How do you guys act to the new guy in the gym

I love it when the new guys come in because that means drills and lots of them. Never hurts to go back over the very basics. You can never do too many escapes, shrimps, sweeps, etc. As far as the newbs go, as long as they're cool, they are accepted with open arms at our club.
 
I'm polite and respectful to everyone. Spazz, tough guy, or genuinely interested student, it is not for me to judge.
 
We say the word that they are gonna hear a million times..................Relax.
 
I'm really nice to new guys and help them when I can as long as they aren't rude or have a bad attitude. I'm always down to answer their questions before or after class and give them pointers when we roll.
 
Actually this thread just made me think of a new guy we had last week. He came in and made some very crucial mistakes which led to a very uncomfortable day 2.

#1- On his first day I asked the teacher a question during technique and he tried to answer it. Definitely don't answer any BJJ related technical questions on your first day.

#2- When rolling with him he was throwing up rubber guard like he was Eddie Bravo. Stick to the basics when you start. Fuck the shit you see on youtube.

#3- After getting submitted by one of our white belts he asked him "How much do you weigh?" Once he found out he was outweighed by 30 lbs. he said "Oh, well that is why then." Don't be the "Whatcha weigh guy?", it just makes you look bad.

#4- He was a complete spaz.

#5 - When the teacher was going over some basic armbars from when the guy tries to choke you inside your guard he proclaimed that I had done that to him. Referring to chokin him inside his guard. This was a problem because I stopped doing that years ago. In fact it's one of the things my instructor jokes with me about, how I used to try and gi choke everyone inside their guard. To proclaim that in front of people makes me look like I don't know what I'm doing and worse I don't listen to my instructor.

The next day me and the white belt he had questioned about his weight to were training open mat and he showed up. I decided to smash him. I was drilling extra hard (including Margarida pass from combat base while he wasn't wearing a cup. Ouch.). And I just smashed him during sparring. 100 Kilos!! Choke!! Knee on sternum!!! Armbar!!! To the point where I felt bad.

Now, before the righteous police come out, I realize that I am a dick for doing that. I was actually trying to help him in a weird way. But, I think my ego got the better of me and I ended up apologizing to him because I knew he would be hurting for a couple of days. But, at the same time by the end of the class he became so respectful and changed his attitude. So, it kinda worked. Point to all this is, you WILL run into people like me if you do those things; guys who have been training for a while and can't stand new guys who think they know shit or are "tough guys". On the flip side, I'm the first one to line up to help you out if you refrain from those things.

One last piece of advise is... STFU (shut the fuck up and train). Always remember that and you'll be around for a bit.
 
like i was volunteering with retarded kids. Patient, friendly and with kiddie gloves.
 
I was tolerant and nice to every single new person, as I am considered fairly new myself. Yet lately some of these new guys are just annoying and seem interested in more than BJJ.

They join thinking the owner is in the UFC, therefore they want to be a 'fighter'. Theres an annoying week in white belt than wouldnt shutup about how he hopes and cant wait for the gym to incorrporate standup. Says he loves punching people in the face. After his 10th time mentioning it, and saying he use to train thai kickboxing, I felt like saying 'just because you joined here to do juijitsu and suck, dont try to display something else you're good at, accept you suck and just train. You joined a bjj academy not a kickboxing school.

--this is one example, as most new guys are cool if they last a month. Hopefully this kid is gone by next week.
 
I introduce myself and ask the new people their names. I try to be positive and keep smiling to help keep the mood light.

I don't really care what brings people into a school. I only care about how they act once they get here. Be safe and humble and everything should be fine. -ken
 
I try to be totally nice, because one of the things which keeps me coming back is the comeraderie at the gym. I figure if we make people feel like part of the team, they'll keep coming back, too.

Of course if they're a total spazz, I just tend to ignore them after the first day.
 
Awesome. The part about the whites accepting you first is so true.
I give them about a month before I roll with them though, I let the low whites break them in for a while.
 
I'm nice to everyone that comes in, I know the school needs the money, and I don't want anyone to quit because they are intimidated.
 
Any good instructor will keep any 'hazing' off his mats. I read a lot of shit on here about 'how to deal with new guys' and every time I do, I have to wonder where the instructor is.

How do you deal with a new guy? You let the instructor do it, that's how.
 
I am always very friendly answer questions and such.

When I roll with them I subb them as many times I can. Very controlled but decisively, over and over.

Afterwards I tell 'em that we have all been there and that it is normal to get crushed on day one and that it takes time.

This is what my first instructor did to me and it made me realize that jiu jitsu is the shit.

That's the way I see it: you breaktheir spirit and either they are openminded and will stick with BJJ, or they never come back and never would have endured anyway.

It is a fine line, to not discourage them too much, so the communication afterwards is crucial.

But especially here, you have a lot of KF and WC people show up and trying to play sticky hands with you.

B
 
xchrisgx said:
Awesome. The part about the whites accepting you first is so true.
I give them about a month before I roll with them though, I let the low whites break them in for a while.
Click to expand...

This is a good idea, you should be off teaching privates anyway.
 
I was the new guy 6 months ago. I give them pointers if I notice any of the technique being performed incorrectly, and try to joke around a bit. You want to make the experience a good one.
 
when sparring with beginners I try to teach them stuff and encourage them so that they will keep training, hopefully making the club better.
About spazzers there are two kinds, the ones that dont know any better, I try to roll slowly anyways and they often get tired and understand to pace themselves.
But if the spazzer is a judo/JJ/wrestler who cant accept to "loose" most often they will get schooled...
 
I am very nice to the new guys.

I usually roll pretty easy with them, give them a chance to use what they just learned..But if it seems like they are getting cocky I'll up it a notch...

But as for the people talking about how they treat most of the new people...yeah a lot of what I hear here is BS.

Everyone is nice to the new guys at my gym. We talk to them, get to know them, ask them a bit about themselves, etc....
 
a one stripe whitebelt told me to wait till he gets his 3rd stripe and can go live that hes gonna be better then me and choke me out. now i hate him and he better hope he quits before he gets that far.
as long as your there to learn and your a good training partner wiling to learn then its all good.
dont be the douch bag with a tapout shirt
 
it really depends on your attitude. if you are there to learn, it will show, if you are there to show off, that will show too.

im always nice to the new guy, because im a new guy too.
 
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