A short Film: click the Video below to see what it’s like to spend a week at the Grappler’s Retreat:
October 8-14, 2023: with Stuart Cooper and Brent Burniston
Training will be both Gi and No-Gi. Open to all belts (we get white belts through black belts), ages 18+
Limited space: maximum 16 Sign-ups for this Retreat
Brent teaching at the Grappler’s Retreat, Fall 2021.
Stuart Cooper teaching a No-Gi session at the Grappler’s Retreat, June 2022.
The Grappler’s Retreat is a remote Training Sanctuary, built in the woods on a secluded stretch of the rugged Northern California coast.
We take pride in offering an incredible experience centered around world-class training, gathering together for gourmet chef-prepared meals, and connecting in one of America’s most epic natural settings.
While Stuart and Brent and the crew will be happy to roll with everyone, this is not a “hardcore competition camp”.
Instead, expect a relaxed retreat experience, with mat time focused on deep learning and technical growth. All are welcome.
Come solo or come with a friend.
In case you’re wondering, 90% come solo... Once you get here, you’re part of the family.
for PRICING INFO and SCHEDULE, scroll to bottom of page
One of Brent’s early visits to the Grappler’s Retreat.
The Retreat is surrounded by thousands of acres of redwood wilderness, and situated only a mile up the hill from the crashing waves of the Pacific ocean. The area is sparsely developed… the nature is epic.
Includes training, gourmet chef-prepared meals, and full onsite accommodation: no bunk houses here - you’ll have your own private, modern room when staying at the Grappler’s Retreat.
Come train, relax, and enjoy the vacation of a lifetime on this isolated stretch of northern California’s redwood coast!
This retreat will be absolutely phenomenal, with both Stuart Cooper and Brent Burniston joining us for the week. Brent will teach the daily Gi session, while Stuart will teach the daily No-Gi session.
Meet the Instructors:
Brent Burniston
Brent Burniston received his Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the legendary BJJ icon Jean Jacques Machado. As one of Machado’s top black belts and instructors, Brent was often called upon to teach classes at his prestigious academy in Los Angeles, and was specifically selected to assist in world-renown seminars alongside Jean Jacques.
With a host of other Black Belts now under his wing, Brent established SubConscious Jiu Jitsu Academy in North Hollywood, where he continues to innovate his art and coaches a new generation of practitioners. His teaching style is known in the elite circles of martial arts for his innovation, detailed instruction, and endless encyclopedia of techniques.
When Brent isn’t on the mat, you may find him traveling abroad protecting some of the world’s most famous and influential people. Since 2001, Brent has been a leader in the field of Executive Protection, working as both a contractor and with Gavin de Becker & Associates, the foremost US Executive Protection firm. With almost 20 years of experience, Brent has led multi-man protective details spanning the globe, including such places as the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Central/South America, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
We’ve been fortunate to have Brent visit the Grappler’s Retreat several times. After seeing his incredible teaching ability and the strong connection he immediately develops with everyone he coaches, we knew we couldn’t pass on the opportunity to learn from this legend!
Brent teaching at the Grappler’s Retreat, Fall 2021.
Stuart Cooper
Stuart Cooper is an elite Jiu Jitsu Black Belt and video creator known for making epic inspirational films that highlight the journeys of Jiu Jitsu’s most interesting figures.
While he is perhaps most reputed for his films, Stuart’s No-Gi Grappling is world-class. He has his sights set on the next ADCC, and he has shown absolutely dominant performances this year at various North American grappling scenes. More importantly, as we discovered during Stuart’s earlier visits to the retreat, he is a caring and methodical teacher, an excellent communicator of concepts and techniques, and just a great guy to spend your days with!
Stuart has a fascinating history in the BJJ world. His films became so popular that he decided to move to Brazil to create more Jiu Jitsu content. Soon Stuart was living his dream, traveling the world, training full time, and producing world-class Jiu Jitsu films for a living. After traveling the globe, Stuart found a home in Thailand, where he became part of the media team and eventually the Head BJJ Coach of the world-famous Tiger Muay Thai Academy.
Originally from the UK, Stuart now resides in Vancouver, where he coaches his own Jiu Jitsu team, SCJJ, at the acclaimed Diaz Combat Sports Academy. While Stuart is an elite competition Black Belt, his reputation as a caring and methodical coach is what really sets him apart on the mat. As a world-class Jiu Jitsu Practitioner and film maker, his lifework now is to share this knowledge and love of the art with others.
Stuart teaching at the Grappler’s Retreat, Fall 2021.
The Jiu Jitsu Experience will be absolutely incredible, but there’s so much more :)
You’ll be visiting one of the most beautiful places in North America, experiencing nature at its purest, connecting with like-minded individuals striving to better themselves in all things, and resting from the stresses of your daily routine. You’ll be surrounded by incredible people at a once in a lifetime gathering, yet you’ll have the sanctuary of your own private comfortable space at the Retreat.
It’s a different world out here. Come join us.
