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| BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // September 2020 | |
Dear Globetrotters,
We are now officially at two out of two! Second successful camp was held in Austria last month and it felt pretty much like everything was back to normal :) Staff members and participants tested for covid-19 ( as is now mandatory) and we lived in a wonderful little safe bubble where we could freely train and be around each other without worries. The sceneries around the camp is amazingly beautiful and we were more than 80 participants there.
The same hotel is rented exclusively for our Winter Camp in January, so there won't be any other guests there to mix with us. With the huge success of allowing families to join us in Austria, we decided to do the same for the upcoming Winter edition. There will be plenty of room for all of us since we have the entire hotel for ourselves :)
Due to all the complications this season, we are offering full flexibility on all tickets in case you can't go because of the virus situation.
I hope that life is somewhat starting to feel more normal for you, out there. If you ever want to come visit me in St. Barth, you are always welcome any time of the year, at camp or not. Things are back to normal here, training has resumed and all nationalities can visit (C-19 prior to arrival + after 6 days is required).
Have a fantastic day,
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What you'll find in this month's newsletter:
- Photos from Austria Camp last month
- Vintage style unbleached travel gi now available for pre-order
- Featured Traveller: Mina Rauter
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Kempe Fitness & Fighting
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Zen Camp is filling up again! Less than 15 tickets left |
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Despite a bunch of initial cancellations from non-Europeans, the tickets for Zen Camp in Poland next month has been selling again and it looks like we'll be having a full size camp. Covid-19 test is mandatory for all participants prior arrival!
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Photos from Austria Camp last month |
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Vintage style unbleached travel gi now available for pre-order |
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Sign up for the free online premiere of our documentary! |
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The Gentle Art of Travel is following the BJJ Globetrotters camps behind the scenes over the course of one full year and 12 training camps around the world. Sign up now to receive an invitation for the free online premiere. |
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New instructor announced for Castle Camp: Priit Mihkelson |
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Yes, we're still planning on going to the castle!!
Small, luxurious camp, far out in the Italian countryside. Lots of training, good food and wine. |
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| Featured Traveller: Mina Rauter |
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Age: 34
Belt: Blue
Profession: Speech pathologist
How many years in BJJ: 3 years 6 months
Other martial arts: I did 4 years of kickboxing / Muay Thai before starting BJJ
Where do you live: I lived in Heidelberg (Germany) for 5 years until I quit my job, left my apartment, and started globetrotting. Currently I’m stranded in Hamburg because ‘Rona forced a decision.
Where are you originally from: Stuttgart, Germany
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I have a sixth sense for Ezekiel chokes. I will start laughing before you get it.
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Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? When I was a child, my family moved around a lot in the region of southern Germany, so I was always used to being some kind of nomad, exploring new areas and finding new friends. Travelling feels natural to me, and somehow it's an addiction too. I’m always on the hunt for adventures and new things to explore. Training while travelling makes it a lot easier to find like-minded people to hang around with. I found a couple of my current best friends while travelling to Globetrotters camps :) And I love BJJ. Couldn’t think of a better way to spend my time.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?From February to April this year, I lived in Thailand, on the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. In between that, I did some short trips to Cambodia and other islands nearby. Because of Corona, I decided to come back to Europe, since I didn’t want to be stuck somewhere far away in the world if something happened to my family. Now I’m in Germany/Europe with the option of always jumping in my car and driving home if necessary. I’m in Hamburg now, and I think it's the perfect city to live through these pandemic times. If you compare southern and northern Germany, it's like travelling to a foreign country - the people here are just different haha ;) |
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| What are the things you enjoy about traveling? I’m a “slow traveller”. I want to get to know places and people deeply. I don’t like to just scratch the surface, and I’m not a fan of small talk. The things I highly appreciate while travelling are: meeting friends, having good conversations, a great vibe, a lot of nature around, delicious food, and high-level training options. Just like in Hamburg :) Also, in general travelling forces me to grow in various ways and develop new skills. You have to get out of your comfort zone. Especially while solo travelling. For example, in Thailand I learned how to drive a scooter, how to sleep with snakes and lizards in my jungle bungalow, how to snap bottle caps and cut coconuts. You never know when you'll need such skills again :)
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Thailand is a great destination for starting a world trip. The training options are awesome. Mostly I trained at Super Pro Samui and at Momentum on Koh Phangan. Momentum opened up my mind to different movement styles; it totally changed my perspective on how to move my body on the mats. Every now and then, it's very healthy to step out of your Jiu Jitsu brain and do something else for the body. But the best thing is still the people you meet. I’ve met friends from the Globetrotters family on both islands, which always creates a feeling of coming home anywhere in the world. The easiest way to connect with people is just a smile and a hello; the rest will come as simple as that. For sure the jungle is also very nurturing, and once the jungle is a part of you you'll never forget it. That’s also how training in the jungle feels like ;) I think any experience makes it worth travelling. Even bad ones like a fucking pandemic and having to decide to go back home shows you what you really appreciate, where your personal priorities lie, and how you solve problems and find solutions.
