Tim (white Gi) with Augusto Ferrari

1. Hi Tim, can you please introduce yourself to the BJJ Community of Eastern Europe?

My name is Tim van der Stek. 31 years old. BJJ Black Belt. I was born in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. I currently train at Bad Boys Jiu Jitsu in Belgium under Augusto Ferrarri.

2. What’s your Jiu-Jitsu story?

This is an interesting one. At age 15, I picked up Thaiboxing and started training under 3 x World Champion and 1 European Champion, Olaf Bekkers. When I finished high school, age 19, I went to study in Nashville Tennesee. After a few months I discovered a place called Ed Clay’s MMA gym. A martial arts school where Luiz Palhares (then 5th degree black belt but now a Coral belt) was teaching BJJ. At that point, I had never heard of BJJ. I was there to keep training stand up. I was disappointed that the stand up level was not what I was used. However, I had a click with the owner, Ed Clay, and instead of leaving to train somewhere else. I got offered a job teaching thaiboxing (paid) and got to train BJJ for free. I would call this a student’s dream job.
I fought in many BJJ tournaments as a white and blue belt and got my feet wet with MMA (It was called NHB, No Hold Barred, back then). When college was over, I moved from Nashville to Belgium. However, I was still restless, and I ended up in Istanbul Turkey. Loving Thaiboxing and seriously infected with “the Jits virus”, I again started looking for places to train. Started kickboxing with Birol Topuz and finally found Ninpo Dojo where they did “something like MMA”. BJJ in Turkey was only known by about 5 people but there was only one guys who really knew anything and that was Ersin Alpaslan. I am going to have to guess but I think he was a purple or brown belt at that time under Pedro Valente. Anyway, I met one of the owners, Vidal Erkohen. Started talking BJJ. The Ninpo dojo sister club was Bujin Fightclub on the other side of town. Ninpo Dojo did not work out and I started training at Bujin Fightclub. Unfortunately, Ersin had other priorities at that time and was not available to teach. There were 3 guys who started training BJJ with me on a regular basis there. Ibrahim Inal (now World Champion Purple belt 2012) , Vidal Erkohen, and Baran Unal. Others joined occasionaly and some wanted to train their own way. This was the time when the sport was starting to take shape. After 3 years I left to go home but the sport grew in Turkey.
At home I started training with bad Boys Jiu Jitsu and that is where I still am today. However, whenever I get the chance I will go train in Nashville at Nashville MMA or train in Istanbul at Checkmat Turkey.

With the guys at Checkmat Turkey

3. At what point in your life did you realize that you wanted to dedicate your life to Jiu-jitsu and at the same time start a BJJ Business?

There was only the feeling that I wanted to train BJJ and be around people like me. Like the sport, the business side of BJJ just happened. I was (and still am) good friends with the founder of Gameness (Ed Clay). I always liked Gameness gis and saw no need to change brands but the gis were hard to come by in Europe. It started off by buying gis for myself from Gameness USA directly, then started buying gis for my friends, then for friends of team mates and it just kept on growing. I then realized that it was becoming more than a side job and decided to dedicate all my time to import and distribute Gameness Fightwear though out Europe. Grapplergear (www.grapplergear.eu) was initially set up to be the online retail outlet for Gameness Fightwear but has now grown to be one of the leading webshops in Gameness Gear as well as Strength and Conditioning equipment for fighters.

4. Please tell us about the History of BJJ in Holland and about the local scene there. And how do you see BJJ developing there?

Martials Arts is big in Holland. Judo is a large sport here and I am sure everyone is aware of the success Dutch fighters have had over the years in the stand up game. But just to remind everyone. Here are some of the names: Ramon Dekkers, Rob Kaman, Andy Souwer, Ernesto Hoost, Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjanski and this tradition is still continuing in MMA. Bas Rutten, Alistair Overheem, Anthony Hardonk, Stefan Struve, Marloes Coenen, and new rising MMA star Tyrone Spong (= definately one to watch!).

