Your First BJJ Class: What to Expect
Everyone is nervous before their first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class. Here's exactly what's going to happen, so you can walk in like you've done it before.
Before you arrive
- Wear: shorts or leggings without zips/pockets and a t-shirt or rash guard. No gi needed for your first sessions.
- Bring: a water bottle and flip-flops (for walking off the mats — bare feet on mats, footwear everywhere else).
- Trim your nails. Your training partners will thank you.
- Arrive 10–15 minutes early to meet the coach and sign in.
How the class runs
- Warm-up (10 min) — jogging, movement drills like shrimping and forward rolls. Don't worry if the movements feel alien; they did for everyone.
- Technique (25–30 min) — the coach demonstrates one or two moves, then you drill them with a partner at zero resistance. This is where you actually learn.
- Positional or live rounds (15–20 min) — controlled practice with resistance. As a brand-new beginner you can sit this out, drill more, or try a round with a sensible higher belt.
The etiquette, in one paragraph
Bow or slap hands before rounds, tap early and often (tapping just means "you got me, restart" — nobody's counting), don't coach people mid-round, and keep your gear clean. That's genuinely it. BJJ gyms are some of the friendliest sporting environments you'll find, because everyone remembers being new.
What you'll feel like after
Exhausted, slightly bewildered, and strangely hooked. The learning curve in BJJ is steep for the first month and then it clicks — which is why we give you two free sessions: one to survive, one to realise you enjoy it.
Frequently asked questions
Will I have to spar on my first day?
Not unless you want to. Live rolling is always optional for beginners — most new starters drill technique and watch the first rounds.
Am I too unfit to start BJJ?
No. You get fit by training, not before it. Every black belt was once gassed after one round — rest when you need to.
What if I'm the only beginner?
You won't be — beginner-heavy classes are the norm at MMA Factory. And higher belts love helping new people; it's the culture of the sport.
Train with us — first two sessions free
MMA Factory is open now at Lordswood Boys' School sports hall, Hagley Road, Birmingham B17 8BJ. BJJ and wrestling classes for kids, teens and adults — complete beginners welcome.