Where have I been?

It has been quite a while since I posted in the Black Knight Jiu Jitsu page on Facebook or posted a blog on our site and some of you may be wondering, “What happened?”

When I started this Academy back in 2016, I did it out of necessity as our old BJJ gym was struggling and coach decided to close its doors. I didn’t want to see the art die in this town so with just a few weeks’ notice I transformed my small shop space where I taught music into a BJJ gym. I was just a 45 year old blue belt at the time and I decided to dedicate my time and life to training and teaching Jiu Jitsu.

Now, being a small country town, it is quite hard to get people interested in a grappling sport. The usual sports such as Cricket, Rugby League, Hockey, etc were the main sports played here and after crunching the numbers on gym marketing and studying the country’s latest census I soon worked out the average number of members to be around ten to fifteen students. This wasn’t enough to make a living, so I started teaching two days a week in another nearby town (75km away) of similar size.

Things started off fairly well and I had (who I thought was) a good mate joining in training. We soon started training in his garage when we were stuck for a venue. I would sometimes come over early and give him free privates, gave him all my mats (42) that I took over from my gym, Bought him an expensive bottle of whiskey for Christmas as a thank you…

Before I go on, let me explain something. At the time this was happening I had been promoted to purple belt by my black belt coach, who oversees not only my own training and progress, but also progress and promotions at my gym. Because I was only a purple belt, I taught by a strict white to blue belt curriculum and my students would only be promoted to blue belt if they could competently complete all techniques and understood all the principles in said curriculum and these promotions would be done at a seminar with my coach present, where he would assess the students as well. I wanted to make sure anyone who promoted had earned that belt and could hold their own against practitioners of the same level from anywhere.

A year or so later, another coach came along (to a class in this other town) from down south. He initially offered to help me grow my gym and started training with my students in that other town. This friend of mine would let him coach them in his garage, where we trained, and some of my students would train with him once a week. I don’t care if people cross train at other gyms or with other coaches as I believe it can benefit your training, but as explained to ALL my students, you must pick a “home”. A gym that will take care of your gradings and who you would compete under at competitions. All of my members, including this friend, told me they were on hundred percent with Black Knight Jiu Jitsu and wanted to earn their belts and compete through my gym.

I had been teaching in that town for almost three years by now and at our latest seminar with my coach, I wanted to give out some promotions. I tested all members who I thought might know the curriculum by now and so desperately wanted to give my friend his blue belt! Unfortunately, he fell well short and could only complete thirty out of the forty techniques required. I did award a couple of blue belts on the day to members who could complete the curriculum and proved themselves during rolling, but he wasn’t one of them. I was also awarded my brown belt on that day by my coach.

A couple of days after the seminar I received a call from the friend saying that the other coach he trains with had just given him a blue belt! I told him he was meant to be grading and representing my gym but he didn’t want to disrespect the other coach by handing it back and said he would keep the belt. Then another member contacted me the following day saying this same ‘friend’ had asked him to join a new BJJ school they were starting over there.  I messaged the other ‘coach’ and told him what I thought and how disrespectful he was. I also told this friend the same thing and I promptly ended my teaching in that town.

This had a huge effect not only on my gym memberships and income/livelihood, which were halved, but also my mental state. This ‘friend’ I had known for over thirty years. I was deeply hurt by how things happened, and sadly the incident really turned me off BJJ.

I must add, I started teaching in this other town before the dreaded Covid hit us. The incident happened after we re-opened. It was a real struggle just getting old members back, let alone finding new ones to join a grappling sport during a time when people were trying to social distance.

A few months following that incident, my wife and I bought a house. We were living in the back of my gym prior to this and only had the one rent to pay. Although I didn’t have enough members to pay full rent, I was ok with it because the gym was our house as well. Once we bought our new home, I couldn’t afford to keep the gym running, so we closed the doors. This was in April this year.

Fast forward to now, November, and I have been doing absolutely nothing for the past six months. I lost all motivation and felt like a loser who couldn’t keep his gym afloat. I see my friends running successful gyms in their towns and although I am happy for their success, it makes me even more depressed to think I couldn’t do the same. I know, it’s a small town and there was a reason my original coach left a failing gym here only to make a successful gym where he is now, but it really put me off and as a result I now feel crap. I only have myself to blame, but I’m fatter, weaker and my health has degraded so much since I stopped training. Worst of all, I feel like I have let down my coach!

