We’re back! We’ll sort of. Most countries in Europe are starting to relax with the Covid-19 control measures, and in the process, BJJ gyms are starting to reopen. However, for anyone that thought it would be just a massive open mat party the first day back, you better think again. I can’t presume how long it will last, but I dare say that until the end of 2020, we won’t be training BJJ like before. The good news is that we’ll be able to train, and that’s something. However, there are some brand new and improved BJJ hygiene protocols that we’ll have to obey if we want to remain open and keep training.
The responsibility for keeping a BJJ gym Covid-19 free is going to be with both the students and coaches (as usual). BJJ Hygiene is going to become the sole most important thing when someone enters a Jiu-Jitsu academy. Seriously! All that stuff about washing your Gi and your belt etc that we talked about before now gets a whole different meaning. There will be Gi washing instructions, there will be screening, taking temperature and other things we never thought we’d see in BJJ. But hey, if that’s the price of training, then so be it!
Personal BJJ Hygiene Requirements
Before we start, let’s make sure we’re aware of what the categories of BJJ hygiene are. In other words there will be levels or layers of protection in order to keep a gym Covid-19 free. If just as much as one case emerges, it might mean the entire academies to close again, and it may even turn out to be for good.
When it comes to personal hygiene, things go well beyond just being clean and showering regularly. The Gis and all training equipment will need to be in pristine condition. When it comes to mouthpieces, I’d leave them out completely. Still, for those that have to wear them, heavy-duty disinfection will be mandatory. Ideally, you’d have people arriving already dressed in their Gis and heading straight to the mats. However, for those that can’t realize this, dressing rooms will have to be rotated. More on that later on in the gym BJJ hygiene department.
As far as personal hygiene goes, given that we’re dealing with a respiratory virus, the protocols for entering the gym are going to include alto more control. First up, it is advisable that you do a screening via a questionnaire for all members. The best way to do it safely is online, before you actually open the gym. That way, you’ll be able to prevent even suspicious cases from entering the mats.
Next up, be ready to measure temperature and carefully write down attendance. A non-contact thermometer is a must, and everyone that enters will get have their temperature taken. Note down the temperature as well as when the person arrived, an which area of the mat’s they’ll be training with. Also, you’ll have to not who their training partner is, as well as everyone else in the group.
Gym Protocols
BJJ hygiene of the facilities where we train was always a thing of great importance. Now, it is going to be the biggest factor in whether or not you create a Covid-19 cluster. To begin with, re-opening the gym is only advisable if your local government allows it. Moreover, if they have other protocols in addition to what we offer, you’re best off following them as well. The ones we share are mandatory in order to keep people safe on the mats.
First of all, you’ll have to set up disinfection barriers. That means getting a metal box with low edges, putting a towel or rags inside, and soaking them in disinfectant. One of these should be at the main entrance, and in front of each toilet and, if you’re using them, in front of each changing room.
Hand sanitizers should be placed at the entrance, and their use has to be mandatory. The person at the reception desk should wear a face mask, and a Plexiglas shield should be placed on the desk itself. Anti-microbial soaps should be in the toilets.
All surfaces in the gym, from common areas to the mats need to be thoroughly cleaned with a chlorine-based disinfectant. However, since chlorine doesn’t work when there’s organic mater on any surface, you’ll have to first use soap and water, and then the disinfectant for best results. You’ll have to repeat the process between each group of people that comes in to train.
Another huge thing to remember is aeration. If you have an air conditioning system that can pull air out, it would be perfect. In any case, even if it is by windows only, make sure you aerate the mats and changing rooms between groups.
Finally, a big thing to remember is to ask people to leave their phones in their pockets. No phones or personal stuff should ever come in contact with the mat area at any cost.
Training Protocols
When it comes to classes themselves that’s where we’ll feel the most difference. It is ales where BJJ hygiene is more important than anywhere else. People are going to be in close contact and the dangers of transmitting something to one another, or those that come to train after them is huge. However, with precautions and solid BJJ Hygiene measures we can minimize if not eliminate the risks altogether.
First of all, people that train, will have to train with one partner only. That should last for 3-4 weeks at least. Moreover, depending on the size of the gym and the local government recommendations, there shouldn’t be more than 4-8 pairs of people on the mats. That will mean more groups of fewer folks, which is a logistical nightmare, so you better start organizing it now.
Training areas should be numbered and assigned to each pair. It is great if you can physically separate the areas with a barrier, but if not, marking them will do. Disinfection of each mat space after people training is a must, of course.
