| | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // October 2014 | | | Dear Globetrotters,
Following our gigantic Summer Camp in June, I had imagined the Fall Camp to be a small extra event with perhaps 50 participants or so. Boy, was I wrong! We ended up having 140 people coming in from all over the world to share the mats with the hundreds of locals. It was a super intense week with a lot of training and a lot of new friendships being made. As always, we finished off in style with a great party!
These camps are fantastic in so many ways and the two big ones this summer has really given me inspiration to work even more on creating events like this in the future. So apart from the Beach Camp in March (which is nearly sold out btw), I have a handful of other ambitious ideas for camps in the works. Actually, I was working all Sunday after the camp with hangovers on them, couldn't help it! :D
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What you'll find in this month's newsletter: - Photos from the Fall Camp
- Loic Jaillat went on a bicycle trip visiting all 47 BJJ Academies in France
- Lorenzo Fraquelli: From Krav Maga to BJJ black belt
- Chris Paines - Firefighter and purple belt
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| | Countries represented at the Fall Camp
United Kingdom: 44 Germany: 20 Norway: 11 Netherlands: 9 Iceland: 9 Sweden: 8 United States: 6 (one all the way from Hawaii!) Spain: 5 France: 3 Russia: 3 Belgium: 2 Finland: 2 Austria: 2 Italy: 2 Canada: 1 Ireland: 1 Switzerland: 1 Singapore: 1 Latvia: 1 |
| | | Photos from the Fall Camp |
| Another great camp is in the books and the community continues to show why its one of the most awesome BJJ communities out there. With participants from a great number of countries, some of the best instructors, a competition and an epic party (which included a black belt dance off) this years Fall Camp will go down in the books as one of the best to date. Below are some pictures from this crazy week of training as well as a link to the Facebook gallery. Hope to see as many of you as possible for the next one!
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| | | | | | | | | There are literally over a thousand photos from the camp. Be sure to tag pictures of yourselves and those you know!
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| | Loic Jaillat went on a bicycle trip visiting all 47 BJJ Academies in France |
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| | Loic Jaillat is a 25 year old french brown belt who recently went on a trip across France, training in every major gym. We had a quick chat with him about the trip and his views on travelling in jiu jitsu.
Could you perhaps tell us a little bit about yourself and your BJJ journey?
I've practiced Skateboarding since the age of 6 or 7, and I think thats how I discovered Jiu jitsu 7 years ago. A lot of American riders practice Jiu Jitsu or Mixed Martial Arts, and one day I just searched on Google, what Brazilian jiu jitsu was.
The first video I saw was the MMA fight between 'Minotauro' Nogueira and Bob Sapp, and I said to myself, “no way, this guy will die, look at the size of the monster in front of him”. Two minutes later, Minotauro was submitting Bob Sapp and I was completely in love with the gentle art.
For the past seven years, I've trained in the same academy in the north of France called “AAM Lys Lez Lannoy”, under my master Guy Chautard, who is a De La Riva Black Belt. There are 6 black belts in my academy, which is kind of extraordinary in France. I love my academy because we all have a different style and each training session is a great lesson.
I train jiu jitsu 6 times a week, and practice skateboarding and running one or two time a weeks.
I think that skateboarding and jiu jitsu complement each other well, because you have to deal with balance, flexibility, technique and control of adrenalin.
Both are my passions, and I really love the arte suave lifestyle!
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| | You recently went on a bicycle adventure across France - where did that idea come from?
My bicycle trip around France was inspired by the worldwide trip of Christian Graugart. When he did his trip I was in my business school, and I was so jealous. At that time I was thinking about what I will do after my studies, and the idea of going to work in a bank like all my friends was horrible to me.
So I put down, on a piece of paper, all the things that I wanted to do, and the fact was that I wanted to do jiu jitsu, meet people, and travel. Because of the financial budget, I decided to begin a jiu jitsu road trip around France, and that was the best idea of my life. What do you think about the concept of the BJJ Globetrotters?I LOVE the BJJ Globetrotter concept. That’s my vision of jiu jitsu. It’s just about meeting people, sharing an experience, technique and rolling. Roll every day that you can! In my mind, the roots of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Mitsuyo Maeda was a Japanese Jiu Jitsu practitioner, who arrived in Brazil and survived because of jiu jitsu, Since that day the whole world of martial has changed.
We have the chance to practice a sport that you need nothing to train, just a friend, a soft floor, and let’s go, let’s roll!
It’s like skateboarding, you travel, you find a spot and you ride, It’s the same for jiu jitsu, you travel, you find an academy and you roll. At the end of the training session, you drink a beer with your new friend and you speak for hours of your mutual passion.
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| Do you have any future plans to travel to train BJJ?
For now, I’m looking for a job, so most of my “non training time” is focused on job hunting, but my girlfriend and I would like to find a job in Brazil and work there for some years. That would be my dream. Train everyday with great masters, in simple conditions, surf every night, and work … a little haha.
Anything you want to add?
I would like to thank my master Guy Chautard for all the good work he does at our academy, thank you master !
Then I would like to thank my girlfriend who supports me and lets me live my passion, and I would like to thanks the BJJ Globetrotter community for the inspiration and giving me a focus on my trip.
This week I also joines joined the "VHTS" team (http://www.vhtsny.com/) and I would like to thank them for their trust. Take a look at their brand - they represent the arte suave philosophy perfectly.
Most of all, I would like to thank god because my life is perfect, I’m healthy and practice my passion everyday., I’m blessed.
