Beyond Jiu Jitsu Podcast Ep.119 - Training BJJ Around Europe, Business and Banter feat. Andres
Kieren Lefevre: Welcome to the Beyond jiu jitsu podcast. This is episode 119 119. Today we have a very special guest. We have our friend, our brother, a trading partner, Andres. Andres
is a brown belt. And did you get your brown belt under Adam? Yeah, no, I didn't. But you've been training under Adam for the last three years. Andres: Really good with Michael. I've been to hell has
been Adam Childs: too long. It's been a long time. Since you started training with me mid COVID Wasn't mid COVID. Yeah. Which was good. I kind of Andres: 29 T No. 20 Kieren Lefevre: You started before me so yeah, what was like 2020 2020 2019 must mean because I started in 2019 is during this fit Andres: after the first lockdown in Sydney.
Adam Childs: Yet I can't even remember it wasn't even that long ago. That is a terrible joke. Yeah, Kieren Lefevre: I started in 2019 I think in November 20 I'm Adam Childs: sure you've got a YouTube video. Kieren Lefevre: I do. Yes. 20 It's 2019 I do have a YouTube
video on it. Anyway went viral. My first ever YouTube video got published in a bunch of articles by like, Adam Childs: dude, super clever. Yeah, that's a super super credible. Kieren Lefevre: credible. Yeah. For everyone in Eastern Europe.
Adam Childs: Yeah, we comedians Yeah, we Kieren Lefevre: compete. We get pedia page and also Reddit. Yeah, Jeremy posted it on Reddit. He's like check out my friends youtube channels. It's awesome. Super cringe. What was the video like? Well, I was like five things to know before you start jujitsu? I just started my jiu jitsu Adam Childs: journey. You Yeah. underpin they weren't
Kieren Lefevre: even five things. I wish I knew it was like that was the title five things. I wish I knew I'd learn things I wish I knew already knew how to. Videos, dogs. You Adam Childs: put a link in the description. Yeah. link in the bio.
Kieren Lefevre: Check it Adam Childs: out. Anyway, that's Kieran. I'm Adam. That's Andres. Andre started training with me at an undetermined date prior to today. Yeah. But yeah, it was. It was already a brown belt. But we met when you were a purple belt at a different gym. Yeah, that's when we had met. And then, yeah, COVID was crazy
times. Unknown: I've got a funny anecdote about that when we met, right. So I was coming into training. And I remember because you came into that gym with your mate from Brazil. Yeah, Your
Highness. Your Highness. Yeah. And I remember you were speaking in Portuguese with him. Yeah. And we're in the change rooms and then I turned to you and I say oh, man, like your English is really good, bro. Andres: What did you What did you learn English? And you're like, what? I was like, yeah, man, like you speak really good. Adam Childs: You're like you should be proud of yourself. Kieren Lefevre: back a couple years.
Andres: very fluent. You sound like a native Adam Childs: would have been even funnier? If you were like a man. Your English is coming along and you started correcting me. Andres: I could give it Yeah. Oh, we should. I think that's how we heat it up pretty well. Yeah, guys, guys. A little bit challenged.
Adam Childs: Yeah. Yeah. Take this guy into my week. He gets Kieren Lefevre: undressed? How long? Have you have you been? How long? Have you been training jiu jitsu for? Unknown: I started in 23rd. Team sort of like just out of uni. I was trying to find out what to do with all the free time that I would have under uni. And
Adam Childs: Euro. Sorry, just to quickly before that. To go back in the timeline a little bit more when we did more. So from Venezuela, but how old were you when you left? Because you lived in the like, when did you come to Australia? Unknown: So I left Venezuela when I was a teen I think 18 or 19? So that would have been 1008 2008? I think Adam Childs: Yeah. I was curious if you because was Australia where you started jujitsu. Unknown: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'd never I'd never done any
martial arts before. I always wanted to like I think it's a dream of mine as a child because you know, used to watch like John Claude Van Damme movies. What's it called? Yeah. Only doing his pecs and you play like that in the mirror. You had no pecs? I still don't have any pecs. And, yeah, man, I always wanted
to I used to dress up in as a black belt. Like I had like a little karate Black Belt thrown around when I was a kid. And I still didn't get to wear one. Um, but yeah, so I never really tried to do like a bit of kickboxing or like stuff like that but mostly like sports stuff not really. Just to like
sweat. Really? Yeah. Then when I got here so I got here Yeah 2008 Then a kind of went back to Spain and to Venezuela a few times I went to Spain for a year to do an internship. And and I met this girl who she had this thing where she always used to talk about her ex boyfriends to me all the time. It's a thing women do. And then she like one day, man, we literally like oh
my god, I'm pretty sure my girlfriend is gonna listen to these sorry, baby. But you know, once I was sort of like in bed playing around and they said choking me out but not like in a sexual way. Like, fully like she's like, Kieren Lefevre: I think choke you so she locked you up in like a body tribe or fucking Andres: document. I was like, what do you do? We Adam Childs: put a ball gag in your mouth. started whipping you. That's not jujitsu. Andres: And then she's like, oh, let's you know, it's jujitsu.
And I was like, oh, yeah, whatever. And then I and then I was in a trip to the states. And then my brother had a friend from Panama City lot. And he was a black belt in jujitsu. And I, we were having a chat, and he's like, he's like, What? Because I was in the south in Hawaii surfing. And then I stopped to visit my brother in Philly. And he this guy just started doing illegal. Have you heard of, you know, Jujitsu? Brazilian
jujitsu. And I was like, man, no idea. He's like Gracie Jiu Jitsu. And I'm like, no idea. He's like, Yeah, and I fully did, like, is that like, karate? Or like karate chop? And he was like, No, it's not. And I was like, okay, whatever. And then yeah, and then I don't know, like, I read something about all Kelly Slater in a magazine talking about how good it is for fitness and how much it's it helped it surfing. And then I started sort of googling it, because then you know, I again, you know, I finished uni. And I was like, I, you know, I want to go and try something. But the surf was pretty it was like
summer, so it's not a lot of surf around. And then I Googled like, you know, Bondi Beach? Did you too, and whatnot. And then something came up, and then I just want to train and also from the first day, Adam Childs: yeah, yeah. Unknown: So nine years? Yeah, yeah, man. It's been nine years. Adam Childs: And all started by some bird joke. Unknown: No, we also had a it's a bit of a funny one as well, because the other thing that also kind of got me into jujitsu is that me and my dad, I was in Venezuela, and me and my dad went to the baseball stadium. And it's it's pretty
Adam Childs: rough baseball. People played baseball in Venezuela seems really? Unknown: The number one spot. No, it was more like a big football. In Brazil, those races.
