Ronin on

Gym Name: Consistency BJJ

Location: Fulham, London, UK

Head Coach:  Diogo Borges

Mat Fee: Free trial class

Website: https://www.consistencybjj.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consistencybjj 

Review:

Finally in London, and I felt somewhat overwhelmed in which gyms to (re)visit! I had a DJ gig which is the only reason I came in to London rather than carry on West. So, I opted to visit the gyms of past coaches/professors and the first one I managed to make work after a spot of bouldering was Consistency.

Diogo was the head coach at Guild (my main home gym for a couple of years after Lockdown) and awarded me my third stripe on my blue belt and my purple belt. He’s since opened his own gym and has a healthy community of adult and child students.

Visiting felt like coming home as I recognised probably 80% of the students who moved over with him as the location worked better for them.

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write-ups will be making their way up onto ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justshiggi.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gym Name: Royal Jiu Jitsu

Location: Birmingham, UK

Head Coach:  Samantha Cook-Hill & Bradley Hill

Mat Fee: £10

Website: https://www.royaljiujitsu.co.uk/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/royal.jiujitsu/ 

Review:

My aimless noodling had me absolutely making a stop in Birmingham and visiting Royal Jiu Jitsu. Through my time in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu space, Samantha Cook-Hill and Bradley Hill were names and people that popped up regularly for being absolute beacons of inspiration on the competition circuits and within the community of BJJ. 

I  managed to attend a NoGi class that Bradley was leading and seeing and working through moves in person that I’d seen in competitions was pretty cool. Add one takedown that was taught has absolutely been added to my own game…

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write-ups will be making their way up onto ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justshiggi.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gym Name: 1st Legion Fighter’s Gym / Gracie Barra Leicester 

Location: Leicester, UK

Head Coach: Jamie McManus

Mat Fee: £12.50 

Website: https://1stlegiongym.co.uk/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stlegiongym/ 

Review:

After touching down in Manchester and spending some time rock climbing at a festival and speaking at the same festival - I headed  over to my brother-from-another-mother’s place in Leicster as part of my non-London “noodling” through the UK to tie over a few other jobs I had taken up over the coming months. 

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write-ups will be making their way up onto ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justshiggi.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gym Name: Templum 

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Head Coach: Jonas Andrade

Mat Fee: Free Trial class

Website: https://templumbcn.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/templum.bcn/ 

Review:

This was a bit of a special visit as I was a guest of the Method BCN crew to Templum’s open mat. Their open mat session was a free for all as quite a few competitors from all over europe were there after the IBJJF Europeans. I recognised some of them as I had a day out as a spectator enjoying the energy and reconnecting with old friends who were there to compete  too.

I didn’t roll too intensely as I was mostly just trying to make sure my back didn’t go into a full spasm. But the rolls were great and being able to roll with folks from Germany, Spain, Portugal, Poland and I think Estonia all in the same room was quite something to be a part of…

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write-ups will be making their way up onto ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justshiggi.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gym Name: Method BCN

Location: Horta-Guinardo, Barcelona, Spain

Head Coach: Francesco Profilo

Mat Fee: First class Free (BJJ Globetrotters member club)

Website: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/method_bcn/ 

Review:

After a 20+ hour bus ride across Portugal and most of Spain I made it to Barcelona. The hostel was probably the most “homey” feeling so far and right next to Guell. The club is located within a leisure centre and took me around 20 minutes to walk. The metro is also an option. 

As the fitness facility hosts all manner of sports, the spaces are shared including mat space with other martial arts clubs (Aikido, Ken-Jutsu, Karate, Judo, Wing Tsun, Kendo). 

The community vibe was great and the guys were tough but respectable rolls. I was there in the run-up to the IBJJF Europeans…

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write-ups will be making their way up onto ⁠⁠⁠⁠justshiggi.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gym Name: Checkmat Lisboa

Location: Av. Da Republica, Lisboa

Head Coach: Henrique Pereira

Mat Fee: First class free

Website: https://www.checkmateurope.com/academies/checkmat-lisboa 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/checkmat_lisboa/ 

Review:

Still in Lisbon, from the BJJ Globetrotter Facebook group, this was another highly recommended gym to visit. Situated within a great looking fight and fitness gym (1 fight gym), it was an easy enough metro ride or bus ride to get to and from (I did both). Everyone was super welcoming and spoke enough English for there to be no issues in understanding….but when all else fails, just bump fists and roll, right? 

As of this episode release, 1 Fight Gym is permanently closed….keep an eye out on my website post of Checkmat Lisboa to see if it pops up somewhere else. I’ll definitely be visiting again!

