BushJitsu

14/06/2026

Last Weeks Highlights!

Cool to see the team working on proficiency in both sides of the sport - NoGi and YesGi - and, applying skills from both, to maximise their overall game.

Too much is made of the difference.
If you can be a badass with your pyjamas on, SURELY a little wardrobe change wouldn’t prevent your badassery from shining through, once you take it off?!

Get some work done in both!
Gi (“The Ninja Tuxedo”) slows the pace and forces you to be methodical.
NoGi (“Samurai Swimwear”) opens up explosive opportunities and wild scrambles.

Both teach you things that apply to the other.

Spice up your training with a little wardrobe diversity.
(And no, that doesn’t mean wear speedos - or spats with no shorts).

Side note; Black Gis also double as perfect Wedding/Funeral/Important Business Meeting Attire.

So you can’t go wrong.

Stay tuned for more Bush Fashion Tips (BFTs).

11/06/2026

07/06/2026

We’re pretty proud of this one.

Over Term 1, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside the I Have A Dream Foundation, introducing a great group of young people to jiu jitsu and everything that comes with it - confidence, resilience, respect, and a whole lot of fun.

Click the link to check out what we’ve been up to and see the impact this programme is having. We’re grateful to be a small part of these kids’ journeys. 💚

This term, our Totara Grove Year 5 Dreamers have been stepping onto the mats with Bush Jitsu owner and head coach Brennan Matheson, alongside programme facilitator Gina McInnes, and the transformation has been remarkable. Brennan, who usually teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at his Whangārei martial art...

06/06/2026

Prerequisites.

What do you need to start Jiu Jitsu?!

The most common misconception we hear is that you need to be “in shape”.
You can start at any level of fitness (even zero!) and Jiu Jitsu will actually HELP get you in shape. Work at your own pace, do what you can, and keep showing up. The fitness will follow.

The next is skill. Thinking you need a background in martial arts to be able to learn. A PHD in Physiology to understand what’s going on.
Turn up at any level of ability (even zero!), do what you can, keep showing up, and the skill will follow.

The final misconception is “being competitive”. Whilst there are plenty of competitors, and even competition classes catered to those looking to dominate the sport aspect - there are FAR more jiu jitsu practitioners who are there purely for the hobby. There for the community, the camaraderie, and the fitness/skill aquisition aspect.
You do not have to be Captain World Champion (CWC) to be a part of (and enjoy) Jiu Jitsu.

It’s a welcoming crowd. Humble and happy to help.

The only thing you DO need, to take part and get involved, is the ability to leave your ego at the door and be ok with starting at zero.
Being ok with feeling out of your comfort zone, being ok feeling like you don’t know anything, and enjoying the fact that there is so much ahead of you to learn and refine.

Everyone starts at zero. Even Captain World Champion had to start there.
Forget all the pre-conceived notions about it all and just turn up to a class.
It. Is. Fun. (Challenging.. but FUN).

The most common thing we here after that?
“I wish I started sooner”.

04/06/2026

Improvement!

In order to improve, you have to be ok with looking foolish.
Particularly in a sport like Jiu Jitsu.

Sure, you can stick to your ‘A’ game and hit the same moves over and over.
The stuff you know you are good at.
The moves you know have worked for you before.
BUT!
Throwing yourself in the deep end with new ideas, new techniques, and different approaches, will ultimately lead to new heights in your overall game.

Take a few steps back to take even more steps forward.

The hard part is putting it into practice.
Suddenly you aren’t as efficient or effective. You start “losing” rounds you would normally “win”.
You feel as though you are getting worse!

But remember this;
The goal of training is DEVELOPMENT, not VICTORY.

No one cares who “wins” at training.

Compete to win.
Train to improve.

Or don’t.
You do you, playa.
I’m not your dada, so why listen to any of this nonsense, aye?

Go full noise and out muscle newbies. Roll exclusively with people smaller, less experienced, and less athletic.

Be the big fish in the small pond….

Woo!

31/05/2026

Complicated Grapplers - NOGI Edition.
(Let’s get real, let’s go deep).

As an avid advocate of any and all alliteration, and an astute aquirer of alphabet based astonishment, I assume almost anyone admits to a small amount of admiration for the average analogy.

What is NoGi?
Best described as Lycra-Based Shenanigans™️ (LBS).
All the usual grappling antics, just without any pyjamas.

Jiu Jitsu, bereft of friction.

Think of holding on to a dry, exhausted and leathery old ‘Alligator’ (that’s probably not how you spell mums name, sorry).
That’s Yes-Gi.

Now think of trying to hold on to a slippery, freshly caught, super caffienated Eel.
That’s NoGi.

Speed and athleticism count for more in NoGi.
Cardio gets tested in a whirlwind of scrambling, sliding, and ripping out of ‘almost-subs’ in NoGi.
The Grapplers variation of Peacock Feathers are on display, through wildly coloured rashguards and questionably tight pants, in NoGi.

…some folks even elect to wear spats without shorts - a cardinal sin - looking like Combat David Bowie (CDB) but without the labryinth.

NoGi is so much more than just rolling around in lycra.
Honestly.
It’s also…
Umm….
Hm…

28/05/2026

Hey there, stranger!

Reckon you could do with a bit more grunt, a bit more confidence, and a solid yarn (plus a few laughs) each week?

Bush Jitsu is where it’s at.

Doesn’t matter if you’ve never stepped on the mats, haven’t trained since the dinosaurs roamed, or just feel like having a good ol’ wrestle with your mates - no flash gear needed, no ego, no pressure. Just rock up and give it a whirl.

Learn the ropes step by step, look after each other, gain some new skills, and head home feeling better than when you walked in.

Monday ladies class? Top notch. Relaxed vibes, solid support, and a good crew of wāhine lifting each other up.

We’ve got sessions for everyone - from fresh-faced Noobs right through to the seasoned Advanced crew. Take a peek at the schedule on our website for class times and all the finer details

First two classes are on the house. Too easy.
Jump on bushjitsu.co.nz and get amongst it.

See y’all on the mats 🤙

24/05/2026

Mental Milestones.

The misconception when it comes to Martial Arts is that you are learning to be “violent”.

The reality is, that you learn how to control emotions, build mental resilience, and become confident enough in yourself that you don’t need to be “violent”.

You find out what it means to be truely humbled.
To know struggle, and to find a way to push through it.
You learn the importance of trust, discipline, and humility.
Understanding situational awareness and staying calm under pressure.
Controlling your emotions.

All whilst building a skillset that, if absolutely necessary, will help to keep you safe and defend yourself.

Confidence is key when it comes to bullyproofing our kids.
We have reached out to a couple of local schools to sponsor kids struggling with being bullied - full scholarships that include training fees and all the necessary gear - yet, the response has been along the lines of “we don’t want to be seen encouraging violence”.

It’s a very antiquated way of viewing Martial Arts.

We build the kids up, in a safe and supportive environment, where the number one goal is FUN!

If you know of someone in need - someone struggling with bullying or low self esteem - send them our way.

We. Can. Help.

Achieve mental milestones and build character and confidence.

Jiu Jitsu is AWESOME!