Kieren Lefevre: Were not the same. Adam Childs: But you speak Brazilian there. You speak Venezuela? Unknown: I've heard that a few times. What do you speak in Venezuela? Venezuela? And I'm like, yeah, yeah, exactly. It
Adam Childs: was fake. Yeah. Unknown: Man, and then we were at the stadium, right? And I don't know what happened. You know, my dad wouldn't do a bit of a scuffle with someone at the door. Because he does that. So
I'm a bit loose. And amen. And this dude, like, fully went up to like, punch my dad. And I got in the middle of sort of blocking. I was like, not going anywhere. And you know, my dad's, you know, mind us, not the most athletic guy out there. And I was just like, not, you're gonna touch him. And then like,
something happened. And he sort of like, these other dude ran around me, and then went straight to my dad and punched him in the face. And I just lost it. Like, my dad's like, my best mate. We do everything together, and we get along so well. And I sold it and I just fully went, just went nuts and Kieren Lefevre: started dropping Unknown: in. And dude, like, I just run up to this guy. And, you know, he's pushed him against the wall, and then a police officer got in the middle. And I was like, I need
to sort of punch this guy in a way that I don't punch the police. Sort of, you know. And I was and apparently I don't know, I literally just don't remember much of what happened. But I think even my dad came up to me to grab me it's like, man, stop.
It's fine. And I fully just, like, pushed him back. Anyway, so you know what happened? And then obviously, you know, the cops came in and they like came so we have to take you with us. You know, you're getting arrested. I was like, really man again. While when I was getting and like, I was like, Nah, man, like we get and then my dad's like, oh, man, so he goes he like he puts you in his pocket like takes out his wallet, pulls out a bunch of cash and then he goes like standing the corner and then goes to the cup and gives them a handshake and says something is in his ear just goes Hey, so and so and so on the cup looks at him like oh, okay, now you guys are good to go. Again, you know, this is lucky Just what happens in South America all the time, you probably would have seen something like that in Brazil.
Adam Childs: Yeah, nothing like as, as dodgy as that. Not sorry. Like, I mean, I never saw sort of, like bribery like that. But yeah, for sure it happens. You know, it's, it's well known that people when they're, you know, if they're doing a road trip or something they'll keep, like Brazil, similar to to America, like, you know, when you get pulled over in Australia, they just asked to see your license, right. And in the US and in
movies in that it's like license and registration. And they've got that document in the glove box of their car and whatever. So Brazil's like that you need that document for the car full of cash. Yeah, exactly. And people will leave money in there, right. So if you get pulled over, you just You're, you're bribing them. But I did have one, probably one of the craziest sort of scenes that I saw was, so where where we lived for most of the time in Brazil was this sort of Main Street, and from our apartment, you would walk, I don't know what it would be like a couple of 100 meters, there'll be the train station and then a couple of 100 meters pass that the supermarket. So we're just walked out to the supermarket to
do our grocery. So we'd gone down to the supermarket and we're walking back home. And as we're walking past the train station, the train stations have security guards and stuff they were they were like you know we're just walking down the street and they're like they're like getting getting get in and the security guards just start like hurting people into the train state like we weren't catching the train we were like walking past the train station. They're like get in get in and they like hurt us into the the train station and lock the gates and everything with liquid the fox going on. And then just like
two mobs of people like just took up the whole road. They were like two opposing football team fans just clash and they had like, you know, baseball bats and big bits of wood with nails and she didn't and then the cops rocked up with like assault rifles and it's not like they started like shooting people, but it was like this big brawl and wheeling Holy shit. Kieren Lefevre: Straight up football Unknown: gangster. Yeah, yeah. Like, you Adam Childs: know, sort of similar to what you'll see on the news or something. Like, wasn't like, there were then like, I don't believe anyone died or anything, but it was still kind of like, oh, shit, like, you know, that's such a foreign sort of thing when you don't go full. If you don't care
about football, a tech that's funny, I was gonna say such a foreign thing if you're not like from South America, but these sort of things happen in England all the time. They have massive football riots in England. But anyway, it's still the sort of thing that you don't see in Australia, right? Like, you know, something like that would be be front page news. There it
was just just normal. Unknown: I think technically, you were the forum wanting the situation. I finished the story. So what what I was going to say like, right at the end is that after the whole this whole, you know, Scott will happen with the cup. You know, I just thought to myself, there has to be a better way ShamWow got a clip that fully man, I was like, I was like, No, you know, there has to be a better way like the you know, there's probably a way to defend yourself without, you know, hurting someone not that I hurt the guy but you know, just you know, grabbing someone and holding them down and Adam Childs: you know, and then when you and then you know, it came full circle this incident at a baseball stadium and then one day you learned a baseball choke and you're like Unknown: man, yeah, well, you're saying about the stadium and a lot. You know, sports, sporting events in South America. Wild
