your first lesson: What to expect
Step 1: Arrive Fresh (or at Least Not Radioactive)
Let’s be real - No-Gi BJJ is a close-contact sport. You will get up close and personal with your training partners, sometimes in ways you didn’t expect. Do them (and yourself) a favour by showing up in a reasonably fresh state.
💦 Shower if you can – If you’ve spent the day working hard (whether at a job site, in an office, or wrangling toddlers), a quick rinse is a good call. No shower? No problem. A sink wash of your hands, arms, and face goes a long way.
🧼 Deodorant is your friend – Keep an extra stick in your gym bag. Bonus points if you pick one that doesn’t melt into a weird goo when left in your car.
🦷 Mouth matters – You’ll be breathing heavily within inches of your training partner’s face. Brushing, flossing, or even a quick swish of mouthwash before class will save you both from regretting that extra garlic bread at lunch.
Step 2: Arrive Early (Because "Lost and Confused" is Not a Good Look)
Walking into a BJJ gym for the first time can feel like stepping into another dimension—people are rolling around, limbs tangled in ways that defy logic. The best way to avoid looking like a deer in headlights? Show up early.
✔️ Check in at the front desk.
✔️ Let them know it’s your first class (they’ll help you from there).
✔️ Soak it all in. This is your introduction to the wonderful world of BJJ, where you'll learn cool moves, make new friends, and occasionally find yourself wondering, "How did I get stuck like this?"
What Does Your First Class Look Like?
Your first BJJ class might feel like being dropped into an action movie—except you have no idea what’s going on, your arms and legs don’t cooperate, and everyone else looks way more coordinated than you. That’s normal. BJJ has a learning curve, but you’ll survive, sweat a lot, and probably leave wanting more.
Most classes follow a simple structure: warm-up, technique and drilling, then sparring.
Here’s what that looks like:
Warming Up
Warm-ups can range from standard flexibility exercises to more specific BJJ drills. Some days, you might be doing bear crawls and hip escapes (a.k.a. shrimping—yes, really). Other times, warm-ups involve light sparring or positional wrestling. The key is to move, loosen up, and get your brain in “grappling mode.”
If you have no idea what you’re doing, don’t worry. Everyone starts out flailing. Just follow our world-class coaches and roll with it—literally.
Technique & Drilling: Learning the Magic Tricks
This is where your instructor demonstrates a technique while everyone gathers around like curious penguins. They’ll break it down step by step on a willing partner. Then, it’s your turn to practice with a teammate.
Will you get it right on the first try? Probably not. But that’s part of the fun. Your coach and training partners will help you fine-tune things. Just focus on the details and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Rolling (Sparring): Controlled Chaos
Rolling is like live problem-solving - except someone is actively trying to fold you into a pretzel. Unlike drilling, sparring is freeform, meaning you’ll be trying to apply what you’ve learned while your partner does the same.
In your first weeks, and perhaps months, of training, you won't be doing sparring, but you might stick to positional rounds (starting from a specific position instead of going full throttle). If you don’t know any submissions yet, that’s okay—you’ll mostly be trying to survive and not accidentally give your back to the nearest strangler.
Expect to be exhausted, confused, and exhilarated all at once. Over time, the exhaustion fades (a little), and the confusion turns into strategy.