The woes of jiu-jitsu can be endless, but the most tiresome and nerve-wrecking is the first step in training, selecting a school. A jiu-jitsu school can be more than just a gym, affiliation or a facility to train at; it’s your second home. Depending on who you are, competitor or casual practitioner, you become a part of a comradery, a team, a family. Ideal characteristics of a school can be endless and differ for everyone. It all comes down to the same conclusion which is what works best for the individual. Since jiu-jitsu is a lifestyle, the practitioner wants to make the most of their time and money, because it is an investment in their “journey”. When seeking out an academy for the first time a few things to concider is the staff qualified, is the location convenient, is it affordability, what style is the training program, how is the environment. Most importanly is the cleanliness of a facility, this should also play a significant role in a decision.
It sounds simple; is the staff qualified or not? Sometimes it is not so simple though. You believe that the instructor is knowledgeable but are they able to apply the same techniques that they teach? Some instructors can obtain a cult like following so try to always remember; The student is neither above the teacher, nor the student above the instructor. The gym you seek out as a beginner will teach you the fundamentals that you sculp your game on.
The location of the gym to your home and work along with class time should be considered when selecting a gym. You want to make sure that your commute allows times that fit your schedule, try to always be on time in order to not be a distraction to the others training. Some high levels instructors will even live in the gym so they can always be on time, but we can’t all have this luxury. If you can find an academy that has morning, noon and night classes the likelihood of your attendance in a class improves. Some students will only be able to attend one or two classes per week while others will be at every class.
To Be Continued….
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