Francesco Fonte – BJJ Globetrotters
Belt: Black belt first degree
Age: 46
Profession: MMA & jiu-jitsu coach, gym owner
Started training (year): My first approach to jiu-jitsu was in 2003 but I think I didn’t start to regularly training with friends until a couple of years later.
City/country: Currently living in Germany nearby Hanau, where my gym is.
Main achievements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:
I didn’t compete too often but I manage to collect some medal here and there. My favourite memories are probably winning the Rome Challenge in 2007, and the Swedish Open in 2011 and 2014. I tried my luck in MMA too, winning my debut with a first round arm bar, and getting badly injured in my second match. After that I did a few more jiu-jitsu tournaments and pretty much stopped competing.
Which Globetrotters camps have you attended:
So far, Heidelberg 2018, Zen camp 2020, Heidelberg and Wagrain Summer camp 2021, Winter camp Wagrain / Spring camp Tallinn / Summer camp Heidelberg / Faroe Islands camp 2022, Winter camp 2023. At the moment I booked my instructor spot for the coming Spring, Summer and Zen camps 2023.
Francesco Fonte & Priit Mihkelson – BJJ Globetrotters instructors
Which camp has been your favorite so far?
Every camp has its own “flavour” but my favourite camps are those less crowded like Zen and Winter camp. Especially Winter camp since the combo snowboard and jiu-jitsu is perfect.
Favorite stories/moments from the camps?
Francesco Fonte – BJJ Globetrotters camp in Heidelberg
Too many to list. The incredible amount of people I connected to, thanks to camps, it’s a story by itself.
That time I was uke for Wim and he strangled me almost unconscious in front of 80+ people and nobody noticed.
Learning to snowboard at my first Winter camp with Priit and Nina.
Introducing people to creative ways of drinking tequila in Tallinn.
Being blamed for an incredible party in Heidelberg.
Cooking for a bunch of ‘trotters in Torshavn.
The slapping game in Wagrain, followed by the burning pub accident.
If you want details, you have to ask me at camp.
Your favorite class/classes to teach at camp?
Francesco Fonte – BJJ Globetrotters Camp in Heidelberg
I approach jiu-jitsu from concepts and mechanics so I like to teach classes where I can offer my point of view on a general topic. I think so far the classes I enjoyed teaching the most, have been a class on closed guard at Zen camp, one on guard passing in Tallinn, one on sweeps in Heidelberg and one on guard retention at Winter camp.
Anything else you want to add to your profile:
I am incredibly grateful for what the Globetrotters camps brought into my life and I always suggest anyone who trains, to join one and experience it. If you’re reading these lines, know that you are always welcome in my gym and you can contact me for any question on jiu-jitsu and MMA.
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Francesco Fonte – BJJ Globetrotters instructor
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Featured Traveller: Stephanie Barthelemy – BJJ Globetrotters
Age: I am 32 years old.
Belt: A 2-stripe blue belt (I often get demoted by my washing machine, but that’s a story for another day).
Profession: I am a small business owner working in marketing, advertising, and investment.
How many years in BJJ: Only been on the BJJ train for 3 years, yet it feels like forever.
Other martial arts: Boxing and Muay Thai have both been a consistent part of my life since I was 16 years old.
Where do you live: 4 years ago, after experiencing the worst snowstorm and almost losing both my ears and fingers to the harsh Canadian winter, I decided enough was enough and packed my bags for a forever sunny location. From the crazy sub-zero Quebec Arctic to the buzzing desert. Happily living in the sunny Abu Dhabi, UAE desert ever since.
I am forever grateful that this was possible due to the flexible nature of my work. This was also very strategic, since it would allow me to travel to my favorite countries more efficiently.
Where are you from: From Montreal, Canada, an absolutely beautiful and culturally rich city, with so much to offer, whenever it’s not freezing 8 months of the year. All righty, I’m just kidding, slightly…
Montreal will always have a special place in my heart as it’s also where I first started BJJ.
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I obsess and meticulously plan so that I can travel as light as possible and all my stuff fit into one glorious bag. It’s like a religion to me at this point, or a fun psychotic game.
Stephanie Barthelemy – BJJ gear for travelling
Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I travel for both fun and work. I would always visit local gyms for weight training. But when I started BJJ, I noticed that I was feeling anxious at the thought of missing training due to work travel. Then I remembered how popular the sport was globally and how awesome it would be to add BJJ to my travel routine, trying new clubs all around the world.
The rest is truly history. Now the first thing I do when I’m planning to travel to a new place is look for a BJJ gym. You know how some people love to check out UNESCO heritage sites? Well it’s a bit of a similar situation for me. I even go as far as choosing the apartment that’s closest to a BJJ gym.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
I was in Belgrade, Serbia last October for a friend’s birthday and we both fell head over heels with the place. Then I spent 3 weeks in Riga, Latvia for medical tourism.
The next few months should be just as hectic as I like it. I’m planning to go back to train with my new BJJ friends in Belgrade and Malaga. On the calendar there’s also Bulgaria, an Egyptian wedding, and Globetrotters camps in Estonia and Poland.
There are still so many places I want to go to. It’s been a lifelong dream to make it to Antarctica. Also would love to go back to Iceland to hike the Landmannalauger and a glacier again. Then there’s Argentina for a wine and Asado course with some tango.