Man like yeah, you don't go I never went to stadium for the actual event. I just wanted to see the Kieren Lefevre: baseball but they get Unknown: mad. Yeah, yeah. Do people get shot? Oh, it seems like inside the stadium. It's happened a few times like this videos I'll send you on YouTube where there's like the you know, as one team here then there's like a fence and then there's like the all the team and then people like never sent close to the fence because then people get stabbed below biggish. Dude,
it's wild. Like it's super hectic. Like it's pretty third world but geez, it's uh, but yeah, it's just how it is, you know, and I know when to fight or anything, but he was really I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie when I was a kid so I'll say in case waited wait for the first gunshot. It's like Pullman. It's like a race and you look at that's how we had fun when we kids. Kieren Lefevre: That's fucking wild. Wild Adam Childs: buddy to get the same adrenaline. In America, you
just go go to school stating some factual information. Unknown: You do get one of those sciences, but it is well Adam Childs: factual information But yeah, it's like, I mean, we're not talking about gun control, obviously. But that is just again something when you come from a country like Australia where you're not allowed guns at all. It's just such a doesn't even register in your brain. That's one. Yeah. Like, like the thought of someone having a gun or knowing a shot or, you know, so rare. It's so fucking right. So like, even, you know, not even talking about shootings or, you know, horrific school shootings off stadium shootings or whatever, even just the fact that yeah, in Brazil, it's super common for people just to pull up and rob you with a gun. You know, like,
I mean, yeah, obviously, you can be robbed in Australia, but like, but Kieren Lefevre: they're gonna love the knife. Adam Childs: Shank. Yeah. You know, like, I remember when I did like it, when I first went to Brazil just as a tourist. And you know, you took one of those guided tours through a favela like one of the most famous favelas in Brazil or in Rio is called hacia. It's like a really big favela and you can do a guided tour through it. And just Kieren Lefevre: wait, I see like you're a tourist through these Fabella. Like you have a tool guide it on the left we have
fucking because you guys, crackhead calm. Adam Childs: That's how it is fuck because you can't just walk into the bar, you could, but it would be relatively dangerous, right to just walk in there. But you can take these guided tours and because the favelas like a hierarchy system, right like the there's individuals who run the favela, right the entire slum, and it's like a tiered system. So at the top of the favela,
like is in the physical top of it, who live because Fidel Fidel is always like built on hills. Yeah, like the tear. So that's actually true. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Because the infrastructure Unknown: movies. Yeah. White bills live at the bottom. Yeah, pretty much. Adam Childs: Pretty much right? Because the infrastructure of the favela is terrible, right? Because people there's no engineering and stuff going on. People are Kieren Lefevre: just they're shocked when we're imagining shacks kind of so Adam Childs: you get on a motorbike and ride to the top no helmet No, that shit just jump on the back of a bike and do just flies up the hill. And you get off at the top and the
people who live at the top are the people who run the favela, because you don't the further down you live this is no exaggeration, like the like, that's where shit rolls downhill bury. Exactly. So you get closer down and it's just like human turds and stuff everywhere. It's gross, but the people who run the favela it's they don't have a problem with these these tours because obviously the tour guides know the people who run the favela. And because they actually make money off it like
because so for example, going through the tour, there's like you know, you stop at one person's part of the favela, who you know, is an artist and you know, you can buy their paintings and stuff and there's, you know, the fulfill is our whole little city there's like bakery so you can stop and you know, get some food and whatever and yeah, but I remember when we did this to the tour guides, like hey, you can take photos in here, they're like, Okay, so these people like put your cameras away. You can't take photos of these people, but do just like chillin with like massive assault rifles and stuff and yeah, again, it's coming from somewhere from Australia. It's like well, I've never even seen one of those in person which is probably so crazy for any Americans have been like we mean never seen us a gun Kieren Lefevre: going to Walmart. Yeah, yeah. Adam Childs: Yeah, opened a bank account. They gave me one you know, like, it's just so far and now you know, so yeah, these crazy stories. I mean,
Kieren Lefevre: wait, you've been on one of these tours. Yeah, it was cool. It's Adam Childs: to this date the best doughnut I've ever had I bought in a favela Sorry Good. She'll be in the chocolate tasted a bit weird Unknown: it's probably gunpowder Yeah. Adam Childs: It was powdered. Yeah, hang on a second. Yeah, no, yeah, it'd been on one how much was this? super cheap. We
did like this this day to a thing where we went to the back I forgotten what the steps are called. There's these famous steps in in Rio. Oh god I forgotten the name of them but they're very famous because this one dude essentially like moose ate the whole massive set of stairs itself I forgotten what they're called. Kieren Lefevre: I still gotta get over the fact that they they've taken like the essentially the ghetto and made it a fucking tourist attraction and like yeah, go through and do a tour. Yeah, guided tour on it Adam Childs: was like this day to away like we went to the famous steps. We went on this like famous little tram thing
that they have in Rio, went to the favela, and went to Chicago. If mountain which is that famous mountain rock thing? Maybe we will. No, no, that's a different one. I think we went to that too well that I've been to multiple times. But anyway. Yeah, yes. Yeah. It's called Christ the Redeemer. Yeah. Or Kieren Lefevre: Jesus right. Unknown: And he's asking for his street name.
