White Belt – How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 10 – Go to Residential Camps

White Belt – How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 10 – Go to Residential Camps

Let’s be honest from the start – this particular piece of advice isn’t going to be realistic for everyone. If you’ve got a partner, young kids, or a tight family budget, the idea of spending what could be your annual holiday money on a week-long Brazilian Jiu Jitsu getaway might not go down particularly well at home. I completely understand that. Family commitments and financial realities are valid reasons to put this one on the back burner for now. But if you’re in a position where you can make it happen, even just once, attending a residential BJJ camp can be one of the most powerful ways to level up your game as a white belt.

There’s something special about immersing yourself completely in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for several days in a row. Instead of squeezing in an hour or two of training here and there around work and life, you wake up thinking about jiu jitsu, train multiple times a day, eat with other grapplers, talk technique over meals, and go to bed still processing what you learned. That kind of focused, distraction-free environment creates an acceleration effect that’s hard to replicate in your regular gym routine. You don’t just pick up new techniques – you start to see connections between moves, develop better timing, improve your conditioning, and most importantly, deepen your overall understanding of the art.

The good news is that there are dozens of BJJ training camps happening every year all over the world. From sunny beaches in Portugal and Thailand to mountain retreats in the United States or Europe, the options are incredibly varied. Some camps are run by big-name academies or well-known instructors, while others are organised by passionate hobbyists who simply want to bring people together. Just like when you’re planning a proper holiday, it pays to do your research. Think about what kind of experience you’re actually looking for. Do you want a relaxed, holiday-style camp in an exotic location where you can train in the morning and then enjoy the beach or pool in the afternoon? Or are you after something more intense, where the focus is almost entirely on hard training with minimal downtime?

You’ll also come across camps that combine Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with other complementary activities. BJJ and yoga retreats have become particularly popular, offering a balance of physical training and recovery work that many people find appealing. Some events even mix in surfing, hiking, or strength and conditioning sessions. The variety is huge, and so is the price range. I’ve seen well-run camps that are surprisingly affordable, especially if you’re willing to share accommodation or travel to certain destinations. On the other hand, some luxury-style camps with high-profile instructors and beautiful venues can cost a serious amount of money. It’s worth shopping around and reading past reviews to make sure you’re getting good value for what you’re paying.

One of the big draws for many people is the chance to train with renowned headline instructors – the BJJ heroes you follow on Instagram or watch on YouTube. There’s no denying that meeting and learning directly from someone you admire can be incredibly inspiring. However, I’d offer a gentle word of caution here. Don’t choose a camp solely because one famous black belt is listed as a guest instructor. Often that person will only teach one or two classes across the entire week. While those sessions can be memorable, the real value usually comes from the overall package: the quality of all the instructors, the structure of the daily schedule, the rolling opportunities, and the general atmosphere. The total experience almost always matters more than any single celebrity class.

Another thing to consider is the mix of people who attend these camps. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu attracts all kinds of individuals – different ages, backgrounds, personalities, and experience levels. Some camps have a very competitive, young, and aggressive vibe, while others feel more welcoming and inclusive for hobbyists and older grapplers. Thankfully, in today’s world, it’s easier than ever to get a real sense of a camp before you commit. Most organisers share videos from previous years on YouTube or Instagram. Take the time to watch them. You can see what the training sessions actually look like, how the instructors teach, what the facilities are like, and even get a feel for the social atmosphere and the types of students who show up. I once nearly booked a camp based on the lineup and location alone, but after watching some footage from the previous year I realised the energy just didn’t feel right for me. Trusting that gut feeling saved me from what might have been a disappointing experience.

If you do decide to go, there’s one important note of caution I want to share, especially for those of us who aren’t spring chickens anymore. Many residential camps pack in four to six organised BJJ sessions per day, sometimes more. On top of that, there’s often open mat time available between the structured classes for those who still have energy left. That’s a massive jump in training volume for most white belts who are used to training maybe sixty minutes, twice a week at their local gym.

Speaking as an “old broken man” myself, I strongly recommend treating these camps like a marathon rather than a sprint. Jumping straight into three ninety-minute sessions a day when your body isn’t used to that kind of workload is a fast track to exhaustion or injury. Pace yourself wisely. It might be smart to start a little lighter on the first day or two – maybe sit out an optional session or roll at a more controlled intensity – and then gradually build up as the week progresses. Your goal should be to finish the camp still intact, with new skills and fresh motivation, rather than limping home barely able to move. Listen to your body, stay hydrated, get as much sleep as you can, and don’t be afraid to take a recovery session if you need it.

Ultimately, attending a residential BJJ camp is an investment in yourself and in your jiu jitsu journey. If the timing and budget work out, and you find the right camp that matches your personality and goals, it can be a genuine game-changer. The combination of high-quality instruction, repeated drilling, lots of rolling, and being surrounded by people who share your passion creates an environment where real growth happens quickly.

So if you’ve been on the fence about taking the plunge, start doing some research. Look at locations, dates, instructors, and past participant feedback. You might just find an experience that takes your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to the next level – and creates some great memories along the way.

To help you get started exploring the options, two excellent places to browse upcoming camps and retreats are BJJ Camp Finder at bjjcampfinder.com, which lists events from all around the world with dates, locations, and booking details, and Tripaneer at tripaneer.com, which has a strong selection of jiu-jitsu camps with traveller reviews and easy filtering by destination and style.

Written by Jimmy Rose, lifelong martial artist and BJJ enthusiast