There’s so much to do and such limited time.
Anyways, I digress. One thing is certain is that I get quite excited when I think about the possibility of still being able to drop by BJJ gyms even in the most remote places. Meteora (Greece) is the only place where I couldn’t find any BJJ gym so far.
Stephanie Barthelemy – BJJ Globetrotters
What are the things you enjoy about travelling?
As a history and architecture aficionado, it goes without saying that I enjoy checking out the historical landmarks and museums. I also like outdoor adventuring. That said, my travel pattern is still different nowadays. For example, my friends tease me and call me a turtle because, apparently, I travel way too slow. I tried my best to pick up the pace but with time, I finally got to understand and accept my personal travel style instead of fighting it.
If I only have one week, you best believe it will be spent in the same city. This reminds me of a guy I met in Istanbul a few years ago. He was telling me about how fast he was and how he was able to travel the entirety of Turkey in only a week. I still shiver at that thought up until today. I had no idea how he did it.
Anyways, on my side, I’m slow and I like diving into the local food as a self-proclaimed foodie. Getting to know the locals and sharing meals and drinks with new friends is my main focus and the absolute cherry on top for me.
Then when I started dropping by local BJJ gyms, my overall travel experience increased tenfold.
Nowadays my perfect travel itinerary looks something like: work in the morning, then a quick museum, cultural, or food walking tour in the afternoon. In the evening, I head to Gi and NoGi training… brownie points if there’s a 10th Planet around (yes I know). Afterwards I’d be hitting some of the best places to eat. Ending the day with some crafted cocktails in a hole in the wall bar lounge that only the locals know about.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
I’ve been traveling for quite some time now, but only recently started to merge it with training. And let me tell you that I never fathomed this type of life-changing experience.
Back in November, I traveled to Latvia entirely alone to have a major surgery. Before the surgery, I managed to drop by Strela Riga BJJ in order to train. I still remember the pure joy I felt attending the class being fully taught in Russian. BJJ truly knows no limits. I just never expected to receive such a warm welcome and acceptance from the head coach along with the team members. After the training we all exchanged our @ on IG (how things have changed since the email days). I had only recently met these people and only rolled with them once, yet they all kept checking on me post-surgery, during my recovery and offering me their help. Up until today, I’m still flabbergasted by their kindness.
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
Yes, there are most certainly serial killers out there. That said, after continuously traveling all around the world, I’m determined that most people are good. And I don’t say this lightly but as a minority who sticks out like a sore thumb wherever I go.
My experience has never been short of amazing 99% of the time. It’s insane how people go out of their way to help you.
Another surprising thing is related to traveling in the modern landscape. I still can’t get used to how so many people use Instagram. I know that the platform gets a lot of hate, but I’m so thankful that I started using it this year. It has had a great impact in my life and has been a positive tool to stay in contact and nurture the friendship with all these amazing jiujiteiros/-as all around the world.
There was also that time when I was traveling through Palestine and met this lovely Palestinian girl at a local coffee shop. After talking for a few minutes, she invited me to stay over at her place so she could practice her English. She was a recent medical graduate looking for a job and was bored out of her mind. Next thing you know, my one week stay turned into 3 months and we were traveling round the region and having a blast. She also refused to let me pay back a single dime for the hospitality.
So many people with hearts of gold all around the world. I try my best to contribute and pay it forward in my own way.
Stephanie Barthelemy – BJJ Globetrotters
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I’m afraid I’m not much of a budget traveler. I see myself more of medium to luxury traveler with a passion for scoring good deals. That said, most of my trips are planned ahead of time, which gives me plenty of time to research the best prices.
I guess I still have my ways to minimize cost and strike a balance. For example, I don’t mind a budget airline for shorter trips but then I would splurge on a nice apartment rental, restaurants, wine, and excursions. That said, I will almost always say yes to any adventure so I don’t mind roughing it occasionally. All in the name of yolo-ing and making lifetime memories with amazing friends.
For the sake of transparency, I also do want to add that my favorite parts of the world to travel are the Baltics, Balkans, overall the geographical Eastern part of Europe (not trying to get political here), the Caucasus, and Central Asia (Silk Road). Coincidentally, these are all places that also allow me to stretch my dollar much further than, let’s say, Switzerland, France or Scandinavia.
So that’s probably my #1 travel hack right there.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
A reminder that even if we look different or speak different languages, have different nationalities etc., we’re all social creatures who crave various level of human interaction, connection, and a sense of togetherness and belonging. I think fellow globetrotters already know this to some extent and tend to be naturally adventurous at heart.
Still, it’s very easy to get complacent or let fear cripple us, as the news only seem to get worse by the day. So let’s all keep gallivanting around the globe in our gis whilst simultaneously connecting and sharing awesome moments together. Although we certainly momentarily choose violence on the mats, no one else knows how to have a good time like my fellow globetrotters.
Looking forward to seeing you half way around the world, perhaps even RNC’ing a couple of you guys, only to enjoy a few too many glasses of wine when all is said and done.
Cheers & stay curious and adventurous my friends!
Thank you to Stephanie Barthelemy – BJJ Globetrotters for making this interview!
Faroe Islands Camp 2022: Cradle of Filth; Guard Passing for Heretics with Giles Garcia
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OUR BJJ CAMPS 2024 & 2025
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