Hygiene & Safety

1. TRIM your nails and toenails. Why? When you are sparring, things are flying around the air in 3 dimensions (4-5 if you’re rolling with a black belt). You don’t want one of those things to be your overly long, overly sharp nail… Your nails and toenails can cause nasty cuts and even nightmare-worthy cuts on someone’s eyeball. Keep your conscience clean, trim your nails.

2. Clean your uniform after every class. Yes, EVERY class. In order to make sure that our academy is clean and safe from infections, we need to make sure that everyone is doing their part, keeping germs and bacteria away. A splash of fabric-safe bleach or a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle will keep your gi smelling fresh. Always bring a clean gi/no gi gear if you are participating in multiple classes in a day. 

3. Shower after every training session. Showering before training is also a courteous move. Jiu-jitsu is a high contact sport, you will not only have your sweat on you, but it will also be the sweat of other people. Showering immediately after training is the best move. Make sure you are odor-free when stepping on the mats for training.

4. No outdoor footwear in the gym. Members are encouraged to bring sandals for personal use during training. No bare feet in the bathrooms. This one is a very simple rule: Never walk with footwear on the mats, never walk without footwear off the mats. This prevents nasty floor germs from making their way to our meticulously cleaned mats.

5. Don't train if you're sick or have a skin infection. Never train if you are sick with an easily communicable disease like the flu or the common cold. Skin infections are common in grappling sports, and nothing to be ashamed about IF TREATED RESPONSIBLY. Never, ever train if you suspect that you have a skin infection. If you are even a tiny bit worried, show it to one of the instructors or your physician. It’s incredibly important to not train because many skin infections are very contagious. Members should return to training when the skin infection has completely healed and the prescription medications course has been completed.

6. Cover up cuts & scratches. Properly cover your cuts and scratches before training. If you are unsure about the taping technique, ask one of our instructors. Life has cut them many, many times, they are experienced in all kinds of taping techniques.

7. Protect your hair. If you have long hair make sure to get it under control by tying or braiding it tightly. This will save you time during the class and make sure your hair is safe and also helps to keep the gym clean. 

8. Remove makeup. Always remove makeup prior to training. Makeup and fresh hair dye can transfer easily to your training partner’s gi and it can be difficult to remove the stains completely. Makeup remover wipes are available if you forget to remove your makeup prior to training.