Rules that are particular to your gym

My friend and I were talking about gym etiquette then got on the subject of rules that are gym particular.

For instance, at his gym no one ties their belts facing each other. I thought it was kind of odd.

Also, you have to get permission to get on the mat. So if you're there early to stretch and the sensei isn't around you have to mope about until he comes back.

I'd like to hear others.

 

those are traditions from Traditional Japanese martial arts.

Not bad, I have been several gyms like that. I think it provides a structure and control over a class.

I would go so far to say the weirdest rule was at my last gym. his rule is that the instructors did not date the students.

 

Female grapplers must not wear bras.

 

He does BJJ.

The rule about not dating students is fairly common. It's to prevent issues with refunds from people quitting, among other things.

 

You call your instructor "sensei"? In a BJJ class? :icon_neut

 

We dont tie the belts facing the instructor

 

So you found a new gym?

 

Here they call him, "Kwang-jang-nim."

It means, "master" in Korean.

 

No. I my life is still in turmoil. I kind of want to just drive to NY and create a new name and get some random job and train with Marcelo Garcia. When he was here in Olympia he was such a nice guy and his technique is very in line with my style. I would have to have an understanding that he is never allowed to sleep with my wife or Girlfriend at that time. I would have to get that in writing.

 

We have a lot of super fights, basically when the shit talking between two people gets so high that the instructor makes the battle it out in front of everyone.

Also, everyone calls out the coach all the time. Literally all the time.

 

Lol! What in the fuck?

Am I misunderstanding something or has the belief that Marcelo will sleep with your gf/wife dissuaded you from training with him?

 

Nothing too odd. We shake hands with the instructor and senior belts on the mat.

Our gym does have a special secret that only a handful know about. It's a hidden homage to the school we split from. Only the original crew know it exists and some of them don't even know.

 

You could probably get that if you signed a contract saying you wouldn't ask teenagers on dates.

Anyway, my gym has a couple.

Be fore you start practice you bow and say "I now begin practice!" and than you're good. If you're training in the boxing ring you have to tell them too. You just scream "I am now entering the ring!" and when you're done you scream "I now exit the ring'"

Fairly common stuff. When I did karate in america we had to turn away to tie our belts. It's funny, but I've never seen anyone do this in Japan.

One of my coaches has odd rules.

One is you can never be in the gym shirtless. If you're not wearing a rash guard you have to go to the back to fix your gi.

The second is you can only sit on your knees. The reason why is because when he practiced judo one of his friends got thrown into the sidelines and he landed on a bystanders knee Million Dollar baby style. Was paralyzed for the rest of his life. Sooooooo my instructor is an absolute nazi when it comes to how you keep your knees when sitting. Youd get kicked out for that before you got kicked out for punching someone.

 

lmao wow

 

If it's for safety I don't have a problem with it.

My old Judo club didn't allow rubber wrist bands. You know the ones that say, "Live Strong" or "Fight Cancer." Also, no rash guards allowed. Only white t-shirts.

 

I like this. But we never really have any beef at our gym, but if we did... SUPERFIIIGHT!

 

There's one gym I was at and they refer to all the black belts as master. So you would greet them as master <insert name here>. Is that common anywhere else?

 

No fish hooking allowed.

 

At my place, you refer to every instructor as either Sir or Ma'am.

Don't face the instructors while tying your belt (seems common)

Bow to your sparring partner as an agreement to mutual destruction (..or agree not to do so? Was never sure haha)

Bow to all the black belts that come in if you're there first and bow to get onto the mat.

lots and lots of bowing... not that I mind, I actually enjoy the structure and control before chaos ensues.

Shit talking during instruction or with another student either gets you 1.) kicked out 2.) Smashed by all the black belt, otherwise known as the "demonstration partner"

 

The shit talking isn't beef, just ball busting. We are a tight knit team, not a bunch of assholes.

And the biggest shit talkers are all the brown belts, so there's nobody really left to put the beating down.