News
PRIVATE LESSONS WITH
MIKO “Chokes and More” HYTONEN
JOINT NOGI SEMINAR, February 24th 2024, 18:30-20:30
Andrew Tackett & Rodrigo Cabral
Limited Spaces. Don’t miss out. Not many dates in the UK!!
Members £50. Guests £55
Booking: https://shorturl.at/cmST9
KBJJ timetable starting first week of January 2024:
Changes include:
> Monday: Weekly Ladies Only 1800-1900
> Wednesday: NoGi 1800-2000 & NoGi Leg Locks 2000-2100
> Thursday: Fundamentals (Blue Belts & below) 1900-20:30
> Mon-Fri 2100-22:30, Fire & Ice (members only) £10
and from Tuesday 30th of January 2024:
> Tuesday Lunchtime "Chokes & More" class with Miko BJJ / Tattoo addict 1200-13:30
JANUARY 2023
Kernow BJJ are really happy to announce a New Year offer alongside two new permanent offers to help as many people as possible enjoy the benefits of BJJ and our facilities at Kernow Resilience Hub.
To see the deals available please check out our website: www.kernowbjj.com
New Year Offer: FOR ALL
Free February! 1 months Bronze package open to anyone interested, whether you are looking to start BJJ or have trained for a while, this a great opportunity to try our classes, meet new people & see what’s on offer at our amazing facility.
Permanent Offer:
For all past and present members of the armed forces, defence services, 999/ blue light / emergency response & health services. Get our Silver membership for the price of bronze. Gold for the price of silver. Platinum for price of Gold. Currently serving personnel & veterans therefore get a 1 tier membership increase as soon as they join, for free, for as long as they are members.
JUNE 2021
Exciting news: We are pleased to announce that we are planning to re-open on Monday 12th of July. We have covid secure measures in place including air filtration, track & trace, limited class size, coach allocated partners for whole class & deep cleaning between each class.
We hope to then open up to more numbers & allowing more free flow of training if covid restrictions end / are amended on the 19th of July in the UK.
In related news, we are proud to show you where our new full time home is, at the Kernow Resilience Hub (KRH):
https://www.kernowresiliencehub.com
You will see KBJJ listed there on the KRH website, and if you pay attention, you might see that we also updated the KBJJ website also.
WE ARE WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS
See you all soon!
MAY 2021
UPDATE ON RETURN TO BJJ TRAINING:
Hi all, we want to let you all know that we have had direct feedback from the UK Government (Department of Culture, Media & Sport: DCMS) about when we can return to BJJ training.
It is important to dispel a few myths & answer a few frequently asked questions. We aren’t going to enter debate or argue about these things though. This update is just our position, as KBJJ for KBJJ.
THE GOOD NEWS
CHILDREN CAN train again indoors
We have therefore been trialling kids classes at a local school, to get our processes right & ensure that they all work. This has gone very well. So, we expect kid’s classes to be back on within the coming couple of weeks. We will update here, also on our website & to families direct, soon. We can't wait.
THE OTHER (IT'S GOOD....SOON) NEWS
ADULTS CAN NOT train BJJ (or any combat sports) indoors yet. May 17th did nothing to change that.
Yes, we know that some clubs had already opened before now & soon just re-opened. Also, some have been operating an "elite pathway" for ages, where elite athletes & academies feel that they have exemptions to be able to train. KBJJ (& many other academies & organisations) does not agree with this for 2 reasons:
1. We believe that few (if any) BJJ people in the UK can claim elite status according to the definition. It is worth noting that some Olympic martial artists (Judo players, boxers etc) & other contact sports (such as rugby) have not been training either. They still aren't. So even the best BJJ blue, purple, brown belts etc, we think would struggle to argue elite status when Olympians & professional sportspeople are not.
2. We want these lockdowns to end. So, we want to contribute to getting infection numbers down, even though it hurts to be closed.
