Growing the Community: BJJ Globetrotters

Bill Gates once said, “The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” In this virtual town square, any individual can share an idea and find like-minded individuals to create a community. Individuals like Christian Graugart, who founded Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Globetrotters- a group of traveling shogun badasses looking to train jiu jitsu with other badasses regardless of affiliation, belt color, race, religion, or gender.

Grugart’s goal is to “create a team against teams. An alternative Jiu Jitsu affiliation, that [pokes] the traditional notion of our tribalised culture.” The idea being that the BJJ community can transcend all the bullshit that keeps people separated. Let’s move past all the petty rivalries and just move the game forward. We are all in this sport together, we all share a passion, and we can all relate to each other’s experience. So why not train together and get friendly?

BJJ Globetrotters injects its members into an online network of academies and training partners from all around the world. Membership for both academies and individuals is free. An affiliate gym will allow visiting members to train for one week free. With over 150 gyms affiliated, members can find a place to train almost anywhere, and the global network opens up gym doors to guests with an unfamiliar style of BJJ, thereby growing each other’s game. BJJ Globetrotters even started “a completely free, couchsurfing style service that matches BJJ travelers and hosts from around the world.” They call this service “matsurfing” and it essentially means members are willing to house travelers as they pass through town. All they ask is you not be a serial killer and that you follow/promote the team values:

We don’t pay each other any affiliation fees

We wear any patches we like on our gis

We are free to represent any (or no) team in competition

We encourage training with anyone regardless of affiliation

We are willing to promote anyone who deserves it—members or not

We arrange camps, seminars and visit each other for training and fun

We believe everyone is equal both on and off the mats

We strive to enjoy life, people and the world through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

 

BJJ Globetrotters puts the opportunity to enrich the global jiu jitsu community at your fingertips. Whether it’s the Arab Spring or the founding of “A community of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners of all levels from around the world,” the internet has proven to be more than just a channel to access pornography and cat videos. Christian Graugart’s movement to create this global network of BJJ hobos is a step towards creating a real community among jiu jitsu practitioners. In my travels I’ve found that a good roll makes a fantastic ice-breaker; even when my partner and I don’t speak the same language, we both speak Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. So please sign up at their site, tell your friends, your instructors, and give back to this awesome fucking sport we all love.

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