Adam Childs: They call him G dog. G dog. Yeah. Kieren Lefevre: This is so derailed Adam Childs: Yeah, hang on, we better come back on topic jujitsu. Alright, continue. I bring it back. I had to mention the word jujitsu. So did jujitsu poker. Yeah, yeah, of course. Kieren Lefevre: We're gonna hit our quota. Adam Childs: Yeah. Anyway, yeah, it's just like a whole tour
thing. And yeah, because I don't know. Like, I never personally had any dangerous experiences in Brazil. Like I lived there for five years. And I was never not assaulted. In Portuguese. The word assaulted just means like robbed, right? Doesn't mean in English. You think physically assaulted? Yeah. So I was never like, mugged or robbed. I was never like, pickpocketed or I've
never had someone tried to fight me or I never had any really never even pickpocketed No, I never had any dangerous situations or altercations in Brazil, in five years, but obviously like, you know, I would go to the gym and like one of my friends would be like, this is the fucking third time I've been robbed in in like, the last month. Oh, shit. So I mean, it happens there was also like, like, while I was living there, there was this. So there's these people who when you park your car on the street, they will essentially come up to you and they pretty much bribing you what they say is like, Hey, man, like, Oh, I'll look after your car for you while you're gone. And like you give me some some money. And if you don't pay him
they fuck car up. Yeah, pretty much. That's, that's sort of the arrangement. Some of them are. It's not always as clean. Like, it's not always as brutal as that sometimes it is like, for example, in my wife city, which is a smaller city, these people actually really helpful because you'll be trying to you'll be going into this restaurant and you're trying to find a park and they actually help you like they'll actually be like, all these stood up, he's leaving and they're like, kind of a center like a valet, like a street LA. Yeah, yeah, essentially, some of
them are more actually like street valets. And some of them are essentially just like, if you don't pay me to watch your car while you're off doing whatever, I'm just gonna break into it and take your shit. And yeah, there was a there were and usually you just kind of give them whatever sort of change you've got on you like a few bucks or whatever. And yeah, it
was it this this famous park in San Paulo, what's called EBIT Apple, where it's like a big would be the equivalent of like, Central Park or whatever. And, yeah, it's like a nice area of San Paolo, and this guy was parking. The dude came up. He's like, Hey, man, what cheap car blah, blah, blah. He's like, 20 he eyes which would be 20 bucks. He's like, Man, I'm not giving
you 20 bucks. Like you usually give him a few boxes. Yeah, so like, Nah, man. 20 bucks for a car and he's giving you 20 bucks. The dude just like pulled out a gun just shot him and killed him over 20 bucks. Like, which obviously is an extreme story. Yeah, but anyway, I never had any dangerous things
happened to me in in five years, but you know, then I've been again, I've been in dangerous situations in Australia. Obviously I've lived here longer but anyway, crazy shit happens. Not anymore, bro. Because I'm like a black belt and shit. Like a black belt ain't helping you when someone's got a gun. Yeah, that stuff happens a lot. That's why you need to train with Steven Seagal. Then you sweet. Yeah. Take care of all those
moves. wrist locks and wrist locks and shit Unknown: against them. Yeah. Kieren Lefevre: So Andres, you recently were spending a bit of time traveling like this. So you during the second big lockdown in Sydney, back on the COVID piece. But in for those that don't know, we had one big lockdown it was like three months or something. We were released from the lockdown prison. And then they hit us with another one. And you were
like Nah, fuck this. I'm out. SmartMove and you went to Europe, you Europe? Yeah, that's where you went first and foremost. Because we didn't know how long it's gonna be it ended up being like another three or four months or something. So it's a good call and you spent 12 months in total just over Yeah 12 months yeah 12 months in Europe. And during that time you
spent a lot of time traveling to different gyms. Yeah, talk us through that. Unknown: Man he was is could find a way we we left we left and we didn't really know where we're going to settle and we ended up not really settling anyway just like traveling for a whole year 12 months. And in the meantime, I was kind of like well, I do want to train jiu jitsu. Like I don't want to stop like I don't think I can stop at this point. Like I'm always said
Thinking about jujitsu or like, you know, I'll be embarrassed so Adam Childs: close to fulfilling that job of wearing a black belt karate. Be like I did it. Unknown: And you know, like to the point where like, I'll be cuddling with my girlfriend and I'm practicing my grips. Fighting Yeah, just like Stop it. I'm Kieren Lefevre: gonna hate that. I fucking hate it. Stop doing
jujitsu on me. Unknown: She learned how to tap though she's like, tapped up and I have Adam Childs: to let go. Yeah, like when they when they go to cuddle you and you like close the half guard put a lock down in Kieren Lefevre: the other day. I was like trying to like fucking
heel hook my fiancee. She's like, stop trying to leglock me and I'm like, what? You know, you know that? It was like a fucking epiphany. She's like, she listens. Yeah, Adam Childs: no way. Do you fight you go to hug someone in the street. Make sure you get your own hooks. Yeah. Unknown: But yeah, so every city we went to I tried to get you know, to find a gym and then go train Adam Childs: Did you travel with? Sometimes when people travel? They're like, try to save space. So they're kind of like just throw Raschi in. Did you take Did you travel with a
GI as well? Unknown: So my suitcase was half GIS and rashes. And then I had like two T shirts and two keys, which is like seven kilos. Like, yeah, that takes Adam Childs: up a decent amount of space. Yeah.
Unknown: And that's how you do it. And then and then what? And then I had a bunch of like rashes and just shorts and stuff. Because I was like, Well, I mean, you can wear them around the house as well. So it's kind of like, Kieren Lefevre: well, you go on for a year like shit you got on the kit. Yeah. Adam Childs: John Tanner. You can wear rashes everywhere.
weddings, funerals Unknown: discrimination. Fan. Yeah. So yeah, we went in like I was just like every city we went to us like, oh, you know, I just want to keep trying to and also because, you know, you when you're on holiday, you kind of have it a bit too much. And then drink a little bit too much. And then you feel like you're constantly on the verge of being out of shape. So you'd like to
you're like oh, just you know at least even if I do terribly a training I just want to go and like sort of break a sweat. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, did that mean I looked for gyms? I think I've visited probably like 12 or something like that tough gyms.
In between. Yeah. In that year all around Europe, like from France to we're in a swirl as well for a while, which is not part of Europe. But I counted as Europe just because of the trip. I mean, not Kieren Lefevre: because why it's Unknown: just like because I put it in the same category just because he was like a euro. Just yeah, Adam Childs: you can title this episode from school shootings to racism episodes got everything. With a dash of jujitsu, so, so
12 different gyms. So, you know, we can or cannot go through all of them. Let's start with a bit more of a broad question. What was what was sort of like the best experience you had as a Venus visitor across these gyms? Was there one particular gym where you? You know, it was the vibe was awesome. Or you learn a super cool technique? Or, you know, what was the best experience of visiting multiple gyms? Or was it just the experience as a whole? Unknown: There's, there's a few things, right, because like, some, some places I stayed. We stayed in for about a month, two months, like many in Israel, we were for like, I think a month and a half at a time. And I was trained like every single day.