CAN WE DO ANY BJJ TRAINING AT ALL YET?
Yes, we can do drills & lessons online. We encourage that.
Also, BJJ adult training can happen in "bubbles" for families with pre-booked private classes (which is how a few academies are now operating). KBJJ will be starting this shortly. Mark will post on this soon. These classes must be pre-booked (using our new App) with limited numbers. Watch this space.
WHEN CAN ALL CLASSES HAPPEN INDOORS THEN?
We hope we can all get back to training as normal from June 21st, when all social distancing measures may be relaxed, pending government approval. We will update here the very second that we know.
GETTING READY, NOW:
We encourage you to do the following now, to get mat ready:
1. Join us at the KBJJ online classes, refresh your technique & get fit
2. Order your KBJJ Gi & NoGi gear from us. We will post the link to the store this week. Get your gear in time for us all getting back together. We are almost there.
OTHER NEWS:
Our new academy is ready (has been for a while in fact). In it you will find:
· The biggest matted space in Cornwall
· Full strength & conditioning area next to the mats
· Conference room & meeting spaces for use & hire
· Personal training with dedicated on site coaches
· Events, including a new Cornwall based BJJ comp
· Sauna's, flotation room, cold water therapy & more
· 45+ person cafe, with outdoor seating, liquor licence
· Self defence run by Krav Maga Global trainers under KMG
· Free parking, dedicated members changing rooms & showers
WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SOON
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JANUARY 2021
The date for the reopening of our academy is getting closer.
We are working tirelessly to ensure that we can operate under Tiers 1, 2 & 3 with effective controls and safety measures in place. When we reopen we will be offering:
One of the largest, purpose built, full time staffed & fully equipped martial arts areas in the UK, with 120 square metres + of premier floor & wall mats from Sama, for BJJ & combat arts
Air filtration throughout the entire building, with hygiene measures & wellness built in as a design feature from the very start
Fully equipped strength & conditioning gym with free & fixed weights, training rig, specialist fighter / grappler specific training equipment & cardio area, next to the matted training area
Male & female changing rooms with multiple showers & dedicated welfare areas
A large conference room for meetings, weddings, training events & more BJJ / martial arts seminars. Capacity of 150 people +
Cafe with indoor (50 covers inside) plus outdoor (40 covers), including alcohol licence, kitchen & a dedicated serving area
Health suite with infrared & also traditional sauna, floatation tank, wim hof cold therapy & complementary treatments
Garden office treatment room, for all types of therapy
Boardroom for meetings, training & events
Syndicate room for meetings, training & events
3 x self contained meeting “pods”, for up to 4 people, for meetings, training & events
Superfast WiFi on site, free for all guests & users
Vending machines with discounted food, drinks & specialist items such as Acai & training/recovery supplements from leading brands
Weekly classes including BJJ, Krav Maga, Yoga & wellness from world leading names & organisations
Annual events, seminars, classes & camps focussed on resilience & wellness, for Cornwall, the South West, UK, Europe as a registered centre of excellence
Dedicated BJJ schools programme, already running in a leading UK preparatory school, with further roll outs to follow
Free parking on site (very large)
WATCH THIS SPACE & OUR SOCIAL MEDIA……… coming soon with discounted membership & deals for existing members, new joiners and returners to grab
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JULY 2020
KBJJ plan for phased reopening of our academy and BJJ training. A new home:
We are building a dedicated training venue for KBJJ. Details in brief:
o Cornwall TR15. On the site of what was Bombadinga’s for those who knew it as such.
o Permanent space in a multi-function building, all of which is health, fitness & resilience focussed.
o Approx. 120 square metres of premier mat space (Zebra mats) with added wall protections.
o Separate conditioning area, next to the matted area, for members to use for appropriate training.
o Separate changing rooms, showers, toilets & waiting area with TV screens to watch training on.
o Free parking on site for approx. 45 vehicles, with more spaces available close by.
