Today, I’ll talk to you about a BJJ Gym I visited in Kampala. It’s the only place you can do BJJ in Uganda.
The instructor is a humble Brazilian black belt. I believe he has been training BJJ for 40 years. What more do you want? A black belt who is from the homeland of BJJ is living in Uganda. I was so happy that I found him.
I’ll walk you through everything you need to know before visiting his Gym and talk to you about my experience there. So read along and make sure to visit him!
Location, Training Schedule, Pricing
Location
You will find the Gym in Selina Plaza in Kampala. It’s not the best area in Kampala and a bit far away from where I live. But I didn’t feel unsafe over there. You have to go inside the Plaza and down the stairs, and there you find the Gym. It’s hard to find at the beginning, so ask people when you arrive. They usually know.
Training Schedule
When I was there, they trained 2 times a week (Tuesday and Thursday). I didn’t know whether that changed. I think that they’ll offer more when more people sign up. Also, they were thinking about adding kids’ classes to the schedule.
They always switch between 1 month of Gi Training and then 1 month of no-gi training. When I was there it was time for no-gi.
Pricing
The classes are cheap by Western standards. But of course, compared to the rest of the prices in Uganda, it could seem expensive. But getting coached by a Brazilian black belt with so much experience – there’s no other place you’ll have the opportunity to do so for this price.
You should contact the coach directly via his Instagram. He answers quickly and will tell you everything you need to know.
My Experience at Gomes BJJ, Kampala
The Instructor
I loved his way of teaching. He is very calm and collected. From the first day, I could feel that he had much experience. He has a teaching style I haven’t seen anywhere else.
After every drill we practiced, he made us note down what we just learned. He said we should write in our own words. I liked that he did that. I could see the techniques sticking better into my head because I was visualizing and writing it down again. It also made me realize when I didn’t understand the technique correctly.
At the end of each class, he also takes 5 minutes away from us being able to ask questions. He asked every one of us and was truly open to our comments. Sometimes, he also shared experiences about his BJJ journey – which was truly inspiring.
The Team
I loved training with the team. They have a couple of blue belts and some white belts. It’s not a big team but everybody was supportive. I could see that they have a nice dynamic going on.
The rolls were very competitive. They have a high pace and the instructor also wants it like that. He focuses on self-defense Jiu Jitsu rather than competition Jiu Jitsu. I liked that.
I felt very welcomed by everybody. When I came in they introduced themselves, asked me for my name and made sure I’m part of a team. So it was very easy to connect with them. So don’t worry, it’s a chill environment over there
BJJ in Uganda: Final Words
I only trained about 6-8 times with them but I learned a lot. They were doing leg locks when I was there and I felt like I gained a lot of knowledge about them during my time there.
I felt comfortable and welcomed and the coaching was very new to me. This was the only Brazilian instructor I ever had, and I loved it.
So don’t worry. Text them on Instagram and let them know when you’re coming. They are open and happy to have you.
And if you have any questions, please let me know!!
