BJJ in Australia

I recently came back from my trip to America where I went to compete in the World Masters Championships and train at some of the famed and much talked about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) schools on the west coast.

It’s been over 10 years that I have now been doing BJJ and I would say I have been training pretty hard during that time. At least I had thought I was until I went to the US. You see, the BJJ scene in Australia is still quite new here and has only recently received traction in the mainstream.

On the other hand, BJJ in the US is a lot more established and coupled with their larger population and World Champion Jiu Jitsu athletes from Brazil setting up schools all around the country, you can easily see why they’re currently producing some of the best athletes.

For over a year I had trained hard leading up to the world’s championships.  I had a nutritionist, trained with as many high level guys whom I could get access to, had frequent massages and physio sessions and also made many sacrifices along the way all whilst trying to run a newly formed full time gym.

I was fighting fit and thought I was in with a decent position to take out the world’s with all my meticulous preparation. Boy, was I wrong! After training in the US I realised very quickly just how many full time athletes there were with so much depth of talent to boot. That’s not to say that Australia doesn’t have athletes with talent and heart. We just don’t have many full time athletes period! And it is for this reason Australia will always fall short against world class international competition.

We can do well in the whites, blue and purple belt divisions – and possibly produce more world champions in these categories like we have in the past. But when you’re talking about the brown and black belt divisions, that’s just another kettle of fish altogether.

So if you want to be a world champion in the brown or black belt divisions, you’re going to have to move to America or Brazil or wait another 10 years for the sport to grow at home. And even then, in my opinion, you may still be better off training in America and Brazil as it’s likely the sport will continue to grow at a faster rate there than at home.

Give our BJJ program a go and experience the improvements to all of these fields. It is considered to be an excellent first style where the skills are easily transferable.

What our members say

See what our valued members say, directly from Google reviews.

"it’s a really nicely fitted out gym. The instructors are great and the atmosphere is very friendly. Amazing place to train!"

Tom Reed

"Great place for training martial arts! Everyone is super friendly and just like a big family, plus there's heaps of events on. 10/10 recommend!"

Jonathan Yang

"Joined this gym a couple of years ago and little did I know it would be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I can honestly vouch for the kind and supportive nature of the ICC team and family on and off the Matt’s. I’ve progressed from not knowing a thing about Brazilian jiu jitsu and feeling unsure about joining up to recently entering grappling industries under the guidance of coaches David and Steven coming out winning 2 golds and a Silver medal having 15 fights on the day. There is not a day I can think of where training has been unenjoyable. Rolls are always fun and challenging and improvement is always recognised and commended by all. Some of the best tips and advice I’ve been given in the gym have been from other students themselves. All in all I highly recommend ICC to men, women, boys and girls of all ages whether it be you’re looking for a way to get in shape or the ability to protect yourself ICC is the place to be. And if you’re unsure like I was take the leap and give it your all I promise you won’t be disappointed.- Arthur Flevaris"

Tor Flev

"David has a very good training environment at ICC, with a long list of achievements and accruement he is definitely the place to visit if you're thinking of taking up martial arts for competition or just to learn & have fun."

Pete Shua

"It has been an absolute pleasure to be a part of the ICC family. Thanks for the training provided throughout my time with ICC. Certainly, it has boosted my confidence to some extent. The instructors Mario, Ann and Jamie are thorough professionals and are very helpful . I strongly recommend this training institute to anybody who is looking for a future in Martial arts. Awesome place great instructors !!! The Integrated Combat Center has helped me to be more confident socially, more disciplined physically and more focused professionally."

Syed faizan Mahmood

See more reviews
Get started today with a free trial.