Fight Club BJJ Ashmore

Yesterday I had the honour of awarding her black belt along with the head of Fight Club Jiu Jitsu and

Earning a black belt is no small feat. It requires years of training, blood, sweat, tears, competition, injuries, fighting, teaching, and being a person who can withstand thousands of hours of sacrifice and punishment in the pursuit of knowledge and growth, knowing we will never reach perfection in what we do but continuing regardless. Ella has done all of those things and more.

Ella gives us all a hard time on the mats, never backing down while showcasing her technical skills. She has also been a huge supporter of women's Jiu Jitsu both inside and out of our club and now more than ever leads the way for other women in the sport.

Thank you to everyone who came along to be a part of the day and show support and recognition for a well earned promotion to a very deserving person.

Congratulations Ella.

Today I did something I have never done before and gave out 3 new brown belts.

has been a great addition to the club since moving here from the greatest state in our nation, NSW. Craig has a wealth of knowledge, a friendly, helpful attitude and is a tough roll, even for experienced black belts.

has trained with us since he was a white belt, doing berimbolos through the ranks and collecting legs, with a smile on his face and a laid back attitude that makes the entire club feel relaxed and friendly.

is one of our few remaining original members from where we first opened up all those years ago. Cooper has fantastic grappling now but has developed as a human being as much as he has a Jiu Jitsu athlete which makes his promotion even more special.

Congratulations gentlemen.

*NEW BROWN BELT ALERT*

is one of our few remaining original members from when we first opened the gym 6 years ago. We see lots of students come and go in jiu jitsu, it's a hard art to stick to, so when someone earns a brown belt they're no joke. They have usually sweated, blead and/or cried to make it this far. In Tristan's case, he has caused all of those actions in others...mainly me.

Tristan may come across like someone who uses strength, doesn't roll light, likes to smash people, and he is. But, he has shown a keen interest in his progression, evolving from someone who does side control americanas to someone also does side control kimuras...as well as a number of moves you wouldn't expect from a 115kg brown belt, showing he is a complete fighter.

If you ever make it to brown belt like Tristan, just know that your black belt is all but guaranteed. The only thing that can stop you from getting it is you. It may take a day, a year, or as many years as it took you to get your brown belt in the first place, but you will get your black belt. You probably already have 95% of what you need. I know Tristan does.

Congratulations on a very well deserved promotion my friend.

PS. We couldn't get a photo of Tristan smiling, so we buckled and copied his joyous expression under threat of his side control.

Today marks the last day for as an instructor here at Fight Club Jiu Jitsu Ashmore and for the Invictus Health and Martial Arts Program for veterans and first responders.

Garret has been with us since we first opened, making his way from white belt to black belt, training, competing, and coaching over the years.

Not only has Garret been heavily involved in the club, but he has also been a great friend helping us above and beyond what anyone could hope for.

He will be sorely missed by us all but is moving on to an amazing new opportunity to grow his career and we couldn't be happier for him.

Thank you Garret for everything and we all wish you every success with your new career.

Osu

Dont miss our public holiday open mat tomorrow morning!

They may not have won the ashes, but the English took over this morning with a brand new blue belt emerging.

The blue belt marks a significant shift from a beginner trying to survive, to someone who is capable of defending themselves, helping others, has a good understanding of the fundamentals of Jiu Jitsu and on their day can give any black belt a run for their money.

Rob can do all of the above, and is a great human as well. Congrats Rob.

Who will be the next person this year to belt up?

Merry Christmas Folks,

Thank you all for being with us this year. The start definitely wasn't easy but the second half of the year has been great, and a big part of that was the amazing community we're lucky enough to have around us.

We can't thank you all enough.

Have a brilliant day and a happy new year.

Osu 😊