And I Adam Childs: know some gyms you visited, like you were there multiple times and others was just, it was just like a drop Unknown: pin. And then for example, that one's a nice row when everyone was super friendly. Like everyone was extremely friendly in Israel, I love the place, you know, great food, etc. And in terms of jujitsu is really funny, because I found this place that was really close to where I was staying. And then there was a bunch of people that were like, mind you, you know, the level was not great. But you know, everyone was so friendly, that I was like, Whatever, man, I'll just keep coming here and have a good time. And then I met this
other dude who was a little bit sort of like, above average in that group in terms of skill. And he goes, Hey, man, you might want to go and try out diesel the gym where the levels may be a little bit high. And I was like, Yeah, cool. I'll go check it up. And I went to the other one, and the level was way higher. And again, you know, super there's a few offices there as well. Actually, I met a guy there who was like, Oh, see you you know you from from Sydney and whatnot. And then we
got talking and then he mentioned the podcast Kieren Lefevre: get fucked. No, seriously. Yeah, Unknown: he's like, oh, yeah, they gotta be on jujitsu. Yeah, I love that Yeah, that's so um, well, I think that like in those different things right for each team, because I think I was trying to adapt. You know, you can't expect to have the same experience everyone you know, For various reasons, one of them cultural as in the sense of the country that you're in that you're in like some, you know, just different cultures than cultures within the gym. So I guess you, you wouldn't call it
the subculture. Adam Childs: But yeah, well, you go gym culture. Unknown: And, and then obviously, the, like the level of jujitsu in the gym, this were like sort of the three main things that would change in different gyms and then that would make me want to adapt in a different way. So some places I would just go and be like, I know the techniques not going to be great. So I just go and break a sweat and hang out with the
guys. And sometimes they're like, oh, man, we go for a beer, you should join us, you know, as a party on Saturday should come with us. And that gets you sort of allows you to meet people in the area as well. And then sort of, you know, just do stuff that local people do. Adam Childs: Did you find as a whole across all the gyms you visited that they were they were very visitor friendly? Or did you have some gyms where there were a bit sort of old school like a like, no, Kieren Lefevre: that's still a secret? Yeah. Adam Childs: And sort of two part question. Did you have? I
mean, obviously, you speak English, Spanish? Do you speak any German to speak? understand a little bit, Unknown: so I wouldn't claim it. Adam Childs: So did you have any language barrier? Like, obviously, in Spain, if the teaching in Spanish, it's not going to be a problem for you? Other than some slight different slang words, you know, as is the case, but your web language where they taught him? Yeah, like, did you have language? James, where they went out of their way to teach you in English or whatever? Yeah, Unknown: yeah. So enough in French, so I'll answer first, the first question. So, man, I found that I found both extremes, like sort of both both ends of the spectrum. And everything in between, like, there was a gym where I went in friends. Were men I literally went in, I was like, Oh, this
gym looks kind of cool. Because it was a small times in VR. It's, it's like a surfy town like, really, really cool place like the colored the Bondi of France. It's pretty cool. And yeah, most people had lived in Bondi at some point. I went to this one chamber, and, you know, I go, and it's not reception. It was like, like a surf shop slash jujitsu shop. And then they had
Matt to the back and like a skateboard Rob. And I was like, Oh, that's pretty cool. And I asked the guy at the front, I was like, Hey, man, look, I'm looking for a place to drop in, like, I'll be here for a month or whatever. And, and he goes,
Oh, yeah, cool, man. Yeah, we do classes here, you know, the season that time and I'm like, Yes. Sweet. Can I come in tomorrow? And he's like, Yeah, you could, but I just want to let you know that we're very exclusive team. And I'm like,
okay, cool. Yeah. What does that mean? He goes, Well, look, you can come in tomorrow, but you might not be able to train and I'm like, Okay, well, why not? And he goes, you know, if the coach doesn't like you, he's just not gonna let you train. And I'm like, okay, cool. But who is that, but you should come? And I'm like, okay, and how much is that gonna be? He goes, Well, it'll be 20 euros per session. And I'm like, Man, I'm gonna be here for a month. Well, it's a lot. And I was like, Can I pay by the week or like, the month and stuff is like, not for you is going to be procession. And then if the
coach likes you, you get to train tomorrow. And if not, you can then watch and then come another day and to whom he feels like you. You can't You're a lot. You know, he likes you enough to let you train. And I was Adam Childs: like, Look, man, just tell me how many dicks I gotta set. Unknown: And I was just like, hey, you clearly don't want me to train here. So just so weird, but it was really like, passive
aggressive because it's like, but you should still come tomorrow. And I was like, Okay, I mean, I get it. Whatever. Same day, I go to a different gym, the other gym in that town. There was only two. Man I walk in. Everyone's super friendly. Hey, mate, what's up? How you going? I was like, I was trying to speak like, I don't speak French. But I feel like when you're in someone's country, you should at least say hello Hawaii, and then they pick up your accent. They realize you're
not from there. And they Yeah, they can change anyone's in that area or spelt spot really good English and Spanish anyway, so it wasn't a problem. So when I went in and asked them they're like, yeah, man, yeah, look, you got your gear, you can do a class and I'll see ya sweet. So I did a class got along really
well with everyone. Everyone. Adam Childs: Did you ask them about the other gym? Unknown: I did. I did. So like after a while, because I didn't want to come in like, you know, so Kieren Lefevre: they accepted you started training there for like, a couple weeks or something. And yeah, so I was there for about a month training. Right. And how much was that in comparison? Did did it for free? Fuck off really. So Unknown: the owner was really friendly purpose built on.
