What Coaching A Kenyan Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Team At Their First International Competition Taught Me 

For close to ten years, I have dedicated my life to fitness and strength training, but my journey started in an entirely different field – Engineering. After successfully transforming my own body through home workouts, I discovered a deep passion for helping others achieve their fitness goals. What began as a personal mission soon became a career that brought me fulfillment, purpose, and happiness. 

My path crossed with Julio De Souza, Co-Founder of Nairobi Jiu Jitsu Academy, through a client, and he immediately entrusted me with the role of Strength & Conditioning Coach for his fighters. It was from that moment that my journey training elite Jiu Jitsu athletes took off – the rest, and as they say, is history!

The AJP Africa Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship

It was the first day of the AJP Continental African Tour Championship International Jiu-Jitsu Competition in Cairo – the first time a team from Kenya participated in such a high level international competition.  There was something surreal about being there. The event was a whirlwind of excitement, nerves, and anticipation. We were a team of fifteen, two Strength and Conditioning Coaches from VMX Fitness Nairobi and thirteen athletes from the Nairobi Jiu-Jitsu Academy and One Tribe BJJ. 

In the morning, when we gathered at the stadium, the atmosphere was buzzing with the energy of fighters from around the world. The scent of sweat mixed with the sharp, metallic tang of mats that had seen countless battles. I watched as our fighters lined up, one after the other, preparing to take on their opponents. The room was full of tension and pride – we had worked so hard to be here. And yet, nothing could quite prepare us for what was about to come.

When M’Marete’s fight began, it became apparent that his knee was in serious trouble. The way he moved, the pain in his face – it broke me to see him struggle. And yet he didn’t give up.

Preparing for the Championship

Watching M’Marete’s fight made me think about the moment when the Professor asked me to coach the first Kenyan jiu-jitsu team and travel with them to Cairo. I could not believe what was about to happen – I was the only woman on the team at the start. Preparing the athletes for the competition entailed a comprehensive Strength and Conditioning Program that focused on improving physical performance, reducing injury risk and enhancing recovery. This included sport-specific strength training to develop power, endurance and explosiveness, alongside aerobic conditioning to maintain stamina. This was combined with flexibility and mobility exercises to prevent injuries and proper nutrition and rest optimize recovery. 

It also made me think about all the efforts that had led to this moment. Nine years ago, I started waking up with palpitations. It scared me, so I started working out to lose weight.  And in the process, I realized that I was falling in love with being in control of my body. Nothing compared to the new feeling of being agile and strong.

When I told my family and friends about my plans to leave a white-collar job as an Engineer and become a Strength and Conditioning coach, they thought I was crazy or on drugs. Many people still see the fitness industry as something shallow. Something you could only do temporarily, or for fun. 

When family and friends saw me taking the Kenyan Jiu-Jitsu team to their first international competition, they started changing their minds. Long years of determination paid off. 

An Exhilarating series of Competition

And now, in Cairo, I was watching M’Marete fight. He fought on even with a burst knee, his determination shining through. He lost two matches, but pushed through the pain in one final battle and clinched a hard-fought victory that earned him a bronze medal. 

We were all in awe but also heartbroken for him. His knee was in such bad shape that I knew he would need a month to recover before any strength training could begin. Yet, even as tears rose, I could only cheer him on. His courage and grit showed us the true meaning of perseverance.

It was a moment that filled me with pride. Despite the challenges, the losses, and the pain, our fighters had shown what it meant to fight – not just on the mat, but in life. At that moment, I realized that this experience, these fighters, and this team were about more than just medals. They were about heart, resilience, and unbreakable spirit.

As the competition unfolded, there was something truly surreal about what I witnessed inside that arena. The intensity of the matches was palpable, fighters pushing themselves to the limit, battling with every ounce of strength and skill. Some matches were brutal, a fierce exchange of techniques and energy. Others moved at a slower pace, tactical and calculated. But regardless of the speed or intensity, there was a common thread that tied every match together: the unwavering focus of each competitor, driven by the same goal – victory.

Lessons Pegged on Sportsmanship

What struck me the most wasn’t the fight’s energy. What struck me is what happened after the dust had settled and the mats had cooled. Once the referee called each fight’s end, something extraordinary took place. Fighters, no matter how intense the battle had been, would step forward, shake the referee’s hand, and then – almost in one fluid motion – reach out to their opponent. Without hesitation, they would shake hands and embrace as if the animosity that had filled the mat moments earlier had evaporated.

It was an emotional moment every time. The contrasts were stark – one moment, they were locking horns, fighting tooth and nail for dominance, and the next, hugging like long-lost friends. There was no animosity, no bitterness. Just pure respect for one another and the sport that had brought them together. It was as if the intense competition faded away, leaving only the love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the camaraderie of fellow fighters, and the honor of sharing that fight.

It was a reminder that, at the end of it all, no matter the result, this was more than just a sport. It was a community built on mutual respect, shared passion, and the understanding that each fighter – regardless of whether they won or lost – they’d given everything they had. To see such a pure, genuine connection between people who, moments before, had been trying to outmuscle each other was a testament to the true spirit of the sport.