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Searching for a new gym can be stressful and even more stressful if you’re not sure what negative things you should be wary of. Here’s a list of red flags you should look out for when looking for a new gym. 1. Instructor is constantly on their phone during class If the instructor is not actively instructing (i.e. making sure students are doing the moves correctly, making sure to answer questions etc.) it’s a sign that they may not value your time as a student or may not care if you’re actually successful or not. 2. Women don’t train at...

Every martial artist knows “That Guy”. The guy you train with only if you absolutely have to. The guy whose smell hits you before anything else. Being “that guy” is never a good thing as it typically implies that your teammates don’t or won’t train with you. So, how do you avoid being “that guy’”? 1. Clip your nails If your partners look like they just went a round with Wolverine, it may be time to whip out your trusty pair of nail clippers. Getting cuts from someone's nails is not only unpleasant during your BJJ training, it’s also unsanitary...

A question that comes up in many BJJ circles, especially within the last few years: should you have to pay for your belt promotions? To many, that answer is a resounding “No” - and we in the XMARTIAL family strongly agree. Unlike most other martial arts that have a belt ranking system, most academies don’t hold tests and give the student a belt by surprise, once he earned it by “pouring his blood, sweat and tears” on the mats. This idea supports the fact that most individuals spend hours a week at the gym, pay their monthly dues and bring...