Fitness, discipline, community, with a side of self-defence – it’s time for Jiu Jitsu

Posted on 25 April, 2025

Damien Letcher is a mild-mannered and softly-spoken barista who is adored by the HerCanberra team for the endless stream of lattes and matchas that he pumps out for us each day from his station at Li’l Brew in NewActon.

But behind that affable exterior is a 31 year-old who has dedicated 80 per cent of his life to the disciplined practice of martial arts

From the age of six, Damien has been passionate about the martial arts, settling on Jiu Jitsu as his preferred practice at 15, and at 17 making the life-altering decision to travel solo to California to train at the prestigious gym Art of Jiu Jitsu for several months.

It was here that Damien decided Jiu Jitsu was his future.

And while there has been a lot of caffeine along the way, he has spent every waking minute over the last few months fulfilling his dream of building a dedicated Jiu Jitsu gym.

Shape Jiu Jitsu is located at Dairy Road in Fyshwick and offers every conceivable option for anyone wanting to dip their toe (or in fact their entire leg) into the art of Jiu Jitsu.

“We are open to absolutely everyone and offer Jiu Jitsu class for kids as young as six to adults, from absolute beginners to advanced.”

For Damien, the martial art ticks all boxes.

“It offers community, physical activity, self-defence, confidence-building, artistic expression and connection. All of these things combine to form my love for Jiu Jitsu.”

And while it may be perceived as something for the guys, Damien says women are increasingly drawn to the practice – for both self-confidence and self-defence.

“It’s different to pilates, boxing, and traditional gym training because in Jiu Jitsu you will find yourself in stressful and confronting situations, and exposure to these ensures constant development of your character. Jiu Jitsu is also an amazing form of self-defence, and gaining confidence in Jiu Jitsu works tremendously to build confidence off the mats in day-to-day life.”

The decision to create his own studio has been years in the making, from a lightbulb moment conversation with a friend where he cemented his idea to take the plunge, to learning about business and developing his own brand, to physically building the gym’s facilities and scouring the internet for the perfect piece of furniture to make it aesthetically pleasing as well as practical.

Indeed there have been many conversations with the HerCanberra team about where this sofa comes from or where that coffee table was on sale…

If you are not sure whether Jiu Jitsu is something you’d like, Damien has created a specially-designed 10 Week Beginner Course that helps people get into the martial art.

“It is something that requires time and patience, and a lot of practice. But I have found in life that things that are hard to do are usually worth doing.”