Featured affiliated academy: MAEDA Team BJJ Tunisia
Where is the gym located?
MAEDA Team BJJ Tunisia is located in a suburb of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.
How many people train there?
50.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
The gym has experienced significant growth this past semester. We have an average of 5 new members a month. There is, however, often turnover due to injuries.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The lowest is white and the highest is purple.
When did the gym open?
2016.
Some facts about you:
Name: Samir Annabi
Age: 47
Belt: Purple belt
Academy: MAEDA Team BJJ Tunisia
Profession: Newaza Technical Director at the Tunisian Jujitsu Federation
Years in BJJ: Since 2008.
Other martial arts: No.
Currently living in: Tunisia
Originally from: I’m half French and half Tunisian.
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
I’ve always been passionate about martial arts. After an accident which led to a physical handicap (knee and foot/ankle), I become more oriented towards fighting on the ground as opposed to standing. My uncle, a Judo 4th Dan black belt and Newaza Sensei, transmitted the technical basics. I had the opportunity to have many foreigners from different countries come to my gym. Most of them practiced BJJ, which led me to be drawn to this sport.
My belt evolution is not mainstream or usual. We started inviting black belts from abroad for workshops and training. This enabled me and my students to learn new techniques, but also be tested for our belt colors. The club’s orientation today is dedicated to self-defense, self-confidence, and Newaza/BJJ competitions, both at the national and international level. We can proudly say that we have Tunisian Newaza champions at our club, who will soon be participating in the African and World championships.
The gym is proud to have been contacted by the Caveirinha Academy (https://cjjfacademy.com/) to represent them locally. We will make this official in June when one of their representatives will come to Tunisia.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
I have two kinds of people who train: kids and adults. About 70% of the adults are less than 25 years of age. Most of them are university students; the rest are businessmen, architects, software engineers, male nurses, lawyers, and mechanical engineers. They come from different social classes, and they have become a family.
MAEDA Team BJJ Tunisia
Why do they train?
Most of them want to discover their capacities and limits. They also want to achieve more and push their limits to the maximum. Discovering a martial art which takes place on the ground will enable them to be more complete by mixing it with a “standing” sport. Some aim to eventually do full-time MMA.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
One of the challenges is getting students and their parents to accept that this sport becomes a full part of your life. The first difficulties encountered are dealing with pain and injuries. Then comes managing the different egos of the students. Apart from that, there are no particular challenges in my area specifically.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
The future is rather bright for BJJ in Tunis. The sport is becoming well-known, more and more people getting interested. There are clubs opening every year. And there is a national will to push the sport forward and make it mainstream. I am hopeful and I expect to see many people from different backgrounds and education levels become smitten by BJJ.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
From a technical point of view, we apply all the BJJ basics, but we’ve also developed our own particular style centred around everything related to escape positions. This is not something we see regularly on YouTube. We apply this when we compete, and it has been extremely effective and efficient.
From a personal point of view, the students have become a family. They have a strong feeling of belonging and there is a special relationship between myself and my students.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
MAEDA Team Tunisia is in the suburb of Carthage, Tunisia. Carthage has been the center of the Punic and then Roman worlds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage). We also have superb beaches and great Mediterranean gastronomy, which is based around lamb and fish.
