ABOUT US
V I S I O N
We are more than a club, we are a team
A team distinguishes oneself from a club because of the personal atmosphere and the mutual dependency. Even Though Martial Arts are an individual sport, the team will help you progress. Your sparring partners teach you at least as much as your teacher. We do everything to create an environment where everybody feels comfortable; a ritual that adds to this environment is shaking the hands before every sparring round. This safe environment is important because we want everyone to be able to give his all every training. Preferably more times a week
A team also performs. In the run-up to competitions we, as a team, put extra effort in our competitors. At every level you can add value to the performance for example by joining the sharktank. In the sharktank, one of the competitors spars at a high intensity with fresh opponents.
This team atmosphere and the progress driven approach will make you go to training, even on the days you feel like you don't have the energy for it.
Stefan Uittenboogaard
Stefan ´Stoomboot´ Uittenboogaard, blackbelt, is one of the Netherlands´ most active competitors and has trained and competed BJJ in Brazil, The USA and in multiple European countries, where he has amassed over 90 medals. He is a multi-time IBJJF European Championships medalist, has one IBJJF World Championships silver medal, is a two time Dutch Open champion and multi-time IBJJF Open and Naga Champion.
He has an extensive background in martial arts (karate and kickboxing) but fell in love with BJJ when introduced by a friend. Since then BJJ became his true passion. Stefan is always looking to get better, so it's very rare to miss him at training. He teaches because he loves helping people better themselves in class, competition and their daily lives.
In his daily life Stefan works as a policy advisor
Teachers 2022
Manoel Neto is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and founder of Focus Jiu-Jitsu – one of the most successful grappling academies in Europe. Originally a product of Nova Uniao (NU), Manoel Neto arrived in the North of Portugal during the early 2000’s decade, becoming one of the sport’s pioneers in the region while helping develop jiu-jitsu there to an international level by producing IBJJF World and European medalists and champions, as well as Abu Dhabi World Pro podium achievers such as Pedro “Paquito” Ramalho, Guilherme Jardim, Filipe Silva, Hugo Barros among others.
Manoel Neto
Karel Weima
Karel 'Karlitos' Weima, Black belt, the head instructor of Focus Jiu-Jitsu Amsterdam. He is a highschool teacher during the day, and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher during the evening. His interested in BJJ started after seeing a ´tripod sweep´ being performed in a MMA match. He started training during a internship in Spain and when he came back to his hometown Groningen he just brought the BJJ back with him. Now living in Amsterdam for a while he decided it was time to add a chapter to the Focus Family.
Mo
Mo, a marketing expert, is a seasoned Martial Artist. He has done Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing and MMA matches. He became the very first Focus Amsterdam bluebelt and now he is one of our instructors. A testament to his lethal skills is his submission rate, a stellar 100% of his wins are chokes or armlocks.
Pepijn van Drooge
Pepijn van Drooge is a fast rising BJJ athlete and coach. He is a math student and a mat rat. He trains everyday, loves Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu and also trains Judo. He teaches the adults and the kids and focuses on the takedown aspect of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His nickname Pepain is due to his heavy pressure passing style.