So, it’s about time I do something about it. I have decided I won’t officially open another commercial style gym, but I will rebuild and train/coach again from my garage with more emphasis on my own progress rather than trying to please people or make money running a gym.

Now I have that off my chest, there will be more to come…. Let’s do this!

PS: I take comfort knowing ALL of my students earn their rank.I know this is not the case at a lot of gyms, including the one I stopped coaching at in this other town.

Our “HIIT like a girl” ladies only kickboxing fusion program kicks off on Monday, October 25 and has had an amazing response from our local community!

The 8 week program will commence at 6pm on Monday evening and classes will be a fusion of kickboxing bag/pad work and high intensity interval rounds. Members will sweat away a great workout while learning some kickboxing technique and having a ton of fun!

We have had an amazing response in less than a week of promoting the classes and our limited numbers are now booked out! Thank you so much to all those who have messaged us wishing to join the program. We will definitely be running another program in the new year.

From October 11, 2021 our gym will be reopening! However, there will be some rules we must follow in the short term. These are Government rules, not a business decision.

1. You MUST be fully vaccinated (both jabs) to enter the gym and train.
2. You MUST sign in using the QR code either on the front door prior to entry, or the QR code on the table near the front door upon entry. This is mandatory for all members.
3. New members are allowed but visitors will NOT be permitted to train in our gym until further notice.
4. You MUST show your proof of vaccination when you sign in upon entry.
5. Please do not attend classes if you are feeling ill. Respect your fellow members and prevent the spread of infections.
6. Hand sanitizer is available on the table at the entrance of the gym. Please use it.

Regarding proof of vaccination, please see the following information copied and pasted from the nsw.gov.au website:

Once fully vaccinated (two doses) with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, there are several options to access and share proof of COVID-19 vaccination:

1. COVID-19 digital certificate can be accessed through the Express Plus Medicare mobile app or Medicare online account through myGov. The COVID-19 digital certificate can be added to a smartphone wallet or similar. Visit Services Australia for instructions.
2. Printed version of the COVID-19 digital certificate or immunisation history statement (available through myGov)
3. COVID-19 digital certificate can also be added to a Service NSW app and shared as part of a QR check-in. Visit nsw.gov.au for details.

For people without a Medicare card:

1. Call the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809 and ask for an immunisation history statement to be posted. It can take up to 14 days to arrive.
2. Add a COVID-19 digital certificate to a smartphone wallet or similar using the Individual Healthcare Identifiers service (IHI service) through myGov.
3. An immunisation history statement can be accessed from My Health Record. Visit Services Australia for instructions.

For people without a smartphone or online access:
A COVID-19 digital certificate or immunisation history statement can be accessed via myGov to download and print. Alternatively, call the Australian Immunisation Register to request a copy in the post.

For people with a medical exemption:
If you have a medical reason for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, speak to your medical practitioner about getting your medical contraindication added to your immunisation history.

Penalties may apply for making or presenting a fake form of proof of vaccination.

While I personally don’t agree with them, these rules are mandatory for now. I look forward to seeing everyone back on the mats and working off those covid kilos!

Unlike most Martial Arts, progressing through the ranks in Jiu Jitsu is a long-term process and can sometimes take quite a few years just to earn your first colour (blue). Some students train for fun and fitness while others are more focused on competition. Some students train casually a couple of classes a week while others commit to training almost every day. Some students are young and athletic while others may be older and not as fit or strong as they once were!

Whatever category you fall into, you still need solid fundamentals. At our gym, we grade white belt students based on our white to blue belt curriculum, consisting of 40 techniques that the promoting student must demonstrate confidently and precisely. Depending on how much time you spend on the mats, this can take from one year to many years before you’ll be competent enough at these techniques to move to the next level.

