The Front Jiu-Jitsu Collective

Studio Rules:

• Children under 14 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.
• Pre-register for class in advance.
• Participate at your own risk! Jiu-Jitsu involves hand-to-hand combat, live sparring, and gymnastic and unpredictable movements that involve risks of severe injury and death.
• Tap early and tap often - keep your focus on learning and improving.
• No shoes on the mats.
• Practice good hygiene and do not attend if you are sick or have a contagion.
• Silence phones and devices; no recording unless given permission by staff.
• Pay attention and follow instructions

Class Attire:

• Wear clean clothes and bathe prior to class, including washing your feet.
• Gi's are available for use in the Jiu Jitsu room. Please come to class 5-10 minutes early for assistance finding a suitable Gi size.
• After class, borrowed Gi's should be placed in the hamper outside the Jiu Jitsu room after every use.
• Rashguard, spats or shorts are recommended for both No-Gi and Gi classes. Form-fitting t-shirts that you are comfortable working out in will also suffice. Baggy clothing can create technical obstacles and cause injury to yourself and/or others.
• Avoid athletic gear with zippers, ties, buttons, or other hardware that may cause injury and/or damage the mats.
• Hair tied back and kept outside face/neck area (to avoid getting pulled).
• Taping or removing all jewelry to avoid injury to yourself and others.
• Keep both fingernails and toenails trimmed.

What is Jiu-Jitsu?

Jiu-Jitsu (aka, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/BJJ) is a grappling based martial art that involves standing takedowns (wrestling/judo) and ground-based submission fighting, where opponents try to “tap” or submit each other with strangulations, joint locks and other techniques. While it is a full contact sport, it is affectionately referred to as “the beautiful art” or “human chess” because it was developed to allow a smaller, “weaker” person to defend against and neutralize a larger attacker or opponent with movement technique and leverage, rather than brute force, size and strength.

Am I going to get punched in the face?

Like any hand to hand combat, live sparring can result in incidental bumps, knocks and other injuries, but Jiu-Jitsu does not involve striking, like boxing or karate.

Do I need a mouth guard?

You’re not required to have one, but it is an additional precaution to mouth injuries.

Is Jiu-Jitsu good for self-defense?

Yes! If you’ve ever watched MMA, you’ve probably seen “the beautiful art” in action when things go to the ground. Jiu-Jitsu focuses on taking your opponent to the ground and submitting them, both skills are useful in self-defense.

Do I have to spar?

Live sparring, aka, “rolling” is always optional. You can learn a lot of Jiu-Jitsu and get a workout without rolling.

What do I wear to do Jiu-Jitsu?

It depends on whether you are attending a Gi or No-Gi class. If it is No-Gi, you can wear workout clothes such as a t-shirt and shorts (no buckles or metal please), although people commonly wear a rashguard so that their clothes don’t get damaged. If it is a Gi class, you can buy or rent a Gi from our gear shop.

What is a Gi?

You might know it as a “karate outfit” as they are somewhat similar in style and share common origins, but a “Gi” is the modern Japanese uniform for grappling martial arts, enabling students to grip onto each other with control. A Gi is usually made from heavy cotton material, consisting of 3 parts: loosely fitted pant bottoms, a (heavy) jacket top, and a belt tied around the waist/hips to keep the jacket in place.

Do you have rental Gis?

Yes. Loaner Gis are available to borrow in the Jiu-Jitsu studio. New students should come 5-10 minutes early to their first class to get help finding the appropriate size Gi. After use, borrowed Gis should be placed in a hamper located on the outside of the Jiu-Jitsu studio.

Are there going to be Gi and No-Gi classes?

Yes, see our schedule for when they are offered.

What are the age limits?

Anyone 6 or older may attend classes, but children under 14 must be supervised by an adult (come train with your kids!).

Do I have to sign up or can I just show up?

Please reserve your spot through RGPro Connect. It helps our instructors keep track of classes and add more if they get too popular!

How often do you clean the mats?

Instructors and students work together to clean/disinfect the mats after every class that does not have another class immediately after.

Can I progress as a belt at this school?

Yes, we have black belt instructors that can progress students along the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt system. Belt advancement is based on time spent on the mat, skill level, competition and other experience. Unlike many other martial arts, belt progress in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is demanding and often takes 10 years or more of intensive training to achieve black belt level.

How is Jiu-Jitsu at The Front different than other academies?

Most Jiu-Jitsu schools are under one banner with a head instructor who owns a gym and teaches most of the classes. The Front Jiu-Jitsu Collective is a gathering of instructors and students from various schools around the Wasatch Front.

Can I train when there’s no class in session?

Yes, during specified Member Open Mats! Member Open Mats are offered during varying days/hours during the week and weekends. Members can view the schedule and register for times through the RGPro App or online.

Do I need to wear a “cup” or other protective equipment?

We recommend getting a comfortable mouthpiece, but the use of “cups” is generally discouraged due to the discomfort caused to your training partner (and sometimes to yourself).

Can I make accommodation requests?

Absolutely! We want to help accommodate your needs to make our classes work for you. We will need a minimum of 48 hours to provide reasonable accommodation. One full week of prior notice to the class is preferred for larger requests.

Examples include earplugs or altered light/music levels for light and noise sensitivity, assisted physical support systems, priority classroom placement, minor class instruction adjustments, an interpreter or caller, etc.

You can fill out your accommodation form here.

First Visit & Waiver

We're located on the third floor of The Front South Main. If you've never taken a Jiu-Jitsu class with us before, your first visit is free - sign up for a class at the Front Desk to experience. All participants must have a Front waiver on file before joining us in the studio.

Registration and Cancellation Policy

Participants must register for their spot before class. Sign up using our calendar below.

Our class booking window is 3 days to ensure you have an opportunity to get into the classes you want, and that your life’s schedule doesn’t change too much between now and then. There is a $5 charge for each no-show or late cancellation (less than 8 hours notice). If you have signed up for a class and you know you won’t be able to attend, please go to your original point of registration and cancel your registration at least 8 hours prior to the class time to avoid a charge and to give the spot to someone else.

Accommodation Requests

We want to help accommodate your needs to make our classes work for you. We will need a minimum of 48 hours to provide reasonable accommodation. One full week of prior notice to the class is preferred for larger requests.

Examples include earplugs or altered light/music levels for light and noise sensitivity, assisted physical support systems, priority classroom placement, minor class instruction adjustments, an interpreter or caller, etc.

You can fill out our accommodation form here.

Feedback

Let us know how your recent group fitness class went when you fill out our feedback form here.

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