Do I have to be in good physical condition to learn Jiu Jitsu?

No, many people who start are not physically fit, but training in Jiu Jitsu will improve your fitness, stamina, strength and coordination over time.

How long will it take to become a Black Belt?

It will take many years of dedicated training to become a black belt in Jiu Jitsu. An minimum of 5 years is required (many people take longer), but this should not dissuade students from starting training. You will soon pick up new skills useful in a self-defense situation, and as importantly, you will have fun.

How much does it cost?

The costs for each location can be found here .

Is my child too young to start training? Or am I too old?

The Jitsu Canada clubs run adult sessions which are open to people of 14 years or older. There are many people around the world who continue to train in Jiu Jitsu in their 70s or 80s, so you are never too old.

Additionally, the Gladstone club in Ottawa offers Junior classes for ages 8-16.

What do I need to wear to my first session?

Wear loose clothing, such as sweatpants and a T-shirt. We train with bare feet. Please make sure that your nails (both finger nails and toe nails) are trimmed, and remove any jewellery. After a few sessions you may decide to purchase a uniform (gi) which is more comfortable to train in and less likely to be ripped during training.

When are Jiu Jitsu classes?

Classes are offered regularly throughout the week and (for some clubs) the weekend.

Please see our class info for details.

What etiquette do I need to know?

Jiu Jitsu (as practiced by Jitsu Canada) recognizes its origins in Japan. Hence, to learn Jiu Jitsu, it is essential to accept the etiquette and traditions of the dojo. These practices may seem strange to begin with, however, these traditions assist in both learning and safety.

• It is customary to rei (bow) on entering the dojo, to signify mental preparation for training. Likewise, a rei should be made before leaving the dojo.
• Eating, drinking and smoking are not permitted in the dojo.
• Alcohol or narcotics must not be consumed before training.
• Gi are to be kept clean and tidy and the belt tied correctly.
• Fingernails and toe-nails should be short and clean.
• All jewellery must be removed before training.
• Changing is not permitted in the dojo.
• A rei is made to the highest grade on the mat before stepping onto the mat. Likewise, the highest grade is asked before leaving the mat.
• Club instructors and dan grades (black belts) are to be addressed as "Sensei".
• The correct way to stand when being taught is with the back of the left hand resting on the knot of the belt and the back of the right hand resting on the palm of the left.
• Swearing, or losing one's temper, is not permitted in the dojo.
• Before training together, students should rei to each other and similarly should rei when they finish.
• When training, a student will always be mindful of the safety of others.

What is the ceremony at the beginning/end of the session?

The short ceremony at the begining and end of the session is both a greeting/goodbye and a way of focusing your intent on Jiu Jitsu for the class and avoiding external distractions. All students are told to line up in front of the Sensei in grade order (higher grades on the right, lower grades on the left - relative to the students). Sensei then calls out: "Kiba dachi" : "Horse stance" - stand with your feet about shoulder distance apart, legs slightly bent, hands in closed fists in front of you. "Su dachi" : "Feet together stance" - move your left foot to stand with your feet completely together, legs straight, hands by your sides. "Suwaru" : Students sit down into seiza (kneeling position) "Otagai ni suwaru" : All Sensei sit down into seiza Sensei signals to the highest-grade student, who then says: "Sensei ni rei" : "Bow to Instructor". All students perform a kneeling rei (bow) to the instructor, placing their hands on the floor, but keeping eyes up. Sensei then replies with: "Otagai ni nei" "Bow to all" or "Bow to dojo and all assembled". All Sensei rei in response. This marks the beginning or the end of training for the class.

How do I add photos or movies?

Firstly, you must login. If you have not registered yet, just click the "Create new account" link. Then go to the Photo Gallery. At the top of the page you should see a "Your Album" link -- click it to get to your album. Now you will see an "Add a Photo!" link, so click that. You will also see on the left some other options such as "Add Album". Now you have a form where you can browse to select files from your computer and upload them on the website.

If you are doing a lot, I recommend you click the "Upload Applet" tab which is a bit more user-friendly to add many photos (you can just drag and drop them). Then edit the captions and descriptions as you want. Any that I particularly like I'll create a link to in the other albums so that they can be seen there too.

Note that they may end up being watermarked with Jitsu Canada, just so other people don't steal them.

How do I login? Why should I bother?

Members of Jitsu Canada may login using the box on the left. This will allow you to post comments, add forum topics, add photos etc. It will also (eventually) let you see additional information, such as photos and movies of Jiu Jitsu techniques, based upon your grade. To be able to login you must register and have your registration approved.

What browsers are supported?

Any recent browser should work, and the site has been tested on a PC with Internet Explorer (v6), Netscape (v7), Mozilla (v1.6), and on a Mac with Safari (v1.2, 2), Internet Explorer (v6), and Mozilla (v1.6). If you find any problems please let us know.

What is Syndication or RSS?

What is RSS?

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" -- it's a way to keep up-to-date with news and headlines on a website. One of the main reasons why it is useful is that you do not have to go to the site in order to see if there is anything new, your newsreader will tell you if there are any new items on the site.

How do I use it?

You need a newsreader. This is built-in for Safari and easily supported on Firefox, but not Internet Explorer. Check Google or Download.com to get one (there are many free ones). Once you have your newsreader you need to subscribe to a "feed" to get the headlines or new information from the site. These are typically split into topics (eg you might want to know what's happening at the Gladstone club, but not at Carleton). So you may see many icons around. Just click them to subscribe to that feed. If you're using Firefox I suggest that you use Sage to extend the program to better include RSS feeds (The in-built "Live Bookmarks" are limited). Once installed, just enable Sage (Tools->Sage) and then bookmark the feeds you want in "Sage Feeds" (right-click the feed and do "Bookmark this link..."). There are many Jitsu Ottawa feeds available depending on what you are interested in. Some of them are visible in the blocks to the side.

What is the "View Info From:" block?

All the regional Jitsu Canada sites share the same info and photos but can have their own logo and visual style. But maybe you do not want to see all the Jitsu Kingston info (about revised schedules, social gatherings etc) if you live in Alberta. Now you can select how much info you want to see. Just click the sites you want (or all) and "Change View" and you'll see more info.