Featured affiliated academy: KODAMA BJJ, England
Where is the gym located?
KODAMA BJJ is based out of Angmering, a village on the South Coast of England. While the village itself has a population of around 10,000, we are centrally nestled right between several much larger coastal towns, making us highly accessible for the whole region.
How many people train there?
As of July 2026, just over four weeks after opening our doors, we have officially hit 53 active members. The response from the local community has been nothing short of tremendous; it’s an absolute flying start that completely blew past my initial expectations.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We are growing rapidly. Before we even laid down a single mat on opening night, we had 30 people locked in wanting to join. In our very first month, we brought on another 23 members. While that initial launch surge will naturally level out and many trialists will drop off, my prediction is that we will continue to grow by a minimum of five new members a month in the short-medium term, factoring in our sports high levels of attrition.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
Because we are a brand-new academy, the vast majority of our mat space is filled with enthusiastic white belts. However, we have a core of nine active blue belts, one brown belt, and then myself, the lonely black belt.
When did KODAMA BJJ, England open?
We opened on the 1st June 2026 and we’ve been inundated with requests for trials, to check out the gym, and to sign up ever since then.
Some facts about you:
Name: Wayne Tomsett
Age: 43
Belt: Black Belt – my first stripe is due in a couple of weeks. It’s going to be a unique milestone for me, because funnily enough it’ll be the only stripe I’ve ever been given in my entire BJJ journey. My coach never believed in giving them.
Profession: Right now, my full energy and focus is on being a Jiu-Jitsu coach. I was recently made redundant from my corporate job, which turned out to be the ultimate catalyst to finally bring KODAMA BJJ, England to life. To mitigate some risk while the business scales in its first year, I’m taking on a ‘parachute’ job for the next six months. However, my priorities are KODAMA. I’m fully prepared to hand in my notice the absolute second it interferes with the quality of my coaching or the growth of the academy.
Years in BJJ: Nearly 14 years in the sport, I fell in love with it as soon as I started learning it. I was doing a bit of BJJ for a while at a Karate place and with my brother before I joined a proper club. I got obsessed pretty quickly, training 4-5 days a week, often two classes a day. I wrote a book on the sport — Cheat Codes, the Secret Guide to Winning on the Mat.
Other martial arts: I did Wado Ryu Karate for a few years before I found BJJ, and I’ve dabbled in Muay Thai and Judo here and there.
Currently living in: Worthing, on the south coast of the UK
Originally from: Brighton, also on the south coast of the UK, and an awesome town to visit.
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I trained at one academy in the UK for around 11 years, where I earned my black belt. For many of those years I coached my own class once per week and assisted in hundreds of other classes. I was originally asked to teach as a blue belt just as cover for a new gym my coach opened nearby — I was the most experienced person available on a day that he couldn’t regularly make it on time – and that just became my regular class every week. I never asked for a penny and continued paying my monthly membership. Teaching helped me understand Jiu-Jitsu on a deeper level.
Eventually I moved to a new town and joined another academy. Before long I was asked to coach there too, and for the next two and a half years I threw myself into that role. I ran classes, helped establish the women’s programme, designed and taught beginners’ courses, recruited the women’s coach, organised team socials, and coached at competitions. I loved every minute of it.
Then I was made redundant from my day job. It forced me to ask myself what I really wanted to do with my life, and the answer was obvious: I wanted to build an academy of my own. It had always been something I’d hoped to do one day, but suddenly it felt like now or never. From the moment I started considering it, I told the academy owners. My plan was to open in a different town, further away than several other nearby academies, and I offered to do everything I could to make it as collaborative and positive as possible. Ultimately, our visions didn’t align, and we parted ways.
While it was a difficult day, it forced my hand in the best way possible, with no job to return to and no gym to train at, I committed every waking hour — literally — to making the academy a reality. I adapted my original plans and, instead of waiting until I could afford a permanent facility, found an incredible community hall with a sprung floor. Four weeks later, KODAMA BJJ opened its doors.
The response to KODAMA BJJ has exceeded anything I imagined. We welcomed 30 members in our first week and reached over 50 members within our first month. More importantly than the numbers, we’ve built exactly the culture I hoped for.