However, the BJJ pioneers are far less known. The 1st three Black Belts were Mathieu & Willem Peters and Remco Pardoel. When these guys were white belts, the sport did not only not exist in Holland but also did not exist in Europe. These guys had to go to Brazil to learn, come home and drill the techniques and go back to Brazil to learn some more. There was no Youtube, no Internet, or no easy ways to invite a professor to visit Holland. The brothers Peters are leading Jiu Jitsu Factory under prof. Yamazaki. Remco Pardoel has close ties to the Gracie family and is the founder of Gracie Barra Netherland under prof. Draculino. These guys are the 1st generation BJJ pioneers and deserve all the respect in the world. They have paved the way for their students. The last few years, it is the students which are becoming black belts and form the 2nd generation. There are now more than 30 Black Belts in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg combined, many brown belts and even more purple and blue belts and an every growing amount of white belts. The sport is gaining popularity fast and the level of competition is increasing every day. Even though the sport still has much to grown, the lower ranked belts now have black belts to correct and improve their techniques and give them guidance on a daily basis. I am convinced that It will not be long before we will have Dutch World Champion in the Black Belt Adulto division.

Dutch Champion Willem Peters

6. Please tell us about your academy in Holland. How does it differ from other BJJ academies?

Well, as I mentioned before, I train with Bad Boys Jiu Jitsu in Belgium. I think what makes my academy special is the fact that we open our doors to other academies and other academies open their doors to us. To give you an example, I also train at Gracie Barra Netherlands a lot as well. We do not just look at other teams as competition but as our friends and training partners. We help and challenge each other to grow. Of course, sometimes we fight each other at competitions but a few days later we are together on the mat again, going over some of the mistakes that we made at the event. It is a very relaxed atmosphere.

7. Who are BJJ players that you admire, and why?

Who do I not admire 🙂 That list would be shorter but here are two: Caio Terra. Such a small guy and he is winning absolute divisions Extremely technical. Saolo Ribeiro. He is a the man! No discussions 🙂 When I was in Turkey, I was only a blue belt. I know the basics but still wanted to learn more. I ordered Saolo’s Jiu Jitsu Revolution I and started drilling this with my friends in Turkey. I still like to use many of the techniques he teaches on that DVD today. He does mot have any fancy stuff, just straight forward jiu jitsu.

8. Who are the top Dutch BJJ players that we should look out for?

Black Belt:
Male: Jordy Peute
Female: Yasmin Sewgobind

Brown Belts:
Willem Peters

9. What did you think about the Metamoris Pro event? Do you like these rules as compared to IBJJF?

I really enjoyed watching Metamoris. It is a very nice platform for fighters to compete and it should happen every year. I do not prefer the rules over IBJJF rules or the other way around because the set up is different. The IBJJF rules are in place to run big tournaments. Metamoris rules are designed to deliver exciting fights by not awarding points.

10. How would describe your style of Jiu-Jitsu? How about your teaching style?

I always make fun of myself in class. I do not like to think too much, I am not flexible, and don’t move extremely fast. I like simple straight forward Jiu Jitsu. Don’t ask me about Gogo plata’s, Berimbolo’s or hand stand guard passes etc. I am not saying that these moves do not work but I am saying I personally don’t like them. I am a firm believer that everyone needs a good solid basic Jiu Jitsu. This is what I also teach. A white belt may get beaten in class or competition by some Youtube moves but this will stop once this white belt starts growing in rank because his basics are in place and he now can focus on using some more advanced moves.

11. You recently received your BJJ black Belt. Please share with us how it felt and the whole experience.

Well, I can describe it in one word: emotional. It opens up a new chapter in my Jiu Jitsu book. It is a great accomplishment and at the same time, I have much to learn. It all begins now.

12. What would you tell somebody who has gotten discouraged by BJJ and wants to quit?

My answer will depend on the reason he or she wants to quit. However, I think we have all had our doubts. Always look at what you would miss if you would quit BJJ. Focus on the positives and block out the negative factors. Find out what has changed since you started BJJ (when you still liked it) and focus to solve that problem. When there is a will, there is a way.

13. What is next for you in 2012/2013?

Enjoy life, work hard and play even harder and of course lots and lots of Jits!