What's the time clock racy? Oh, cool. And he and he was I mean, I remember that because he was like, You look look like Grace. And I was like, Yeah, but I don't know like roll like him. You know, he's friendly is bunch of people. Right? And like he was they did go out of the way they will teach him French. And then
they'll go out of the way and be like, did you understand what we just did? And I'm like, I don't really speak French but I could see what you're doing. So no, just a founder that he was actually better for my learning because I was thinking like, well, because I can wouldn't understand what's happening so much I was looking at what they were doing and I was like, oh, okay, you sort of pay more attention to what you're looking at instead of Kieren Lefevre: trying to think because you're you're a brown belt you've been training for so long you understand all the basic concepts. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Okay, so this position we're learning here is similar to something else I've already done. I've seen this before but a different variation Exactly. Be very difficult for like a white belt they want to learn in a different language but someone like yourself, you're like, Yeah, I got that. What Adam Childs: do they call hip escapes in for Unknown: something with again? I can't Adam Childs: because we got like, like Virginie girl at the gym, who's French and super gullible. Right, Virginia is super gullible. So next time you're teaching Andre to teach
us some classes at the gym, by the way, so if he's ever in money so feel free to like, you know, Massimo, super gullible. And yeah, so she's French and, but she'd ever trained jujitsu in France. He only started here. She's lived in Australia for years. And you know, so in the early days of teaching her, like, you know, and these are hip escapes, or that also known as shrimp because you kind of, you know, look like a shrimp or a prawn when you do it, and then I was like, you know, what they call hip escapes in French. She's like, What and I'm I'm
like croissant. And she's like, really? I'm like, yeah, no, of course I don't. Kieren Lefevre: That's funny. Yeah, it's interesting that you mentioned that people like we're trying to accommodate for you, I went to Sweden, like, last Christmas and I went to a gym and they were trying to teach the whole class and English just because I was the only person there like out of out of that 20 people I was the one person that couldn't speak Swedish, so Adam Childs: we just swung too far back Lee but Kieren Lefevre: like Swedish people was so accommodating that the whole fucking class turned into English and then halfway through he got confused as I can go back and it just went back because he like you know, his English was good don't get me wrong, but it wasn't like fluids. Yeah, so we had to drop back and then he like tried to help me I'm like, man, we're doing like a fucking triplet sweet. You don't need to you
don't need to do this. Unknown: Swedish like this kind of Navion like no like Nordic sort of countries like Germany, although it's not sort of part of a villa in Germany they taught Adam Childs: firstly as part of Europe Kieren Lefevre: Germany's part of the Scandinavia Oh, they kind of do they look really good you guys are good looking. Do you girlfriend sweetie good looking. She doesn't listen to us Unknown: so man like they in like in Hamburg for example. I went in and they I think they always just teach all the classes in English. Adam Childs: That yeah, German is known for well a Europe as a whole right is known as people speaking really good English, but I don't think I've ever met a German who doesn't speak English even even like I've learned it in school like the age of Yeah, I haven't whatever. Like even one of you know,
Hernandez friends dad. So like a very close family friend of Hinata in Brazil. So he's, you know, of, you know, an older generation and even he's just like, you know, flawless English right? You know, it's not it's like it's some new thing. I don't think I've ever met a German who doesn't speak impeccable English. Yeah.
Kieren Lefevre: Anyone? Like is the same in Scandinavia? anyone under the age of like 40 is Yeah, almost guaranteed to be fluent. Yeah. Yeah. Older than 40 It's like hit or miss because they didn't stop that the school education program was like English is really really important. It's just as important as learning Swedish to them in their school system. So I wanted to ask if you went to you know, in all these gyms in across Europe, you went to 12 different gyms give or take, how many of them taught in English regardless of you being in your opinion? Unknown: That's in in Portugal in so it was in Portugal in again will say Israel will put it as nah sorry, not on Israel. The wouldn't have an English but they will, you know, pair me up with someone who speak English and be like, Hey, man, you might you make sure you explain it to him. Yeah, though, the coach
will come to me specific and be like, Hey, man, did you understand what I was saying? Like, did you get an Aussie guy? Yeah, roughly, you know, so, you know, it was always pretty accommodating. Adam Childs: Is there any gym? That was like, fuck it. You're on your own? If you don't understand or, or maybe the coach didn't You didn't have anyone in the class who spoke English? Unknown: No, no, really. I was pretty good. And I think nowadays everyone speaks English. Yeah. It's crazy. Hey, the like the even in Hamburg. The coach was actually
Brazilian. Yeah. And he was like, he knew that I spoke Spanish. So speaking Spanish and then like you teach it because they're the same language. Right? Yeah.
Kieren Lefevre: 70 70% Cross. Unknown: It is very Yeah, it's very similar. Adam Childs: It's funny people who would natively speak that is two languages or like one of those languages? Say they're very similar, which don't get me wrong, they are similar. But
like people just assume that, oh, you speak Spanish so you can speak or understand Portuguese and I think for native speakers to some degree, it's like that. But me as someone who speaks Portuguese as a second language, and Spanish for me, I got nothing. Like, I can't understand anything. Like, it's, I get the similarities, but it's not like I can default. understand Spanish because I speak Portuguese, Unknown: it wouldn't take you long.
Adam Childs: I probably wouldn't take me long to learn it. But But yeah, I mean, they're similar but Unknown: different already with, with the language thing, right? Like I was, I was in Italy for a wedding in the south of Italy, and one of my best mates from here from Sydney was down to the wedding as well. And then, you know, like, we went for went for lunch. And, you know, like Italian and Spanish, again, I am the like, you can get the, you know, the general idea of what's happening. And if you go into the details, that's where it can
get a little bit confusing, right. And we're sitting, you know, we're sitting at the table, and we're, you know, ordering some food and whatnot. And then one of us like, orders a, well, actually, me and my roommate, like, they're like, we saw like an entry code on the on the menu. And then we're like, oh, entrecote Yeah, you know, I'll get an extra coat and like, it was like a entry coat of fish. Right? But then we're like, oh, yeah, we didn't get that part. So we're like, yeah,
oh, can we get a medium like medium res? While we're doing it all in Italian, right? And we're like, yeah, medium like, man, the way they just like looked at us and when see just like I'm not even gonna go. Oh my god. That's so funny. We got this. I thought it was like beef or something. Right? Yeah. Right. And then we got the fish and then me and my mate looked at each other and we're like, Is yours medium brown? Kieren Lefevre: Was it was it means? Unknown: No, but it's funny because like, Adam Childs: the minute you can, excuse me sees overcook. Unknown: Fishes overcooked. Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty funny. It's not like everyone was pretty, pretty accommodating, I think.
