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New students from other gyms
6 year(s) ago • 2535 views • 21 replies
SCBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I wondering how ya'll deal with people trying to change to your gym from another neighboring gym ? do ya'll goto through the effort of checking out why they left with the other gym owner? do you just screw it and sign them up? Do you just let me do what they want? how do you handle someone looking to switch to your gym.
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I try to ask them casually about their experience there and when there's something fishy I'll check with them if I can.
I had someone quit my gym because I told them they can't train more than 2-3 times per week because they had an eating disorder. They didn't agree to the terms we set for them for training and quit after which I notified some other gyms.
I had someone quit my gym because I told them they can't train more than 2-3 times per week because they had an eating disorder. They didn't agree to the terms we set for them for training and quit after which I notified some other gyms.
BGBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Try to figure out why they are moving in. If the prior gym is some friend I contact the owner and tell but if not, I accept and life goes..... I had a case of few students migrated from another affiliate gym. I contacted the owner to understand what happened over there but accepted the students.
Edited 6 year(s) ago
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
People switch gyms for different reasons. Some switch because they find better coaching or better facilities to be more important, some switch because the other gym is treating them or their coaches like dirt, some are escaping a McDojo, some just plain like to switch things up every now and then. Sometimes the students are kicked out for a good reason like beating a civilian or something, but that's rare. In those cases I would not accept that student in my academy.
BGBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Clients (students) are like girlfriend/boyfriend. Nobody will steal them, we lose them and they will find another place to be important.
MBBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I just ask about their experience. Most often then not, they are switching because of coaching issues. Some come over because I provide better support for my competitors.
The BJJ community is typically pretty small in any given region/district/city. A lot of the times a current student of mine will know a little more about the incoming student. But, otherwise I giver everyone the benefit of the doubt and sign them up. I've only had to kick out 2 students (for reasons I would late find out were the same issues/reasons they were kicked out of their old school (typically bad attitude)).
The BJJ community is typically pretty small in any given region/district/city. A lot of the times a current student of mine will know a little more about the incoming student. But, otherwise I giver everyone the benefit of the doubt and sign them up. I've only had to kick out 2 students (for reasons I would late find out were the same issues/reasons they were kicked out of their old school (typically bad attitude)).
RDBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I always ask them why. I don't want to inherit someone elses cancer or problem student.
We give them a trial period to see if we are a good fit for them and for us as well. If they don't like my style of teaching I will refer them to other academies. I like to keep a a good and positive training atmosphere.
We give them a trial period to see if we are a good fit for them and for us as well. If they don't like my style of teaching I will refer them to other academies. I like to keep a a good and positive training atmosphere.
DBBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I try to ask them casually about their experience there and when there's something fishy I'll check with them if I can. I had someone quit my gym because I told them they can't train more than 2-3 times per week because they had an eating disorder. They didn't agree to the terms we set for them for training and quit after which I notified some other gyms.
Curious. What does an eating disorder have to do with limiting their training?
Edited 6 year(s) ago
BNPurple beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Where I live, it's a small community relatively speaking so most people change to my gym for commute reasons or if they lose interest in the MMA side (most gyms around here are more MMA-focused). There is only one guy who got "kicked out" of another gym--- my coach gave him a chance however it was pretty clear why he was asked to leave a previous gym and he didn't last.
DBBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
We welcome everyone until they show themselves to have reason we should be concerned. If someone does something sketchy or dangerous and I know they came from another gym I will message the other gym to ask about the person to find out if their behavior is a pattern. Otherwise, it's not my place to ask. Most folks will be upfront about bad stuff happening at other gyms when they come in, so it's not like I/we don't know what's going on at the other gyms around town. Plenty of people were training at multiple places prior to the pandemic.
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SJBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
We welcome everyone until they show themselves to have reason we should be concerned.
Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. I don't care what your background is before you step onto my mats (outside of extreme examples, like a convicted rapist or something), as long as you're not an arsehole once you're on those mats. If you're a crappy training partner, then I don't want you at my school.
SCBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I always ask them why. I don't want to inherit someone elses cancer or problem student. We give them a trial period to see if we are a good fit for them and for us as well. If they don't like my style of teaching I will refer them to other academies. I like to keep a a good and positive training atmosphere.
this is exactly what we. and m state is small. do i actually know just about each instructor in our state personally. Ive either trained with them before or wrestled with one of their students in high school. so i give heads up for people fishing for spots just to hurt people and if they arent looking for what we offer i will give recommendations and also give the place to be on the look out for them. People seem to find this crazy but after i explain to them that, the place im sending them to is like family to me it goes over a little better.
RDBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
this is exactly what we. and m state is small. do i actually know just about each instructor in our state personally. Ive either trained with them before or wrestled with one of their students in high school. so i give heads up for people fishing for spots just to hurt people and if they arent looking for what we offer i will give recommendations and also give the place to be on the look out for them. People seem to find this crazy but after i explain to them that, the place im sending them to is like family to me it goes over a little better.
Some academies feel like they have to compete with each other for business. We don't see it that way. We know our competetion is baseball, football, soccer, hockey etc. People call and we ask them where they live and if seems far for them we let them know they are welcome to make the trip but also inform them of academies that are closer to them. They are usually surprised by that mentality.
MBrown beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Our Training group is small and my guys/girls are more like friends, than clients.
So we have a very positive vibe and atmosphere and i check if new people fit in to our approach....If people want to compete in sports BJJ and strive for medals or want to train MMA, they don’t switch to our team anyway.
