It may seem contradictory to warn potential members about free trials, whilst also offering them. However, for anyone in Rossendale looking for BJJ classes, especially those who are new to the sport, the costs of ‘free’ can outweigh the benefits.
There is potential for injury…
BJJ is of course a contact sport and injuries, despite best intentions, can and will occur. Rossendale has a thriving BJJ scene which we are very proud to be a part of. We’ve seen several BJJ gyms open and close alongside the more established academies and as almost as quickly as one closes, another one opens in its place.
More often than not, a free trial in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu means being asked to spar with someone as your first experience of the art. This method of introduction is incredibly unsafe as the untrained person is likely to react to powerful submissions by escaping in directions that can do serious harm.
… but it should be mitigated: safety is paramount
Our ideal member here at SBG Rossendale first and foremost does NOT want to get injured. They have a decent job and need their body to feed them and/or their families. The challenge with free classes, especially for white belts who have not trained before AND where you do not pay the instructor/academy, is that there is a tendency to group all white belts together and coach the white belts in what the white belts believe they need to learn. This is usually the exciting submissions where the training partner is placed in a highly vulnerable position and you essentially practice joint locks or chokes.
To the prospective member, this is exciting and satisfying. It’ll help to close the deal as they’re getting what they expect: the ability to end a fight. But that’s not what they need. It is not at all realistic for a new practictioner to be able to get into that position in the first place. It can also be dangerous. New practitioners don’t know how much force to apply and so will often over-compensate, leading to them injuring of their training partners. They also don’t know when to tap to a submission that is being applied to them, and so end up becoming injured themselves.
So, having white belts applying submissions to each other is a recipe for disaster.
How can injury-risk be mitigated?
The most important question you should ask any gym before starting is: how will you try to help ensure my safety so I that don’t get hurt?
You’re looking for:
- Buddying up with a more senior student, ideally one who is used to assisting newcomers
- A properly designed beginners curriculum that focuses on teaching fundamental concepts rather than jumping straight into various submissions
- A focus on the calm and precise application of these concepts
