Featured affiliated academy: Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany
Where is the gym located?
Our gym is located in Muttenz. This is an small village near the city of Basel in Switzerland, close to the border of France and Germany.
How many people train there?
So we didn’t even start yet, but i think between 10 and 20 people will be there on our first session.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Hard to answer this question. In the beginning, maybe 1 to 3 new members each month. We have some advance registrations, but only time will tell!
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The highest belt grading is a purple belt with four stripes. The lowest is, of course, a couple of white belts.
When did the gym open?
The gym will open on the first of August 2021.
Some facts about you:
Name: Patrick Neugart
Age: 39
Belt: Purple Belt four stripes
Profession: Workforce Planning
Years in BJJ: 9 years (with interruptions)
Other martial arts: Wing Chun, Sanda, Kickboxing
Currently living in: Allschwil, near Basel
Originally from: Switzerland
Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I was a coach in a couple of gyms. My friend from MMA Basel, where I gave some lessons, had to move out of their current place. They were searching for a new place to open a gym, so we had some talks. At that point I already I had the idea in my mind to do my own BJJ offshoot, because there are not many options to train BJJ in our region. They asked me if I wanted to join them and open my own BJJ school in partnership with MMA Basel and Enshin Karate Switzerland. I said yes, and here we are now waiting for the date to start.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have many nice folks here from around the world – women and men, old and young. They’re all in different stages of their life (study, work, family).
Why do they train in Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany?
Everyone has their own reason to train, be it for fun and having a good time and meeting new people, or for the fitness, competition, self esteem and self-confidence, self defense, and many other reasons. And that’s how it should be, because everyone should have the possibility to train for whatever their reasons are.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
BJJ is slowly growing here in Switzerland, but it is still a fringe sport. The area around Basel has many martial arts gyms, but most of them are Kick-/ Thai boxing studios. BJJ is actually not a big thing in this region. As well as that, Switzerland is very expensive and the rents are high, so the biggest challenge is not to go broke!
Newguard Jiu Jitsu, Germany
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
If i could say that, then I would need a new job! Joking aside, like I said before, BJJ is growing slowly, but it is growing. I’m sure that more people will discover BJJ for themselves and fell in love with this art. Like i did many years ago.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
We are open for all. We are one big family. We have a 235 square-meter mat space (including a seven-meter diameter cage). And we work closely in collaboration with Aire Valley Martial Arts in Keighley (West Yorkshire, England) and BJJ Kingston (near London).
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
You can do short trips to France and Germany. Because we’re right on the border of the two countries. But in the city itself, I would suggest to visit the bank of the Rhine (the river runs right through the city). It’s a beautiful place to chill (especially on sunny and warm days), with many small and urban bars and street food stands.
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