Beginners Guide to Your First Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Class

Beginners Guide to Your First Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Class in Salt Lake City

What To Expect At Your First Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Class

This is a Beginners Guide to Your First Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Class in South Jordan Utah.  

First off, there is a well known saying in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: The hardest part of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is getting to your first class. 

So if you are contemplating your first Jiu Jitsu class, the first thing we want to say is this: 

Just Come! Get the hard part out of the way. 

Also – your first seven days of unlimited classes are free. Check our schedule for a class that works for you, and arrive about fifteen minutes early to sign up. 

What do You Call The Teacher

This is one of the most asked questions. At our gym, you can call most of our instructors by name if you know it – but regardless of where you are in the United States, calling the teacher either coach, or professor, will be accepted. 

How do You Choose a Gi For Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?

If you buy a GI from us, your first month of unlimited training is FREE!

• Gi Cost - $129

What Is The Atmosphere Like?

You will find at Unified Brazilian Jiu Jitsu everyone is very friendly, open, and helpful. We are a family friendly, team oriented school, not a “fight club.” 

Many people are surprised by how friendly everyone is. You have probably watched fights on UFC and Jiu Jitsu doesn't look very friendly in that environment. Just remember, there are lots of levels of BJJ to choose from – we have professional competitors and hobbyists of all ages and levels.

There is no reason to be intimidated. Everyone here was brand new at some point and knows  how hard it is coming to that first class. Because of this, everyone is very helpful and encouraging. 

What Do I Need to Bring?

For your first class, you don’t need anything.

Wear gym shorts and a appropriate workout shirt.

Please bring a pair of shoes that are easy to slip on and off (like flip flops). You should always be wearing some sort of footwear whenever you are off the mat. This helps keeps the mat free clean.

We have “gi’s” if you come to a Gi-class and in No-gi you can workout in your shorts and shirt (everyone else will be). 

A helpful tip for No-Gi – wear a shirt that is fairly “fitted” and not too loose at the bottom to keep it from riding up while you are training.

Mouth Guards – Although these are little weird to get used to, we suggest a mouth guard. Venum makes good mouth guards that are inexpensive and easy to mold, but you can find many brands online or at Amazon.com 

DO NOT – Wear any jewelry to class. Bad things happen on both sides when fingers get caught in jewelry. 

Which Class Should I Attend

We have beginner classes Monday through Thursday at 6pm.

• please come ten to fifteen minutes early to get signed up and so we can show you around the facility.

What If I'm Out of Shape?

Come as you are. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a great way to get in shape. 

No previous fitness level is required. BJJ will get you in shape. 

If you are tired, then rest. There are lots of rest opportunities throughout class.  And again, if you let your training partners know that you are just getting going and are not in great shape yet, they will help you. 

Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Safe?

Your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu experience will be as safe as you are and as safe as you want it to be. 

What does this mean? 

It means that as long as you communicate your goals to your training partners that you wish to go slow and be safe, and you behave in a safe manner yourself, then Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is incredibly safe. 

You will not find students at Unified Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who are out to hurt anyone else – or get hurt themselves. Most practitioners desire to train well, practice techniques, and experience longevity in the sport. 

But make no mistake – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a fighting art. It is widely used in tournaments and in Mixed Martial Arts. If your desire is to have a fast paced more aggressive experience, you can find that here too. And along with faster pace and increased intensity, comes the risk of injury – as is the case with ALL sports activities.

Am I Going to Learn Self-Defense?

Yes, you are going to learn self-defense. Unified Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is taught based on the fighting system perfected by Master Helio Gracie who passed it on to Master Pedro Sauer, who then passed it on to Professor John Carlquist and James Gardner here in Salt Lake City. 

Although we also teach techniques that are seen in what is called “sports Jiu Jitsu” and many of our students compete successfully in Bjj Tournaments – our lineage is a fighting lineage, and as such, we keep to our roots in self-defense. 

One of the reasons Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is so wildly popular today is because of its fighting application seen in the early cage matches in the UFC. For the first time ever, we saw smaller opponents defeating much larger, stronger opponents using techniques rather than strength or speed.

Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Good for Women?

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in our opinion is the ultimate fighting system for women. As we mentioned before – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu allows someone to defeat opponents who are larger and stronger using precise techniques that are not dependent upon strength, speed, or athleticism to be effective. 

Plus, there are a lot of women who train Jiu Jitsu in the Salt Lake Valley in general. Also, Unified BJJ is one of the only academies with dedicated women-only classes and women-only open mat times. 

What If I'm Older?

People start Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when they are little kids, in their teens, in their twenties, and in their forties and fifties. 

There is no age that is “too old” to begin Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. 

There are many stories of people beginning Jiu Jitsu over 60. Like this guy training at 71 who started when he was 64 Or follow the BJJ Grandma on YouTube and Instagram if you wonder whether you are too old for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Summary - Beginner Guide to Your First BJJ Class

Your first class is the hardest one to make yourself attend. But come try it out. 

Your first seven days of unlimited classes are free. 

You will be pleasantly surprised by the open, welcoming, and encouraging environment you find at Unified BJJ (and in Jiu Jitsu in general).