Every BJJ club on the planet is unique, and every club does things a little differently. These difference help define the culture of the club, and include spoken and unspoken rules, traditions and accepted practices. It is very important that you figure out what the culture of your club is, especially if you're just starting to train Brazilian jiu-jitsu, OR if you're switching from one BJJ club to another, OR if you're coming from a traditional martial art.Here are some examples of things that change from club to club:
How hard you can go in sparring before it is considered 'rude'?
How do you address the instructor (first name, 'Sir', 'Professor', 'Mr.', etc.)?
Are questions during class encouraged or discouraged?
Which leglocks are legal and which aren't?
How much pressure you can put on someone's face or neck area?
Is it is all right to chat to your partner during training?
Are neck cranks allowed in sparring?
Do you pick your own sparring partners or does the instructor tell you who to go with?
Can you take off your gi top in the training area?
Is it OK to wear a gi with patches from another school?
What are the ways that you can participate in class if you're injured or particularly tired?
Is it OK to curse or use profane language?
What do you do if your gi gets all disheveled (i.e. do you fix it there or go off to the side of the training area)?
What is the protocol if you arrive late for class? Some places won't let you participate, and other clubs don't mind...
Does class starts on time or is it always half an hour late (which is very common for Brazilian instructors)?
Is it OK to train no-gi during class or is that done at a different time (if at all)?If you're coming from a traditional martial art background then you may be stunned that some of these things are even up for discussion. Arriving late? Talking in class!? Calling your instructor by his first name?!? Keep in mind that most BJJ schools are pretty informal, and be prepared for the possibility that things may be done very differently from what you are used to. This is "Brazilian" jiu-jitsu, NOT "Swiss" jiu-jitsu...Most of the time you just need to figure out club culture for yourself. The rare BJJ club might make most of these rules explicit, either in a meeting with a new student or on their website or in a written handout. The majority of clubs, however, just rely on you eventually absorbing and conforming to the culture of the place.Many of these rules ensure safety by making sure that everyone is on the same playing field. This is especially true when it comes to what is allowed or not allowed in sparring. If two people are on different pages about what sort of submissions are allowed then someone could get seriously hurt. If you don't know, then ask!
Stephan Kesting
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