Guidelines

Stay home if you are sick
No one wants unnecessary time spent off the mats—if you feel any signs of sickness, please stay home to avoid spreading it to your friends.
Do not wear shoes on the mats
To ensure that we do not carry dirt and bacteria from outside onto our mats, please remove your shoes before getting on them.
Do not walk barefoot off the mats
…especially the bathroom!
Wash your gear
To avoid bacteria and odour alike, please wash all of your gear (belt included!) after every training session.
Clip your nails
Long nails (fingers and toes) can be dangerous for both you and your training partner—please make sure they are sufficiently trimmed before class.
Remove jewellery
…for the same reason as above.
Wear deodorant
None of us likes a smelly training partner—please use deodorant before class.

Do not hurt your training partners
No one wants to take a break, so please put the safety of yourself and your training partners above all. The less you are hurt the more time you can spend on the mats.
Some moves are not allowed
To minimize injuries, we do not allow: standing jump guard, heel hooks in the gi, can opener, slamming, and neck cranks.
When crowded, start on the ground
To avoid accidents—please start the rounds seated when the mats are especially full (and look out for collisions!).
Do not rush submissions
Training is not competition—slow down and give your partner time to tap if you catch a submission. (There is more improvement in controlling submissions than cranking them anyway!)
Tap early and at any time
Don’t let your ego get in the way of your training—your safety is more important than that.
Sit out a round if you have to
No shame in taking a break if you need it.
If someone gets injured, let us know
Our students' safety is of utmost importance for us. If you or your training partner gets injured, please let us know immediately so we can do our best to help you.

Clarify the ruleset
Communicate with your partner about which ruleset you are rolling under (white or black?) to avoid unnecessary surprises (and possible injuries).
Turn down anyone, for any reason
If you do not want to roll with someone, you are allowed to say no for whatever reason you want without being questioned.
Match your partner’s intensity
Not every round is a competition round (but some most certainly are!)—please adjust your intensity to the skill, size, age, and energy levels of your training partners.
Ask questions before, during, and after class
We are all here to learn and there are no stupid questions (seriously!).
Cross-train as much as you want
We believe in openness and exploration and encourage all of our members to visit other gyms (and we love to have visitors as well!).
Please don’t call your coaches sensei
Stop it, it’s creepy!
Have fun!
For most of us, jiu-jitsu is a hobby. Strive to improve, but always have fun in the process.

Wear whatever patches that you want
We don’t care where you trained before—we are happy that you are here.
Wear shorts in nogi
We don’t have a uniform requirement but even for us, men in only spats can feel a little daunting. Please wear shorts above your spats (men).

Pet the dog
But (to avoid unwanted bacteria on the mat) please wash your hands afterwards!
Let us know how to improve
At Stark, our members are our most important assets and we are always happy to hear your feedback about anything.