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What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling? I don’t like wearing shoes anymore. Hiking for hours is so much easier barefoot. If something light-green that looks like a leaf falls down in front of you, be aware - in Thailand it could be a snake (very tricky situation if you're on a scooter and driving at the time). Also, I’m in Hamburg. I’m still surprised I ended up here for now.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip? Budget traveller. The idea of globetrotting was born on short notice, and thus I only had a couple of months to save money. So I moved out of my apartment in Heidelberg and crashed on friends' couches while still working and saving. I am so grateful that I’m blessed with friends like that, who made this trip possible.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be? Trust the way. It will open up as you start walking. Especially when you're lost! Just do it. Don’t plan too much, if you do so, you might miss spontaneous adventures that pop up along the way. And everytime you feel like quitting - don’t! Just like in BJJ, there is always a way ;) |
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Life in St. Barthélemy is back to normal, there are virtually no infections and borders are open to all nationalities (Double C-19 test required) |
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A full week of training, surfing, exploring, beaches and sailing that you don’t wanna miss. |
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| BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Kempe Fitness & Fighting |
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Where is the gym located?
We are located in our brand-new studio in the heart of downtown Cold Lake (Alberta, Canada).
How many people train there?
We currently have over 80 members who train in both Youth 7+ and Adult BJJ, our Kickboxing classes, and our group fitness classes.
Is the gym growing - if so by how many new members each month or year?
We previously were running out of our local rec centre here in Cold Lake, using a small rental space until COVID-19 hit. At that time we had around 30 members, since we were limited due to the size of our training space. We've now re-opened in our new space and have nearly tripled in size in just 2 months.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
From Black to White belts.
When did the gym open?
Originally it started in September 2019 with us teaching three classes per week each of Youth 7+ to Adults. We re-opened at Phase 2 in Alberta in our new studio on June 22, 2020.
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Some facts about you:
Name: Bernie Antle
Age: 52
Belt: Black
Profession: RCAF
Years in BJJ: 22 years
Other martial arts: Russian Sambo, MMA, Judo Currently living in: Cold Lake, Alberta
Originally from: Grand Falls, Newfoundland
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Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence Upon posting to Cold Lake, I was looking for a way to stay busy and active outside of work.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have a mix of military members, first responders, and civilians, along with families who train together.
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Why do they train?
Many people train not just for the fitness aspect of it, but for stress relief from their military-based jobs.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
There seems to be a lack of knowledge regarding the sport in general, so educating is a big part of what we do. Once people are drawn in through our doors, they can see the fitness side of the sport, as well as the sense of community we offer as well.
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How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
Our membership in this small community has already tripled, so getting the word out there and bringing people in to see the positive aspects of BJJ, and showing them again the sense of community and "family" goes a long way here!
What’s the best thing about your gym?Besides the family atmosphere, we encourage member and community support when we do local fundraising and events. We recently did a local food bank fundraiser, Beach Bash & Smash 2020, at Kinosoo Beach here in Cold Lake. Our members and community were a huge support by donating lots of non-perishables and participating in beach sambo.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Cold Lake is known for their outdoors "scene"... lots of great fishing and hiking, the lake is beautiful, and we have wonderful locally owned/operated businesses. Watch out for the bears!!
Thanks for sharing with us! If you'd like to pay a visit to Kempe Fitness & Fighting, you can find them here. |
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Make your custom gis, patches and rashguards at our dedicated BJJ Globetrotters factory |
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It can be a mess to try and find a manufacturer of BJJ gear that you can trust on quality, delivery and attention to detail.
You can burn a lot of money going through samples from the many thousands of factories in Asia, trying to find one that will provide you with the product as you’ve imagined it. We know, because we’ve been through it all, ourselves! |
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