In a recent episode of the Grapple Asia podcast, Kyvann Gonzalez, Bodega Jiu-Jitsu owner and operator, didn’t hold back when discussing the red flags that potential students should watch out for when choosing a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym. The candid black belt, who has built a significant following through his unique approach to training and social media presence, provided a comprehensive list of warning signs that could save practitioners from problematic training environments.
“Oh, there’s a lot. Yeah, there’s a lot.”
His list covered everything from bizarre rituals to exploitative business practices:
“If they’re facing the wall while they’re tying the belt, just get out. If there’s like a picture in black and white of some skinny guy you’ve never seen and people are like bowing to it, like definitely get out. If you go in and contract and you can’t get out monthly, like get out.”
The warning signs extended to cult-like behavior and restrictive policies:
“If you have to use a word that you’ve never heard in your life and like bow to certain people, get out. If you can’t ask certain people to roll, get out.”
Gonzalez emphasized several business-related red flags that potential students should be wary of:
– Restrictive contracts that don’t allow monthly cancellation
– Mandatory uniform purchases from the gym
– Rules against training at other gyms
– Restrictions on recording or posting training content
– Rigid hierarchies that prevent rolling with certain people
“If they don’t let you train in another gym, get out. If they think that there’s only one way to do it and it’s their way, get out.”
Gonzalez speaks from experience as someone who has navigated both sides of the jiu-jitsu world. After spending years teaching at Pure MMA, he transitioned to opening Bodega Jiu-Jitsu two years ago with his business partner Chaz. His gym operates on principles that directly counter many of the red flags he outlined.
At Bodega, Gonzalez has implemented policies that prioritize student welfare and authentic training environments. The gym maintains high standards for who they allow to teach seminars, having hosted notable instructors.
Gonzalez’s warnings stem from a broader perspective on jiu-jitsu culture that challenges some commonly held beliefs. When asked about BJJ dogma he wishes people understood better, he stated:
“I guess maybe that that people think jiu-jitsu is for everybody. I call bullsh**. Like I don’t think it is for everybody.”
He explained his reasoning:
“If you don’t have the discipline, you’re probably going to get beat up a lot. And if you don’t like getting beaten up a lot, it’s probably not for you… it takes a specific type of person to get injured, come back, get hurt, come back, train, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, come back.”
Beyond identifying problematic gyms, Gonzalez has been pioneering an ecological approach to jiu-jitsu training at Bodega. This methodology, inspired by Greg Souders‘ work at Standard Jiu-Jitsu, focuses on task-based learning rather than traditional drilling.
“What they get wrong is not emphasizing the things that need to be done and instead emphasize how it should be done. And so like no put your hand here do this instead of explaining like as long as you get these things done you know from beginner to the best those things will always be true.”
Gonzalez’s approach to gym ownership prioritizes culture and genuine care for students over profit margins.
“Another huge one is like if you’re a big name in jiu-jitsu, it does not matter if your gym sucks. And I don’t mean your technique. I don’t mean like your physical space. I meant your culture, the way you treat people, knowing everybody’s name, that all really matters.”
At Bodega, this philosophy manifests in various ways, including a women’s scholarship program that provides free training to female students who commit to training three times per week and competing three times annually.
Gonzalez concluded his extensive list of red flags with a sobering observation:
“There’s more red flags and green flags in this sh** man.”
Gonzalez’s comprehensive list serves as a practical guide. His emphasis on individual autonomy, reasonable business practices, and authentic training environments provides a stark contrast to the cult-like atmospheres that can sometimes develop in martial arts schools.
