Getting Your Child Started in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: A Parent’s Guide

Wanting to get your child started in Brazilian jiu jitsu but don’t know where to start? This is the post for you! We will talk about the steps to getting your child started in BJJ.

Understanding The Benefits Of Jiu Jitsu For Your Child

Getting your child into jiu jitsu can offer so many benefits! Understanding those benefits will help you recognize and encourage it throughout their time on the mat. Below are just some of the biggest benefits you will find:

• Physical exercise and coordination improvement
• Discipline and focus development
• Confidence and self-esteem building
• Stress relief and social skills enhancement

As you are probably aware, these are such valuable skills a child can learn, especially at an early age. Of course, every child is different and some benefits may present themselves more than others. But to see these skills develop within your child is worth highlighting and celebrating throughout their jiu jitsu journey.

Research Gyms and Instructors

Researching which gym and instructors would best fit you and your family may save you lots of time and money. It may be overwhelming to know where to start, especially if you are unfamiliar with the sport, but here are a few things to consider when looking at a jiu jitsu school for your child:

• Location – is it convenient for you?
• Class Schedule – what are the days and times of the classes your child is able to go to?
• Class Requirements – what are the requirements  of the child to be able to attend the classes?
• Facility – is the facility clean and safe?
• Instructors – what does the Instructor’s background and credentials look like?
• Price – does the price fit into your budget?
• Class Size – what is the instructor-to-student ratio for the kids class?

You may only find the answer to some of the questions by visiting the gym, but the internet will be a good place to start building your list of options.

You can also lean on friends, family or community members who might have recommendations or feedback on different gyms. It may be easier than you think to find someone in your community who does jiu jitsu and who is willing to offer some advice! It’s always easier if you have a connection already to help you get started.

Attend A Trial Class

Visiting a gym to try out a class will offer so much insight into whether or not it’s the best fit for you and your family. Most gyms will offer a trial class, which is great to take advantage of to observe the environment and how the classes are held.

This also is a great time to ask the instructors or the gym manager any questions you might have. Whether it be about their gym specifically, or about getting started in the sport. They’ll have lots of tips as well on getting started.

It might be intimidating for some who are new to the sport to walk into a new gym that they know nothing about, even for a parent! But the jiu jitsu community is usually very welcoming and friendly, so don’t be intimidated. Hopefully after visiting the gym, you will be ready to sign your child up for jiu jitsu classes.

Understanding The Uniform

Once you are signed up, one final piece is the uniform. Check with your instructor what the uniform requirements might be. In jiu jitsu, there are two styles – Gi and No-Gi. The Gi style will require a kimono and a belt to wear over the child’s clothes. No-Gi style will be without the gi. Typically students wear a rashguard, grappling shorts, spats or leggings. These you can find online, but also check with your jiu jitsu gym if they have gis and rashguards that you purchase through them.

Conclusion

This post was all about steps to getting your child started in jiu jitsu. We hope you found this blog post helpful in getting your child on the mats! If you are interested in getting your child started in jiu jitsu with us at Hybrid Jiu Jitsu, contact us today to schedule your free trial class.

Check out our next post where we go over additional tips for jiu jitsu parents to support their child’s jiu jitsu journey!