The curriculum is in place for white belts because it is important they develop good habits and fundamental movements early, plus every student will have the same level of knowledge and technical ability regardless of their size, strength, gender or age. In most cases, the reason a student doesn’t promote to blue belt is because they cannot perform the fundamentals in the curriculum to a satisfactory standard or they don’t train regularly enough. You may feel you completed these techniques well, but your coach has seen some flaws in your movements that need correcting, showing them that you are not quite ready to promote.

But I smash the other white belts in sparring!

Comparing oneself to other members is not a great indication of your progress. Maybe you are 20kg heavier and stronger than your teammate of the same skill level? Are you using technique to “smash” these other members or are you just using your size and strength advantage to bully them around? Size and strength do make a difference at that level, no matter what anyone says! In this current time of Covid-19, competitions are few and far between, so you can only roll with your teammates to rate your progress. If that is the case, choose someone close to your size and skill level, or even a fellow student just above your level of skill! How do you go against those members?

Let go of the ego and roll to improve your technique as opposed to rolling to “smash” and win at all costs. Tapping is part of training, we all do it! While rolling (sparring) is important, smashing your teammates does not mean you have the technical knowledge or ability to progress to blue belt.

Constantly making the same mistakes

As a white belt, it is important you take notice of the instruction your coach provides and repeat it with your partner over and over until your coach moves on to the next technique or detail. If your coach corrects your technique or gives you advice but you continue to make the same mistakes, you are obviously not paying attention to them or maybe you are getting confused with technique videos you have watched or instruction from other people.  Whatever the case, while there are various ways to perform any given technique, the curriculum techniques must be performed uniformly by all students to demonstrate not only their understanding of the technique and movement, but also to show they pay attention and listen to their coach.

Regular training is important!

As mentioned above, people train Jiu Jitsu for various reasons. Some people take it quite seriously while others love the social and fun aspect of training. Over the years I have seen members train consistently for a couple of months, then disappear for months before returning and struggling to keep up with the level they were prior to their leave. Others have stuck with training consistently 3 days a week and have shown even progression over that time. Other members have trained fairly regularly, once or twice a week with a week off here and there and have not progressed but also have not gone backward.

Regular training is key to consistent progress. I would suggest three days a week minimum but hey, life gets in the way sometimes! You can only do what you can. A belt promotion shows you are able to demonstrate the skills required for that level. If you don’t train regularly, it will take longer and make it harder to develop your skill to the level of competency required by your coach.

Attitude is as important as skill

Most of the topics discussed already have a lot to do with attitude. Smashing other students and going for the kill every roll is just an ego boost. Sure, there are times when hard rolls are beneficial to your training. But crushing that 55kg girl and submitting her ten times in a round is just being egotistical. So too is bragging about your abilities. Telling people how good you are or how you can beat this person and that person. Don’t be that student.

Learn, absorb knowledge and enjoy your training. Be respectful to your teammates and help them improve. When rolling with smaller students, put yourself in bad positions and practice escaping them. If they tap you, so what!? Look at why you couldn’t escape and fix the problem! Try doing moves technically correct, rather than blasting your way out just because you can. In turn, not only will you help your training partner, but you will show massive improvement in your own game!

You earned your blue belt, congratulations!

Your hard work paid off! You paid attention in class, turned up regularly and drilled the techniques over and over. You approached training with a good attitude and helped yourself by rolling smart and helping your teammates.

But guess what? That pretty piece of blue cloth now tied around your waist hasn’t changed a thing. You still have the same skill as the day before. Don’t stop training now! Keep up the regular attendance, be a good role model for the newbies, continue absorbing knowledge and adding to your repertoire of techniques and principles! Jiu Jitsu is a long journey, so savour each achievement on the mats and continue to progress!

So, you didn’t get promoted?

I have seen people get angry and/or upset when they didn’t get that stripe or new coloured belt. Some people might even quit training! Personally, if I don’t promote a student and they show a poor attitude in the following days or weeks to come, may it be sulking, not training, not talking or being distant and not their normal self, etc, that shows they weren’t ready for their promotion anyway.

I have also had students come to me after a grading and ask what they need to work on to progress to the next level. Yes, they were slightly upset, but they understood their coach held them back for a reason and they genuinely want to work on these issues and improve. Showing a good attitude shows you respect your coach’s decision and you understand they know when you are ready!  I’m sure most higher ranked practitioners can look back at their white belt self and laugh, remembering when they thought “they were ready” for their blue belt!

