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- SJJA Crows Nest
- · 51 Hume St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
Real interviews with real people. How they found
SJJA, what Jiu-Jitsu has changed, and why they keep
showing up.
Founder Story
The SJJA founder on his journey from the ZR Team in Brazil to building Australia’s flagship BJJ academy in Crows Nest — and why he believes everyone can transform through Jiu-Jitsu.
Founder · Black Belt 4th Degree
Adult beginner · 8 months
Before: Sedentary, 8kg overweight
After: 3×/week, leaner, confident
Adult Fundamentals
Women’s program · 14 months
Before: Anxious in public, no martial arts
After: Blue belt, self-defence ready
Women’s Program
Parent · 2 years
Before: Shy, withdrawn, bullied
After: Confident, engaged, a leader
Parent — Kids Program
Blue belt · Competitor
Before: Casual gym-goer
After: Pan Pacific silver medallist
Advanced · Competition Team
Visiting black belt
Role: Visiting from overseas
Takeaway: Made Sydney feel like home
Visiting Black Belt
Parent + student · 3 years
Before: Watching from the sidelines
After: Father-son training partners
Adults + Kids program
Adult beginner · 8 months
Before: Sedentary, 8kg overweight
After: 3×/week, leaner, confident
Adult Fundamentals
Visiting black belt
Role: Visiting from overseas
Takeaway: Made Sydney feel like home
Visiting Black Belt
Women’s program · 14 months
Before: Anxious in public, no martial arts
After: Blue belt, self-defence ready
Women’s Program
Parent · 2 years
Before: Shy, withdrawn, bullied
After: Confident, engaged, a leader
Parent — Kids Program
Parent + student · 3 years
Before: Watching from the sidelines
After: Father-son training partners
Adults + Kids program
Blue belt · Competitor
Before: Casual gym-goer
After: Pan Pacific silver medallist
Advanced · Competition Team
What 6, 12, or 24 months of consistent training really
looks like — mind, body and character.
Fitness transformation
Tom arrived out of shape and out of practice. A year of consistent Fundamentals classes, three times a week, changed his fitness, his posture, and — in his words — “the way I show up at work.”
Cardio capacity
Body weight
Earned in 14 months
Confidence transformation
Riley’s mum enrolled her at six. She hid behind legs for the first month. Two years on she leads the warmups, partners with new kids first, and earned her orange belt at the NSW state championships.
White to orange
Medal winner
Helping new kids
Mental transformation
Priya joined the women’s program after a difficult year. The community, the structure, and the physical practice rewrote her relationship with stress. She now runs introductory sessions for new women at the gym.
Consistent attendance
Earned in 16 months
For new students
We love hearing from our members. If you’d like to share your SJJA story — on camera or in writing — drop us a line.