The training itself should last no longer than 40 minutes, given how much disinfection and protocols are in place. No-contact training is dumb for me, so training should consist of drills and light flow rolls. After almost three months out, people will be rusty, and they’ll want to roll. Give them that, but not in a way that they injure themselves. For 3-4 weeks. This will be the new normal way of training BJJ.
If you’re using the changing rooms, you should think about rotating them. That means one group uses one, the other goes in different, physically separated changing rooms. That’ll give you time to disinfect so the third group goes back to number one etc, etc.
Wrap Up
BJJ hygiene is the one thing that will allow us to successfully train once again. Unless we follow strict protocols and take care, we won’t be able to train for a long, long time. Nobody wants to sit at home when other BJJ schools are opening, so let’s all be smart about it and focus on BJJ hygiene and following all protocols as best we can. Now, it is time to wash that Gi, as the slap and bump is not far away!
This is the statement they issued: “The IBJJF will continue to work with governments, world health authorities and local communities in regards to travel restrictions, public transportation, hospitals, and health networks, on the gathering of people and contact sports restrictions, to meet the demands of large sporting events before actively restarting the tournament season safely and legally.
A good sign is that the second biggest organization, the UAEJJF has not pulled the plug completely. They did cancel the Abu Dhabi World Pro but have a hope that they can revisit the idea come November. In the meantime, they are not giving up on local, regional, national, and international events depending on the situation and recommendations on each intended location. However, nothing before September is actually realistic, 
The approach we have in Jiu-Jitsu is to teach people “beginners” Jiu-Jitsu, only to have them slowly re-learn everything as they progress. Why do we have to do things twice? Why not teach people correctly from the beginning? And yeah, that includes divulging some of the “secrets of BJJ” even as early s the first few months. And yes, beginners will be ready to take them in. In fact, they’ll actually understand all the moves you’re trying to teach them much better if you explain and reiterate stuff like alignment early on.
A more attacking application would be 
A while ago, I got certified as a Gracie Barra coach. There is an online course you take (a long one) that shares lots of the philosophies (perhaps too much) and some of the principles of work of Gracie Barra. It does require you to pass tests after every chapter, and eventually, finish some practical hours in an academy under the supervision of a GB Professor in order to get certified.
What I really like is the part that does not concern direct technical Jiu-Jitsu. That is the warm-up, physical drills, and especially the games. The approach here is to help kids develop BJJ movements through games and fun. Combine that with a personal connection with the kids and a bit of joking around and you’ve got a happy group that will easily tackle hard things like shrimping or tumbling.
The ground techniques are okay, in general. There are two per training session, which leaves enough time to demonstrate them and let people try them out. Some of the moves are overly complicated for the level, but that’s easily amendable. Classes usually end with positional sparring and no live rolling. For those just starting out, contrary to most popular belief, I find this to be the perfect formula. After a month or two, people can choose to partake in live rolling.
The thing with ego is that itis a double-edged sword. it can drive us to success and make us overcome obstacles when properly utilized. It can also give us a very unreal picture of ourselves and prevent us from achieving maximal potential. As you can see, there’s trickery afoot. Controlling our egos is not easy, particularly given that everyone has their own version (and strength) of it. However, embracing our ego is what will eventually make us good at Jiu-Jitsu. We need ego in Jiu-Jitsu as much as we need armbars and chokes.
When you roll, you need to be aware of where you are and what types of ego are most likely to try and take over. control them, and you’ll do great. Even better, use them (up to a point) to actually improve your performance. In the gym, ego will help drive you to improve. You know that feeling when you tap toa triangle fro the hundredth time? Well, it is your ego that will drive you to figure out how to eventually beat it. Moreover, it is your ego that will make your work much more than you thought you could in a match too. As you can see, there is a place for ego in Jiu-Jitsu, and it is an important one
In that sense, thinking of the Gi as a BJJ uniform you wear for training is perfectly ok. Because it is. it is just like scrubs that nurses wear in hospitals. However,. what do you like better? Nurses that all wear the same type of scrub or those nurses that thave flowers and butterflies and other stuff fall over their scrubs? Both do the trick, but having a choice is always a great option. Plus a class looks so much better with much different Gis scattered across the mats. ith people inside them, of course.
There already enough controversy and confusion worldwide with the concepts of affiliations, belt lineages, and the likes. I like the idea of belonging to something, but not when that thing tries to up the notches of cult-like behavior. BJJ, as it is, is already culty enough. there’s no need to bow to pictures of people, or claim that wearing a certain type fo “BJJ uniform” makes us a family and makes us stronger. IT doesn’t. It just takes away choice and makes training dull.
