SATURDAY Open Mat CHALLENGE
Join us every Saturday from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM for one of the most unique open mats in Seattle. Our format is simple but intense: 15 continuous rounds, 5 minutes each and only 20 seconds between! It’s designed to build resilience, improve your conditioning, and sharpen your jiu-jitsu.
Our Saturday Open Mat is open to all BJJ practitioners and completely free for anyone currently training. However, it’s important to know that this is a high-paced, non-stop rolling session designed for experienced grapplers who want to push their limits.
White belts are always welcome, but we want to be honest: this isn’t a typical beginner-friendly class. Expect continuous rounds, minimal downtime, and a real challenge. If you’re newer, it is still a great experience and fun, just come ready to pace yourself.
Due to the size and intensity of open mat, which often hosts over 40 adult athletes, we kindly ask that children under the age of 11 not be in the facility during this time. This policy is in place to ensure the safety of our young ones and to maintain a professional, focused training environment.
We ask everyone to ARRIVE ON TIME and fully commit to the challenge—this means avoiding long breaks or resting between rounds. The goal is consistency, self-improvement, and pushing your limits…not just showing up.
Come ready to push yourself in a fun, supportive atmosphere where everyone’s chasing the same goal—improvement! This is where endurance meets technique, and where you leave not just tired, but better than when you walked in. GI IS REQUIRED FOR THIS CLASS.
Dojo etiquette
At SJJA we tend to teach in a more relaxed and less rigid atmosphere than traditional martial arts. However, in order to maintain a positive learning environment that is both conducive to learning and welcoming to students and visitors we require our students, parents guests, and staff to adhere to the following Dojo Etiquette guidelines.
Always show respect to your instructors, training partners, and fellow human beings. Respect in training means: do not seek to harm fellow students physically (e.g., by cranking a submission harder than necessary to make them tap) or emotionally (i.e., by calling them names or making jokes about hurting them). Respect also means that you must train seriously and hard enough for you and your partner to improve his or her skills, conditioning, and fighting spirit (do not quit mid round). Not giving your best during training detracts from both you and your partner’s experience.
Higher belts have right of way when rolling. If you are unsure of rank, just move. Pause your round and reset to a open spot on the mat and continue.
You are not obligated to roll with anyone you don’t want to. We encourage you to roll with everyone and all skill levels, but its your choice to accept/reject any offer to roll.
If you are not a white belt, you are responsible for your own safety and the safety of your partner. Train hard, but not at the risk of injury. If you are rolling with a white belt, YOU are responsible for their safety. That means letting go of a tight submission, changing positions, and even stopping a round mid roll to keep a new partner safe.
Keep finger and toe nails short and clean to prevent injury to yourself and others.
Bring a clean, dry gi to each class. Also, always keep a rash guard or T-shirt in your gym bag.
Keep shoes off the mat and the common area in the entry of the Academy so that we can keep the mats clean and sanitary.
Do not walk outside with bare feet or in the restroom. Slippers must be worn when off the mat.
Do not talk while the instructor is talking. It distracts those who are trying to learn and is disrespectful to the teacher, as well as other students.
Stand, sit with your legs crossed, or kneel during class. No lounging.
Wear a compression top/nogi gear under your gi at all times. Please wear your gi, a T-shirt, or a tank top while in public areas of the Dojo.
Do not leave the mat during class without the instructor’s permission. (Children’s class)
Keep cell phones off during class.
If the instructor has not changed the task, then continue doing the task he or she has asigned. You can NEVER do a technique too many times.
No children in the fitness area.
No children on the mat when class is not in session.
