Jo Ritchie: Never have I been made to feel so genuinely welcome – a friendly paradise!

Just returned from the 2015 BJJ Globetrotter Beach Camp in El Salvador with a serious case of post-holiday blues. An awesome experience and one that I hope to repeat next year.

Everything was just spot on. The location at Casa Kickapoo has to be seen to believed. The house and grounds are beautiful and well thought out, so that a group of Jiu Jitsu freaks can hang out in paradise. There are communal areas to come together and chat, as well as space to chill out and be with your own thoughts – I recommend the hammocks by the pier. The food prepared by Rodrigo was amazing, plentiful and varied.

Luis and the team at Casa Kickapoo go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I felt like part of the family. There are as many daytime activities as you’d want – from surfing and SUP to chilling by the pool. Take anything you hear about supposed crime rates in this areas of the world with a big pinch of salt. I felt safe, secure and welcome at all times during my stay. I cannot recommend highly enough and hope to return soon!

The quality of the Jiu Jitsu instruction was outstanding. How Christian manages to cultivate such a laid-back attitude but still have a well-structured session up his sleeve every day is beyond me. His passion for BJJ is evident and he was available every day for free private sessions too. In the evening classes, we had the opportunity to really break down some stuff and look at all the little details that are so important. A decent amount or reviewing the previous day’s session and then building more on it has really helped me to embed this into my game. Rolling on mats under the palm trees at the end of every day was a joy. Getting to know and roll with others at the camp was also a great part of this experience. Some firm friendships made and some serious skills taken home to work on.

Ossss!”

London, UK