I made my big, scary, indefinite move overseas knowing that if the UK BJJ community was anything like Australia’s – it would provide a great deal of support, friendship and maybe even a surrogate family.
I’m still getting to know my ‘pommy jitsu’ crew, but back home the Australian Elite team and Girls In Giare making me feel so damn proud.
We all have that special connection to our home club. It’s the place where solid friendships and even relationships are forged, and where we record so many milestones in our Jiu Jitsu (and overall fitness) journeys…
I can only imagine how heartbreaking this fire has been for Legacy Martial Arts.
“On the 7th September, our gym in Chippendale was destroyed by a criminal act of arson. It was our home. As a show of support and family spirit we continued our training in the park the following day.”
An Australian Elite Team grading is the stuff of legend. Among the BJJ crew I mix with, anyway.
Ninos doesn’t tell a student when they’re about to grade – he tells everyone else. The class begins as usual, but sometime midway through a demonstration he or she whose time it is will suddenly be pounced on by a pre selected student – a collective roar will go up, accompanied by the thunderous sound of bare feet and hands, slapping and stomping the mat in encouragement.
“The chosen one” quickly realises it’s time to put up their biggest fight yet and gets to work, while Ninos regally makes his way through the crowd of students selecting the next opponents.
On the battles go, until everyone has rolled with the suffering student. The most senior team members give him or her a hard time before it’s Ninos’ turn.
The crowd again roars as the head of AET shows how it’s done, and when he decides they’ve fought hard enough, a submission is applied which signals the grading is complete.
I was hoping to witness this and the hardcore belt whipping that follows before I left, and last weekend I was able to.
AET held an open day at the new headquarters; a bigger warehouse than the old digs, kitted out with arguably one of the biggest mat spaces in the country (and even then training can still feel crowded).
Around 300 people came – mostly grapplers and their family members from affiliates, but also rival club members, to show their support.
Three students graded, two to purple and one to blue.
Poor Dany dislocated his knee halfway through, but he continued on with all the moves he was able to do.
The line up at the end for belt whipping was pretty epic – whites and blues the full length of the mat with a second line needed for purple, brown and black belts.
Photo: Courtesy of AETHuge congrats Tony, Jason and Dany! Photo: Courtesy of AET
Some really heartfelt speeches followed, then it was barbecue and open training time!
I got to hang with a gorgeous bunch of jits girls, and received some tips from one, Emily – to get more comfortable on my neck/shoulders and in situations where I’m being stacked. (“bring your knees into your chest, people forget they have another joint between their neck and legs!”)
I’m gonna miss these kids.
– How do your club gradings work?! Do you like the surprise approach?
After a couple of weeks off the mat with a sore back and hip joint, I tested things out in Tuesday’s FAFC class and happily headed home with no soreness, bar the niggling hip.
Still pumped, I went to the new Australian Elite Team headquarters to train on Wednesday night – still under construction, the mat space is going to be HUGE when it’s done (new mats on order).
Something I’m disappointed about though (and I know leasing a space means this is not entirely in AET’s control) is the lack of showers – for both sexes, let alone a female change room.
There is one bag storage/change area with a window, so it’s not really a space to full on change in.. and there is one – ONE toilet. To be shared by everyone.
I never realised what a luxury even having a female change room and shower was, until I read Jiu Jiu’s blog poston the subject.
I have no idea what to expect now when I move to the UK, I suppose it will depend on the BJJ club.. but the thought of having to head home from training on the tube without having had a shower ain’t too appealing!
There was a black belt grading tonight which I wasn’t able to attend, but I snagged this team pic off Facebook anyway – such an awesome, inspiring (albeit smelly) Jiu Jitsu family they are!
And a final highlight of the week – my patches arrived!
Custom Patches Onlinedid a terrific job with some detailed (for a patch) artwork, my idea with these is to give them to BJJ people I meet on my travels. If some make their way onto bags – or even gis that would be pretty cool. =)
gypsy girl in gi 