Getting started at DC Jiu Jitsu Geelong.

The purpose of this article is to answer any questions you might have about starting to train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and your first class in particular. Every school is different, but this article will help you understand how MOST Brazilian Jiu-jitsu schools operate.

You’ll find a glossary of basic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu terms at the bottom of this article. This is to help you understand any technical words used here or in your first class.

Just Visiting?

DC Jiu Jitsu is very welcoming to all visitors, meaning your more then welcome to drop by and check out the academy meet the Instructors and get a feel for the energy of the academy, If DCJJ feel like a place you would like to start your jiu jitsu journey then we offer a One Week free trial.

What to Wear

Before you come to your first class, you’ll need to figure out what to wear.

You usually don’t need to own a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi for your first class. We have a clean GI we are happy to lend you, we will also show you how to fix your belt so your all set to start training. Track pants and a tee also be fine and for NOGI shorts and a tee is Okay to start out in.

Hygiene

Make sure your finger and toe nails are well-groomed. If you have long hair, you’ll want to put it up in a ponytail or bun during class. You should also remove any piercings, rings and necklaces ect to prevent injuries.
if you would like to know more you can check out the DCJJ Hygiene page on our website.

Your First Class

You’ll probably want to show up a couple minutes early to introduce yourself to our friendly staff who will introduce  the instructor and check out the school (if you haven’t visited already). You’ll often need to sign a waiver.

Before class starts, you’ll have a chance to get dressed and stretch out on the mats. Be sure to get everything ready before class starts so you don’t have to miss anything.

Warm-ups

At DCJJ our warm up is usually an selections of solo movements related to jiu jitsu training with is designed to get the mind and body ready to start training and to focus on the task at hand we also often review the last technique we learnt as a refresher to the current class.

Don’t worry if you don’t get the exercises correct at first—no one does on their first day, and they take a little practice. Just give it your best try and the instructor will make sure you learn to do it right.

Techniques

After warm-ups, you’ll be partnered with someone a little more advanced in jiu jitsu then yourself, you will go to your own section of the mats to be taught your first lesson. this will be a introduction to Jiu Jitsu, you will be shown the main positions of the art and given an overall outline of how and why we use these positions in jiu jitsu. after your first class you will follow in with the rest of the students in learning the Techneqes we are working on, all academies are different and at some they will show random techneqes for example one night you might do a take down the next night you might do a mount escape, in effect this is really like giving you one peace of the puzzle at a random time and expecting you yo put it all together.
at DCJJ Geelong we use a systemised program to help students understand not just the techneqes but the core concepts and ideas of the positions and related positions around it so you get a full and comprehensive understanding. for example if we are working on a position called “De La Riva Guard” we will first talk about the over all concept, idea and thinking of the position then will start to introduce sweeping, back takes, submissions, gripping, transitioning, controlling & defending position, this will go over a few weeks and revision on all these positions is also part of the training. This allows us to deliver our students a whole chunk of the jiu jitsu puzzle rather then a random single peace. along with this many of the concept, ideas and thinking of the position will over lap to other position in jiu jitsu making it easer to grasp down the track.

D.E.C.A – DEFENCE, ESCAPE, CONTROL, ATTACK

D.E.C.A is a method of thinking we feel works very well in jiu jitsu as in the beginning you may feel like trying to go straight to trying to attack or submit your opponent, this is going to be very difficult if you first have not learned hoe to defend yourself in bad positioned, after you are confutable being controlled and are lasting longer with out being submitted your self the next step if to escape your opponents controlling positions. once your able to defend yourself and escape then its time for you to control your opponent, last comes the submission pat of the roll this happens when you are in total control of your opponent and understand the last 3 steps very well.
the D.E.C.A method works as it gives you all the elements of jiu jitsu first evolving and expanding your understanding of the art with a great overview of defending and controlling positions.

Positional Drilling

Usually resistance drills and sparring follow the instruction and repetition of techniques. This will be your first chance to try out what you just learned against a fully resisting partner in a live drill. And as such, it’s important that you understand some basic rules for all live drilling and sparring:

Basic Rules* No striking, punching or kicking. * No eye gouging or hair pulling. * No twisting or grabbing fingers. * No slamming (picking someone up and dropping them). * No heelhooks (twisting the foot or knee). * No neck cranks.

Remember that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is designed to be trained safely without serious injury. These rules are to help keep you and your training partners safe and healthy.

Tapping

The normal way you signal submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is to tap your opponent three times. When you tap, make sure you do it hard enough that your partner can feel it; or tap yourself or the mat where they can see and/or hear it; or verbally tap by saying “Tap!”; or loudly tap the mat with your foot so they can hear it.

Likewise, be aware of your training partner tapping and stop whatever you are doing when he does so.

Tapping is just part of training and there is no shame in it. Don’t worry about winning or losing. Just try the techniques you’ve learned to the best of your ability and tap when you need to, ideally before it hurts.

Sparring

At most schools the class concludes with live sparring. You may be assigned a sparring partner(s), and usually you’ll change partners after every round.

At the start of each round, you’ll begin by facing your partner on your knees (on the ground). When you’re both ready shake hands and start to “roll”: try out your techniques, stopping whenever one of you taps and restarting from knees.

After Class

At the end of class you will be asked to line up with your tram mates, The instructor will give a overall talk about class and any upcoming events, you will clap off and shake hand with all the other students to conclude the training session and say thank you to them for the training, you might have more questions, now you’ve trained for the first time. If you enjoyed the class and want to continue training, you can also discuss prices and setup a schedule.

You will need a Jiu Jitsu or DCJJ academy GI for continued training. At DC jiu Jitsu we have Gis, Belts, Rash guard and shorts along with other academy products avalable on academy.