LearnParents & Coaches7 min read
Choosing a Gym: What to Watch and What to Ask.
What a good trial class looks like, the questions to ask about contracts and safety, the red flags, and a checklist to tick on your phone as you visit.
- Who it's for
- Anyone picking a gym, dojo or club, for themselves or for their kid
- Time it takes
- A trial class or two at each place you're considering
- Most important thing
- How the room feels, and how safe it is. Not the trophies on the wall
- Bring
- The checklist below. Tick it on your phone as you go
The short version
The best gym is the one you will keep going to, run by people who keep you safe. Style matters less than you think. A great judo club beats a bad jiu-jitsu gym, and the other way round.
Visit. Take a trial class. Watch how the coach treats the weakest person in the room. That tells you most of what you need to know.
Not sure which art to look for? Find Your Style takes two minutes.
What to watch in a trial class
- Does someone greet you? A good gym notices a new face and tells you what to expect.
- Who do beginners train with? New people should be paired with patient, experienced partners, not thrown in with the hardest competitor.
- How hard is sparring? Ask how intensity is controlled, and when beginners start. "Whenever you're ready, and we'll go light" is a good answer.
- How does the coach correct people? Clear and specific is good. Yelling and embarrassment are not.
- Is it clean? Mats mopped daily, no smell, people in clean gear. Skin infections are a real risk in grappling.
- How do people treat each other after a round? Handshakes, laughter and help up off the floor are what you want to see.
Questions to ask
- What does a typical week look like for a beginner?
- How long is the contract, and how do I cancel? Get it in writing.
- Are there extra fees for belt tests, uniforms or tournaments?
- Who teaches the beginner and kids' classes, and what is their background?
- What happens if someone gets hurt?
- Do you compete? Is that required, or optional?
Extra questions for a kids' program
Red flags
- Pressure to sign a long contract on your first visit.
- You can't watch a class before you join, or parents aren't welcome to stay.
- Injuries are treated as a badge of honour.
- Belts come very fast, and each one costs a lot.
- The coach talks down other gyms more than they talk about their own students.
- Claims that their style is the only one that "really works."
Your visit checklist
Tick these off as you visit. Your ticks are saved on this device.
