As a brand new offering in 2023, Wanderlust Fitness Retreats has partnered with Rituals BJJ to offer a fully featured Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Training Camp hosted right at Wanderlust Fitness Village.
To help launch the retreat we caught up with the Rituals BJJ head honcho Justin Sidelle to find out more about the camp.
Background on Justin Sidelle
Justin Sidelle was born in the San Francisco bay area in California, and started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2005 after seeing elements of the art in early UFC fights.
Justin competed regionally and internationally in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with notable achievements in the US Open, American Cup, Bay Area Invitational, and Taiwan International Championships.
In between coaching professional athletes and competing, Justin concentrated on refining his Gi programs and sharing his love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu through seminars and group classes around the world. In 2020 Justin founded Rituals Jiu-Jitsu team in Bali Indonesia.
“I’m at a point now with my Jiu-Jitsu, where I am ready to build my own team. I have been very fortunate to train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu all around the world, and now want to share all my systems and techniques with martial artists who are ready to share my vision.
I’ve always dreamed of living the jiu-jitsu lifestyle, and looking back, I had a defining moment. It was in 2010 when I made a trip to Thailand and did a month-long training camp in Phuket. This was the first time I tasted the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle to the fullest, which forever changed my life.
It fueled my passion and gave me direction with what I wanted to create with my jiu-jitsu, and I have been so grateful to be having such an incredible jiu-jitsu journey. Now I get a chance to spark the same passion with my team, and I am excited to see where these experiences shape them and what jiu-jitsu brings into their lives.”
Q. The academy recently moved to Wanderlust Fitness Village, can you tell us about how this change has improved the BJJ experience?
Moving my academy to Wanderlust is a dream come true.
Wanderlust brings a high standard of excellence in everything they offer and it’s wonderful to work with Dave Driskell who is open minded and forward thinking by bringing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu into Wanderlust village.
For me I think BJJ and strength training go hand in hand so why not take full advantage of this at Bali’s premiere CrossFit Facility.
Q. On the upcoming camp in May, what will the average day look like?
I think we have done a great job creating a one of a kind experience with this camp.
We’ve tried to bring together all the activities that someone looking to experience the BJJ lifestyle can benefit from.
Most days you will wake up at your hotel and enjoy breakfast before coming to the gym for your first Jiu Jitsu session, after training you can enjoy wonderlust recovery center and take advantage of the sauna, ice bath and 25m lap pool.
After lunch you will get some chill time before coming back for some No Gi training in the afternoon or you can opt for a sunset yoga session if you feel like you need to recover.
We also arranged opportunities for you to get in the ocean and learn to surf with a personal surf instructor.
So your afternoons will be a bit more open.
Following your afternoon session you are welcome to hang out with friends from the retreat back at the hotel or just relax before waking up and doing it all over again the next day.
Q: BJJ can be intimidating to start, do you have any tips for new students – would the camp be a good way to try BJJ?
I think it’s normal to feel a bit intimidating to try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when you first see it.
Something I share often with my team is the new person in the room is the most important person there.
Because it’s up to us to make sure they feel comfortable and welcome so they want to come back for a second class.
I think this camp will be a great way to bring a bunch of people together who are all experiencing something new together and that will help break the ice and make a friendly and cooperative learning environment.
Q. BJJ can be intimidating to start, do you have any tips for new students – would the camp be a good way to try BJJ?
I think it’s normal to feel a bit intimidating to try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when you first see it.
Something I share often with my team is the new person in the room is the most important person there.
Because it’s up to us to make sure they feel comfortable and welcome so they want to come back for a second class.
I think this camp will be a great way to bring a bunch of people together who are all experiencing something new together and that will help break the ice and make a friendly and cooperative learning environment.
Q. How have you found living and training in Bali? Whats been your highlights?
I think there is something very special about living and training in Bali.
What originally attracted me here is the high quality of life for a low cost of living.
What this gave me was the gift of time to focus on what’s really important for me. But if you were to ask me what got me to stay was finding an incredibly supportive and encouraging community that helped me reach my goals wether it was in fitness, health or business.
I think my greatest highlights in my time here isthe people I met along the way and coached and supported them on their own journeys of success.
I’ve built champions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from the ground up to world championship levels. I’ve prepared and cornered athletes in professional MMA fights and opened doors for myself to travel to exotic places all over the world.
Bali and Jiu Jitsu have been very good to me and I hope I can inspire you to experience some of this for yourself.
Q. If a new student wanted to come to the camp in May but get started today, what are some tips?
Let me be the first to tell you to get off the fence and join the party.
This is going to be a great opportunity for anyone regardless of your experience level.
Outside of that book your flights and save your spot for the camp.
Make sure to follow us on Instagram to get a feel for the training and vibe of training at Rituals and we will see you on the mats in May!