If somebody wants to do „classical“ BJJ as a recreational activity, having a great time on the mat, staying mentally and physically fit and getting self defense ready, plus he/she fits in as a person, then he/she is welcome.
We want to enjoy training and if I feel after a appropriate time that somebody really doesn’t fit in, I ask them to train elsewhere.
So we have a very positive vibe and atmosphere and i check if new people fit in to our approach....If people want to compete in sports BJJ and strive for medals or want to train MMA, they don’t switch to our team anyway.
If somebody wants to do „classical“ BJJ as a recreational activity, having a great time on the mat, staying mentally and physically fit and getting self defense ready, plus he/she fits in as a person, then he/she is welcome.
We want to enjoy training and if I feel after a appropriate time that somebody really doesn’t fit in, I ask them to train elsewhere.
SCBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Some academies feel like they have to compete with each other for business. We don't see it that way. We know our competetion is baseball, football, soccer, hockey etc. People call and we ask them where they live and if seems far for them we let them know they are welcome to make the trip but also inform them of academies that are closer to them. They are usually surprised by that mentality.
what is crazy is that my gym is about 30-45 away from my house. there are 5 gyms within a 10 min radius from me. Even an affiliate school is close to me than my school. but the family i built at my gym over the years i wouldn't change it for the world.
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Some academies feel like they have to compete with each other for business. We don't see it that way. We know our competetion is baseball, football, soccer, hockey etc. People call and we ask them where they live and if seems far for them we let them know they are welcome to make the trip but also inform them of academies that are closer to them. They are usually surprised by that mentality.
This is how it should be. Some gyms don't see the big picture, they just see the next quarter and currency signs.
MMBlue beltVerified
5 year(s) ago
Gyms (which are organisations) in U.K. and Europe have to be careful about this now due to the whole GDPR thing. In the U.K., if you are and organisation and handle someone’s personal information then you need to be registered with the Information Commissioners Office (I would imagine there are loads of BJJ clubs that are not) , and also have a Data Controller/Date Protection Officer, and have a Data Protection Policy.
If gyms are talking to each other in a capacity about a student then the could be in breach of the students Privacy rights. The ramifications for an organisation registered are bad enough, the ramifications for an organisation not registered are even worse.
If gyms are talking to each other in a capacity about a student then the could be in breach of the students Privacy rights. The ramifications for an organisation registered are bad enough, the ramifications for an organisation not registered are even worse.
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
Michael, where would one have more exact information about that? Would that count for non-profit NGOs? Any workarounds etc?
MMBlue beltVerified
5 year(s) ago
Michael, where would one have more exact information about that? Would that count for non-profit NGOs? Any workarounds etc?
https://gdpr-info.eu/
It counts for any organisation regardless of profit, not for profit, private company, government, civil service etc. They all now have an obligation to safeguard people’s information.
https://ico.org.uk/for-or[...]onal-data/
It counts for any organisation regardless of profit, not for profit, private company, government, civil service etc. They all now have an obligation to safeguard people’s information.
https://ico.org.uk/for-or[...]onal-data/
DBBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
https://gdpr-info.eu/ It counts for any organisation regardless of profit, not for profit, private company, government, civil service etc. They all now have an obligation to safeguard people’s information. https://ico.org.uk/for-or[...]onal-data/
Blimey.
The George Meulenysers in GB are going to have a blast with those regulations.
It allowes for massive beltshopping and other shenanigans
The George Meulenysers in GB are going to have a blast with those regulations.
It allowes for massive beltshopping and other shenanigans
MMBlue beltVerified
5 year(s) ago
Yes it’s a minefield.
Everything you do now, you have to give permission for others to use your information. Questions are constantly asked by those doing it properly, such as:
- Do you give us permission to contact your Doctor?
- Do you give us permission to speak to your previous employer?
- Do you give us permission to contact your references ?
- Do you give us permission to speak to your education provider?
BJJ clubs would have to gain permission to speak to students former coach/tutor/instructor/professor . Then any information they do receive would have to be documented so that the student could submit a ‘Date Protection Subject Access Request’ should they want to know what information an organisation holds about them. This includes texts, whatsapp, emails, training records etc .
Everything you do now, you have to give permission for others to use your information. Questions are constantly asked by those doing it properly, such as:
- Do you give us permission to contact your Doctor?
- Do you give us permission to speak to your previous employer?
- Do you give us permission to contact your references ?
- Do you give us permission to speak to your education provider?
BJJ clubs would have to gain permission to speak to students former coach/tutor/instructor/professor . Then any information they do receive would have to be documented so that the student could submit a ‘Date Protection Subject Access Request’ should they want to know what information an organisation holds about them. This includes texts, whatsapp, emails, training records etc .
TCBlack beltVerified
5 year(s) ago
Our Training group is small and my guys/girls are more like friends, than clients. So we have a very positive vibe and atmosphere and i check if new people fit in to our approach....If people want to compete in sports BJJ and strive for medals or want to train MMA, they don’t switch to our team anyway. If somebody wants to do „classical“ BJJ as a recreational activity, having a great time on the mat, staying mentally and physically fit and getting self defense ready, plus he/she fits in as a person, then he/she is welcome. We want to enjoy training and if I feel after a appropriate time that somebody really doesn’t fit in, I ask them to train elsewhere.
Same here Mirco. I have competed, but have absolutely no interest in it. Same with some of our students. There is another gym nearby that loves medals, so quite a few who started with me have gone over there and that's fine with me. Conversely some that started over there have come over to me. It's all swings and roundabouts. I'll just carry on teaching nice people to do horrible things to each other and ignore sport rules. As Chris Haueter once said "Nobody starts jiujitsu to win on points".