KODAMA BJJ was founded around a handful of simple ideas:
- Don’t be a cult.
- Come as you are.
- Choose kindness.
- Growth over winning.
Those values influence everything we do. They shape every class we teach and every decision we make. I wanted to create an academy where people could train hard, improve, and enjoy being part of a gym that is modern, forward-thinking, and open.
We teach a concept-led, constraints based approach to Jiu-Jitsu. We encourage cross-training, we celebrate curiosity, we reject all forms of traditionalism and we question everything about the Jiu Jitsu training and learning experience. More importantly than all of that though, is that we create an environment where people can challenge themselves without feeling intimidated.
I wanted to create the kind of academy I would have loved to train in myself, and I’m incredibly proud to say that’s exactly what we’re building.
Opening KODAMA meant stepping away from traditional affiliations to ensure our values remained uncompromised. KODAMA is proudly independent. We’re carving our own path, and while that means my journey as a black belt looks different from the traditional route, I am completely at peace with it. I’d rather build something that reflects my values than chase recognition at the expense of them.
That’s also why Globetrotters feels like such a natural fit. Openness, sharing knowledge, training with everyone regardless of affiliation, and putting Jiu-Jitsu above politics are values I care deeply about. I’m looking forward to becoming an active part of that community, coaching at camps, learning from others, and continuing to grow alongside people who share the same philosophy.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
It is a wonderful bunch. We naturally skew slightly older, which is a deliberate result of our culture and how we market the academy. We are absolutely not a ‘fight to the death’ gym, nor do we expect people to redline until they pass out every night.
We treat our members like adults who have demanding jobs, families, and real-world responsibilities. Because of that, our mats are mostly filled with working white-collar professionals, people in trades, and business owners.
Most of our folks are in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, with a healthy smattering of young lions in their 20s keeping the rest of us on our toes. We also have a small but incredibly dedicated group of women on the team, and a major focus for me over the coming months is actively growing our women’s representation.
Part of what ties everyone together is our club charter and code of conduct, which everyone must read and agree to before joining. It helps set expectations and maybe aids in filtering out those who are looking for a different, more old fashioned experience.
We don’t punish people for being late because traffic happens. We don’t force anyone to bow to pictures on the wall or call me “Professor”. There are no weird taboos about asking questions or talking about belts.
Instead, we focus on a collaborative, safe environment where we train hard but with care for our partners. Our coaching methodology keeps the environment engaging and intellectually stimulating for our members, making the gym a third space for them to escape the daily grind, connect with a brilliant community, and learn something awesome without worrying about being put through a meat grinder.
Why do they train in KODAMA BJJ, England?
All sorts of varied reasons! But they all share a common thread. In fact, whenever someone shows interest in joining, I jump on a call with them to ask that exact question: “Why do you want to train BJJ?”
For a lot of our members, it starts with wanting a new challenge. They want to do something active, something physical to help with their fitness in general but hate the monotony of running on a treadmill or lifting weights in isolation (and honestly, I empathise). BJJ is very physical but it also has a significant mental element. I think that this blend of physical activity, problem solving, and interactivity is extremely engaging for a lot of the people we attract.
We also have members who come from a relatively sedentary background just wanting to get fit doing something cool. On day one, they might be utterly exhausted after two-minutes. But then you watch them do a little more the next session, and a little more the week after, until they’re handling entire sessions. Seeing that transformation is incredible. One of our members in his 50s, Si, recently told me, “My Mrs is wondering if I’ve been replaced, I’ve never enjoyed anything active as much as this.” That is exactly what we aim to deliver: a genuine, deep-rooted love for the sport.
Another massive driver is simply just to belong to a community. I mentioned above about us being a great third space for people, it’s so important for your mental health that you have a separate environment that is away from your home and your job, and we provide that. More than that though, BJJ provides a unique, shared struggle. It brings people close together remarkably fast, and it’s a great way to make friends.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
Locally, geography throws us a bit of a curveball. Angmering is a small village nestled on the South Coast of England, centrally situated between several larger, more built-up towns. Because of that layout, there are plenty of long-established competitors in the surrounding area. But honestly, hand on heart, I don’t worry about the local competition. I have total belief in our coaching methodology, our culture, and the fact that we do things differently. There are plenty of people to go around, and we all offer something different. If you believe in what you do, and you try your hardest to do it as well as you possibly can, the right people will find you.
