Immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty of Dojo Stara Wies, a traditional Japanese-style village nestled in the heart of Poland's stunning countryside, for the BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp May 2025. This week-long retreat, running from Monday, May 19th to Sunday, May 25th, offers a unique opportunity to disconnect from the modern world and focus on your Jiu Jitsu journey surrounded by nature and like-minded individuals.
Train alongside fellow grapplers from around the globe in the purpose-built dojo, equipped with ample mat space and breathtaking views of the surrounding forest. Immerse yourself in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with gi and no-gi classes taught by experienced, friendly, and high-level black belts who are passionate about sharing their knowledge.
Beyond the mats, find inner peace through daily yoga and meditation sessions, rejuvenate in the on-site spa and sauna, and forge lasting friendships over shared meals, sunset Go matches, and late-night conversations. Explore the serene beauty of Przedbórz National Park, pick mushrooms in the forest, or simply relax in a hammock and let the tranquility of the surroundings wash over you.
The BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp May 2025 offers a one-of-a-kind experience that combines world-class Jiu Jitsu training with the opportunity to disconnect, recharge, and find your inner zen in a truly magical setting.
Immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty of Dojo Stara Wies, a traditional Japanese-style village nestled in the heart of Poland's stunning countryside, for the BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp May 2025. This week-long retreat, running from Monday, May 19th to Sunday, May 25th, offers a unique opportunity to disconnect from the modern world and focus on your Jiu Jitsu journey surrounded by nature and like-minded individuals.
Train alongside fellow grapplers from around the globe in the purpose-built dojo, equipped with ample mat space and breathtaking views of the surrounding forest. Immerse yourself in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with gi and no-gi classes taught by experienced, friendly, and high-level black belts who are passionate about sharing their knowledge.
Beyond the mats, find inner peace through daily yoga and meditation sessions, rejuvenate in the on-site spa and sauna, and forge lasting friendships over shared meals, sunset Go matches, and late-night conversations. Explore the serene beauty of Przedbórz National Park, pick mushrooms in the forest, or simply relax in a hammock and let the tranquility of the surroundings wash over you.
The BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp May 2025 offers a one-of-a-kind experience that combines world-class Jiu Jitsu training with the opportunity to disconnect, recharge, and find your inner zen in a truly magical setting.
The BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp May 2025 is an all-inclusive retreat designed to help you disconnect from the stresses of everyday life and fully immerse yourself in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. With a packed schedule of classes, open mats, and workshops led by world-class instructors, you'll have the opportunity to take your game to the next level while surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the Polish countryside.Off the mats, you'll have access to a range of activities and amenities designed to help you recharge and find inner peace. Start your day with invigorating yoga sessions, unwind in the on-site spa and sauna, and explore the surrounding nature through guided mushroom picking excursions. All meals and drinks are included, with vegetarian options available, so you can fuel your body and mind without any hassle.Accommodation is provided in traditional Japanese-style houses, with options for shared double rooms, private rooms, or VIP houses for those seeking extra privacy and amenities. The camp also offers a gi laundry service, so you can focus on your training without worrying about clean gear.As a bonus, all participants will have access to an online video library of camp classes, allowing you to continue your learning and relive the experience long after the retreat has ended. The BJJ Globetrotters Zen Camp May 2025 is a truly unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Jiu Jitsu, connect with nature, and find your inner zen in a stunning and peaceful setting.
FOOD: Food is included in the price of the camp and will be served three times a day in the restaurant. Tea, coffee, and water is available free of charge during the entire camp. We’ll also be providing all the bottled water you need for training. If you’d like the vegetarian option, or if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions, just give us a shout at mail@bjjglobetrotters.com and let us know :-)
BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU TRAINING: We have two large matspaces available for the camp, where we’ll host more training than you can handle – both gi and no-gi. Classes and open mat sessions will be running from morning to evening every day, taught by a variety of experienced, friendly, and high-level black belts from around the world who have a genuine interest in sharing their knowledge as well as in participating in the social aspects of the camp. BJJ Globetrotters camps are known for being full of friendly people from all over the world, who enjoy good training in a fun, relaxed and open-minded environment, with a heavy emphasis on everyone being equal, both on and off the mats. White belts are real people too!
YOGA AND MEDITATION: Regardless of the colour of the belt around your waist, six days of 8+ hours on the mats is tough on the body! In order to keep us limbre and loose right until the end, we’re bringing in a dedicated instructor to run morning yoga sessions every day of the camp. Additionally, we’ll be doing evening meditation sessions at the end of every day to wrap up the training and prepare you for a good night’s sleep.