So what if you didn’t get promoted? Try to put that behind you and concentrate on your training. Focus on your learning and improving your abilities not with a belt colour in mind, more with your own development! Trust your coach knows when you are ready for that promotion!

Conclusion

Everyone has their own journey. Some students will grade faster than other students and some take much longer to promote. Don’t question your coaches’ decisions. Jiu Jitsu is a long journey and students should focus on improving instead of being obsessed by belts. Besides, that coloured piece of cloth doesn’t give you magical guard powers!

I get that a promotion can be a recognition of your progress and be a huge motivator to keep training, but motivation fades and is temporary in such a long journey ahead. Rather than relying on motivation to keep going, try self-discipline. Over the years of training to come, discipline will keep you going when the motivation disappears.

On Saturday, May 29, we had the pleasure of hosting our coach, Felipe Grez, for our first seminar in 2021.

The subject for the seminar was float passing and over two and a half hours, Felipe covered very detailed principles and techniques used in this style of guard passing. Everyone was able to understand and apply these techniques very quickly due to Felipe’s amazing ability to teach, explain and troubleshoot in a way that everybody can understand.

After the warm up we got straight into the details of float passing. Felipe covered five passing variations from the same set up and these principles and techniques basically ‘bolted together’ into a versatile passing system. All of our members put these pieces together almost immediately, for which I am very proud.

After the technique portion of the seminar we set up a team photo as a couple of members had to leave early and then everyone rolled (sparred) for a few rounds while Felipe assessed our students. (For those who do not know already, I own and coach at Black Knight Jiu Jitsu as a purple belt at the time of this seminar and Felipe is my coach and mentor. Felipe is a black belt under world champion Michelle Nicolini and he oversees gradings at our gym).

After our students finished rolling we lined them up and handed out some promotions! Congratulations to Elizabeth on earning her first stripe on her white belt. Since joining our gym, she has been very regular and consistent with training. Elizabeth has also shown great improvement in her movement within that time.

Our next promotion went to Ash. Ashley has been a member of our gym since it opened almost five years ago! He is one of our ‘mature’ members and has had consistent times as well as some breaks with training but has never given up. Ash is also an awesome bloke I am very proud to be the person to tie a blue belt around him!

Our next level up went to Patrick. Pat is one of our members from Young and has shown plenty of commitment to his training! He’s only a little guy but he has a lot of heart and never gives up. His movement and knowledge has come a long way since he began his Jiu Jitsu journey and it was a pleasure to present him with his blue belt. Well done, Pat!

The last promotion I had to give for the day was to Katrina. Over the past twelve months in particular, she has trained five days a week on average and has come a long, long way. Katrina has overcome so much in her life and I am extremely proud to see her grow to the level she has. It is due to her regular daily training that she has developed her fundamental knowledge so well. I was honored to be able to present Katrina with her blue belt!

Just when I thought the seminar was over and about to enjoy a nice bbq lunch, Felipe had one more surprise. I was humbled and honored to be presented with my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt! It was totally unexpected and although it may have looked like tears, it was sweat running out of my eyes, I swear! I have been training BJJ for over eight years now and one gets to the stage where it’s not about the belt colour, it’s more about the training and seeing one improve in the art. That said, it is an honor to accept my promotion from my coach and someone I respect not only as a high level BJJ instructor and practitioner, but also a genuine, caring person who I am privileged to call a friend.

There were other members on the day who I desperately wanted to promote (you know who you are!) but they just hadn’t quite nailed our white to blue curriculum. I am 100 percent positive these members will put that effort in over the next few months and with that dedication will earn their next promotion. The key to success is, don’t give up!

After the days event, most members stayed back and enjoyed a bbq lunch and had a chance to chat with Felipe (and each other) about various subjects. I think everyone can agree the day was not only fun, but a huge learning experience! We look forward to having Felipe out again later in the year.

Introducing Ladies Kickboxing morning classes at Black Knight Jiu Jitsu!