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write-ups will be making their way up onto ⁠⁠⁠justshiggi.com⁠⁠⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gym Name: Five Elements Jiu Jitsu (Rato)

Location: Rato, Lisboa, Portugal

Head Coach: Hélio Perdigão

Mat Fee: 20eu

Website: http://www.fiveelementsjiujitsu.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/five_elements_jiujitsu_rato/ 

Review:

After a month in Gran Canaria and nearly two weeks in Marrakech it was time to hop over to the main land. Flights had me swayed to touch down in Portugal and Lisbon had always been a place of curiosity for me so, why not? I chose a fairly central hostel location that felt more clinical hotel than homey hostel, but I couldn’t complain much. I reached out on the BJJ Globetrotters Facebook group for suggestions and saw Five Elements Jiu Jitsu get mentioned. 

It felt like it would have an air of “traditional” rules around Gi’s and such which makes my black Gi an automatic issue but I opted for a NoGi class. They *did* have a shorts over spats rule for all genders and they lent me the biggest small shorts I’ve ever worn!

Still - the class in an L-shaped room was interesting…

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write ups will be making their way up onto ⁠⁠justshiggi.com⁠⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠⁠

Gym Name: La Cupula EJJB

Location: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria

Head Coach: King Teiro

Mat Fee: First session free / 35/month or 42 for 12 sessions

Website: https://ejjblacupula.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ejjb_lacupula/ 

Review:

After some downtime in a hostel away from it all for a few weeks, it was time to move islands. Still waiting for the mainland to warm up I opted to stay in The Canaries and hopped to Gran Canaria. Las Palmas proper wasn’t quite my tempo (not a city fan) so opted to stay somewhere a little further south, closer to the historic quarter. The hostel was modern but still with some…island charm. 

Whilst having a choice of two gyms within walking or bus distance from the hostel, I opted for La Cupula first and ended up staying there for a while! I mean, I’m going to be hugely swayed by a beautiful collection of anime and manga figures in the corner of the gym. 

Whilst it’s a relatively new gym, the community and training also kept me coming back…

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write ups will be making their way up onto ⁠justshiggi.com⁠

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠⁠

Gym Name: Tenerife Submission Grappling

Location: Adeje town – Tenerife, Spain

Head Coach: Cam and Diego Petkoff

Mat Fee: 10eu

Website: https://www.tenerifesubmissiongrappling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenerifesubmissiongrappling/ 

Review:

Still excitedly enjoying the great weather of Tenerife, the hostel vibes and even getting a few gym sessions in near by. I extended my stay as I didn’t realise how much I actually needed to just breathe for a moment or 10! 

Life’s been pretty heavy for a while and when all you know is to just “keep on swimming”, you forget that it’s also good to tread water or stand up every now and then! 

Random road trip adventures, meandering coastal walks to “Hippie Beach” and the delightful contrast of baking on the sand whilst looking at the snow cap of Mt. Teide aside, my friend Judith invited me to another grappling gym. This is a group within a bigger fitness gym concept, so classes were held within the schedule of the space. 

It was easy enough to get to by bus though I got a lift then experienced 2pm busses (or didn’t!). 

I’m still getting a hang of this reviewing so bear with me as I figure out what kind of format I want to get into. As ever if you feel it’s a bit thin on the ground, my longer written offering with photos are in the bluuurb link below.

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, full write ups will be making their way up onto justshiggi.com

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi⁠

Picture this: It’s February 2024, you’re in the UK and it’s typically cold, wet and miserable. You’ve gotten rid of most of your belongings, and what’s left of your 23 years of living in the UK is now in a storage unit. Your life now consists of two backpacks and the clothes on your back. 

You have some shekels in your bank account but not much, but that doesn’t matter, you’ll figure it out. Just like you figured the first place you go to has to be hot. Your Dutch-Kenyan disposition has finally had enough of constantly wearing warming headgear for 10 months out of each year….

A quick cheap airline promotion and Opodo Prime membership means for the grand sum of  £95 (that extra carry-on OR hold charge is ridiculous) your friendly neighbourhood RoninShig went from 7ºC to a delicious 23ºC in about 4 and a half hours.

A hostel and town vibes review might be needed, but for now, a Facebook friend turned into a real friend and she invited me to her regular training gym…So my first gym visit at SurFight Club is what you’re getting a breakdown of right here, right now….

Post Podcast Bluuurb:

Hey, thanks for being here! If you want a more flavourful review of this gym, I’ve done a full write-up on my personal blog here: JustShiggi.com - Ronin On 1

Since February 2024 I’ve been travelling around Europe visiting BJJ gyms first-hand so I can build a network of like-minded badasses, experience new countries, cultures and most importantly BJJ gyms, their coaches, students and communities. Whilst my travels are mostly funded by my freelancing work as an audio editor on podcasts and audiobooks, I’ve also been kept afloat by donations. 

If you can, and are able to, helping out with a small donation always adds up and helps in keeping on The Path to more gyms and bringing all of that back home to Kenya. You can also check out a full post on how I got to this journey: https://buymeacoffee.com/just-shiggi