SAUNA THERAPY: Our professional sauna therapist will be running daily sessions in the camp sauna. They’re usually 15 minutes at a time, followed by a quick cool down outdoors (and a swim in the lake for the brave). Join in for a different sauna experience than you’ve probably ever tried before!
WORKSHOPS: Off the mats, we’ll be holding a series of workshops taught by a selection of instructors and highly knowledgeable camp attendees. These will all take place in the camp venue. Generally they focus on Jiu Jitsu and sport-related topics, but we’ve also had presentations on things like improving your photography, making stuff happen, standup comedy and historic grappling arts – basically anything cool that we think might be interesting! You’ll just have to wait for the schedule and see what we’ve got lined up.
OTHER ACTIVITIES: As befits the nature of the camp, there’s nothing even remotely resembling urban bustle or other modern distractions around. You’re situated right in the middle of the tranquil beauty of Przedbórz National Park, so whenever you need a break from training just pick a direction, wander through the woods, sit beside a river, and listen to the birds. In the evenings, you can unwind in the hot tub, learn the intricacies of the oldest board game in existence, or get to know some new friends over a glass of sake. We’ll also be installing hammocks around the camp grounds for you to use any time you like.
ONLINE VIDEO LIBRARY OF CAMP CLASSES: We’ll be professionally filming many of the classes and then hosting them online at our video library: BJJ Globetrotters in Action. They’ll be entirely free to access (as will the videos from all our other camps), so if you want to refresh your memory you can go back and check out the technique as many times as you want.
Will Dorman
- From Florida, United States
- BJJ black belt
- Won some stuff, drank a lot of beer
- Golden Croissant Surf Champ 2023
- Once armbarred a moose in Alaska
Christian Graugart
- From Saint Barthélemy, F.W.I.
- Author of The BJJ Globetrotter
- 2nd place IBJJF Europeans brown belt
- IBJJF London Open black belt champion
- Multiple x IBJJF default bronze medalist
Jari Anttila
- From Mikkeli, Finland
- BJJ black belt
- ADCC North European Champion 2023
- Trained BJJ since 2001
- Claims his spirit animal is a Brazilian tapir
Where is the camp?
Dojo Stara Wies in Poland, a few hours south of Warsaw. The exact address is Stara Wieś 1, 97-570 Stara Wieś, Poland.
How do I get there?
Despite the camp being in the middle of the Polish countryside, there are a few international airports somewhat close by. Emphasis on the somewhat.
The easiest way is to fly to either Warsaw (two airports – Chopin and Modlin) or Krakow, and then either hire a car or hitch a ride with another camper from there; most people organize that in our Facebook group for participants. Alternatively, you can get the train or the bus from either of those cities.
What day do I need to arrive / leave?
Check in opens Monday early afternoon and we’ll have our welcome meeting and first training in the late afternoon. Last training will be Sunday morning so you could leave around noon or in the afternoon.
Is there a supermarket or ATM near the camp?
Well, kinda near! There’s a supermarket, an ATM, and a gas station in Przedbórz, about a 25-min drive from the camp venue.
You mentioned that we’ll be getting two white camp gis for free. Can I bring my own gi as well?
Ideally we’d like everyone to just train in the camp gis (let’s face it, those photos just look cool), but you are of course allowed to bring a spare gi if you want. However, we do ask that you please try and make it a white gi with as few patches as possible.
Where can I wash my training clothes?
There will be a laundry service at the camp.
Please note that this covers training gear only (i.e. gis, rashguards, shorts, spats, and underwear). In addition, you can wash a max. of one gi and one set of no-gi gear per day. We’d love to be able to offer to wash everything, but tackling the training laundry of 100+ people in such a remote location will already prove tricky. And adding the logistics of trying to keep track of individual pieces of street clothes would just be too much. As such, please be sure to pack enough tshirts, pants, socks etc. for the entire camp!
What kind of food are you serving?
Different food every day, but basic stuff like meat, rice, vegetables, salad, bread, etc.
Is there an option for vegetarian food?
Yes, please let us know on mail@bjjglobetrotters.com.
Is there a minimum age for participation?
You have to be at least 18 years old in order to attend the camp. The only exception is our family friendly camp in Austria, where kids can participate together with at least one adult. Our minimum age required to participate in the camp without an adult is 18 years and unfortunately we can not make any exceptions. If we allowed one, we would have to allow all and then we could end up having hundreds of teenagers at the camps every year.
I'm not sure if I'm free on those dates yet and/or can't afford to buy a ticket right now. Can I reserve a spot at the camp and pay later once I've made my decision/ saved enough money?
Sorry, but we can't bookmark spots for people in advance. It would make it far too difficult to accurately determine how many spots are still available, and would cause additional confusion if people then cancel their reserved spots on short notice. To make it fair for everyone, we only secure camp spots for people who have bought a ticket.