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Chris Paines - Firefighter and purple belt |
| First off, could you perhaps tell me a bit about yourself? How long have you been doing BJJ?
No problem, my name is Chris Paines from Stafford, England. I'm fast approaching 30, two young children, and work as a Firefighter. I'm also the coach for Fighting Fit Combat Sports, and have been for coming up to 5 years. I started submission wrestling approximately 6 years ago, but due to issues such as losing coaches to injuries, amongst other things, I ended up in charge of the class.
What attracted you to BJJ in the first place?
I originally held a black belt in traditional Japanese Ju-Jitsu after 8 years of training, and was subsequently made aware of a local "Judo Rules" ground fighting competition. With a young ego, I thought this would afford me invincibility, so I entered. I'd heard of my current club through legends so about 3 weeks before the competition, I thought I would grab some extra experience but ended up being absolutely mullered into a paste. Realising my previous experience was worth nil in this bold new world, I stuck to the club and have been obsessed with the game ever since.
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| | This is your second camp and third time visiting CSA – how did you first get in contact with the Globetrotters?
I imagine it was the same way as most of people who will read this, I discovered Christian's book. It was soon after it came out towards the end of 2012 that I cover-to-covered the book and became enamoured with the whole Jiu-Jitsu/travelling lifestyle. Through luck, I found out Christian was running a seminar in Bolton a couple of months later, and shared a train ride with him back to Manchester. The rest is pretty much history.
What was the Camp experience like, compared to your previous one?
Overall I would say it was a lot more polished this time round. That's not to say my first one last year wasn't completely awesome. The fact that everyone involved in making these camps happen always wanting to improve is a great thing. It was also a LOT busier this time around, with all new instructors, more mat time, and a larger variety of grappling styles. That and the party was at the end of the camp this time round (wrestling was VERY tough after J-Day last year).
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| | What was the best thing about the camp, in your opinion?
The people. By far. I have been on board with the Globetrotter movement since Christian first muted the idea way back when, so being involved in the camps, surrounded by hundreds of people going in the same direction, has given me such a deep appreciation for this sport and lifestyle. Each time I visit, my circle of friends grows rapidly, putting lots of new pins in my globe that I need to visit. How is any of that a bad thing?
Did you have a favorite instructor this year?
Slightly biased being a wrestler, but Eric. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved all the instructors and all the classes I attended, but damn that guy has some bad intentions for people.
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| Do you have plans on attending future camps?
Just try and stop me. Not only the camps, but just visits up to CSA.dk and any other trip I can arrange to the other Globetrotters.
Anything you want to add?
To Christian, everyone I've met through the Globetrotters, the camps, chatted to, fist bumped, rolled with and everything else in between, you are absolutely incredible people and I am ridiculously proud to be a part of this. If you should ever unfortunately find yourself in middle England, I'm easy to contact through the group, and would love to spend some time with you.
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| | Lorenzo Fraquelli: From Krav Maga to BJJ black belt |
| Hey Lorenzo! Thanks for taking the time.
First off, could you perhaps tell me a bit about yourself? You’re a Roger Gracie black belt, correct? How long have you been training?
Yes that's right I'm a Roger Gracie Black Belt, I have been training for eight and a bit years. I live, train and teach in London.
How did you get started in BJJ?
Well when I first started I didn't have a clue what BJJ was. I actually was training Krav Maga at a back room in the Roger Gracie Academy. I know it sounds crazy now as I could have started a year and a half earlier. One day I decided to check out the pictures in the wall in the school and my first instructor Felipe Souza came up and put his hand on my shoulder to see if I needed any help and this sincere friendliness is what got me started.
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| | Could you tell me a bit about your gym, Chiswick BJJ? Are you the founder?
Yes I am the founder of Chiswick BJJ. It's a small gym but we have a strong group of 30 guys and still growing, I wanted to start a gym that I would like to train at and that's always been the goal. I wanted a place with a passion for BJJ, that didn't have the politics that can sometimes happen, as well as the teaching, facilities and help to guide the students. I also wanted a place that was more than just about BJJ as really I have got so much more out of this wonderful art than I have ever imagined, things such as an understanding of how to learn, friends and a sense of community that I never realised existed in this way.
What was the Globetrotters Fall Camp experience like for you?
It was a real eye opener! I was glad I got to experience it as a student so I could learn from these great instructors, I really love how people express this art in so many different ways. Christian has done a great job with this as he covered every possible detail of anything that needed doing, well of course with the help of the amazing Vara. Also the instructors they had were great. I learnt a lot of new things and different ways of doing things I was already doing. I enjoy partying too If anyone hadn't noticed, so this was great for me too.
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| | What was the best thing about the camp, in your opinion?
Meeting and seeing people from all these different places! I have been quite insular in my training and this was a regret I had, now though I feel I can grow on this great community of like minded people and start travelling more to train and experience different places with all the good friends I made at the camp.
Did you get a chance to roll with Keenan Cornelius? What was that like?
Mmmm yes I did :) it was very short lived. But even in that time I got to feel how good he is. Always learning from these great guys.
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| | Do you have plans on attending future camps?
Yes I will try and get to all future camps as a student or teacher, I don't mind. I will also recommend it to anyone I speak to. I think I have already talked about it too much to some people and they are fed up with hearing it :p
Anything you want to add?
Thanks to everyone at the camp for being so welcoming and friendly, all the instructors who taught me and all the people I rolled with. You are all welcome to London and ask me for any help along the way with coming to London or anything and I will do my best to help. If you have any questions you can find me in Facebook or email me at lorenzo@chiswickbjj.com. See you all again soon :)
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