COVID19 schedule: During the COVID19 pandemic, all KBJJ training is provided online via group & 1 to 1 zoom classes. Members can request access to these.
Yoga for BJJ athletes. Since lockdown started in the UK, we have commenced a Yoga for BJJ athletes programme, for now via Zoom. This will continue throughout lockdown, & we will start to offer this on site once we reopen the academy.
Sept. 2020, a BJJ, self defence & anti-bullying programme with a UK preparatory school. This is a groundbreaking initiative & a first in the United Kingdom. More details soon. In brief though, sessions will be split over 3 days/groups to enable best fun, learning and bubbles:
Monday = Year groups 6, 7, 8
Wednesday = Year groups 1, 2
Friday = Year groups 3, 4, 5
Model shown below:
KBJJ BJJ programme for schools
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MARCH 13TH 2020
Suspension of training due to COVID19 pandemic
Letter to members. Thursday 12th of February 2020:
As many know know, we have been monitoring the spread of the virus since it’s initial outbreak in China, up to this point. We are happy to have access to some of best advice on this issue, from colleagues at the World Health Organisation, the Centres for Disease Control in the USA & other CDCs, as well as national crisis & disaster management agencies around the world. This access is due to our relationship with several crisis & disaster management organisations with which we are associated.
For some time, it has been clear that the threat of this virus could have huge impact on the UK, USA & in fact globally.
For more than a month at time of writing, we have been commenting, advising, promoting good practices, based upon actual evidence, science & history throughout this time. Sad to say that in some areas, the average response to this ranged from “bro, it’s just flu”, to “we don’t want to hear it”. Many competitions, seminars & so on all continuing as planned. Some then however suspended / cancelled.
Either way, with no wish to get into a debate about the virus here, what (to us) is now very clear is that what was a “potential” threat (the virus & its impact) to us who train together in the BJJ & MMA community, is now a definite threat. Whilst we will not go into huge detail here in this letter, we can safely say that:
• It is not the flu. It spreads faster, has much higher fatality rate, doesn’t hurt kids much but they carry it to others, & there’s no vaccine right now
• Whilst best guesses say that for 80% of people, the illness will be mild… that takes no account of the impact to society, the 20% that it may not be mild for, also business, services & so on, in a sensible way. We can do better than that, & we feel that we should
• We are very likely only a few weeks away from how it is in Italy…
Therefore, as an Academy, we are left with 2 choices (as it stands at the time of writing this letter today):
CHOICE 1
- Remain open. Only follow direct guidance from national government. Pursue our business revenue
- Wait until / if we are told to close or suspend classes, before we take any other steps for your health and ours
CHOICE 2
- Suspend classes for a defined period of time. Limited exposure to you, & especially to the older & less well members of your families & ours
- Review this every 3 weeks.
Given what we know for sure is happening, & what will very likely happen in the UK, we can not in good conscience go with CHOICE 1. To do so could only be in the immediate (short term) interest of us as a “business”. To be honest, we think that many gyms & social groups will simply have to suspend activity if instructed to do so, or should, very soon. We want to be pragmatic, attack this head on in a positive way which helps our members, our community & ultimately our sport.
We are not judging anyone, or any other gym who remains open now, or later. This is our choice, not anyone else's. We appreciate that our position will not be seen as a good one by all, nor agreed with by all. We understand that some may say that we are spreading fear. On that, we respectfully disagree. We feel that we are acting in the best interests of our coaches, our members, our community & our sport. Because even though that hurts us now, it is the right thing to do. We are in the situation that we are in, so facing it as unpleasant & in some ways horrible as it is for many, is the best way forward, we feel.
So, CHOICE 2 it is
We are suspending all classes (daytime, nighttime & privates), also any seminars planned, from tomorrow morning Friday 13th (#couldntmakeitup) until further notice.
Is there any good news? Well yes, thank you for asking, there may well be!
