Spend your vacation in Asheville, North Carolina doing jiu-jitsu, meeting new people, and exploring the Appalachian Mountains.
- Four days of BJJ training and seminars -
- 24/7 access to 1,300+ square feet of mats -
- A Welcome Cookout on your first night -
- Soak in the funky, unique Asheville vibe -
- Access to more breweries than you can count -
- Camping/ pseudo-glamping and hanging out at the Baying Hound Campground, just steps away from the gym -
Asheville Activities
- Hike to Mountaintop Views and Waterfalls -
- Drive the Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway -
- Tube down the French Broad River -
- Breweries Galore -
- Top Rated Restaurants -
ASHEVILLE, NC
If you haven't heard about Asheville before, all you have to do is mention it to one of your friends and their response will be, "You're going to Asheville? Oh, I LOVE Asheville." Really. Try it.
It's got mountains, waterfalls, the third oldest river in the world, a bustling downtown, live music galore, murals around every corner, renowned restaurants and so. much. beer.
When you're not doing jiu-jitsu, there's plenty to explore. We're happy to give you recommendations on our favorite restaurants, hikes and other quintessentially "Asheville" experiences.
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Checking out plane tickets? Here are nearby airports and their approximate distance to the gym:
*Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) = 20 minutes
*Greenville/Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) = 1.5 hours
*Charlotte International Airport (CLT) = 2 hours
FACILITIES
THE GYM: OPEN SOURCE JIU-JITSU
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1,378 sq feet/ 128 sq meters of mat space
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Mats are on a custom made sprung-floor on over 100 repurposed tires
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Lots of ventilation with doors on opposite sides, large garage door and plenty of fans
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Indoor shower and outdoor solar-heated shower at the gym
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Disco ball
BAYING HOUND CAMPGROUND
Our BJJ-themed campground shares the same property as the gym, allowing folks to enjoy a bit of nature while taking a break from the mats.
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Campground features a fire pit, deck, hammocks and multiple chill zones
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Indoor shower and outdoor solar-heated shower
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Indoor toilets and rustic outhouse
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Indoor kitchen, dining area and hangout spots at the campground bunkhouse
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Laundry machines
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Unique structures made from upcycled materials
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Hostel-style indoor lodging - shared bunkhouse bedroom for 6 people
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Tent sites for you OG campers
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WiFi and indoor workspace
INSTRUCTORS
MAY 2026
Rich Sab
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BJJ Black belt 25 Years of experience
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From Saddle Brook, New Jersey
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Fitness & Nutrition Coach
>> @richsab
Heather Raftery
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Black belt since 2017
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Multiple time IBJJF No-Gi Worlds medalist
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2x ADCC U.S. Trials medalist
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Recovering vanlifer (but still has her sweet 1970 VW bus)
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Is not as intimidating as everybody claims (mostly)
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Amateur potter, intrepid DIYer, terrible swimmer
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Lifelong knowledge seeker
Mary Holmes
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Black belt awarded by Royce Gracie
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Started training in 2008
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2023 Pan Am Master Gold Medalist
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2018 Pan Am Master 2 Lightweight and Absolute Silver Medalist
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2017 Brown Belt World Master 2 Lightweight Gold Medalist
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2016 Master World Brown Belt Master 2 Lightweight Silver Medalist and Absolute Gold Medalist
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2016 Pan Ams Purple Belt Master 1, Light weight and Absolute Gold Medalist
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Pisces, lover of puppies, good food, and true crime podcasts
Kaitlin Martin
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First degree black belt under Diego Bispo (I was his first female black belt!)
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Trains and lives in Virginia Beach, VA
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2023 Pans silver medalist lightweight division
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2022 Masters Worlds Bronze Medalist Featherweight
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2019 American national featherweight Champion, open class silver medalist
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2018 Masters Worlds silver medalist Featherweight division
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Mother of 2, and married to Rob Martin, nogi black belt wizard
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Social Worker for the Navy and big time advocate of women in BJJ
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Hobbies include: surfing, beach days with the family, general mayhem, teaching my horde of 5-7 year old grapplers to do my bidding and beat up unsuspecting coaches, spending entirely too much time at the beach on weekends
>> @mommygrappler
Brad Wolfson
Brad is the owner of Soulcraft Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and BJJ in Paradise retreats and the first American black belt promoted under Coral Belt Marcio Stambowsky in 2011. His love affair with jiu jitsu began in the late 90’s and has brought him to more than 45 countries around the world to share the art. As a frequent teacher at BJJ Globetrotters camps, Brad loves to explore new places and use jiu jitsu as a way to make friends and build community.
Jesse Walker
Jesse Walker is the Head Coach and Co-Owner of Rough Hands BJJ, a training center in Louisville, Kentucky. Jesse has been coaching since 2007 and co-founded Rough Hands in 2017. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the renowned 6th-degree black belt, Chris Haueter.
His academic background includes psychology, learning, and developing expertise, which he integrates into his coaching philosophy. He is the host of the Fighting Matters podcast. Jesse is dedicated to creating a supportive and welcoming environment for all students, helping them achieve their personal goals, whether they are fitness-related, self-defense, or competitive aspirations.
Amber and Lakyn Bendle
Lakyn and Amber Bendle are both black belts who own Funky Flow Fitness and Jiu Jitsu in Florence, SC.
They are mostly proud of their ladies program and their involvement with GLOSS (Grappling Ladies of Southeastern States).
Combined, Lakyn and Amber have achieved multiple Pan Am Championship medals and World Master Championship medals along with many IBJJF opens and super fights.
PAST INSTRUCTORS
ITINERARY
SAMPLE*
*Subject to change *
FRIDAY
Arrival Day [~3-5pm]
-Open Mat
-Welcome Cookout dinner
-First Workshop
SATURDAY
-BJJ Workshops/Seminars
-Lunch
-BJJ Workshops/Seminars
-Open Mat
-Nighttime Open Mat Party
SUNDAY
-BJJ Workshops/Seminars
-Open Mat
-Lunch
-All Asheville Open Mat
-BJJ Workshops/Seminars
-Brewery Hopping
MONDAY
Departure Day
-Morning workshops
-Lunch
-Open mat
All pics courtesy of @jitzpix
- Online Payment -
- Tickets fully transferable -
- 100% Refund 2+ weeks out (minus processing fee) -
- Partial refund up to 48 hours out -
May 15-18, 2026
EVERY CAMP TICKET INCLUDES
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Full access to all seminars, classes, open mats
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Welcome Cookout Friday night
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Camp Grappalachia swag
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New BJJ friends from across the country (does this sound like paying for friends? Maybe. But you still gotta do the legwork to be social and stuff.)
COMPLETE YOUR GRAPPALACHIA EXPERIENCE
A la carte options:
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+$180 > 3 Nights Lodging at the on-site Baying Hound Campground in one of our unique upcycled sleeping pods, Breakfast Sat-Mon, Lunch Sat-Mon, laundry
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+$150 > 3 Nights Lodging at the on-site Baying Hound Campground at a primitive “BYO” tent site/ RV spot, Breakfast Sat-Mon, Lunch Sat-Mon, laundry
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+$40 > Weekend-only Lunches, for catered on-site lunch on Saturday and Sunday (for those of you not staying on site)
Camp Ticket = $250
Questions? Shoot us an email and ask away: amanda@opensourcebjj.net
Follow Camp Grappalachia on social media for updates and pictures!
