How for one Hong Kong chef, Brazilian jiu-jitsu was not just about getting fit, but finding support and structure during ‘a very rough time’
- Brazilian jiu-jitsu helped Nathan Green regain fitness and lose 21kg in a year, but as he progressed, the training was no longer just about the physical aspect
- Ahead of a BJJ fight, the Hong Kong chef reveals how practising the martial art helps with his mental health and offers camaraderie and ‘a release’
Chef Nathan Green of Rex Wine & Grill, in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood, and Kilo, in Tsim Sha Tsui, will be swapping his chef whites for rash guards to compete in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu prize challenge on December 11.
According to Green, the ultra heavyweight fight is a friendly one. “My opponent Ollie [lawyer Oliver Welch] is my friend. Originally this was supposed to be a fight between two purple belts around the same age and weight class, but he just got promoted to brown belt two months ago.”
In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, purple is the middle-ranking belt colour, above white and blue; brown ranks above purple but below black – which is the most advanced.
The fight has been organised by 4 Stripes, an organisation founded in 2016 by Hong Kong jiu-jitsu brown belt JK Jok.
The challenge is a regular event to offer jiu-jitsu practitioners an occasion to meet fellow grapplers from different gyms through tournaments and competitions.