As an Academy, we do not want to lose members. In fact we want to & intend to grow, now & later. We also want you all (& your families) to be healthy, & you to grow in your fight game, enjoying being part of our clan. Therefore we will announce tomorrow (yes, still on Friday 13th), the service we will be providing to all our members with current memberships, at no more cost than they already pay, so long as memberships are maintained as they are now. Measures will include at the least:
- In collaboration with other BJJ academies in the UK & abroad, facilitated by us, videos on techniques to practice
- Personalised training plans for every one of our members upon request, on what solo drills & training to do this month
- A minimum of 2 live (streamed) sessions with our coaches and guests) every week, for training tips & more
OTHER ACADEMIES NOTE:
We have secured the support of a partner company (not a BJJ academy) who will fund the online channel, administration, planning & support for this activity.We will be offering direct support to other academies & gyms (several of whom we are already working with on this), including professional advice on how to best stay safe if they decide to stay open (for so long as that remains legally allowable), & how to collaborate with us if they suspend classes for a month as we do. No cost.
Just teamwork.
Reach out to us direct at david@kernowbjj.com
David & Mark
Kernow BJJ
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January 2020
COVID-19 VIRUS OUTBREAK
Please see below, our current position regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.
This position, advice & management of the issue may change. We will update all coaches & members if that happens.
DO NOT TRAIN IF AT ALL ILL:
We treat the health, safety & welfare of our coaches & members with due respect & care. Any coach or member who has any “flu, cold or COVID-19 like” symptoms must not come in to train & must stay away for 14 days from when symptoms appear & until they are recovered.
We recommend that any member with asthma, breathing related or other chronic illness (such as diabetes & heart disease), does not train until further notice, because they are in a higher risk category. This applies during the COVID-19 “global health emergency” as defined by the World Health Org. Symptoms are shown in the attached image.
TRAINING:
We ask that members who do train, please: Wash your Gi, Belt, NoGi, Mouth Guard & any other kit before every session. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds in warm to hot soapy water before training. Consider use of hand sanitiser as often as possible.
Myth buster:
No: You do not lose all of your bjj powers if you wash your belt
Yes: Wash your belt (& the rest of your kit) before every class. Don’t worry, we have spare tape for stripes
ADVICE:
We highly recommend that members keep themselves up to date with the advice given by the UK National Health Service (NHS) & the Centre for Disease Control (CDC, in the USA) with regards to how to avoid, recognise, report & help others during the outbreak. Links include:
NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/corona…/2019-ncov/community/…/index.html
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE:
One of our friendly companies, Rescue Global, posted this advisory also which members may find useful:
https://www.rescueglobal.org/…/Family_Novel_Coronavirus_adv…
GUESTS:
KBJJ will not be allowing any guest students to attend training for now, as we do not have enough contact with them prior, to ensure that they know about this.
CLOSING:
Members should be aware that it is possible that the UK government may require schools, gyms & other social centres to close for a period of time. In that case, KBJJ will of course suspend classes. However, we are planning right now on how we would maintain activities, to include weekly YouTube sessions run at the same times as our classes. We will also provide a personalised training plan (fitness, solo drills etc) for every member upon request.
*In the event that gyms have to close, KBJJ has devised a plan which will ensure the development of our members as best we possibly can. In fact, it's something we have been planning for some time. It includes:
Online tutorials (during any closure, these will run 3 night per week during usual class times)
Short special videos on a specific technique, from our incredible associate professors
Collaboration with another BJJ gym (in discussion) where our coaches & theirs meet, take all reasonable health precautions (including deep clean of venue and only the coaches attend), to demo & run online live sessions for our mutual members
...more on this, if gyms have to close
RUMOURS:
KBJJ will not debate the issue of COVID-19 here in our social media or at the academy.
We will rely upon UK government advice, best practices adopted by appropriate agencies & we WILL prioritise your health over our revenue.
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DECEMBER 2019
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
We hope to see new many faces soon as we open up membership to new people who are looking for a “New Year, New You journey”.
