Do I need to be in shape to start training?
No. Regardless of your fitness level, you will be challenged physically during training. The demands on the body during "fighting" are significantly different to what people who train "normal" fitness are used to. The important part is to start your training.
As you get more and more time on the mat, you will see your fitness level improve. Many BJJ practitioners supplement their training with functional fitness. However, that is something you can pursue after you have started training.
What are the ranks and what do they mean?
Rank in BJJ is sacred. That is why it is the most respected of the martial arts' ranking system. Adult BJJ students progress through white, blue, purple, brown and black belt. Progression through the ranks is based upon technical ability; nothing more. It does not matter how many classes you take or how much Portuguese you know. There are no forms to memorize or board breaking.
In general, the blue belts will beat the white belts during open sparring, the purple belts will beat the blue belts, etc. Of course there are considerations for factors such as age and injury, but the bottom line is if someone has a BJJ rank, they can fight.
What is a typical class like?
Class formats can vary between academies and instructors, but they will generally follow the format beginning with an instructor demonstrating techniques to the class.
The students then practice those maneuvers on their fellow students in a cooperative manner and then engage in some type of structured sparring (or what we call "rolling") at the end.
Some classes will also incorporate a warm-up at the beginning, although this is not always the case.
Why is ground fighting important?
In real life fights, regardless of the training or backgrounds of the fighters, the fights almost always end up on the ground. The misconception that real fights look like choreographed movie fights was dispelled in 1993 with the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and reinforced in the thousands of televised fights which have followed. It has been demonstrated time and again through these fights that the best way for a smaller person to survive against and then defeat a larger opponent is through ground grappling. By fighting on the ground much of the larger person’s strength and reach advantages can be negated and overcome.
Why do you wear those outfits?
It may seem odd to see us wearing traditional martial arts kimonos/gi's. They have remained an integral part of BJJ training for the last 100+ years as they synthesize what people wear on the street and allow us to practice attacking, defending and controlling utilizing our clothing and our opponent's. While people may not wear kimonos on the street today, they do wear shirts, jackets, pants and belts.
What if I am nervous / intimidated?
It’s okay, that is natural! We take great pride in being open and welcome to everyone. We are here to teach you and help you on your journey. We love when new people come in to learn what we love!
Our instructors will work with you as you get a feel for what happens during class, and our culture is one of education and patience. You will not find students wanting to hurt you here. Everyone was new once, and we understand that.
Remember that if you don’t know or unsure about anything, just ask an instructor or another student! At the end of the day, we are all just trying to get better together.