Training BJJ 6 days a week at Chiang Mai Pure Grappling
- development
- jiu-jitsu
Hello, this is Quartz, currently developing the Post Black Belt app. It's already been over a week since I arrived in Chiang Mai, and I've been exercising every day except for Sundays when the dojo is closed 😎. I really enjoyed Pure Grappling dojo because it offers a variety of classes including Gi Jiu-Jitsu, No-Gi, and even Yoga. In this post, I'd like to share my experience after attending the dojo for about a week. Please keep in mind that this is based on a short period and includes my personal opinions.
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Gym Introduction
Pure Grappling is very close to Chiang Mai International Airport. I'm staying in the Nimman area, which is about a 20-minute walk from the dojo. I was worried that it might be tough to walk back and forth in the hot weather, but Chiang Mai in March is manageable if you avoid going out between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., excluding the air pollution in smoking season.
First Floor
The gym is a two-story building. Upon entering, I was surprised to see mats that didn't look like the usual Jiu-Jitsu mats, but the first floor is for Yoga, and the second floor is for Jiu-Jitsu classes. Normally, Yoga classes are held before Jiu-Jitsu classes, and you can enjoy Yoga in a refreshing environment with sunlight coming through large windows (which might be slightly painful if you're not flexible like me). It was my first time trying Yoga, and the instructor, Neroli, paid close attention to each student, allowing me to exercise without overdoing it and in a way that suited me.
저Since I mostly wore slippers in Chiang Mai, my feet were pretty dirty when I arrived at the dojo.. haha.. There's disinfectant gel and tissues available at the door to clean your feet, but I used the bathroom on the first floor.
If it's your first visit to the dojo, you can register at the reception desk on the first floor. Chiang Mai commonly uses a QR scan payment system called GNL, and Pure Grappling accepts this payment method. They also sell dojo rash guards, and I plan to buy one as a souvenir before I leave. It's a very meaningful dojo for me as it's my first overseas training visit.
To the left of the reception desk, there are pictures and medals of members displayed. Since the dojo has so many visitors, it's not easy to remember names, but I sometimes looked at the board to memorize them ☺️. My Korean name is not easy for foreigners to pronounce, but I'm really grateful that everyone made an effort. It seems that medals from both the head instructor and members are displayed. I was quite envious when a friend I made at the dojo proudly showed me their Asian Championship silver medal hanging there 🤩.
Second Floor
Now onto the second floor, where the Jiu-Jitsu action takes place. As you follow the stairs up, you're greeted by the familiar sight of Jiu-Jitsu mats. When classes begin, black barricades are set up to prevent anyone from accidentally rolling down the stairs.
he second floor also houses bathrooms with shower facilities. Although I haven't used them, there are notices urging users to keep them clean and use them quickly for the convenience of others, haha.
Last Saturday, we had over 20 people attending the class. The room is well-equipped with air conditioning, fans, and air purifiers, so it wasn't unbearably hot. Throughout the past week, we did a lot of standing classes, and I appreciated how the mats were soft enough to not hurt when taking falls.
Instructor Introduction
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For information on the dojo's instructors, it's best to refer to the website. Ryan, the head instructor, leads the afternoon classes, while the morning classes are usually conducted by Mark or another foreign instructor. During my stay, Mark was away on a trip, so the classes were alternately taught by another foreign black belt, Bobby, and the head instructor.
Class Introduction
The class schedule might change, so it's recommended to check the dojo's website for the most current information. I once relied on an old schedule and ended up arriving late for the Gi class on Tuesday, so I waited and attended the No-Gi class instead… 😂
Warm-Up
The warm-up usually consists of about 10 minutes of stretching, basic drills, and various forms of breakfalls. I'm quite bad at breakfalls, but after a week, I feel like I've gotten the hang of it somewhat. It also seems that the warm-up exercises vary slightly depending on the day's class.
Initially, I thought we were focusing on stretching because it was early, but since Jiu-Jitsu involves a lot of inward curling movements, it was beneficial to do exercises that open up the shoulders and the rest of the body. I plan to continue using these stretches for my personal routine even after returning to Korea.
Technique Class
I've been practicing Jiu-Jitsu for about 2 and a half years, starting from a dojo in Korea. Hence, I'm quite familiar with how classes are conducted, whether in Korea or abroad. I visited the dojo thinking Jiu-Jitsu would be similar everywhere, but I was surprised and somewhat awkward with the new and different warm-up routines.
Classes are conducted in English. During my week, I attended classes on a variety of techniques, including side position armbar, ankle pick, De La Riva pass, advantageous lifting for Jiu-Jitsu, close guard sweep, and 3/4 mount pass. The instructors explained in detail the importance of each technique, which grips to avoid to prevent counterattacks (like not digging for an underhook when the opponent has a knee shield, which I was doing 😅). My previous experience watching IBJJF competitions and technique videos in English greatly helped me understand the classes.
Personally, this was my first time attending No-Gi classes, and although the grips felt strange, it was enjoyable. Since there are two No-Gi classes a week, the members are quite adept at No-Gi, executing leg techniques and berimbolos proficiently, even if they are not brown belts (which led me to use worm guard 😁).
Open Mat (Sparring)
According to the class schedule, there is about 30 minutes of open mat time daily, where sparring typically takes place after the technique portion of the class. Sparring is voluntary, and as you might expect, you just need to make eye contact with someone to start a roll 😎.
Conclusion
I wanted to write more frequently about my Jiu-Jitsu journey in Chiang Mai, but I've been a bit lazy, hence this follow-up post 😅. Personally, I hadn't been enjoying Jiu-Jitsu as much since a knee injury early last year, but visiting this dojo and experiencing new things helped me overcome some of that staleness.
Going to the dojo every day also allowed me to make good friends, one of whom was kind enough to give me a ride back to my accommodation in the evenings (โคคูนก้า 😇). Pure Grappling dojo even operates a late-night pick-up service, just kidding^^. That day, Head Instructor Ryan introduced the original word for Jiu-Jitsu, 柔術, emphasizing the importance of moving softly. I've always wanted to roll more smoothly and with less force, and this reminder has motivated me to train harder.
Thank you for reading this long post, and I'm even more thankful if you found it interesting. I'm also working hard on the Post Black Belt app, so I would appreciate it if you could support and use it.