Guy's,
I have just been travelling from the U.K. to Canada.
I am rehabing my knee after a nasty motorcycle accident 2 months ago and a stay in hospital but decided it was time to get back on the mats while i was away.
The first place i was at was Hamilton,Ontario.I googled BJJ Hamilton and found that i was
deep in Joslin territory!
I knew exactly who Jeff and his team are having watched Jeff fight Koscheck and know of his team's excellent competition reputation.
I arrived at Joslin's and was welcomed by everyone i met there.i trained in a no-gi class with one of his purple belts teaching and i was impressed with the class format,the detailed teaching and,most importantly the team spirit present at the club.
The next day i turned up to the Gi class and Jeff was teaching.He welcomed me to the club and introduced me to the team and generally made me feel like i was in my own club.He taught a fantastic class,with some great techniques and details i hadn't seen before,and let me roll with him in sparring.
Jeff is a class act.An absolute Gentleman and runs a team with true warrior spirit.
The next day i had to leave Hamilton and travel to Toronto,where after looking on the internet at the different schools available decided to try out TORONTO BJJ.
I walked into the club and was immediately impressed by how professional the place
was.I was greeted by some friendly guys on the desk who introduced me to Josh,the purple belt who run's the club and has built it into the amazing facility it is today.
Josh personally took time out to show me around the whole club.There was a serious,serious weight's room,then we walked past a Muay Thai class being taught by a member of Chute Box-with the muay thai room having a ring in it as well.
We then walked up the stairs to the Jiu jitsu room which is simply the biggest mat space i have ever trained in.And at the end of the room was a full time UFC sized cage.
Josh introduced me to the BJJ instructor Jorge Brittas who is a Saulo BB.
Jorge,again,just as Jeff Joslin had,welcomed me his club as if i was an old friend
and i trained in a couple of GI classes with him before returning to England.
Jorge was a brilliant teacher with serious attention to detail.
He also rolled with me the first time i trained with him,which i thought was a great privilege.
Josh and Jorge also took me to their favourite sushi restaurant and tried to kill me by over feeding me with the highest quality raw fish.
I got sent back to the U.K. early and never got a chance to thank Jeff Joslin or Josh and Jorge.
All i can say guys is that both clubs i trained at were EXCELLENT.
Both Dojo's were extremely well fitted out,clean and purpose built.
The instructors were super friendly and went out of their way to make me feel at home
and both teams were full of very good fighters who were tough during sparring but
treated me as a friend even though i was a new guy at other times.
In other words,both these clubs were just like being at my only club-Carlson Gracie Revoltution London.
Thanks to Jeff,Josh and Jorge-
If any of your team are in London,England you will be very welcome at Carlsons and i hope to come and train with you again.
Please accept my apologies for dissapearing without a 'goodbye' but my work is kinda unpredictable!
My email address is soundmansimon@hotmail.com and i'd like to keep in touch with you guys.
LASTLY- THE JOSLIN BJJ TOURNAMENT IS ONLY A FEW WEEKS AWAY-IF YOU'RE IN CANADA OR NORTHERN U.S.A. YOU SHOULD GET DOWN THERE-I know the Joslin's team are putting together a serious event!
OOOOSSSSS
Simon Hayes Carlson Gracie Revolution Team
www.carlsongracieteam.org.uk
It was great having you.
Simon, I'm Jay, the blonde, shaved head, purple belt you did technique with while Jeff was teaching. It was nice having you train at the club. It's always nice to train and meet fellow grapplers from around Canada and abroad.
Thanks for the kind words about the club.
Jay (Wiley)
I'm glad you had a great time at our club (TBJJ) - it's too bad that I had missed you.
I was actually in London last year and because of dodgy directions given to me by some daft git (Some employee of the london underground at the tube station closest to your club) I wasn't actually able to find your club and was sent on a wild goose chase!
Perhaps next time I'm in England I'll get better directions!
I"ve never been to toronto bjj but jeff is an awesome guy and a super instructor and his club is full of quality guys