I wrote this article shortly after our anniversary which is on 14th February – Lovers’ Day. We even had recruiting poster joking about this fact. This is basically first year summary of fun things our BJJ acadamy gave us. All of you who train, know that jiu-jitsu is not just about the process of exercise, but also everything around it: people, competitions, travels. I gave corporate life for that. Can’t say it was easy, but apparently nothing worth doing is. If you want to know why I didn’t continue to pursue career in corporations after Procter & Gamble, what are the other things I do besides Chaos Gold Team or you simply want to send me high five through email, see About Me page.

Chaos Gold Team contributors:

The club’s originators and the people who made the biggest contribution to its work are (listed according to their belts):

Manolo DeMolo (he ordered the club’s creation and, as you know, you don’t discuss with the Trainer),

DeZoo (providing spiritual, telephone and seminar aid),

Mr Spider (the executive authority and at the same time the favourite BJJ Trainer in CGT),

Cyclops (Head Hunter, which doesn’t mean he only smashes heads during training sessions, and the Human Resources Manager. There’s no one that could resist his smooth talk and wouldn’t come to at least one training – ‚we’ll teach you to fight and chicks will be falling fo you, stop by!’),

Crocodile (at first he wasn’t convinced about the club but a few whippings and a training camp convinced him otherwise),

Zangief (a taciturn guy, he can hit very hard, he expresses his feelings towards the club through art but more about that later. He came to the club because he made a promise while drunk),

Baron (a mafia’s accountant, a handyman and a legal risk reduction department in one),

Wolvi (trains only to be able to get his revenge on Spider, in his free time he helps with IT optimization in the club),

Kermit „The Happy Frog” (the club’s main joker. He didn’t give in even to the stomach problems, namely a total reflux during his first training),

Dexter (what would the club conversations look like without Dexter’s chemical phosphating processes?),

Strawberry Cone (the creator and originator of most of the torture equipment in our club. A declared follower and propagator of the strength over technique primacy).

What did the life in Chaos Gold Team look like over the last year?

The beginning of March 2012 was the first time we went to a competition as a club and our first video which drew the attention of unfriendly people. One stripe on white belt nomination:

PhD celebration = Pizza Madness

Later this month we were celebrating Dexter’s PhD. There was an eating contest during Pizza Hut’s pizza festival and an Epic Battle between Cyclops and Spider. Every person that ate less than 10 pieces was considered a weakling and had to do additional exercises the next day to get stronger. The famous Sikora family: Zangief, Dexter, Bajzel failed on this day and ate crumbs as if they were birds. There could be only one result, the winner of the battle almost doubled his opponent in the number of eaten pieces by eating 17.5 pieces. Spider tried to achieve the place’s record (24 – 3 big pizzas), unfortunately the place got closed too early. Moreover, when they were going home with Baron they almost exploded. The amount of food eaten was about 4-6 kg per person (checked shortly after eating using a scale).

Zangief gained inspiration and created a „Sport equals health” exhibition.

May was a time of intensive travels around Poland for Chaos Gold Team.

First a seminar with Fido in Piotrków Trybunalski:

Open air trainings near Trojan’s shack:

The final trip and tough fights in Szczecin, where Gold Team Poland HQ is located:

…there was also time for regeneration…

…enjoying our time in a park…

..or getting a pizza with Demolo:

We weren’t bored in the summer

We were invited to Kołobrzeg to lead a training for children. Gandalf took care of the trip:

And here Spider and Baron are throwing a misbehaving brat into water:

Bloody Ring

It is our inner club competition the motto of which is surprisingly simple: „chicks, violence and food – what more would you ask for?”. As the participants said themselves – the biggest stress of all the tournaments.

Crocodile won the tournament in the advanced category by beautifully performing a mid-air juji-gatame on Brandon:

An open training in Nowe Życie

BJJ on open air and with drinks. Thanks to this even we have Leon with us, a silent killer.

The Gold Team training camp

If you want to rest, spend your time comfortably and have an opportunity to train at the same time – the Gold Team Camp is a perfect solution for you!

There were trainings taking place high above the ground.

A club atmosphere.

Navy Seals recruitment to the Special Purpose Unit.

Conversations.

Integration games and activities.

Crocodile – the first blue belt in our club.

Joanna Krupa for Chaos Gold Team

Spider has convinced Joanna to take a motivational photo in our club’s shirt. Don’t ask how it was achieved 🙂

BJJ – The Way of Life

In the early autumn we were invited to Cud nad Wisłą to present our movie about what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu means to us before Eldo’s concert. It is only in Polish, sorry about that.

End of the World Training

In December we heard about the coming end of the world. We thought it was a great occasion to execute the toughest training in the world.

The club’s Christmas Eve

The world didn’t end and we met to express our wishes, talk about the past year and decide what to do next year.

New Team of Trainers

With the beginning of the new year we employed a Muay Thai trainer, a Wrestling trainer and two Motor Preparation trainers, a Sports Physiotherapist.

The medals

During the year we managed to get 22 medals in national competitions, 2 gold, 9 silver and 11 bronze.

We also probably had the largest squad of all the clubs in the No Gi Polish Championship. There were 32 of us!

New services in Chaos Gold Team

We now offer rehabilitation done by a Sports Physiotherapist of the Polish national skiing squad – Krzysiek Ruszkiewicz.

We also offer sports catering which means 5 balanced, tasty, varied, aromatic and strength adding meals a day.

Chaos Gold Team – X

Creating a group of people who train giving it their all. We aren’t interested in the most talented people but the most persistent ones. They will have access to personalized trainings, discounts for nutritional supplements, medical care free of charge and, in time, sponsors.

What will the new year bring? Next year we will work to be stronger competitors but most of all to be more determined people because that’s what’s most important in our club – to overcome personal limits. On the mat, in the working life and the private life alike. Life is too short to be average.