Adam Childs: So I want to go back though, to the to French gyms. So. So once you had sort of been at the gym that let you train, yeah. And you kind of like, what's the deal with that other dream? Yes. So what was the Unknown: man I asked him? I saw him. So what's the story with
you? No, I didn't say that. I was like, oh, so I went to this old place. And I didn't feel you know, because man, mind you. These guys were so welcoming. Like so friendly. Like little too Adam Childs: nice. You're right. Unknown: It's one of the friendliest bunch of people I've met in my life, man, seriously, like, the owner was this purple belt, who was just like young guy, like, you know, about, you know, our age. And, you know, at some point, I was like, Hey, man, like, you know, how much is it for the month of the classes? It's like, Bro, are you good? Don't worry about it, you know, just want you to have a good time to like, go to this restaurant, or like, visit this beach. And like, they go out of
the way my girlfriend actually got sick. Where will the and one of the girls at the gym and the coach, the head instructor was a lady. And she's like, oh, yeah, yeah, look, I'll give you my doctor's number. So she can go and you know, like, really, really nice. And like, drop
Adam Childs: off the chicken soup later. Unknown: And then yeah, I asked, I was like you what's the you know, what's up with? I went to this other place, and they were not as friendly. And they're like, ah, yeah, they just yeah, just feel like they're a little bit too cool. didn't really say anything bad about the other gym. They just kind of said, Look, yeah, it's just holy, or whatever, you know, which even make them make them look even cooler. Yeah, magazine, not
really bad mouthing anyone that just like, Yeah, whatever, you know, it's just the style. But yeah, I think the other one was just they felt a little bit like elite, right. But I was kind of like, well, how elite? You really, because like, I heard of any, you know, if we're going to talk about like, elite and like levels and stuff, like you got Adam who used to be like Mary galleys training partners. I'm
Adam Childs: like, Nah, not really his training partner. Like we tried a couple of times. But um, I mean, we used to be from the same team. Yeah, but Unknown: you train at a gym where, you know, the level was this Yeah. Adam Childs: trained with like an auditor. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I often explain it as at the time that I was there was, you know, would at that period of time, it would have been equivalent to the Danaher death squad. Yeah, it was you know, I mean, it's
obviously still a really high level gym but you know now and it's not even the death squad anymore. Now it's the B team a new wave in another 510 years. I and Atos. C team and old way why can Why would I make a cringe jokey you like cricket? Make the crappiest joke funny yeah. But yeah, Unknown: you could claim you know, you could claim be liberal your lead team or whatever, but it's like it's not really about that right. Like that's yeah, and even those guys like in between they let people come in and train in like, yeah, mats and shit. All right. I just felt like he was whatever he was with. And then I don't know then like, what are the gyms like
there was there was one in Portugal where it was really weird man like I went And I'll say, oh, you know, like how much? You know, I always ask how much for dropping because I'm not just expecting to get stuff for free and most of the time, they're like, Oh, how long you've been training? You know, let's, you know, brown belt delay, Oh, mate, you know, just just dropping for a class. It's fine. Like, that's sick. It's really nice. Like, not always, but you know, sometimes. And then these guy portrayal I think he felt like I was trying to rip him off. So I went in, and I did a class and he, it happened to be a fundamentals class. He was like me, a purple, really good purple teaching the class and then like five white belts. And
then we rolled in, he was like, I was kind of like, teaching them stuff, right? So I feel like I was adding value to the class. And, you know, after the class, I'm like, Okay, guys, so you know, you know, what do I pay and whatnot. And I think the guy who's running the class goes, Oh, man, the coach is not here. You know, like, if you mind waiting, and I was like,
Oh, I gotta go. And he's like, man, it's fine. You can drop in whenever you want, again, and whatnot. So I was like, Okay, I'm coming back tomorrow. So I just left. And I came back the next day. And the coach, like the not head coach, but like the, I guess, second in command, you could say, because the the owner of the gym was away, like looked at me, like I walked in, I was like, Oh, hey, Mike, what's up, and he looked at me with his face as if like, a done something to him. And I was like, oh, and he goes, Man, so what's the deal? Were you Are you paying a lot? And I was like, am I offered to pay when I got here, but then you might say, I mean, I think it was a miscommunication problem. And then he came in and he chatted
me for like, two dropping sessions, where, you know, the previous day, it was only 15 euros. But, you know, it was kind of like in the class teaching part of the class actually, to the, you know, the white belts and then up and I'll say, Well, you know, it's it's, I mean, I don't mind paying for the older one where it was like the 630 class like the pm like the night one would hold, you know, there was like a sort of, like, an advanced class where Yeah, but I mean, like for fundamentals, I was kind of like, just kind of shit, but I didn't mind it. I just paid for it. And I'll say again, I'm just not coming back. Sorry, with 15 euros per session. per session. Yeah. Kieren Lefevre: That's pretty expensive, man. Is it dropping?
He's Unknown: pretty expensive in Europe. Yeah. Adam Childs: I mean, oh, Jim. Dropping is really expensive. Well, yeah.
