Stealth BJJ Manchester to Rio Training Holiday
Bon voyage to Stealth BJJ purple belt featherweights Mark and Emil. They are travelling to Rio, the birthplace of
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to train, compete and live the Jiu Jitsu lifestyle.
Both Mark and Emil are solid purple belts! Emil is the British BJJ purple belt champion in both gi and no gi and took silver in the European Championships this year. Mark has also competed extensively and has won IBJJF comps and local competitions on his way to purple belt. It’s going to be great seeing them compete against some of the best in the world in Rio de Janeiro. The competition circuit there is really tough and even the smaller comps are challenging. I’d certainly encourage anyone with a passion for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to train and compete in Rio
at least once!
Both will be staying at the Connection Rio house for a month, which has both hobbyists and high level competitors staying there. The CR house is a great way to meet other travelling BJJ enthusiasts and make new friends, especially if you’re travelling alone. There are always plenty of people to help you out and show you around Rio in between training sessions.
The two progress Jiu Jitsu sponsored athletes will be training full time at Gordo’s academy, which is only a
short walk from the CR house. Mark and Emil are both a handful now on the mats, so after a month or more in Brazil
they are going to return sharper than ever!
As you can’t train 24/7 in Brazil as much as some people would like to, there are still plenty of things to do
in between training sessions. There are some amazing beaches close by and many people climb Pedra da Gavea mountain to see the spectacular views over the city. The food in Rio is great and on the weekends there are lots of local bars to relax in and enjoy a beer, before getting back on the mats on the Monday.
Around 10 of the students from Stealth BJJ have been to Rio on training holidays and I’m sure they would
recommend it. There is plenty of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the USA now and all over the world, but there is something
special about training in Rio.