Jiu-Jitsu Coach Clayton Chamberlain Celebrates Nine Months of Sobriety

Clayton Chamberlain’s Path to Nine Months of Sobriety

For martial arts coach Clayton Chamberlain, the mat once served as the only place where he maintained clarity. In a recent report from the BBC, Chamberlain revealed that for years, his relationship with substances was so severe that I was only sober during jiu-jitsu competitions. Now, nine months into his sobriety, Chamberlain is sharing his experience as he balances his role as a coach with his personal recovery.

Benjamin Tettü and the Ethics of Competitive Jiu-Jitsu

Benjamin Tettü, a 28-year-old jiu-jitsu black belt, has gained attention for his performance at the ADCC Switzerland Open in Zürich. Tettü, who has been vegan since 2018, secured two first-place medals at the event: one in the Adult Professional under 100kg category and another in the Adult Professional Open Weight category.

According to Plant Based News, Tettü views his athletic success as a vehicle for his activism. I became vegan for the animals in 2018 and I have been promoting veganism and animal rights since then, Tettü said. He maintains that his success in high-level combat sports serves as evidence that ethical commitments are compatible with elite physical performance. Since adopting a vegan diet, Tettü has participated in 155 competition matches, including notable wins in Geneva and Zürich in 2024.

Nutritional Simplicity and Mental Fortitude

The demands of Brazilian jiu-jitsu—a sport that requires significant mental composure and problem-solving under physical pressure—often dictate the training regimens of its practitioners. For Tettü, the approach to fueling his body is rooted in simplicity. He relies on a diet of whole plant foods, including rice, pasta, potatoes, oats, beans, lentils, tofu, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. He describes his approach as keeping it simple and healthy.

The contrast between the stories of Chamberlain and Tettü highlights the diverse ways athletes interact with the sport. For Chamberlain, the sport was a fleeting sanctuary from substance dependency; for Tettü, it is a stage to demonstrate that a specific ethical and nutritional framework can support consistent, high-level results in one of the world’s most prestigious grappling organizations.

Sources: BBC, Plant Based News.