Your Jiu Jitsu Training Partners Are Not the Enemy
We are all indebted to the partners with whom we train each night we get on the mats. It is important that we practice with our training partners using control and restraint when applying techniques. This is a basic respect will all owe each other. Most all of us have families to go home to and jobs we must go
to the next day. No one should face the threat of having to go to work the next day with a busted lip, twisted neck, or jammed fingers due to an ego blinded training partner. The enemy is outside on the streets, not next to you at Lakewood Jiu Jitsu Academy.
Your Jiu Jitsu Partners Are Not Your YouTube Dummies
Lakewood Jiu Jitsu is not the place to practice fancy moves you've seen in a
Youtube video or at some sport BJJ gym. Dangerous sport grappling moves that place your training partners in unfamiliar positions, or positions that unnecessarily compromise the safety of their neck or back are not allowed at Lakewood Jiu Jitsu Academy. A good rule of thumb is to only practice techniques you have learned alongside your training partners to respect their safety though their jiu jitsu journey.
Personal Hygiene is Appreciated by All
There is a reasonable expectation that you arrive at a jiu jitsu training class clean. Excessive body odor is unpleasant and unnecessary. Uncleanliness also increases risk of staph infection, ringworm, and other infirmities that can accumulate on unclean skin. This principle holds equally true for showing up to Lakewood Jiu Jitsu wearing only a clean gi. The training uniform should be cleaned after every class.
Similarly, fingernails and toenails should be properly groomed before getting onto a training mat. Untrimmed nails expose training partners to unnecessary risks of cuts scratches. Long and uncleaned nails can also introduce another source of dirt and other contaminants your training partners should not have to deal with. Extended nails should not be worn during training at Lakewood Jiu Jitsu.
Wearing a t-shirt or rash guard under the gi can be appreciated. Training partners are few and far between who want your sweaty chest or stomach in their face while training with you. A shirt under the gi can absorb much or the perspiration that would otherwise end up in a disgusting drip or a smear in someone's face while training. Some kind of shirt under the gi can make the difference between another student enjoying their time on the jiu jitsu mat or never coming back again.
Remove Watches and Jewelry
The jiu jitsu training mats are not the place for body ornamentation. Watches, bracelets, rings, earrings, etc. can inflict unintentional cuts or scratches on our training partners. It is also possible for these items to cause injuries to the person wearing them. Lastly, jewelry items can be damaged or lost while grappling training. Please make a habit of removing these items before beginning training at Lakewood Jiu Jitsu Academy.
Do Not Get on the Mats if You Feel Ill
Please be considerate of the health of your training partners. If you feel ill or have a fever, take a few days off and rest. Even if you do not believe you have any "serious" illness, it is inconsiderate to place your training partners at risk of even a cold. We must respect each other's health as well as safety in the choices we make to expose others to anything we may be experiencing. Again, mutual respect is an important value at Lakewood Jiu Jitsu Academy.
Remain Focused and In the Moment When Training
Sometime any of us can arrive for training after a long day with the family or at work. It is easy to sometimes let these distractions take away from our focus on our own training or the safety of our partners. While jiu jitsu itself is an amazing tool for unwinding after a hard day, we must not bring our hard day onto the mats. We have to stay in the moment so we can protect ourselves properly (tapping timely, using proper form in breakfalls, etc.). We can also expose our partners to hidden risks of injury by training while we are frustrated or angry about something unrelated to jiu jitsu. Use the challenge of improving your jiu jitsu as an outlet for stress without using your partner's body as that outlet.
At Lakewood Jiu Jitsu Academy we very much look forward to training self-defense and jiu jitsu with all of you! We want all students to be safe and comfortable when learning the amazing techniques of jiu jitsu.
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