Whether it’s your very first time on the mats or the beginning of a new journey at a new gym, being aware of some of our gyms protocols and culture will help you feel more at home at QuanWessels resulting in a seamless assimilation into the QW community.
- Bowing in and out, wax on wax off
Every class here at QW starts and ends with the students lining up against the wall to be addressed and bowed in or out by the coach teaching that class. The lineup itself is hierarchical with the higher belts at the beginning running all the way down to the white belts. However, do not be discouraged by being the newbie as every person at the beginning of the line was once in your position too. Bowing in and out sets a tone of structure and discipline throughout the training session and also gives the students an opportunity to thank each other and their coaches at the end of a strenuous training session. This small practice fosters greater connections amongst coaches and students in the academy and allows everyone to get to know each other much faster.
- Onramp? What ramp?
At QuanWessels, we want to ensure that every student receives a solid foundation on which to build on, this translates to new students going through our fundamental classes first. Before a student joins the general classes where most students are, they are taught the basic fundamentals where they will become proficient in a set of basic principles and techniques that are outlined on the QW Onramp cards.
A student is issued an onramp card upon sign-up that is used to keep track of what the student has learnt and still needs to learn. This set of fundamental Jiu jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts or Muay Thai techniques prepare students for the general classes taught by our head coaches Coach Quan and Quan Wessels, as well as our other senior coaches. In these beginner classes, terms such as ‘mount’, ‘jab’, ‘cross’, ‘guard’ and ‘frame’ will be explained and drills are given to master each technique. The length of time taken to learn these techniques varies from person to person, so remember to take your time and be patient with yourself. Once you have ticked off all the techniques on your onramp card, and you have demonstrated your proficiency in them to your coach, you will be moved to the general classes. Please do note that the beginner classes and general classes run side by side at the same time on the mats, and are coached by separate coaching staff. As a beginner this helps to show you where all these basic techniques will take you.
- Do I have to fight/wrestle on my first day?
The short answer is yes, but before you pick out your walk out song or run for the exit, let us explain why live rolling and sparring is part of our academy’s culture. Almost all classes end with some form of live contact, even in the beginner classes. Sparring and rolling on your first day and each day after that should not be a life or death experience. These times in the session are times for you to attempt to apply the techniques that you’ve learnt in a live scenario and are integral to your learning and progression as a student of any martial art.
Sparring and rolling in the beginner classes are very light and technical and by the time you have progressed to the general classes you will be able to keep up with the intensity of the sessions. We value communication and honesty and encourage our students to always say if something is too hard or painful for them during sparring or rolling – we understand that learning happens at your own pace and we only ask that you keep trying and not to give up!
- Mats
Lastly, just before lining up to bow out, each student will have a turn in groups to mop the mats. Mopping the mats is a way we as students show respect to the academy, the martial arts we train in and the coaches who take their time to teach us. It usually works hierarchically much like the lineup, just in reverse with newbies and on-rampers first in line to mop with the higher belts falling in last. This practice is a wonderful way of centering and grounding oneself in the community and a humbling reminder that one is always a student of life.
Welcome to QuanWessels Tribe – see you on the mats soon!