I’ve been training in Brazil regularly since 2015. It has brought me a lot of friendships, knowledge and titles (I even became the first Dutchman to win the Brazilian championships). In this article I’ll try to convince you why you should go too. The main reasons are the country itself and the jiu jitsu.
The country
Brazil is the largest country of South-America and has something to offer for everybody.
Climate Being such a large country, Brazil has quite a wide variety of climates. The south can be cool, whereas the northern part of the country is a humid, tropical rainforest where temperatures don’t go below 20 degrees Celsius. For every taste (unless you really love snow) there’s a comfortable climate in Brazil.
Food Brazil has some great food. The fruit and meat are especially awesome. Most importantly, it’s the home of acai.
People Brazil has a population of over 200 million people, and though it’s hard to describe a stereotypical Brazilian, they are generally very open, friendly and hospitable. Some speak basic English, but only a few Brazilians are fluent. Most are patient enough to help you out using a combination of Portuguese, English, hand gestures and google translate.The Brazilian culture is very collective, which will be a great thing for people traveling to Brazil to train. Even though you came by yourself you will soon find yourself to be part of a group of friends.
Sights Brazil is home to some of the world’s most beautiful sights. Christ the Redeemer is probably the most famous one. Other great sights are Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio, the waterfalls of Foz do Iguaçu, the Amazonian rainforest, and the Pantanal.
The jiu jitsu
Now for the jiu jitsu in Brazil. This was the main reason I made the trip in the first place.
Athletes
Top competitors at all belts are still training in Brazil. Even the ones moving to the US have probably made their way to the top by fighting in the highly competitive Brazilian circuit. Of course, some of the top black belts have moved to the US, but you would almost forget that Buchecha, Leandro Lo, Felipe Pena, Nicolas Meregali, Isaque Bahiense, Fellipe Andrew, Gabriel Rollo and many other elite competitors still do most of their training in Brazil. Just like MMA stars Demian Maia and Michelle Nicolini.
Coaches
Not only does a large part of the elite competitors train in Brazil, so do some of the world’s most successful coaches. Among many others, Cicero Costha, Fabio Gurgel, Rodrigo Feijão and Rodrigo Cavaca run successful gyms out of Brazil and continue to create champions.
Competitive circuit
One of the biggest reasons to train in Brazil is the competitive circuit. There’s no place in the world that can compare to Brazil in this area. Depending on where you’re staying and how long you’re willing to drive, it’s very possible to compete every single weekend against tough opponents. Even small local competitions will be often visited by world champions looking to pick up the cash prize or get into the competition rhythm.
