Your demeanor before, during and after training BJJ should always be unobtrusive and respectful.

Every jiu-jitsu school has its own extent of traditional rituals and ceremonies. Whether it’s your first visit to a jiu-jitsu school in general or whether you’re visiting a new or different school, you should always follow the other participants’ example and adapt to their positive manners.

Listed below there are some general rules of conduct, that do have a universal validity:

• Even though the tone during training is very casual in most BJJ schools, you should never forget to be respectful towards your coach as well as your training partners!
• A clean gi and a healthy personal hygiene is obligatory for every training participant!
• The mats are never to be stepped on with shoes!
• The sanitary facilities are never to be entered barefooted!
• Before stepping onto the mat you are supposed to bow towards the mat.
• In case you’re running late, you should step onto the mat quietly and not until after the trainer’s invitation. You should skip a loudly excuse. Instead, it’s better to be punctual the next time.
• If you’re feeling sick or suffering from an infectious skin disease , it is imperative to abstain from an active training participation!
• The techniques and drills that are shown should not be questioned openly.
• Conversations during training sessions should be reduced to a minimum. Private matters should solely be discussed before and after training.
• During the coach’s demonstrations and explanations of techniques you should assume a respectful attitude. Lying down or milling around permanently poses a considerable disturbance to the training instructions and to your fellow participants and shows a lot of disrespect for your coach!
• You should support your training partner during exercising the techniques and drills you were shown with cooperative behavior.
• Your training partner is to be greeted respectfully before and after each sparring round.
• During sparring your partner’s health should not be endangered by your behavior or techniques.
• In general, you should not actively challenge a higher belt rank for a sparring match. A nicely posed question, however, should always be okay!
• Higher ranking belt bearers should be given the necessary space on the mat without asking.
• In unfamiliar schools you should leave the choice of your training partner to the coach or the other school members.
• It is of utmost importance to protect your training partner from injuries!
• Celebrating a victory or loudly commenting on a defeat during sparring is considered as extremely impolite and should, if necessary, be confined to an inner dialog!