Gourmet Dining - this isn’t just a Training Camp, it’s a proper Vacation
Your Own Private Bedroom (no shared bunk-houses)
Forest Views at the Retreat, or stay in the Village for Ocean Views
Epic Training Camp Location: the Rugged Mendocino Coast
Learning some wrestling for BJJ on the beach… summer 2020.
Nestled in the woods only a mile from the coast, the Grappler’s Retreat training sanctuary is incredible, and features a beautiful outdoor cedar sauna and a massive luxury hot tub—both sitting among towering redwoods with epic views of the surrounding wilderness.
With our newly built Dojo, clubhouse, and guest cottage, the sprawling forested compound offers modern luxury combined with raw Pacific Northwest wilderness. If you’re looking to get away from the city and experience nature, you’ll love it here… the setting is absolutely awesome!
About a mile walk from The Retreat, you find yourself in the historic village of Mendocino, built in the mid-1800s on a rugged coastal headland overlooking the Pacific. The cliffs surrounding the village remain undeveloped, covered in wildflowers, and offer an awesome vista from which to view the sunset.
Today, this historically preserved village is a traveler’s outpost, scattered with unique restaurants and cafes, vibrant coffee shops, pubs and roadhouse taverns, and a very well-stocked local grocer and butcher. Mendocino offers everything you’ll need to ensure a comfortable experience on this remote stretch of the northern California coast.
Mendocino Village
…about a mile from the Grappler’s Retreat
Schedule:
Sunday October 8 - Saturday October 14, 2023.
Arrive October 8 any time between 4:00pm and 10:00pm... check into your room and make yourself at home! Explore the grounds of the retreat, enjoy a soak in the hot tub, get some sun on the deck, chill with a book in the club house, have a beer around the bonfire, and get to know the rest of the crew as you settle in for an incredible week of training and relaxing in paradise!
Twice daily training sessions Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (daily Gi session with Brent, and daily No-Gi session with Stuart). Plus, between training sessions, we keep the dojo open during the day (9:00am - 8:00pm) for anyone interested in spending some extra time on the mat for stretching, drilling, or sparring.
In addition to all the dojo sessions, we’ll mix it up on some of the days and head down the hill for a beach workout or a coastal hike (the scenery is absolutely epic on the Mendocino coast!)
Depart Saturday October 14 by 12pm after having a gourmet breakfast and taking your time to chill out at the retreat and say your goodbyes!
Where: Mendocino, Northern California at the Grappler’s Retreat Training Compound (about 1-mile from the town of Mendocino)
Send us a message if you have any questions.
Getting to the Retreat:
click here for details and travel tips: https://www.grapplersretreat.com/travel
Pricing (payment plans available)
from $2,500 all inclusive (payment plans available). Your booking fee includes:
Your own private, modern bedroom (6 nights)… comfortably furnished with fresh beddings, in-room heat, and high-speed wi-fi.
Our own private sanctuary for the week: there will be no one else here except for our small group. The forested retreat compound features: a huge luxury hot tub and outdoor cedar sauna nestled in the woods, a spacious clubhouse, newly built dojo, hillside terraces with awesome wilderness views, private luxurious outdoor and indoor showers with epic views of the surrounding redwood forest, etc. The property is magical… you’re gonna love it here :)
Arrival dinner followed by three chef-prepared meals per day (we use only the best ingredients and have tapped into some incredible cooking talent), plus a constant spread of fresh-baked homemade pastries and snacks, and unlimited coconut waters, juices, sodas, coffees, teas, etc. We’ll keep you very well fed and comfortable!
Twice daily training sessions (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) led by Brent Burniston and Stuart Cooper. We cap our registration at 16, so you can expect some deep learning and hands-on coaching. The learning environment is extremely personal, and infinitely better than that of a packed seminar or large training camp.
Aside from the costs of lodging, fresh gourmet meals, and bringing in world-class instructors who give their best — look forward to us organizing a couple amazing hikes throughout the week, and expect some heartfelt connection and storytelling around the bonfire after our nightly dinners. Rest assured that our approach is easy and flexible to the needs of everyone who joins us. We fully put our hearts into every camp, and we’ve been blessed by so many new friends as a result.
Continue to the Booking Page to see all available room options:
Click here to read our full REFUND POLICY - your registration is fully refundable (minus bank transfer fees) until July 20, 2023. After that, your spot is transferable to someone else but not refundable (i.e. you may sell your spot to someone else). Please refer to our REFUND POLICY for details if you are no longer able to follow through on your commitment to attend.
Training will be limited to a very small group: only 14-16 spots… exact number depends on if we have couples sign up. With instructors and staff, there will be around 20 of us. This isn’t a huge training camp… we’ll be a family for the week :)
Contact Us
PS: You’ll be messaging one of us directly (you’re not sending a message to a “virtual assistant” or to an “A.I. bot”). We’re a very small crew and we love what we do! One of us will personally reply to you. So please say hello, introduce yourself, and tell us what’s on you mind… and then we’ll look forward to answering all of your questions… and hopefully meeting you soon :-)