Gracie Barra Northern Ireland FAQ.

I have never done any martial arts before, what classes can I attend?

You can attend any classes you like, everyone learns the same techniques regardless of skill, experience or fitness levels….but don’t worry, you only do as much as you feel comfortable with. Obviously the more you train the faster you will improve, but there are many students with other commitments who can only train once or twice a week…this isn’t a problem, it just means you will take longer to achieve your goal. Typically a class will involve a warm up, stretching, takedowns, guard passing, then the bulk of the class is learning techniques and drilling them, with open sparring at the end (new students please be aware that sparring is not mandatory…..like I said, you only do as much as you feel comfortable) If you’re still unsure, come along and watch a class first.

Will I need a Gi?

You don’t need a gi initially as the techniques are easily adapted for no-gi training, therefore shorts and a t-shirt is fine to start with. If you’re going to stick at it though, you will need to get a gi….otherwise you will find your supply of t-shirts disappearing fast as they get ripped!

How much is it?

Classes are £5 and your annual insurance + membership is £25. (classes are ‘pay as you go’ however the insurance and membership fee of £25 is a single annual payment) You can train for a few weeks without insurance until you decide if BJJ is for you, however after that you must pay your insurance + membership. Please be aware that anyone training without insurance is doing so entirely at their own risk, and you will have no ability to make a claim should you get injured. Graice Barra N.I cannot be held responsible for any injuries sustained.

Where are you?

Classes are at the Valley Leisure Ctr in Newtownabbey. There is also a class in Whiterock in Belfast on a Wednesday evening.

How long does it take to get my blue Belt?

Don’t get hung up on this. Just train hard and you will progress at the speed which is right for you. Typically though, if you train hard and have a natural ability for BJJ, you can get your Blue Belt in as little as a year, but more typically it’s about 1.5 to 3yrs to get it. Black Belt’s typically take 6 – 10 years depending on how much you train and how injury free you stay!

I want to fight MMA…!!

Okay, so you’ve been watching the UFC or TUF and fancy having a go but aren’t sure where to start. If you want to fight mma, you need a stand up and a ground fighting style. Something like Muay Thai and BJJ is a nice combination, or Boxing and Judo etc. It’s important you understand the basics and get a good strong set of basic principles and techniques behind you, because when you’re tired or losing a fight, you will automatically return to what you know best. Some times if you train in multiple disciplines you don’t really have a core discipline. As Neil Adams once said, ‘there’s nothing quite like knowing one system really well’. (okay, make that 2 nowadays). But ultimately you need to decide how much time you can devote to training if you’re serious about mma.