For us, the real day-to-day challenge lies in the nature of our venue. I was incredibly fortunate to secure space in a beautiful, modern community center with brilliant facilities, great ventilation, and a sprung wooden floor, which is an absolute dream for takedowns and partner safety.
The trade-off is that it’s a shared space, not a permanent, dedicated academy home. We have to lay the mats down before every session and pack them away immediately afterward. Storage is incredibly tight, which limits our growth footprint. Right now, our safe mat capacity is capped at around 20 people. I’m planning to add a few more mats when stock arrives in September, but physically, we can only expand by about six more pieces before we hit the hard limits of our storage cupboard.
Being in a community space also means we are occasionally at the mercy of the hall management or local council for maintenance closures or scheduling shifts. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it can be disruptive. I try to combat that with transparency and immediate communication with our members. But ultimately, I gladly pay that logistical tax in exchange for training in a bright, clean, environment without the overhead pressure of a commercial lease right out of the gate.
Beyond the local logistics, the general challenge of running any academy is the digital marketing and sales process. It is incredibly time-consuming to manage ads, website bookings, and follow up on leads. You naturally encounter tyre kickers and people who ghost you despite your best efforts. But I’ve learned to view that as part of the process. Every phone call is an opportunity to connect, and filtering for the right cultural fit before they even step onto the mats ensures that the community we are building stays solid, protective, and focused on lifting each other up.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
Based on our flying start, I see the future being incredibly bright. The South Coast of England is experiencing investment and growth, with more and more people moving out of the major cities toward our coastal towns. That influx of new energy is fantastic for us.
Over the long term, I genuinely believe our progressive modern approach will continue to set us apart. My immediate goal is to keep driving that momentum, evolving KODAMA BJJ from a highly successful club into a permanent, full-time academy. Having a dedicated home will allow us to expand our timetable, build out women’s and juniors programs, and remove the physical limitations of our current mat storage.
But as we grow, I don’t see it as a zero-sum game against the surrounding area. I already maintain great relationships with several other gym owners. I hope we can collaborate, cross-train, and share ideas to make the regional community stronger. I’ve already had Tom, head coach at Brighton BJJ School, run a guest class for us, and I’ve covered a class for him at his academy. At the end of the day, our goal is simply to grow Jiu-Jitsu as a whole. If we keep focusing on high-quality coaching and welcoming environments, everyone wins.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
Man, the best thing about KODAMA BJJ is our culture and vibe. I’m sure that’s an answer you get a lot, but we are somewhere you can walk in, forget about your day job, your worries, your stresses, and completely immerse yourself in the game of Jiu-Jitsu without fear of being treated like a child or broken like a toy.
The training environment is safe, intellectually stimulating, and highly collaborative. You get to learn BJJ in a beautiful space, push your limits safely, alongside a brilliant community of like-minded people who care about your longevity on the mats.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Go straight to the coast! We are incredibly lucky to have a gorgeous coastline right on our doorstep, and the stretch of seaside towns near Angmering is packed with character. If you’re visiting us from out of town or abroad, I highly recommend exploring the coast from west to east or vice versa.
West of our gym you have Chichester, my university town, which is beautiful, historic, and features lovely nearby spots like West Wittering beach. As you move east along the coast through towns like Worthing, you’ll find a relaxed seaside vibe with a rapidly growing food and drink scene, perfect for a post-training pint or a great meal by the water.
If you keep heading east, you hit Brighton – where I was born and raised. It’s iconic! Quirky, bohemian, vibrant, packed with independent shops in the Lanes, brilliant pubs, top-class restaurants. I love Brighton, you should go.
Wherever you stop along the coast, grab some fish and chips, sit by the water, and enjoy the scenery. Just one crucial piece of BJJ advice for the beach: maintain a high guard at all times, because our seagulls will steal the food right out of your hands!
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