Unknown: encourage that. Just want to get people Yeah. But whereas in Lagos in Vienna, Hodge Gracie one, man, like friendly as bunch of dudes as well. And then they just stay. They literally just went like I met the coach. It was like, sort of like the guy teaching the class. And then the gym owner
was a bit of an older guy, man, he comes in and say, Hey, man, what's up? You know, how long have you been here for? And I was like, Oh, I'm gonna be here for three days, I might train two days. And he goes, and I go, how much do I pay you in advance? Or after or whatever? And he goes, amen. Two days is fine. Just coming have a good time. And you know, hope, you know, I hope you have a good time. And I was like, awesome, man. That's, that's really cool. And I feel like with him, I feel like he would have done the same whether I was brown or what you know, he was just like, oh, you know, you drop in him for a visit? Yeah, 100% of time. Again, I meant that group was
like, a group was so friendly, that at the end of class it like, man, we'll go to Belgium for a seminar with Lachlan Giles and join us. Man just met you guys. Yeah, you get all sorts of you know, Kieren Lefevre: do you I think I think like from experience, limited experience, and you'd be able to talk to this a lot more in particularly after your last 12 months in Europe. jujitsu is such an icebreaker. Like, it's such a like a community thing, like you can drop in fucking, almost anywhere with the exception of a couple of things are pointing out. And in general, people like it's an immediate bond, like after you have a role with someone or whatever. It's like, you know,
you're fucking you've known him for years because you have so much in common. And because, you know, breaking down those physical barriers even. It's crazy. Unknown: Yeah, yeah. Adam Childs: Yeah, I don't know. I have slightly disagree with that a little bit. Sure. thing, like, you know, I, I get I get
the point. But I think I guess it depends, you know, how you like, what purpose jujitsu is serving in your life? I think if you're, if you're definitely pursuing it, from a more competitive point of view. I don't know. I don't know if you feel it's definitely like, people can be as nice as they want to be. But if you're competitive with your jujitsu,
there is definitely that little bit of, you're rolling with someone new and you want to, like you want to win, right? Even if it's a friendly roll, you want to win. And so, you know, if you know, hasn't happened to me in a long time, not because I'm you know, the best in the world because I'm obviously not but I just mean is in a higher belt now. So the odds of, of getting smashed as often as lower. But, you know,
when I was a low about if a if a visitor came in or whatever, and, and they got the better of me, like the competitor in me was like, Well, fuck this dude. You know, like, okay, obviously, it's it's not like I'm saying, I don't like this person, but you know what I mean? It's not like, I'm instantly all chummy and best friends with this dude who just beat the shit out of me when I wanted to win. You know, be be like anything you know, you You lose to someone in a competition doesn't mean you don't like them. But you're, you know, yeah, you got things in common, but there's definitely a little bit of a merman. Like I agree Kieren Lefevre: with that. I agree with that I when, again,
when I went to the gym in Sweden, I was a brand new blue belt at the time, but I was like super competitive. And a sterling. Adam Childs: poster. I mean, you've come so far from brand
new blue belt to zero striped blue belt. Kieren Lefevre: Foxtrot, paypro. IBJJF recognized stripes, Stripes keeping focus sharp. Adam Childs: Like I've been using tape since I was in kindergarten, years ago, Kieren Lefevre: tape my belt and my fingers, whatever. Anyway, so whatever, there was this brown belt there got the better of him in the role. Fucking random Australian blue belt just comes
out of nowhere. He might have been having off day, whatever, I'm not gonna judge him off while I'm talking about. He didn't like it. Oh, dude, Adam Childs: if I was a brown belt in a visiting loop, like, and a visiting blue belt got the better of me. I would be pissed. Kieren Lefevre: And there was like, a gallery going on as well. Like, people were watching us and like he's training partners at my rank. We're watching this and like these
people were sitting on like, you know, a couple girls couple guys. Like, I can see the faces like, oh, you know, and Adam Childs: like, I wouldn't be pissed at the person. I mean, I guess I guess they would like, by default, you know, you have to blame someone. But really like Indigo. No one to blame but yourself. But obviously, you're going to project that onto you know, and if they were coming back the next day, I would be like, I'm gonna beat the fuck and yeah, I think you just the competitor in me. Yeah,
Kieren Lefevre: I think I just caught him off guard because he was like, about my age, about my size, who's strong. And I think I just caught him off guard. And got him in a bad position. Got his back and Adam Childs: yeah, but it's funny like those, some of those sort of unspoken rules, like someone. One of my students who's a blue belt was recently at a different gym, just training where the head instructors like a brown belt. And he had the brand because he kind of after before he told me this story. He was like, Oh, man is so and so late. That good. Like, what do you reckon? And I'm like, Ah, you know, neither here nor there, or whatever. It's like, oh, because those
were all in with him. And, you know, I hadn't been fully locked up das choke and then, you know, I kind of looked around and all all these students were watching and everything and I was just kind of like, you know, so I just kind of let it go. And then after the role ever, he was like, because I kind of didn't want to, and all the students like all that was close. That was a close roll. And I was kind of like, Yeah, super close, you
know, and there's definitely that little bit of a I don't know, I definitely roll different when I'm visiting a gym. You know if I'm in someone else's gym. I feel a bit bad from smoking someone you know, man Kieren Lefevre: I'm JoJo stone and Matt enforce are often the boys fucking get your best lad. Come on. Fuck. There's not even good man. I'm just talking a big game tactical walked into new wave. I'd get fucking smoked man out there white belts with
fucking Adam Childs: like, oh, I don't mind like putting smash on whoever, like if I'm visiting a gym benefits the head instructor I'm a little bit more like don't embarrass, don't even it's not even that like because I'm not. You know, this is just as a casual statement, because yeah, I'm not some world champion. So yeah, it's not like they don't have the chance or ability to smash me that at least I don't feel like that's the case in my local area. So it's not that I really visit gyms because I'm too busy teaching all the time. But if I were a bit more, you
know, Kieren Lefevre: well, it is different because you are wearing a black belt though. You know what I mean? So like someone walking in with a, you know, a blue belt or even a purple belt, and you go in with a black belt. It's, you don't want to undermine them, I suppose. But I mean, at the same time, like I'm just going to do my own jujitsu. Adam Childs: I keep I was just before we recorded I was just talking to Lucky Lachlan Giles. And, you know, I haven't been
down to his gym in Melbourne for so long since like 556 years or something when I was still a brown belt. And you know, every time I speak to him, I'm like, Man, I'll try come down soon and visit so we can train. Really I think I'm just scared of he's like blue belts beating me up. I don't care if lucky beats me up. I couldn't care if like his black belts beat me out. You know, there's a very high level competitive just Kieren Lefevre: make sure you go on a GI day like it's not even your fault and immune shields are just too fucking big dude. They're like beginner grips on a rock climbing wall. They're like
fucking jobs. They stick out like half half like your heel is the size of half of my foot. Adam Childs: If I point my t
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