It is what you don’t see that makes all the difference. Unlike most sports, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu requires the body to move in every possible direction (and a few slightly unintended ones) under all kinds of circumstances. That means that your body should be able to move, primarily, and then allow you to control and move others. As far as controlling others, that’s why we learn all the techniques, concepts, principles, moves, etc.
There are a bunch of ways you can do this one, but a decline bench will give you the most bang for your buck. The name of the move stems from its founder, John Garhammer Ph.D. For the exercise, you grab ahold of the top part of the bench. Put your legs together, knees bent, and raise your legs so that your hips (butt) get off the bench. Then, lower the legs until your hips are completely back on the bench. If the exercise is too easy (yeah right) like this, straighten your knees a bit more. Moreover, you can always change the level of incline on the bench.
For the exercise, simply grab the bar, hang freely, and lift your legs up to an angle of 90 degrees in relation to your upper body. Hold the position for as long as possible. The goal to begin with is 30 seconds of accumulated work. If you can already do that, I’ll offer some tips on programming further in this article.
There are two main ways of doing ab wheel rollouts – form the shoulders and from the spine. The first is a complete core exercise, engaging just about every muscle in the core. You can do it from kneeling (recommended, particularly if you have no experience with it) or standing. Furthermore, you can add different directions to your rollouts, including some great motions that make provide core work for BJJ.
The second version of rollouts, from the spine, mostly targets the abdominals. However, it doesn’t just work flexion and extension but introduces specific stabilization as well. Since the motion here starts from the spine, it will help you to hold and adjust posture in ways you can’t imagine.
Now, one of the things BJJ never really needed was taking it online. Or at least claiming that you could learn, or worse, teach someone Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu through online classes. In Jiu-Jitsu, it is all about contact. And I don’t mean just training techniques with a partner, although that is extremely hard to replicate too. Put in simple terms, you can’t find a way past drilling and rolling if you don’t have a partner. And guess what? If you only have one partner, you won’t have much progress either. At least not an attainable one.
The biggest draw fro people in Jiu-Jitsu is unpredictability. Yeah, that’s right. That is exactly why all those people are coming back to the gym – because this time, they just might end up winning, or making the move better, os simply surviving. It is not unlike video games, where people just keep coming for more, regardless of the outcome. Well, in order for all that to work, you need people at the gym. And the key word here is people. While you can 
When it comes to wrestling, three of the most useful moves, from child-level all the way to Olympic level are Russian ties, arm drags and duck unders. And they all have something in common – they tie up the upper body. If you look at how most wrestlers set up actual effective takedowns, you’ll see that they tangle with their upper bodies first. In other words, the get a grip on an opponent. So why do we try to do double leg takedown, for example, from inconceivable distances in BJJ?
The basic shuck works from a collar tie. Essentially, this is a misdirection move, one that forces your opponent to go past you. From a basic collar tie, the goal is to get your head free from their collar tie, by forcing their arm off. That is often quite hard to do directly, as opponents expect it. However, with the Shuck, you use a push-pull dynamic to create movement, and then simply guide their arm behind your head, while moving the head out of the way.
There’s also a variation where you can use a claw grip to set the Shuck up. It takes just a bit more time to master but is my preferred option when it comes to using the Shuck, particularly for Jiu-Jitsu. Here, you still shrug your shoulder, step forward, and pivot, but you position your arm over their elbow crease. As you go for the move, you actually grip their armpit from the top down as you perform the Shuck. This won’t just open up any takedown fro BJJ, but also direct routes to the back and/or certain submissions.
In the context of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, control has a slightly unusual meaning. It does not mean making someone do things or stay in one spot. On the contrary, control has a lot more to do with preventing people from doing things. It would be ideal if we can make someone give us their arm or neck for a submission finish, but things are seldom so easy in sparring or a match. However, we can’t just use wrestling pins and make people stay in place. The nature of BJJ is such that holding someone down does not help you win points. On the contrary, it may even earn you negative ones. Plus, there’s the unwritten rule that the more wrestling-like your pin is, the fewer options you have to transition into another move in BJJ.
Let’s keep using side control as an example. In a Jiu-Jitsu match, the perfect combination would be passing the guard, getting to side control, earning the points, and moving on to a better position (mount or back) or a submission. To that extent, right after the guard pass, going for a position like