Am I too old to start Jiu Jitsu?
Not at all! Jiu Jitsu is safe, fun, and an effective workout for all ages. Techniques can be modified to better accommodate any injuries or chronic pain you may have. Full on sparring at our gym is typically not done until the student has more experience and technique under their belt. Communication is key. Let your instructor know what you are and aren’t comfortable doing and what may be within your limitations. Did you know that one of the founders, Helio Gracie, trained until his passing at 95 years old?
I’m currently out of shape. Do I need to lose some weight or have better cardio before starting?
No. Jiu Jitsu is great for fitness and we can help you reach your goals. Whether it be for weight loss, endurance training, or mental conditioning, we will assess your current fitness levels and with time, get you where you need to be. If you start to feel tired during warmups, you can always slow down. If you feel gassed during sparring or specific training, let our instructors know and you are more than welcome to rest a round. We have had several students lose more than 25 lbs within their first two months of training while going at a level they are comfortable with.
What do I need to wear to training?
On Gi days, please wear your gi. It can be an Underground Jiu Jitsu gi or one that you’ve purchased from a gi retailer. The only thing we ask is that you not wear another gym’s patch on your gi and if possible, please keep gi colors limited to white, black and blue (as funny as it would be, we don’t want to see anyone consistently training in a tie-dye gi). On No-Gi days, we do require sweat absorbent shorts/spats that don’t have pockets and a form-fitting rash guard. Please no loose fitting t-shirts. We do not want people’s fingers and toes getting caught.
What is a typical class like?
We will usually start with a simple warm up. Some days, warm ups will be more “traditional” where we will focus on fundamental movements like front rolling, back rolling, hip escapes, etc. Other days, we will just do a lighter warm up. Next, we usually will go straight into teaching a technique or a speed drill. After our instructors show the move, we will usually have students drill it for around 15 minutes. After that, the instructors will usually show a second technique or a variation to the first, followed by another 15 minutes of drilling. Lastly, we will have students do specific training (a lighter and more controlled version of sparring) in the Beginners Class and full on sparring in the Advanced Class. After the class is over, students are free to socialize, drill, spar, or ask our instructors any questions they may have about techniques. For the Kids Class, we have much of the same things, except we will also add in games that help with balance and coordination.
Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu suitable for women?
Absolutely! Jiu Jitsu is about the art of using technique and leverage against a bigger opponent. This is a great sport and form of self-defense for women. We have a Women’s Only class available on Tuesdays and Thursdays but if you want to train in our co-ed Beginners Classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but don’t feel comfortable training with a member of the opposite sex, please communicate that with our instructors. We usually have other women training in our co-ed classes as well.
How long does it take to get a belt promotion?
There are only five belt levels for adults in Jiu Jitsu: White, Blue, Purple, Brown, and Black. There are a lot fewer colors than other martials arts and because of the nature and extensive knowledge that is needed in Jiu Jitsu, you may spend more years at one belt level than at another. It can take anywhere between 10 to 12 years going from a white belt to a black belt, and that is with frequent training with no long breaks in between. We recommend not focusing too much on your belt color and instead, focus on training, learning the techniques as best you can, working towards your personal goals, and most importantly, having fun.
Help! My kid is getting bullied in school. What can Jiu Jitsu do to help?
First and foremost, Jiu Jitsu is used as a form of self-defense. Second, Jiu Jitsu helps build confidence. We discourage any of our kids to go looking for fights. Instead, we teach them how to de-escalate a hostile situation, build up their confidence so that they may stand up to bullies and if needed, learn how to defend themselves if a bully were to get physical with them. Fortunately, we have been able to help many of the kids in our classes stop and prevent bullying through de-escalation tactics alone.
How many times a week can I train?
Most of our membership plans do not limit the amount of classes that you can train. If you are a beginner and you see that there are three “All-Levels” classes for that day, you are more than welcome to train all three. We typically only allow beginners to start training in our Advanced Classes once they’ve earned their first two stripes, unless otherwise invited by the head instructor. Advanced Students are also allowed to train in any of the All Levels classes. Kids under 15 will usually stick with the Kids Classes. There are times when our head instructor will make exceptions and invite them to train with the adults, such as when a child ends up being much bigger than the other children or if the child is showing exceptional skills and advancement. Of course, this will be something that will be discussed with the parent first. For both adults and children, we recommend training at least 3 times a week to really get the most out of our lessons and to be able to retain the techniques.