Forget running on a treadmill! Drop the kids at school and make some time for yourself to not only learn real kickboxing skills but also have a great workout!

Our ladies only kickboxing class will focus on teaching you how to punch, kick, knee and elbow for a complete body workout. Gain fitness and flexibility in our fun and action packed classes!

Class times are:
Monday 10am til 11am
Wednesday 6:30am til 7:30am (for the early birds!)
Friday 10am til 11am

Cost is just $10 per class, pay as you go, with no contracts or sign up fees!  You will need some equipment such as boxing gloves and shin pads. Don’t forget to bring some water!

These classes are beginner focused and women of any age (18+) and fitness level are welcome.

I hope to see you there!
Coach Shane

The warmer weather is here. Maybe you’ve had a long winter on the couch and gained a few kilograms or maybe you play a winter sport and looking for a challenge through the warmer off season? If you are thinking about starting a new sport, here are some reasons you should give Jiu Jitsu a try!

1. It’s a vigorous exercise.
There are many types of exercise and sports one can do to keep fit and have fun. In my experience, Jiu Jitsu gives you more of an all-round workout than any other sport. Between warm ups, drilling and sparring, you will work every part of your body, including a heavy core workout.

2. Develops your mind.
Unlike most other martial arts, Jiu Jitsu is classed by many as a game of human chess. For every move there is a counter move, then another counter and so on. Early on you learn to correctly execute fundamental moves. As you gain experience, you start to plan your moves ahead, known as countering your opponent. If you love mental stimulation, you’ll love Jiu Jitsu!

3. You’ll keep a level head under extreme stress.
Unlike many other martial arts, Jiu Jitsu practitioners are put through real stress situations every training session. There is a saying, “The white belt is about learning to survive.” Learning to deal with panic situations your body perceives as a real threat is essential if you want to become a skilled fighter.
With consistent training you mind and body will develop stress management skills. These skills will transfer into your every day life, helping you make effective decisions at home and work.

4. Learn real self defense.
Every man and woman should be able to defend themselves. Jiu Jitsu provides real self defense, especially for the smaller, weaker person. By taking a fight to the ground (where most of them end up!) you take away the persons ability to kick and punch. Most people have no idea what to do once they are on the ground and they tend to panic. With consistent training, you will have the ability to control the situation and keep calm.

5. Gain confidence and lose your ego.
Confidence: About 18 months into my Jiu Jitsu training, I was playing a gig in front of a couple hundred people one night (I’m a musician) and one of my old coaches was attending the party. As we talked, we looked around the crowd and he said to me, “How does it feel to know that no one here could hurt you?”
I never thought about it before, but it’s kinda true…. Jiu Jitsu gives you the confidence to be out in a crowd and know that no one can harm you.
Ego: Jiu jitsu is hard. If you come into the gym thinking you’re going to smash people and never be beaten, think again. Training is a humbling experience and will continue to be for your entire Jiu Jitsu journey. Smaller people tapping out larger, stronger people. Women tapping out men and so on… Jiu Jitsu is a skill based game and if your skill isn’t as good as your opponents, you’re going to have a rough time. But we are all there to learn, so each tap you do becomes a learning process, not a loss.

6. World wide community.
If you travel, you can train Jiu Jitsu anywhere in the world. Most gyms are traveler friendly and your rank (belt colour) carries its weight anywhere in the world. You will meet the same, like minded people with (mostly) great attitudes and willingness to help.

So if you are looking for a new sport/activity to try, come in to Black Knight Jiu Jitsu and trial all classes FREE for a week! If you don’t find any truth to these six points, I’ll refund your money! 😛

Coach Shane

Michelle Nicolini comes to Cowra!

On Friday, August 9 2019, our gym had the absolute pleasure of hosting the most prominent female Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor on the planet for a three hour seminar. This is the first time a female BJJ Black Belt has been in our area to teach and definitely the most decorated BJJ athlete to visit country NSW. For those who don’t train Jiu Jitsu and have never heard of Michelle, here are some of her competition results, not including MMA fights:

In the major IBJJF gi championships at black belt level she is a:-
8x World Championship champion
3x Pan-American Championship champion
3x European Championship champion
3x Brazilian Nationals champion

In the major IBJJF Nogi championships at black belt level she is a:-
4x World Nogi Championship champion
2x Pan Ams Nogi Championship champion
2x Euros Nogi Championship champion

She is also a 4x ADCC medal winner – 1x Gold, 2x Silver and 1x Bronze.

