A Blue Mountains native has taken a passion for martial arts and created a unique card game.
James Tomlinson recently released an updated version of JiuGo, a martial arts-based strategy game for two to four players, inspired by Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
The sport involves a series of manoevres to wrestle your opponent to the ground and force them into submission. The card game teaches these techniques, with the winner stringing together the best sequence of moves.
"It's designed for grown up jiu jitsu nerds, but kids really love the game too," Mr Tomlinson said.
The 37-year-old has a distributor in the US and has just signed on a distributor in Japan. He sells the game at jiu jitsu tournaments in Australia and is investigating distribution options in Korea and Europe. He's already sold 1500 copies, and there's an app in the wings as well.
A personal trainer, furniture removalist and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor by trade, Mr Tomlinson did short courses in digital design, but relied upon an artistic flair he developed as a kid designing murals on bus stops all over the Blue Mountains.
"I'm a nerd and I love games. It's all trial and error," he said. "I got a Sharpie and I draw on bits of cardboard."
During the pandemic, Mr Tomlinson has been working on a story to accompany the card game, inspired by his childhood in Springwood.
It features a kid, Jiugo, who is bullied at school and comes into his own when he learns self defence and how to overcome the bully.
"There's never been a jiu jitsu super hero and that's who Jiugo is, and he becomes super through the course of the story," the former Springwood Primary and Penrith High student said.
Mr Tomlinson loved the Ninja Turtles as a kid, and they inspired him to learn martial arts.
"If more kids could do martial arts they would be less anxious and more confident," he said.
As a teenager Mr Tomlinson trained hard in Taekwondo, medalling at the national championships in 2006 and was gunning for Olympic selection but didn't make the cut. He took a break and upon moving to Melbourne at 21, he discovered Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after observing people walking past wearing different coloured gis.
"I checked it out and it was very intense, I got beat up," Mr Tomlinson said.
"It burned a whole in my mind. I thought 'I've got to do this'."
He started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in March 2008 and has never looked back. The sport has taken him to Rio de Janeiro to train with the best, and to four world championships, but he's been unable to crack the podium. These days competition has taken a back seat as he lets his creativity flourish.
"The last couple of years I've been more focused on contributing something. Being creative is more powerful than being competitive," Mr Tomlinson said.
