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Two training partners meeting on the mat.Drawn in cream, forest green, and muted terracotta. People and objects are symbolic illustrations.
Portrait unavailable. General BJJ illustration; not a likeness of this person.Illustration: The BJJ Story

Brendan Foong

Brendan Foong developed The Gentle Art Academy’s BJJ syllabus after years balancing training and corporate leadership.

Biography

Brendan Foong’s academy biography dates his first BJJ training to Australia in 2006. He balanced senior corporate roles with training before opening The Gentle Art Academy in 2014. The school credits him with its syllabus and names Chris Haueter as his black-belt instructor. It also records his Suples qualification under Ivan Ivanov for teaching Bulgarian Bag training. In a July 2018 RugbyPass account, Neil Best recalled Foong welcoming him for instruction and sparring. What struck Best was how smaller training partners could use technique to control him. In Jim Lawson’s April 2019 interview, Foong described sparring as a succession of problems, much like identifying root causes at work. Semesters had particular themes, broken into weekly techniques and deliberate repetition. Manuals, videos and internal seminars supported the classes. Understanding base, balance and leverage should let students detect danger before needing an escape; coaches offered advice after sparring. He cited Demian Maia, Chris Haueter and Lucas Leite as influences, described art exhibitions and work with Haueter, DualForces and Shoyoroll, and hoped to prepare students for the 2020 Worlds. In his August 2019 essay on streetwear and jiu-jitsu, Foong pursued the cultural connection in writing. He compared personal movement and the changing problems of sparring with the creative process in design. Against fashion’s purchased status, he emphasized the time spent learning. During 2020’s contact-training restrictions, Foong and Ashley Chong used Bulgarian Bag sessions to stay connected with students. A February 2021 Time Out branded listing described the program’s development into separate classes and its inclusion in children’s BJJ training. In Mothership’s 2023 profile of Muhammad Hyder, Foong pointed to his pupil’s growing persistence, extra adult-class training and strong De La Riva guard position. He wanted to help Hyder progress toward black belt and international representation for Singapore.

Sources for this profile

  • Mothership, September 2023.(opens in a new tab)

    • In 2023, Gentle Art coach Brendan Foong described Muhammad Hyder’s growing persistence, adult-class practice and strong De La Riva guard. He hoped to help the pupil reach black belt and represent Singapore internationally.

      Where in the source: Coach interview and future goals.

      Accessed:

  • The Gentle Art Academy.(opens in a new tab)

    • Foong’s school biography dates his BJJ start to Australia in 2006 and The Gentle Art Academy’s opening to 2014. It describes balancing senior corporate roles with training, credits him with the syllabus and names Chris Haueter as his black-belt instructor. He also teaches Bulgarian Bag training with Suples certification under Ivan Ivanov.

      Where in the source: Biography.

      Accessed:

  • Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, April 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • In 2019, Foong linked his attraction to BJJ’s changing problems with business problem-solving. He described semesters with weekly techniques, deliberate repetition, manuals, videos and internal seminars. Teaching base, balance and leverage meant recognising dangerous positions before needing escapes; coaches also advised after sparring. He cited Maia, Haueter and Leite as influences, described art exhibitions and work with Haueter, DualForces and Shoyoroll, and identified 2020 Worlds preparation as a goal.

      Where in the source: Full interview.

      Accessed:

  • Time Out, 2021.(opens in a new tab)

    • A February 2021 Time Out listing describes Foong and Ashley Chong’s Bulgarian Bag programme: introduced during 2020 contact-training restrictions to maintain student contact, it developed into separate classes and entered children’s BJJ sessions.

      Where in the source: Programme history.

      Accessed:

  • RugbyPass, July 2018.(opens in a new tab)

    • Neil Best’s 2018 account describes Foong welcoming him for instruction and sparring at The Gentle Art; smaller partners’ technical control impressed the visitor.

      Where in the source: Written training account.

      Accessed:

  • Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, August 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • In his August 2019 essay, Foong connected jiu-jitsu with streetwear and creative culture, comparing individual movement and sparring’s changing problems with design and highlighting the time invested in learning rather than purchasing status.

      Where in the source: Authored essay.

      Accessed:

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