There’s a story that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was once asked how was it that he was so successful reducing the crime rate, specifically the number of murders during his time as Mayor. His reply was that they focused on the jaywalkers. In other words, the little things we focus on have a great impact on the larger things. In this edition of Ask DeBlass, Professor Tom shares some of the most common sense, but NON-NEGOTIABLE rules to ensure that everyone has a great experience in their BJJ classes. Read and snicker. But most importantly do not ignore these rules.
Be Like Water–Make sure you shower as soon as you possibly can after every single class. There are tons of grappling specific soaps and body washes available, but good old fashion Ivory soap and water is all you need to get your skin refreshed and clean after a hard session. It’s also been shown that dandruff shampoos actually contain ingredients that can help keep you free of ringworm.
Laundry Day–Make sure that you wash your gi and your other essentials after every class. Hanging your gi out to dry in the sun can do some good, but should not be seen as the only line of defense. Read the care directions on your products and get them washed.
Talons Are For Eagles–Please keep the nails of your fingers and toes respectably trimmed. The area under our nails can be a hot bed for all sorts of nefarious stuff that could cause issue if someone is scratched and infected.
Minty Fresh–Make sure you brush your teeth before class. Mouthwash, mints, or breath spray would be a great addition to your gi bag.
Going Viral–Do not train when you are sick. If you cannot give up the grind, do some solo drills or bodyweight movements AT HOME. Getting your training partners sick does not make you tough.
Ringworm Guard–Do not get on the mats if you have ANY sign of ringworm, no matter how small. It does not matter how many layers of tape you have on it. Stay off the mats until you are healed.
Axe DeBlass–Please apply deodorant before training. You don’t have to be drowning in Drakar Noir, but a little Axe body spray can do wonders.
Gi 2.0–If you take multiple classes, it is a good idea to bring an extra dry gi to change into. You and your partners will thank us for this one.
Foul Play–If you consistently wash your rashguards, board shorts, gis or whatever and they have a bad odor after coming out of the wash or drier, throw them out. That smell is from bacteria not being fully killed off in the cleaning process. I don’t care if it’s your lucky rashguard. Just do it.
Don’t pollute–Please do your best not to burp or pass gas during class unless it’s an accident. Things happen. Just don’t be that partner who’s known for that. Avoid large meals just before training. You don’t want to finish your Taco Bell and realize that it’s going to be a knee on the belly class that night.
Train hard and clean harder! Send me questions at jiujitsutimessubmissions@gmail.com
Please check out Professor DeBlass and his Academy’s website at Ocean County BJJ
The post Ask DeBlass: The Ten Commandments of Jiu Jitsu Hygiene appeared first on Jiu-Jitsu Times.