I'll be nearby during the dates of the camp. Can I drop in for just one day / one class / one open mat?
Unfortunately, this isn't possible. The logistics of trying to keep track of day tickets for these camps would be a nightmare. Not to mention that if we allow one person to drop by, we have to allow everyone to drop by, and then we'd risk not having enough mat space for the people who actually paid for the full camp. Also, we often have a long waiting list for camp tickets, and it wouldn't be fair to those people if we let someone skip the list and come for a day. Same deal for everyone!:-)
Can I bring my kids to sit around/on the mats during the camp?
In order to create a quiet and focused training environment for the camp classes, we ask you to not bring your kids to the training area during camp. It would not be much of an issue with one or two, but if we allow one, we have to allow all and then we could risk suddenly having way too many babies and children there. Thank you for your understanding of this.
What are the terms and conditions of the booking?
Here you go.
Is it safe?
Yes :)
How many gis should I bring?
It depends on how much you want to train and if you also train nogi. We recommend two gis, that's enough for most people. Some people switch their days between gi and no-gi, and can do with a single gi.
Will I be allowed to film during the camp?
Yes, but always check with the instructor beforehand.
I only train with/without the gi, will there be enough training for me?
Yes! We promise there'll be more classes than you can possibly handle.
Where do the participants come from?
Our camps are usually attended by happy people from all over the world.
What language will the classes be taught in?
All classes are in English.
How can I coordinate rideshares with other campers to/from camp?
In our camp app there is a rideshare feature where you can post if you look for a ride, passengers or just someone to share a taxi or train with.
Is it possible to buy private lessons at camp?
We don't allow selling of any kind of services or products at the camp, including private lessons, massages, therapy, treatment, merchandise etc. This applies to both instructors and participants. So the answer is yes, but it has to be free :)
Is this just a BJJ camp?
Yes.
Will I receive a ticket in the mail?
There are no physical tickets for the camps. Your name is on our list when you arrive and check in.
When will there be training?
Training is running all day, every day!
I'm a complete beginner, can I still join?
Yes!! We have many hundreds beginners participate in our camps, every year.
I have booked a spot but have to cancel. Can I get a refund?
All bookings are non-refundable. You are most welcome to sell your spot to someone else, just let us know about it. In case the camp is sold out, we might have a waiting list you can obtain by emailing us. Click here for more information
Where do the participants come from?
All over the world.
What other camps are you hosting?
See our full schedule of camps here!
Is it possible to test for belt promotion?
The Council of Traveling Black Belts can offer a brutally honest evaluations of skill level at our camps – no belt promotion guaranteed, naturally. If you’re interested in the opinion of the instructors at a camp, shoot us an email with a description of your training career as well as link to a verified profile on www.beltchecker.com and we’ll catch you on the mats for a few rolls and some feedback. We do not consider anyone for promotion who already have an instructor or are in between gyms.
LOCATION
We really do go off the beaten track for this one. Deep in the heart of a stunning national park, you can train and relax alongside fellow grapplers from all over the world, surrounded by nothing more than trees, hammocks, and the open sky. The address of the camp is Stara Wieś 1, 97-570 Stara Wieś, Poland. How you’ll get there is up to you. But if you figure it out, we promise you a fantastic experience.
FACILITIES
Dojo Stara Wieś has been specifically designed for the practice of traditional Japanese martial arts, and as such we have everything we’d ever need for several days of intense Jiu Jitsu training. Classes take place in a large matted hall with a gorgeous view out over the forest, and we have a smaller matted area we can use for drilling and open mat throughout the day. Included in the price of the camp is access to the on-site sauna. We also offer a free laundry service for training gear, so you’ll always have a fresh gi waiting for you.
Located on the same site as the dojo are 16 high-standard cottages, all built in traditional Japanese style. Each cottage has three double rooms and one single room, and feature beds or futons for sleeping, a kitchen, a fireplace, and private bathrooms. Also available are four VIP houses for either four or two persons, if you prefer extra privacy. All of the cottages are located less than a minute’s walk from both the dojo and the canteen, and give you the perfect peaceful place to hang up your hakama at the end of the day. Depending on your budget and preferences, you have a few different accommodation types to choose from.
SCHEDULE & GUIDEBOOK
Will be sent out approximately one week before camp
* Check in is Monday from 14:00 *
* Camp welcome meeting is Monday 15:00 *
* Daily training, activities and open mat sessions from morning to evening *
* Check out is Sunday at noon latest *
€1199
Private room +€200
VIP house (4 people) +€225
VIP house (2 people) +€275
* ALL PRICES ARE PER PERSON *