A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu team from Ayr has completed a gruelling 24-hour challenge, raising nearly £4,000 for two charities after members grappled continuously through the day, overnight and into the following morning.
Musashi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, based at Tam’s Brig Dojo in Ayr, began its latest “rollathon” at midday on Saturday, September 5. The challenge finished at midday on Sunday, September 6, with the money raised set to be divided equally between Ayrshire Hospice and Endometriosis UK.
The event tested participants physically and mentally. Members remained on the mats throughout the 24-hour period, continuing despite tiredness, soreness and very little sleep during parts of the night.
A team effort on and off the mats
Musashi head coach Chris Reid said the event showed the importance of the wider team supporting each person who trains or competes. He said:
“Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can look like an individual sport because ultimately it is two people competing against one another, but what people don’t always see is the team behind every person who steps onto those mats.
“The rollathon was a perfect example of that. Everyone was tired, everyone was sore, and there were points during the night where people were running on very little sleep, but we kept going because we were doing it together and because we knew what we were raising the money for.
“To come away having raised nearly £4,000 for Ayrshire Hospice and Endometriosis UK makes every minute of it worthwhile.”
The Ayr academy has now completed the 24-hour rollathon twice. Its previous event raised around £5,000 for charity, meaning the latest challenge continues a fundraising effort that has already brought in thousands of pounds.
Musashi’s community focus
The latest fundraiser also reflects the academy’s wider emphasis on community involvement alongside martial arts training. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, commonly known as BJJ, is a grappling-based martial art focused on controlling an opponent through positioning, leverage and submission techniques rather than striking.
There are no punches or kicks in BJJ. Musashi’s Ayr team includes complete beginners as well as experienced competitors, and the academy is led by black belt Chris Reid alongside fellow black belt coach Damien.
Reid said the club was proud of everyone involved, including those who took part, donated or offered support. He also thanked the committee at Tam’s Brig for allowing the challenge to take place at the dojo.
“We’re incredibly proud of everybody who took part, everybody who donated and everybody who supported us.
“We also want to thank the committee at Tam’s Brig for allowing us to undertake something like this in the dojo. Having somewhere we can train and build this community is hugely important to us.
“We always say that Musashi isn’t just somewhere people turn up, train and go home. We’re a team and we’re a family, and I think events like this show exactly what that means. Nearly £4,000 for two fantastic charities is something every single person involved should be proud of.”