Training Jiu Jitsu Around the World: A Unique Cultural Immersion

Jiu Jitsu is easily the best hobby one can enjoy. I love to compete, train, learn, and surely meet all kinds of new people. The techniques you can learn and the people you can meet are boundless. Last week, I came back from my trip to Saudi Arabia and Turkey. I have now been able to do Jiu Jitsu in six countries: Spain, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. That is not including the United States.

 With the ability to train all over the world, the cultural immersion continued. Get up close and personal with the locals: wrestle, learn, and communicate. Even if you don’t speak the same language, Jiu Jitsu found itself a universal language. As Rener Gracie once said after rolling with “the Korean zombie” Chan Sung Jung, “He didn’t speak that much English, but we spoke Jiu Jitsu.” That kind of speaking through Jiu Jitsu was a common theme I found in so many of the places I visited. 

Even though English is such a widely spoken language, I was often communicating through the art of Jiu Jitsu and learning about others’ lives and cultures. I was always greeted with warm regards and treated with kindness. And in so many places, gym members would refuse to allow me to take a taxi or walk back, but instead insist on driving me. They would send me their contact info—mostly Instagram—and offer their help, whether that be a ride, place to stay, or a meal. This was especially strong in Morocco and Saudi Arabia. 

Every gym I visited was competitive, and I had chances for rolls with people from Dagestan, Chechnya, and Kazakhstan in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Training with the different nationalities provided a very unique experience. I highly recommend training Jiu Jitsu wherever you go. At the same time, you get in one of the best workouts ever and live a bit of the cultural immersion that, by most standards, the average traveler gets to experience. 

Here are some tips if you want to train Jiu Jitsu around the world:

• Always take water: Stay hydrated.
• Carry a medical card: It’s important in case of emergencies.
• Keep someone notified of your whereabouts: Safety first.
• Be kind and respectful: Remember, you are a guest.
• Don’t take their kindness for granted: Appreciate the hospitality. 

Benefits of Training Jiu Jitsu While Traveling Benefits of training abroad extend even further than cultural immersion.

Engaging in Jiu Jitsu helps in resetting the brain through the released endorphins the mood elevators. It increases the production of mood-enhancing hormones serotonin and dopamine, thereby reducing anxiety and increasing one’s well-being. In return, it reduces the level of cortisol, a stress hormone that impairs health when in large levels. This hormonal balance is key in fighting travel stress and in maintaining mental health. Training also helps to offset the indulgence in local cuisines, which are mostly high in sugar and calories. Besides, every country has different styles of teaching, techniques, and workouts. After every session is concluded, taking notes or mental notes on details is of the utmost importance to bring back to your home gym. This will allow those details to be worked and honed on, possibly to be implemented into your own game. In summary, training Jiu Jitsu around the world provides unmatched opportunities for personal growth, cultural exchange, and physical fitness. Embrace the journey and enjoy every roll on the mats.

Hassan dropping me off to my hotel after Jiu Jitsu practice in Mecca, Saudi Arabia while on his way to work at the construction site of the Haramain expansion.

With Reda Mebtouche – an accomplished grappler in France. Highly technical and athletic grappler.

Training room in Malaga, Spain. At Roger Gracie Malaga.

Teaching a Guillotine at my Cousin’s MMA gym in the United Kingdom