We had a drop in at our BJJ school this weekend that didn’t go well. The guy didn’t call ahead, he didn’t understand he came to a no-roll drill class, and he wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. I love cross training BJJ while I’m traveling for work and I think everyone should do it if they can. I wrote the below post for another BJJ related Blog back in early 2020 and it didn’t get published due to “things” ramping up. After the drop in this weekend I decided to post it here.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has seen a surge in interest over the last several years. Sparked by the local
efforts of the Gracie Challenges in the 1980’s, the victory of Royce Gracie in the first Ultimate Fighting Championships in the 1990’s, and the growth of unique modern BJJ systems like Eddie Bravo’s 10 th Planet NoGi form of BJJ, there’s practically a Jiu Jitsu academy in or near every medium sized city in America. This level of availability offers the BJJ student who spends any time traveling the opportunity to train even when on the road. Often referred to as “Cross Training” the act of training at a BJJ academy that’s not your home gym offers a wealth of opportunity to make new friends, learn a little bit of a new game, and test your skills against a new group of partners and opponents.
At first the thought of training at a new gym may seem daunting, but it’s not that hard. With a
little forethought any trip, personal or business, can be turned into a Jiu Jitsu pilgrimage. Below are my tips for the wandering BJJ Ronin.
1 – Talk to your coach first
BJJ has moved a long way from the days of the Creonte, which is a Portuguese word best
translated as Traitor. In traditional BJJ circles a Creonte is a disloyal student who shares the academy’s techniques with people from other schools. While this is an antiquated idea in modern Jiu Jitsu schools some more traditional coaches take it seriously, so it’s still a good idea to check with your coach and make sure they have no issues with you training at another school when traveling. It’s also good to ask your coach if they have any issues with posting pictures or video to your social media of your adventures. The chances of there being issues is pretty low, but it will show respect to your coach and academy to ask.
2 – See #1
3 – Do your research
A simple internet search can find all the Jiu Jitsu schools in the area you’ll be visiting but a little
extra due diligence can make your visit more enjoyable. Check out each gym’s webpage and learn more about their program and schedule. Are they only Gi or only No Gi? What is their class schedule? Who are their coaches? Reach out to the gym either by phone or e-mail to express your interest in a visit. I prefer e-mail as you can get all the information in one communication and give the school time to respond. Give the coach a solid time frame for your visit, tell them your experience level (what belt you are, how long you’ve been training, ect), ask if they offer a class that they believe is appropriate for your skill level, and if they have a mat or drop-in fee. Send this message to each school in the area you’re going to be visiting and use their response to pick your home away from home.
4 – Get your gear ready
Packing for a BJJ trip isn’t much different than going to your home school, but there are a couple
of extra items you’ll want to pack. First, make sure you pack any antibacterial soap or wipes you use when at home. Next, make provisions for washing your gear while traveling. Check with the hotel you’re staying at to see if they have a coin laundry on site. The last thing you want to do is have the valet laundry service at the hotel shrink your new A4 Gi down to an M0. Pack a set of clothes hangers so you can hang your Gi to dry on the shower curtain rod and put a couple of Tide or Persil laundry detergent pods in a zip top bag and throw those in your suitcase as well. Bring ~$4.00 in quarters for the washing machine and you’ll be all set
5 – Once at the school, be respectful
Once you’ve got your class date set and you arrive at your destination, show up to class 10-15
minutes early. This will give you a chance sign any waivers, pay your mat fee, and meet the instructors. Be sure to say thank you (multiple times) for their hospitality and for letting you join their class. I like to err on the side of tradition and go old school with my etiquette when visiting a new gym the first time. This means not facing the other students while tying my belt, asking permission to come onto the mat, and bowing onto and off of the mat. Be sure to tell the coach about any injuries or limitations you may have. It’s also a good idea to ask the coach or instructor for permission to roll and who you should pair up with to drill once instruction is over. Don’t be surprised if the instructor asks to roll with you first before they let you roll with the rest of their team. This gives the instructor a chance to feel you out and see if they are comfortable letting you roll with their team. Don’t take this as a sign of disrespect, rather a sign of an instructor who cares about their team’s safety. Don’t be offended if the coaches also match
you up for rolls, especially if they match you against higher belts and you’re a white belt. This is a strategy to keep white belt on white belt violence to a minimum and make sure you have good rolls.
6 – Have fun
If it’s your first visit, or your 10th , remember you’re a guest. Keep it light, keep it fun, and smile a
lot. One tip my coach gave me was; when visiting a school for the first time, don’t go for the submission. Keep your rolls competitive, but don’t try to tap everyone at your host school. After you’ve visited a couple of times and have gained a reputation in the gym as a good training partner you can start to work for submissions.
7 – Find a way to show gratitude
You’ve attended class, made some new friends, and caught some good rolls. Now find a way to
show your gratitude to your hosts and new friends. Offer to help sweep and mop the mats after the class ends. Ask the coach if it’s OK to take some pictures of the gym and your drilling partners and give them some love on your social media accounts (be sure you ask first, some schools don’t like this). I like to take t-shirts from my gym as gifts for the coaches and if the school has shirts for sale I’ll buy a couple. Most of the schools I visit regularly wave the mat fee. If you’re shown this same generosity find another way to pay it back. Do they have bottled water for students? If so, bring them a flat of water your next visit. It’s only $5.00 worth of water but the gesture will go much further. Finally, be sure to extend an invitation to your
new friends to train at your school if they are ever in the area.
Cross training is a great way to meet new people, learn new techniques, and expand your Jiu Jitsu game. The friendships you form and the memories you make will last a lifetime. Just remember to be respectful, have fun, and show gratitude and you’ll be welcome in any Jiu Jitsu gym anywhere.
La’