Everybody from every discipline: what’s considered "bad" etiquette in your gym?

[JohnKenner]

(1) Attending more than one grappling class, yet only bringing one shirt. Especially if you sweat heavily.

(2) Pulling on 4oz gloves for sparring (unless you were asked to).

(3) Attempting to light a first-timer up during sparring.

(4) Ignoring consistent requests to slow down or calm down during sparring. This will usually lead to a free sparring lesson from one of the more experienced fighters.

Incidentally, I use leg locks quite a bit, and now realize that may be why one club sort of frowned upon the way I rolled. From here on out, I'll ask first. It seems like a simple concession, and at the least will show that I give a damn.

[Ashkuff]

Well, damn! How'd I miss all these good posts? I just stopped getting email updates. Anyway, thanks for the notes, guys. Good talk.

[Prone]

I'm pretty much a traditionalist and always know the school's rules before I step inside. But there are common rules that mostly have been named but there are some more I like to mention (in regards to BJJ, the Kyokushin rules have been stated):

1. During warm-up and rolling, music is okay. But music needs to be shut off when instruction starts (some blue belts have not adhered to that rule and I find it really rude)

2. If you roll with someone the first time, ask if they have any injuries. We have had people who were too proud to say something and had to stop rolling and although it was no one's fault the rolling partners had to explain themselves.

3. Generally be respectful of EVERYONE when on the mat. Leave your ego outside and treat everyone in a way that they want to help you progress. You can always learn something new so that should be your focus.

I have to say that BJJ dojo rules are much more relaxed than what I was used to before. I could go on for hours on end about dojo rules in other MAs ;)

For me it's very rude to have bad hygiene, long nails or an unwashed Gi. I hate bad smells so I am pedantic about that myself and have stopped rolling with people who don't adhere to cleanliness...

[jedtex88]

Sobriety is a must. Or atleast near sobriety, with freshly brushed teeth. I once invited a few people from a wing chun class that I'm involved with to meet my instructor and check out the dojang. I about died when they came in reeking of booze. We had words after...and at their next class I "taught" them a few kicks.

[Prone]

I can't understand how anyone can even think about having drugs, alcohol or whatnot before training...

[td82394]

In wrestling, it's considered impolite to not work out unless you're injured or have a skin infection. Pretty much anything else within the rule set is fair play, though.

[battusai]

Kyokushin sparring can get a little out of hand. Like when a tall fighter is going almost all-out on a shorter one and he keeps connecting on the chin with bare knuckles and when a blackbelt dislocates his knee because he was off-balanced/pushed back.


So yeah, going all out in Kyokushin is imo more rude than in kickboxing since it becomes a game of "who can stand more punishment?"

[csharp.negative]

I agree with everyone about the hygiene thing.

The main rules I like to remind people of is to 1. not wear excessive jewelry because they can get snagged, 2. no chewing gum during class and no eating on the training floor, 3. no horsing around on the training floor at any time, before, during, or after class, 4. take what you dish out. The way my Sifu puts it is that you need to make a "contact treaty" with your partner before doing any more than light contact, because if you don't, you get hit back just as hard.