Yes, absolutely. A lot of our members were complete beginners when they joined.
How do I join classes?
Since we are a registered martial arts class with Hart House, you will need to purchase a membership to participate. If you are a UofT student, this fee would be in addition to your incidental fees. Please refer to the Hart House website for registration. If it is late in the semester, contact us.
Who can come to Open Mats?
Any UofT student or Hart House member can come to our open mat sessions regardless of being registered for our classes or not. Please sign up weekly here.
Does the club do any Gi training?
BJJ is traditionally trained in a uniform called a “gi”, much like in Judo. We have decided to keep all the club’s instruction no-gi so that students do not need to pay for a uniform. That said, there are several members who own gis. If you coordinated with another member to both bring gis and train during open mat, nobody would mind.
Are there girls in the club?
Absolutely! Though we tend to have more male participants than females, it is a priority of our club to make a safe and comfortable training environment for women. In the past, our female participants coordinate with each other to come to certain classes so they have other female training partners.
What should I wear to practice?
All you need is shorts and a t-shirt. Some members wear sweatpants, gi pants, or yoga pants/tights – any of these options are also good. If you plan on sticking with grappling for any length of time, tight-fitting compression shirts or rashguards are preferred, so that fingers and toes don’t get caught. Similarly, shorts with no pockets are preferred, to protect your partner’s toes. Also, no jewelry is allowed while rolling.