By winning the Brazilian Nationals Nogi Championship Michelle would become the first female athlete to complete a clean sweep of winning a gold medal at black belt level in both gi and no-gi at all four major championships.
– Wikipedia

The seminar started at 6pm, with twenty eight students in attendance. Not only did we have our own members from Cowra and Young, we also had students from Orange, Newcastle and Mudgee. (forgive me if I missed a town!). The mats were full of keen practitioners ready to soak in the knowledge.

After a brief introduction, Michelle got things underway with some drills for warm ups. Guard passing drills were on the menu and students ate up the techniques quickly.

With bodies warm, sweat starting to drip, steam in the windows and the heater being turned off! (lol) Michelle began teaching some awesome guard retention concepts and techniques. Everyone in the room responded well to Michelle’s instruction and students weren’t afraid to ask for help when needed. The techniques continued to flow and everyone was having such a great time!

We moved on to some guard techniques Michelle is famous for.  I learned these techniques 4 years ago while attending Michelle’s Sydney seminar and have taught them to my students, but it was great to revisit them again and pick up more details in her moves!

I could not have asked for the night to go any better than it did. Seeing the smiles on faces, everyone had a fantastic time and Michelle is not only a world class instructor, but also super humble and such a nice, positive, down to earth person.

I would love to thank Michelle for coming all the way out to Cowra, especially through the icy snow that just happened to bucket down this week!  Thank you also to students who traveled from other towns to support us. Without the support from not only our own members, but students from surrounding areas, bringing World Champions like Michelle to our area would be impossible. Finally thanks to my coach, Felipe Grez, for helping to organise the booking with Michelle. I hope she can come out again!

Why would YOU join a Martial Arts gym?

There are many reasons why you might want to start a journey in Martial Arts. With so many options out there, it can be very difficult to filter the legitimate arts from the garbage. So why would you choose to train at Black Knight Jiu Jitsu? Let’s take a look…

• It is PROVEN – Jiu Jitsu has been proven to be the most effective self defense martial art in the world. Contrary to popular belief, studies show that 95% of street fights end on the ground. The techniques you learn in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, which focuses on taking your opponent down to the ground and keeping them there, enables you to attack or get into a more dominant position. This gives you the upper hand at all times in a real-life self-defense situation. For women especially, there is no better form of self defense! Think about it, where does an attacker want a woman during an assault? on the ground!  Do you really think a karate punch to the throat or kick to the groin is going to stop an attacker? NO!  We also teach kickboxing at Black Knight Jiu Jitsu to give our members a complete game from stand up striking, take downs and wall wrestling, through to grappling on the ground!
• National Accreditation – Our coaches are Nationally accredited through Martial Arts Australia and fully insured, ensuring professional instruction in a safe environment.
• Internationally recognised – YES, when you earn your rank in our system your belt is recognised in Jiu Jitsu gyms WORLD WIDE! That’s right, you can travel and train at most Jiu Jitsu Academies around the world without having to start again at white belt!  Even if you move and join another Jiu Jitsu Academy not affiliated with our gym, you RETAIN YOUR RANK.
• Cost – It shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to train martial arts. We keep our prices extremely competitive to provide affordable membership packages and top value for money. Get real world effective training in a professional gym with great people for no more than $30/week with unlimited classes! There are NO membership fees, NO grading fees, NO locked in contracts, NO required uniform purchases, etc. When you grade, you EARN your belt, you don’t pay for it! Kickboxing and Women’s Self Defense classes (not including Jiu Jitsu) are just $20/week!
• Variety – Not only do we teach the number one grappling art in the world today, but we also offer fitness and kickboxing classes to compliment your Jiu Jitsu. At Black Knight Jiu Jitsu we hold ladies only self defense classes, kickboxing classes (with some MMA aspects thrown in), no gi grappling (with MMA based skills included) and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
• Competition – So you want to compete?  We can help achieve your competition goals whether it is MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), Kickboxing or Grappling. You won’t just be competing against students from your own gym either. You can compete  internationally under our banner in Jiu Jitsu competitions around the WORLD!
• Sharpens your mind – Jiu Jitsu is commonly known as “human chess”. Rather than using brute strength to defeat an opponent, Jiu Jitsu employs the use of framing, angles, core movement and more to apply various techniques to defeat your opponent which shows once again why it is such an effective martial art for self defense, providing a chance for a smaller, weaker person to successfully defend themselves against a larger, stronger assailant. The real fun begins when your opponent is also skilled in grappling, forcing you to think ahead to ‘trap’ your opponent and eventually work a submission to finish the match.
• Self Improvement – Whether you are a black belt or a white belt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches you to accept that you will never fully become a master of your martial art. Not only are there hundreds of techniques out there but there are also new ones being discovered everyday. You then realize that the only way to improve is to continuously work on it everyday and remind yourself that you have a lot to learn. Gain fitness, flexibility, confidence, mental stimulation and so much more!!

