Our Philosophy
Cultivated growth. Adaptable skill. Power with purpose.
At Base Grapple Club, we believe that good coaching is not about creating identical athletes. It is about creating the conditions in which each person can learn, adapt and develop.
Our Bonsai represents that philosophy.
A bonsai does not grow through force. It develops through patience, attention and carefully applied challenge. Its branches are guided, its roots are strengthened and its shape evolves over time.
Each tree is different, but every part of its growth has purpose.
Training should be the same.
Cultivated Growth
Individual Growth, Shared Environment
Progress in grappling does not happen all at once.
It is built through consistent practice, meaningful challenge and the willingness to keep learning.
Our role as coaches is to support that process. We provide direction, structure and feedback while giving each person room to develop a style that works for their body, experience and goals.
We value long-term development over quick fixes. Strong foundations matter, but growth never stops.
Every member arrives with different experiences, abilities and ambitions.
Some want to compete. Some want to become fitter or more confident. Others simply enjoy learning and being part of the team. Those paths do not need to look the same.
What connects us is the environment we create together: one built on curiosity, effort, respect and shared responsibility. We challenge one another, learn from one another and contribute to each other’s development.
Adaptable Skill
Learning Through the Game
Our coaching is influenced by ecological dynamics: an approach that treats skill as the ability to solve problems within a changing environment.
Grappling is unpredictable. An opponent moves, resists, attacks and adapts. Because of this, training must involve more than memorising techniques in isolation.
We use purposeful games, live problems and carefully designed constraints to help students recognise opportunities, make decisions and discover effective solutions. Coaches may demonstrate principles and possibilities, but we do not assume that there is only one correct answer for every person or situation.
The aim is not simply to remember more techniques. It is to become more skilful at grappling.
Power With Purpose
Strength applied with discipline.
In martial arts, power without control has limited value. We want our members to develop strength, confidence and intensity while learning when and how to use them.
That means training hard without training recklessly. Applying pressure without losing awareness. Being capable of competing, while remaining a safe and trusted training partner.
Real control is not the absence of power. It is the ability to use power with precision and purpose.
Find Your Base
A strong base gives the foundation to build from.
For us, the idea reaches further than that.
Base is a foundation for learning, a place for personal growth and a community to return to. It is somewhere to develop your skills, test yourself and feel that you belong.
Strong roots. Adaptable movement. Controlled power. Continual development. Shared experience.
That is what we aim to cultivate on the mats.
Coaching Team
Our coaching team brings together experience across Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and MMA.
Each coach has their own background and approach, while sharing the same aim: to create a welcoming place where people can learn, develop and enjoy their training.
Dave Garrett
BJJ Coach
Dave has trained in martial arts for nearly 20 years and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Leigh Remedios.
A former Royal Army Physical Training Corps instructor with a degree in Sports Rehabilitation, he brings extensive experience in coaching, physical preparation and helping people train around injury.
Tammi Willis
BJJ Coach
Tammi is a black belt under Leigh Remedios and has trained around the world since 2012, set up the first Jiu Jitsu club in Myanmar, trained for years in both Myanmar and Thailand and has been coaching on and off since she was a blue belt. She is the host of The Grapple Travel Show on her YouTube channel and is converting a bus to a home so she can take the show to even more gyms in future. She is also a plant based chef and former restauranteur and has an online cooking course called Restaurant Quality Plant Based Meals at Home. Tammi takes care of the gym’s admin and takes classes when needed. She also runs both the women’s and mixed Sunday Open Mats.
Sean Overton
BJJ & Wrestling Coach
Sean is an experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling coach and competitor. He holds a purple belt under Leigh Remedios and brings an analytical approach to training.
Sean has won numerous BJJ tournaments including the Welsh Open, he also recently led the VTJJ team to victory at the NAGA championship, winning the belt in the Expert Middleweight M1 category.
Maz
MMA Coach
Maz leads our MMA programme and holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His MMA track record includes winning the Rage UK middleweight championship belt.
In BJJ he achieved double gold at Blue Belt in the British Championships.
His experience brings together striking, wrestling and ground fighting in practical, progressive sessions.
Jack Godwin
BJJ Coach
Jack holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has trained with some of the sport’s leading coaches and competitors.
A seasoned competitor himself, he now shares that experience in our Monday morning class, helping members develop their skills through focused, practical training.
All of our coaches are first aid trained and have completed training in safeguarding.
Find Us
Base Grapple Club is located on Cricketts Lane Industrial Estate in Chippenham, with easy access from the town centre and surrounding areas.
BASE GRAPPLE CLUB
Located in: Cricketts Lane Industrial Est
Address: Unit 1A, Chippenham SN15 3EQ
Email: [email protected]
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