BJJ Etiketti

Rolling Etiquette

• Tap once a submission has been applied correctly and you are unable to escape
• Do not do anything unnecessary to injure your partner, ex: head grinding, RNC-ing the face instead of the neck
• Slamming is illegal
• Avoid excessive use of strength when rolling with a weaker and/or lighter opponent. The aim of rolling is to learn and practice technique, not to try and submit your partner.
• Avoid painful or "dirty" techniques such as attacking pressure points with the knuckles or covering your partner's mouth with your hand. Your rolling partners should be your friends, not your enemies. If you do that kind of stuff, they will dislike you and not want to roll with you.
• If multiple pairs are rolling on one mat, give way to any pair with a higher ranking belt than your pair. For example, if two blue belts are rolling, and a purple and a white belt collide with them, the blue belts should shift their position away from the other pair.
• Know your schools rules. Typically, no leg locks or neck cranks are allowed at white belt level for GI jiu jitsu. Submission by small joint manipulation (wrists, fingers, toes) is almost always disallowed.
• Don't crank submissions as if it were a life or death situation, you will injure you partners. Subs must be applied with control and VERY SLOWLY
• Apologize for any accidental injuries, and don't blame them on anyone else - they will happen
• When starting from the ground decide who will start on their back, do not "chicken fight" - fighting for take downs from the knees. Generally the higher ranking person should start on his/her back first. If you are the same level then the bigger person should start down. This forces the person with an advantage to work for a sweep to gain dominate position.

General Etiquette

• Always come to class with a clean GI (or rashguard) - don't spread disease
• Come clean - shower, brush teeth, before class if you are dirty
• Avoid foul language
• Respect everyone - leave your ego at the door - cockiness is frowned upon
• Slap or shake hands before sparring
• No Shoes or outdoor footware on the mats
• Avoid talking, horseplay and interrupting while your instructor is teaching.
• Keep nails trimmed short - you can cut your training partners
• Don't challenge the instructor - don't worry - he will kick your ass all over the place eventually
• Don't downtalk/trashtalk anyone else, especially if they goto your school.
• Help your partner back to his/her feet and compliment him/her on their abilities regardless if they win or lose.
• Respect your fellow BJJ practitioners, regardless of their size, abilities, and or beliefs.