Don’t take it from the gym owner… take a look at what others say about us!

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If you have been thinking about starting a martial art for sport, fitness or real self defense, what have you got to lose??? Come along and try our classes at Black Knight Jiu Jitsu!  The first week is always FREE.

The hardest step is the one you take through our front door!

You’re not alone!

But think about it… Every skilled fighter had the same ability as YOU in the beginning. They say a black belt is a white belt that doesn’t quit and it’s true! So why would you feel intimidated or afraid to come into the gym and join in your first class? Let’s take a look…

I’m too old or too fat:  The great thing about training Martial Arts is the journey is about you. Regardless of your age or size, you train to better yourself. You don’t need to compare yourself to others around you! At Black Knight Jiu Jitsu we help each individual reach their potential based on their goals. If you want to get fitter, be stronger both physically and mentally, protect yourself, compete in tournaments, cage or ring… we will help you reach that goal!

I don’t want to get hurt: Most of us mere mortals have to go to work each day and also have other priorities in life. You can’t afford to get injured while training a combat art, right?  Yes, we do train a combat sport/art and accidents do sometimes happen, but our members are there to help each other, not hurt each other! When you first come into our gym to train there is no pressure to perform, spar, etc. You work at your own pace and our members and instructors respect that.

I don’t want to look clueless in front of everyone: Guess what? Everyone looks clueless when they have their first class! Sometimes it takes quite a few classes before you begin to understand and that is OK. Rest assured you won’t be the only one feeling that way in class and it doesn’t last long. Just turn up to classes and you’ll be on top of it in no time! No one is judging you because we have all been there.

But gyms are expensive! Depending where you go, yes. At Black Knight Jiu Jitsu we aim to keep our prices extremely affordable and competitive. For as little as $30/week you can buy a FULL membership and attend every class on the timetable if you wish!!!  That’s up to 14 classes per week, costing just $2.14 per class! We have NO membership fees, NO locked in contracts, NO grading fees etc. Just pay your weekly rate! We also now offer online signup by clicking here.

What else does your gym offer? besides the huge benefits you get from training, we also offer our members a variety of social gatherings where we can chat, watch or train! – Most weekends we host open mat sessions where members can come and spar each other.
– Every quarter we hold our ‘Pizza Night’ where all members are invited to come along free of charge for all you can eat pizza!
– Members are invited to the gym to watch various televised MMA and Jiu Jitsu events.
– Attend our Christmas party each year where we announce our ‘Member Of The Year’ awards for Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing at our Cowra gym and Jiu Jitsu award for our Young gym.

So what have you got to lose? Nothing! Your first week at Black Knight Jiu Jitsu is always FREE.  The only thing you need to do is walk in the door and fill out a membership/waiver, then train. that’s it!
At no cost you can try any or all classes for the week and if it isn’t for you, you don’t have to continue! If you are reading this blog then you have thought about trying Martial Arts classes and believe me, once you start, the bug will bite and you’ll be hooked!

At the end of the day, the decision is yours to make.  Trying is the only way to know if Martial Arts is for you. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!