Our Rules

Gym Rules

• No food or drink other than water - This applies to everyone who enters, participants and spectators, children and adults. Please don't bring it in your pocket, or your bag, or your purse. Keep your snacks, sports drinks, tic tacs, and gum in your car please.

• Wear appropriate attire. - Until you get a Gi, wear comfy, loose fitting clothes like a tee shirt and sweat pants. Nothing too revealing please. Once you decide to sign up for a membership it's time to order yourself a Gi. And please do not go shirtless under your Gi top. Wear a rash guard. A sports bra is not enough. Wearing a rash guard under your Gi top helps us avoid uncomfortable conversations. It also cuts down on the amount of hair we end up having to vacuum off the mats. And this should go without saying, but you're not allowed to be shirtless or pantless in the training room.

• Keep the toilet clean - If you lift up the seat, make sure to put it back down.  If you use the last bit of paper, let us know so that we can replace it. And above all, if you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat. 

Hygine Rules

• Footwear - We want to keep our mats as clean as possible to help our members avoid infectious skin conditions. To that end, no footwear on the mats (shoes, flip flops, etc.), and no bare feet off the mats.

• Trim your nails - Make sure both your finger and your toenails are neatly trimmed short and filed before class. 

• Clean your gear - BJJ is a close contact sport. Wash you Gi, rashguard and shorts after every class. Never do more than one session with the same gi/ rashguard/ shorts unless they directly follow each other. Don't be the guy with the smelly Gi that nobody wants to roll with. 

• Shower before class - If you haven't showered in the past 24 hours, you need to shower before coming to class. If you've been hard at work or hard at play during the day, then you need to shower before coming to class. The only thing worse than being paired up to roll with the smelly guy is the uncomfortable conversation you have when coach has to tell you that you're the smelly guy. Don't be the smelly guy.

• Don't train with staph or ringworm - If you have an undiagnosed skin condition, have it checked out by a medical professional to make sure it's not contagious before you come to class. Don't train if you have a contagious skin disease, and let coach know if you've spotted some. Make sure to check your skin often and to immediately see your doctor when something is wrong. The two most common skin diseases in BJJ are Staph and ringworm.

Sparring Rules

• Rules of the Tap

  1. Stop and release your hold the instant your training partner taps.

  2. Tap before you get broken or go unconscious.

  3. Give your training partner plenty of time to recognize the submission and tap.

  4. If your training partner doesn't tap when you think they should, stop  and talk about it. Don't break your training partner!

• Leg Lock Sparring Rules

  1. No leg locks unless agreed upon before the round begins.

  2. Tap to pressure, not pain.

  3. Don't spin out of a straight foot lock.

  4. Move conservatively when your knee is on the far side of the knee line.

Forbidden Techniques

• No Kani Basami/Scissor takedown

• No flying submissions (Basically, don't jump on a standing partner)

• No Tani Otoshi with your head in front of your training partner. 

• No jumping guard pulls

• No pulling people straight backward over their feet from turtle top.

Allowable Techniques

Other than the above mentioned exclusions, we follow the Grappling Industries rules for allowed techniques. You may roll with the rules of the highest belt. (i.e. If you roll with a brown or black belt, everyone is allowed to go for knee bars, toeholds, etc., but you must still clear the leg locks with your partner before the round begins... see Leg Lock Sparring Rules.)

Parent / Guardian Code of Conduct

At Big Mike’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, we strive to maintain a positive, respectful, and supportive environment for everyone. To ensure we are all on the same page, we want to remind all parents and guardians of the standards we expect in our academy. These guidelines are in place to create the best possible experience for all students, coaches, and families:

1. Support Your Child’s Development: We encourage all parents to support their child’s Jiu-Jitsu journey. Please familiarize yourself with our academy’s rules, policies, and curriculum. These can be found in our App and Member Portal.

2. Promote a Positive Environment: We ask that all parents refrain from using profanity, drugs, alcohol, or tobacco at academy events (classes, matches, tournaments). We set an example for our kids, teammates, and fellow parents with our behavior.

3. Respect Coaches, Referees, and Competitors: It’s important to maintain emotional control during classes and events. If strong emotions arise, please step away from the area to regain composure before re-engaging.

4. Refrain from Questioning Coaching Decisions or Referee Calls: Please do not question or confront the coach about your child’s performance or any coaching decisions. Similarly, please refrain from engaging referees during or after matches. If you have concerns, we’re happy to discuss them respectfully after a 24-hour waiting period.

5. No Interference with Training or Matches: During training or competition, please do not give instructions to your child or other students. Positive encouragement is always welcome, but only the coach should be giving specific instructions.

6. Responsible for Guest Conduct: If you bring guests to the academy, you are responsible for their behavior. Please ensure they follow the same respectful conduct guidelines.

7. Adhere to Safety and Equipment Rules: Ensure your child is dressed appropriately for class and follows all safety rules, including bringing only water (no food or other drinks) and adhering to the academy’s dress code (no metal or hard plastic items).

8. Maintain Open Communication: If you have concerns regarding your child’s progress or the academy environment, please reach out to the coach. Grievances should not be aired during class or events, and we are happy to set up a meeting to discuss anything privately.

9. Be Responsible for Your Child’s Behavior: Disruptive or inappropriate behavior, or failure to comply with academy rules, can result in disciplinary action, including suspension or termination of membership.

By ensuring we follow these standards, we can maintain a safe, supportive, and focused environment where every student can thrive. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us uphold these expectations.

Thank you for being part of the Big Mike’s BJJ family!