Come and be part of the fastest growing martial art in the world. And, more importantly, come be part of our friendly, supportive, awesome community of great people.
Don’t wait until you are fit to start. Come and get fitter with us..
Do give it a try. Young, old(er), girl, boy, all are welcome..
Notes:
1. Normal classes schedule is available online at https://www.kernowbjj.com/classes
2. Christmas and New Year, to allow for festive spirit, we are closed on:
3. December 23, 24, 25, 26 , 30, 31 and January 1st
Merry Christmas all, and see you at CBLC.
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OCTOBER 2019
At the BJJ & Yoga Festival, Mallorca: Soft launch: BJJ & Yoga in disaster zones for vulnerable communities project
The Yoga and BJJ Festival Mallorca is proud to support & announce an incredible programme centred around Resilience in disaster zones, for the world’s most vulnerable countries.
Essentially, the provision of BJJ, Yoga, as well as 1st aid & other resilience building skills at the human level, facilitated by the international Rescue Global in partnership with Kernow BJJ
David McNocol-Jones (CEO Rescue Global, also co-founder & Managing Director KBJJ) with Professor Mark Bauer (Director and head coach KBJJ), are both here at the Festival. They will be running 2 short sessions to explain all about the programme today (Thursday 17th of October):
> Just before Dan Strauss session, in the BJJ room (come 10 minutes earlier than Dan’s session please, so aim for 17:20hrs
> At the end of the Open Mat session in the BJJ room & then in the inside bar just in from the Pool area, from 22:00hrs
BJJ’ers and Yogi’s & Yogini’s please come to hear about this amazing programme, which already has some world class BJJ & Yoga names behind it, as well as presidents & prime ministers of more than 12 countries so far!
The programme in a nutshell is:
Yoga Instructors and BJJ black belts volunteer their time, say for up to 2 weeks at a time
So far, round 30 BJJ black belts have committed, so we can easily run classes for 1 year in a damaged community
All flights, accomodation, food, insurance & planning costs are covered
We intend to build it & in so doing help to create resilient people where it matters (Yoga & BJJ known for this)
Eventually we will have created a network of these centres around the world who can & will help each other. Real community, helping lives, based upon the arts we all love & benefit so much from
We have companies who will donate water filter, power generators & more, to centres that we set up, making them a community resilience hub
So BJJ & Yoga training partners become valuable community members in disasters, as well as being individually & collectively more resilient to shocks (violent storms and more)
Come to hear about it, ask questions, express interest to David & Mark, and please get behind this amazing programme
See more at:
Video of recent mission: https://vimeo.com/249515672
Profile of Rescue Global CEO David https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmcnicol-jones/
Profile of KBJJ Head Coach Mark: https://www.kernowbjj.com/coaches
See you at:
> BJJ room for short 10 minute intro 17:20hrs
> BJJ room at end of Open Mat session at 22:0hrs for short video, intro and to receive expressions of interest
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AUGUST 2019
BJJ SUMMER CAMP, SPAIN, 29th of Aug - 1st of Sept 2019
As part of our continued and proud relationship with one of BJJ’s foremost competitors and instructors – the legendary Roger Gracie and also his Father, coral belt Master Mauricio Gomes, we encouraged KBJJ members and friends to experience the ultimate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu camp with Roger and Mauricio:
Exclusive learning
4 days of training
2 sessions per day
All levels are welcome
Multiple black belts on the mat
http://rogergraciebjjcamp.com/
#rogergracie #mauriciogomeslegacy #mauriciogomes #mauriciogomesbjj
SEPTEMBER 2019
Dean Lister Seminar
On September 11th at KBJJ at our Cornwall Academy. Exclusive to the UK in 2019, Dean ran a very limited number of seminars. KBJJ is very proud now have Dean Lister as a KBJJ Associate Professor.
