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Shareworthy: How to Keep Ringworm, Staph, and MRSA Away from Your BJJ Gym

I am consistently appalled at how many gyms have poor mat hygiene.
 
This goes against everything a true poison gi practioner believes in.
 
EGDM said:
I am consistently appalled at how many gyms have poor mat hygiene.
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This both doesn't surprise me and does whenever I go to visit other gyms. I'd say maybe 20% of BJJ gyms across the country are doing what they should be doing in order to prevent disease spreading.
 
I can't stand people with disgusting nasty gis. That having been said, I'm not so sure about the whole washing the belt thing.
 
I wash my belt after every class. It looks pretty worn, but I don't care. I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority; not many students at my place wash their belts.

Andrew, have you often had to tell students to change gis before class? That can't be easy to do.

As for cleaning the mats, I would probably have a problem doing it. I spend well over $200 a month for BJJ, and I would feel like I'm being taking advantage of. The students who clean the mat at my school get a discount off tuition.

Overall, I think my gym is pretty clean, but here's my big pet peeve; walking around the locker room/bathroom with no foot covering at all. This seems like common sense to me, especially at our school where someone could be taking a piss just a few feet from where I'm changing.
 
I've said out loud, "I'm not rolling with your nasty ass" instructor looks over then just as them the simple question, "why don't you wash your gi" puts the nasty one on the spot and everyone else sees doesn't want it to happen to themselves
 
kjg1672 said:
I wash my belt after every class. It looks pretty worn, but I don't care. I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority; not many students at my place wash their belts.

Andrew, have you often had to tell students to change gis before class? That can't be easy to do.

As for cleaning the mats, I would probably have a problem doing it. I spend well over $200 a month for BJJ, and I would feel like I'm being taking advantage of. The students who clean the mat at my school get a discount off tuition.

Overall, I think my gym is pretty clean, but here's my big pet peeve; walking around the locker room/bathroom with no foot covering at all. This seems like common sense to me, especially at our school where someone could be taking a piss just a few feet from where I'm changing.
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You know what's funny about the whole washing vs not washing thing? The belt ages just as quickly either way. Trust me; I've done both (and, for the record, I will ALWAYS wash my belt from now on, and so should you).

I've only had to tell a small handful about the gi changing, but that's because we make a production out of the changing gis between classes, even back to back classes.

And no foot covering in a bathroom? NO DICE. Definitely needs to change ASAP.
 
just buy another belt so you can wash and hang dry one while you use another.
 
The worst gyms I've trained in have been the ones who have multiple disciplines training in there. I think it's a combination of having back to back classes all day, which inevitably keeps mats a little messy no matter how much you clean them, and having a bunch of classes in arts that don't usually train on mats and so sometimes just don't "get" it no matter how much you tell them. And to them, I guess, it's not like they're rolling around on it so they maybe don't realize how much they're fucking up the mats...
 
These Two Hands said:
The worst gyms I've trained in have been the ones who have multiple disciplines training in there. I think it's a combination of having back to back classes all day, which inevitably keeps mats a little messy no matter how much you clean them, and having a bunch of classes in arts that don't usually train on mats and so sometimes just don't "get" it no matter how much you tell them. And to them, I guess, it's not like they're rolling around on it so they maybe don't realize how much they're fucking up the mats...
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We have Thai boxing and BJJ (plus judo). Fortunately, the instructors also train in BJJ, so they definitely get it. We also have a stick program 2x a week, but again, there's enough crossover so that we are covered. Everyone cleans the whole gym (not just the mats) every time they're the last class of the day (or if there's a substantial break between classes).
 
goatfury said:
We have Thai boxing and BJJ (plus judo). Fortunately, the instructors also train in BJJ, so they definitely get it. We also have a stick program 2x a week, but again, there's enough crossover so that we are covered. Everyone cleans the whole gym (not just the mats) every time they're the last class of the day (or if there's a substantial break between classes).
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We're open for about 18 hours a day on average, several different disciplines. I wish they'd do that here. It's really only the grapplers who clean the mats. We tell the others to, some are pretty good (such as the karate guys, really respectful bunch and great attitudes) and some not so much. The old MT club that was training here were a pack of filthy wee feckers, but they're gone now and the new club are a good bunch.

I'm glad my experience doesn't reflect everybody's in bigger multi-use gyms though.
 
These Two Hands said:
We're open for about 18 hours a day on average, several different disciplines. I wish they'd do that here. It's really only the grapplers who clean the mats. We tell the others to, some are pretty good (such as the karate guys, really respectful bunch and great attitudes) and some not so much. The old MT club that was training here were a pack of filthy wee feckers, but they're gone now and the new club are a good bunch.

I'm glad my experience doesn't reflect everybody's in bigger multi-use gyms though.
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I think we are really lucky in the grand scheme. Of course, I'm the owner (or one of two owners, anyway), so it's all by design, but still, we're lucky to be where we are, in the environment we're in. I do think you can change a culture over time, though, even a resistant one.
 
Pro hygiene tip- avoid mma guys. In my experience they are the worst about washing themselves and their gear
 
Anybody have some insight on some of the most clean gyms in Georgia? (:
 
So basically just use common sense? Got it. I hate to be prickish, but I'm amazed by how shit like this merits an "article." When you see bad hygiene, it's a case of not caring more than not knowing.
 
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Wash your mats after every practice, takes 10 minutes. We did it after every wrestling practice.
 
Darwinambrosius said:
So basically just use common sense? Got it. I hate to be prickish, but I'm amazed by how shit like this merits an "article." When you see bad hygiene, it's a case of not caring more than not knowing.
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I think you'd be amazed at the level of sheer ignorance out there.
 
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