BJJ Etiquette

Here're a few tips to bear in mind in order to make your (and your training partners') training more enjoyable:

1. Always show respect to your instructors, training partners, and fellow human beings. Respect in training means: do not seek to harm fellow students physically (e.g., by cranking a submission harder than necessary to make them tap) or emotionally (i.e., by calling them names or making jokes about hurting them). Respect also means that you must train seriously and hard enough for you and your partner to improve his or her skills, conditioning, and fighting spirit. Not giving your best during training detracts from both you and your partner’s experience.

2. Maintain good hygiene (i.e., shower and brush your teeth regularly). As you can imagine, it is difficult to concentrate on technique when you find your partner’s smells distracting!

3. Keep finger and toe nails short and clean to prevent injury to yourself and others.

4. Bring a clean, washed and dry gi to each class. Also, always keep a rash guard or T-shirt in your gym bag for no-gi classes.

5. Keep shoes off the mat, so that we can keep the mats clean and sanitary.

6. Do not walk outside with bare feet. If you have to go outside, wear sandals or shoes. Items (5) and (6) are especially important to prevent the spread of skin conditions such as ringworm.

7. Do not shout loudly or use profanity in the dojo. This should go without saying.

8. Do not talk while the instructor is talking. It distracts those who are trying to learn and is disrespectful to the teacher, as well as other students.

9. Stand, sit with your legs crossed, or kneel during class. No lounging. Studies show that people learn more effectively when seated in upright postures.

10. Please wear your gi, a T-shirt, or a tank top while in public areas of the Dojo. No bare backs!

11. Try not to leave the mat during class without the instructor’s permission.

12. Keep cell phones off during class. Again, they distract those who are trying to learn.

13. If the instructor has not changed the task, then continue doing the task he or she has given (i.e., don’t sit around talking because you feel you have done a technique enough times). You can NEVER do a technique too many times.

14. It is disrespectful to ask an instructor or a higher rank to train with you, so wait until they ask you to roll.

15. During the roll, give way to others who are of higher rank.

16. Shake hands before live training or sparring.

17. Much of what we practice routinely with each other will seriously injure the uninitiated. It should not be practiced on others outside the class.