Featured affiliated academy: Flamingo Jiu-Jitsu, India
Where is the gym located?
Flamingo Jiu Jitsu is located in Bangalore, India. Here’s the location on Google Maps – https://maps.app.goo.gl/oHgX78BJdZvmS3x19
How many people train there in Flamingo Jiu-Jitsu, India?
We have about 50 members training at the moment. On a busy day, we have about 20 folks training in a batch.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We have been running just over 2 years now. We are at an average monthly member base of 50. We have some beginner gains, and see about 3-4 new members every month.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The coach, Debo, is a purple belt 3 stripes and is the highest belt. We have about 10 blue belts, and the rest are all white belts.
When did the gym open?
Flamingo Jiu Jitsu started operations in October 2022.
Some facts about you:
Name: Debo
Age: 36 years
Belt: Purple
Profession: Mechanical engineer turned academy owner
Years in BJJ: 11+ years
Other martial arts: Karate (4 years)
Currently living in: Bangalore, India
Originally from: Assam, India
Flamingo Jiu-Jitsu, India
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I was just out of a job in 2022 and was looking at ways to quickly get an income source. I was at that time training and competing. I took up this online name of ‘thejiujitsuoperator’, as I was connecting lot of folks who would enquire about Jiu Jitsu training in the city. I thought, why not start doing privates, and fortunately I got some clients quickly.
I was even going door to door with mats in my car to teach, which soon became unsustainable. But I knew that quite a few folks wanted to train. And during those privates I trained a wide variety of members – 40 year olds hobbyists to 15 year old school athletes. I started enjoying teaching, and finally had a deep conviction in my ability to add value through Jiu Jitsu. That’s when Flamingo Jiu Jitsu was born.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Currently, our Jiu Jitsu program caters to adults. Early 20s to late 30s is the demographic of the members. Almost all of them are working corporate jobs and have moved to the city from different parts of the country.
Why do they train?
The bulk of the member base are young professionals who are curious about Jiu Jitsu or MMA and are looking to take up a skill focussed session to stay fit. The community and learning aspect is a strong cultural alignment for these folks at Flamingo.
Flamingo Jiu-Jitsu, India
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
Some key challenges are:
- Finding folks who are specifically looking for Jiu Jitsu. Most of them are looking for MMA and not really aware of Jiu Jitsu.
- Balancing the class curriculum between beginners and experienced members as we run a mixed level class.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
There has been a rapid growth over the last 2-3 years in the specific area where Flamingo Jiu-Jitsu is. When we started there were 2 clubs teaching MMA or Jiu Jitsu. Currently there are about 10 clubs. So it’s a positive sign and we are expecting this to continue to grow.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
The flock. The culture at Flamingo is warm and inviting. Personally I find it refreshing to teach and be around these guys.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
The food scene in the area is great. If you have the time for a short drive, there are many treks and hiking spots around the city.
—-
