The Purpose of Academy Rules

Every martial arts academy has certain rules, etiquette, and guidelines; some explicit, others implicit. These rules are in place to ensure that the training environment is safe, orderly, and clean so that instructors can most effectively teach their students. Each academy will have different rules, often dependent upon the temperament or overriding philosophy of the instructors. Before you train at any martial arts academy, you should do your best to determine the rules of that particular academy and whether or not you feel comfortable abiding by them.

Rules and Etiquette in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – being one of the most contemporary martial arts – is relatively informal, and seems to pride itself as being separate from the more “traditional” martial arts like Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kung Fu, et al. Many Jiu-Jitsu academies – especially in the United States – feel a lot more like wrestling practice rooms or general sports facilities than a traditional martial arts academy. Almost all Jiu-Jitsu academies have hygiene requirements and rules of general good sportsmanship. In some of the less “traditional” academies, this may be the extent of their rules. However, in many Jiu-Jitsu academies certain “traditional” ritual gestures such as bowing and organizing oneself by rank are required. While some of these more “traditional” rules may seem arbitrary, there usually is an underlying purpose behind them.

Personal Etiquette

Upon opening Sanctuary Jiu-Jitsu, I largely adopted the various academy rules and guidelines I learned from my own instructors over the years. I did this almost unconsciously, for I had been abiding by these rules for more than a decade; they were simply second-nature to me. I realized very quickly, however, that these rules aren’t so obvious to people who have no experience in the martial arts, and that those that do have prior martial arts experience may have followed a different set of rules entirely. I thought it important that students not only learn the rules in a clear and concise manner, but also understand the reasons for the rules. It is easy to dismiss a rule as arbitrary when you don’t understand the underlying reason for it.

For that reason I decided to formulate my own academy rules for Sanctuary Jiu-Jitsu and provide the underlying reasons for those rules. A lot of the rules are fairly standard in most martial arts schools, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies. Many of them are implicit or “unspoken” rules that people abide by without ever having been explicitly told. Others rules I have adopted from the various academies where I have trained. A few rules I have created myself, in reflection of my own personal philosophy in regards to the martial arts, learning the martial arts, and pedagogic environments in general.

Sanctuary Jiu-Jitsu
Academy Etiquette and Guidelines

1. Check Your Ego at the Door
   

   We are all here to learn. We are not here to compete with others, but with who we were yesterday. Be humble in training and you will be vastly better for it. Jiu-Jitsu is not a means towards proving ourselves, but a means towards improving ourselves.

2. Be Consistent!
   

   Consistency is the biggest key to success and growth in anything, especially Jiu-Jitsu. “A black belt is a white belt that never quit.” Before or after each class, record your training session on your attendance card and leave it for the instructor to sign. This not only keeps you accountable to yourself, but allows the instructor to track your attendance. There are minimum promotional requirements, so keeping an attendance card is mandatory to be promoted. 

3. Respect the Academy
   

   Bow every time you step on and off the mats. This is a sign of respect for the academy, for your training partners, and for the instructor. On top of that, we bow to humble ourselves to the process of learning. This is where we come together to learn and to grow. We would not have that opportunity without the space we are provided. 

4. Respect Your Teammates
   

   Jiu-Jitsu is not a solitary endeavor. It is a martial art that requires resistance, training, feedback, and support from others. Jiu-Jitsu is a team sport. You are never the most important person in the room, even if you are the highest ranked. You should always treat your teammates as you would wish to be treated. Without them, you will never succeed. 

5. Respect the Instructor
   

   Regardless of rank, the instructor is devoting their time to teach and coach you. Respect the knowledge that they have and the time they are sacrificing to provide you with that knowledge. Do not speak during technique instruction, unless you have a question that is pertinent to the topic. Do not speak when the instructor is speaking. This is not only discourteous to the instructor, but also to your training partners who are trying to pay attention and learn. 

6. Maintain Proper Hygiene
   

   This relates to respecting the dojo and respecting your teammates. A clean gi and rash guard are mandatory. You must wash your gi after every practice. Your fingernails and toenails must be clean and trimmed. Your hands and feet must be clean. Any time you leave the mat area, you must wear sandals/shoes. If you are sick, you should not come to class. If you have any open sores on your skin, you should not come to class. All of this is to ensure that we can train safely and with little risk of bacterial or viral infection.

7. Technique Conquers All: Emphasize Maximum Efficiency Minimal Effort
   

   Jiu-Jitsu places an emphasis on technique over strength and athleticism. This doesn’t mean that you should never use strength or your athletic talents. It means that they should take a backseat in order to improve your technical abilities in the art. This is especially true when drilling/repping specific techniques. Drilling/repping is not rolling. You shouldn’t be rigid or resisting your partner. Every technique in Jiu-Jitsu can be countered and resisted; the time to apply those counters and resistance is during rolling/sparring, not during drilling/repping. In order to learn a technique, one needs to start slow and emphasize fluidity and the proper mechanics of the technique. Resistance and rigidity during drilling/repping will not help your Jiu-Jitsu or your partners. 

8. Maintain Focus
   

   We are all here to learn. Please ask questions if you are confused about anything or if you’d like further clarification. There is truly no such thing as a stupid question, and you will never be castigated for asking questions. Asking questions will help you, your training partners, and your instructor to better understand what is being taught. We are all here to learn together. During class and training, keep talking to a minimum and relevant to the techniques or drills we are performing. It is important to have fun, but it is also important to learn and grow. Focus is essential for this to happen.

9. Maintain Composure

   Do not argue with your teammates. Do not raise your voice to your teammates. If you have a disagreement, let it go and move on. If you cannot, speak to the instructor and they will mediate the conflict. Do not celebrate submissions or success on the training mats. While it may feel good to you, your teammate with whom you are training may feel otherwise, and a celebration may be humiliating or demoralizing to them. Similarly, do not get angry, sullen, or discouraged when you are submitted or positionally dominated. Everybody gets submitted and positionally dominated, it is 100% normal and not at all indicative of a failure in your Jiu-Jitsu. The more you tap in training, the better you will be for it. Every bad position is an opportunity to improve. “You’ve got to be the nail before you can become the hammer.” 

10. Be Positive
    

    Attitude is contagious. A negative attitude is demoralizing and counterproductive to learning and growth. Within every difficulty lies great opportunity. We should always strive to maintain a positive attitude.

Purpose

Again, the underlying purpose of these rules is to create an environment that is easy to learn and teach in. They are in place to ensure that students can learn and train in a safe, orderly, and fun environment while at the same time allowing the instructor to teach in a concise and clear manner that affords all students an equal amount of attention. Hopefully, providing the reasons underlying each rule will serve to help our members understand the importance of abiding by the required etiquette, and not simply read the rules as arbitrary enforcements.

What do you think about the rules at your academy?

If you’d like to check out a class at Sanctuary Jiu-Jitsu, simply drop by any of our regularly scheduled classes, or contact us to set up a free trial today!