Featured affiliated academy: The Forge Pakistan BJJ
Where is the gym located?
Our dojo is located in Defence, a neighbourhood in the heart of Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan. Just a 10-minute walk from the seaside.
How many people train there?
We have about 60 registered students in different classes, all training in different styles.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Over the past year we’ve seen an increase of roughly 3 members per month, with some months having higher attendance than others.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
For BJJ we only have white belts. For other martial arts being taught in the gym, the highest rank is black belt and lowest is white belt.
When did the gym open?
Our first class officially started on November 5th 2017.
Some facts about you:
Name: Momin
Age: 30
Academy: The Forge Pakistan BJJ
Belt: White
Profession: Engineer
Years in BJJ: 3
Other martial arts: Judo, wrestling, grappling, Shorinjikan and Shura Ryu jujutsu
Currently living in: Karachi, Pakistan
Originally from: Pakistani born in Luxembourg
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
I had been training grappling and Shura (a traditional form of jujutsu) for a few years, and realised that there was no suitable training facility in Defence, the most affluent part of the city with a vast population of young adults who had no access to proper martial arts training. To meet this shortfall, I opened the dojo with 3 other like-minded individuals who had been training in different traditional and modern martial arts in Karachi.
The Forge Pakistan BJJ
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
There’s a wide range of people who train at the gym: students, business owners, employers, engineers, doctors, journalists, artists, designers, and teachers. Most train for sport and fitness, but some train for self-defence
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
Some of the challenges are: interest but lack of commitment from some, student retention, high turnover, people walking off the street and thinking they are better fighters and challenging those leading the class, and the constant cultish bullying from high-ranking belts not residing in the same city.
The Forge Pakistan BJJ
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
Awareness is increasing, so interest and commitment to BJJ will increase over time. I think more competitions are required to help that along the way.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
We welcome everyone regardless of affiliation or rank. Unlike other gyms in the city. Most importantly, we have the best facilities in the city!
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
There are a lot of places to visit around Karachi, including the seaside, the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, and the mausoleum and museum of Quaid-e-Azam – the founder of Pakistan.