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MORE OF OUR PREVIOUS EVENTS:
Saturday 5th of January 2018, a 1 week Fight Camp: Professor Yiannis Bloutis, leading up to the European BJJ Championship in Lisbon (14th January 2018).
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17th of Aug - 19th of August 2018
KBJJ was honoured to host a freestyle wrestling and movement workshops from Coach Saeed Esmaeli
Former Team GB as well as coach to multiple UFC fighters
The event was free for all active KBJJ members
Saeed has been described as the most influential applied wrestling coach in Europe
Saeed represents four generations of Wrestling. Taught by his father, the Great Pahlevaan Amir Esmaeli, Saeed’s tutelage began at the age of 9 in Tehran. Connected to such legends of the sport as Golem Reza Takhti, and Alexander Medved, their move to Britain in the 1980’s transported this much-lauded legacy of Iranian wrestling. Saeed became a stand out wrestler over the next ten years, and would go on to be coached by luminaries Kevin Darius, Azziz Kiani, and Aleksander Chicon.
After winning dozens of tournaments, Saeed earned an Olympic Passport to train in Team GB for the Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000 games.
Following his retirement from competition and the sad passing of his father, Saeed’s attention turned to coaching. Studying in meticulous detail the masterful techniques of coaches Jon Smith and Sergei Blaglazov, Saeed has gone on to be described as the “most influential wrestling coach in Europe today”.
Saeed’s unique approach toward coaching, which he has termed “movement analysis”, has rapidly garnered attention outside of the wresting room, and his skills have been sought across several martial arts disciplines. Influenced by his prestigious career as a jazz dancing champion, Saeed’s implicit understand of movement and space have allowed for the fast tracking of learning for world class athletes plus collaborative seminars, including BJJ legends Leo Viera and Marcus Bucheche, Roger Gracie, Braulio Estima, Cícero Costha, Rolles Gracie Jr., Nino Schembri (to name only some ).
This cross pollination has continued into the world of Muay Thai, where has worked with world class coachers such as Tony Myers, and athletes such as Dean James and Thailand Pinsing Chai.
Saeed is also firmly entrenched as the UK’s premier wrestling coach for MMA athletes, with a long list of top fighters developing wrestling through the Esmaeli method.
Today Saeed works with dozens of schools across Europe, including Croatia, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Belgium, and Portugal.
His attentions have increasingly turned toward the psychology of coaching, with Saeed offers his athletes pre-fight and corner strategies, as well as practical techniques to develop and retain resilience, which he has coined “Wrest-lient”, following the near mythical mental toughness possessed by Wrestlers across the ages.
Further information available at:
Currently working Former USA Olympic National Coach 8 x Gold Medalist Lee Kemp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leroy_Kemp
Why Head of Checkmat bjj preciously used Coach Esmaeli:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp2GxJICIrU
Charli Jospeh (former leading MMA promoter of Europe) testimony:
"I have been involved in martial arts for 45 years, 30 years as a martial arts coach. I was fortunate in my time to work with some of the top fighters on the martial arts scene, trained numerous champions and taken fighters to some of the top fight shows in the world. I am on a continuous journey to improve myself. As part of this quest I've attended numerous seminars and clinics through which I have gained valuable coaching techniques and strategies. However at the top of the pile is Saeed who has exhibited knowledge and expertise beyond my expectations and is by far the best coach I have come across. So impressed was I by Saeed’s unique blend of precision instruction and technical knowledge base, that I invited him to teach our pro fight team, which for many years was one of the top MMA teams in the UK. Saeed transformed the wrestling abilities of those in the team, and equipped them with skills that allowed them to perform at the highest levels in fight shows such as the K1, Pride FC and The UFC. He comes from the highest wrestling pedigree and this is evident in the way he passes on his knowledge. It is always hard to write an appraisal of someone who so excels at what they do, without sounding s if it is contrived, but Saeed is the real deal and mo it has been one of the biggest privileges of my life to work with such a genius in the wrestling field".
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