Club Charter

  • We believe in complete freedom on your martial arts journey. KODA:MA is a modern BJJ school, not a cult.

    • Cross-training is encouraged: You are entirely welcome to train at other clubs, attend seminars, training camps and explore different styles. Sharing knowledge makes our community stronger.

    • Total freedom of movement: People’s lives and priorities change. You can come and go as you please. You are a valued member of our community, and if you ever choose to leave, you will always be welcomed back with open arms.

    • No financial traps: We don’t believe in trapping people. There are no contracts, no sign-up fees, and no cancellation fees. It’s our job to create an engaging, high-quality training environment that makes you want to come back.

    • No forced bowing or hierarchy: We don't require you to bow to pictures on the wall or treat higher ranks like deities. Respect is earned through good coaching and supportive training partners, not forced tradition.

  • We celebrate individuality and want you to feel comfortable the moment you step through the door.

    • No mandatory uniform restrictions: You are never obliged to wear specific club-branded gear, mandatory patches, or expensive team gis.

    • No gi color rules: Express yourself. Whether you prefer classic white, blue, black, or something completely custom, wear whatever BJJ gi works best for you.

    • Any affiliations welcome: We don’t care about the patches on your gi, or who you used to train with. If you want to learn Jiu Jitsu, and be a great training partner, nothing else matters.

    • Be yourself: We care about the quality of your character and your training, not whether you fit into a specific mold.

  • Jiu-Jitsu is a game of mutual trust. We prioritize human respect and safety and reject old school “tough-it-out” culture.

    • Community is Everything: We actively cultivate a relaxed, casual, and inclusive culture where senior students eagerly help beginners, and every single member contributes to the positive energy of the room.

    • Welcome new Members: When new people join, we make it our mission to introduce ourselves and make them feel right at home.

    • Be Awesome: We keep the atmosphere high-vibe, focused on growth, and all about helping each other get better at Jiu-Jitsu.

    • Zero tolerance for toxic behavior: Everyone is welcome here. We call out and enforce a strict, zero-tolerance policy against bullying, sexism, racism, or inappropriate/unwelcome comments. Our mat is a sanctuary for ALL our members.

  • We don't keep scores on the wall, and nobody wins a trophy for sparring. At KODA:MA students are encouraged to try new things.

    • Our focus: KODA:MA is an environment focused on technical growth, curiosity, and learning.

    • Learn Through Failure: It’s a space where it is entirely safe - and encouraged - to make mistakes, tap out, and try again without judgement

    • Look after your training partners: We train with due care and attention. We never wrench on submissions, and we take our training partners health and safety as seriously as our own.

Members Code of Conduct

  • Jiu-Jitsu is a close-contact sport, making personal hygiene a matter of safety and respect for your training partners.

    • Clean Gear: Your gi, rash guard, and training apparel must be freshly washed and completely dry before every class.

    • Personal Cleanliness: Fingernails and toenails must be trimmed short and kept clean to prevent accidental scratches or skin cuts. Long hair should be tied back securely.

    • Footwear Rules: Never walk barefoot off the mats. You must wear sliders / flip flops when off the training surface. Conversely, shoes are strictly prohibited on the mats.

    • Skin Infections: If you have any suspicious skin lesions, rashes, or open cuts, you must inform the instructor and refrain from training until it is cleared or properly covered.

    • Sickness: If you are unwell through a cold, flu, or other illness, stay at home until you fully recover, no exceptions.

    • Do Not Hurt Your Training Partner: This is the golden rule. More information can be found in our Rules of Engagement‍ - which defines the boundaries of what is and is not acceptable in a grappling context, and must be adhered to as part of this rule.

    • Controlled Training: Match the intensity of your training partner. Prioritize technical execution over brute force or "winning" a round.

    • Respect the Tap: The "tap" is an absolute boundary. The moment your partner taps out verbally or physically, for any reason, you must disengage immediately.

    • Tapping Early: Do not let your ego or thoughs of “loss” stop you from tapping. This is training, not the mundials. If you are caught in a submission, tap early to protect your own longevity in the sport.

    • Account For Size, Strength & Age Disparity: If you are much bigger and stronger than your opponent, do not abuse that physical advantage.

    • Listen to the Coach: When the instructor is speaking or demonstrating a technique, all conversation stops so that everyone can hear the technical and safety cues.

  • KODA:MA is a Jiu-Jitsu sanctuary. We have an amazing community, but we must maintain a respectful training environment.

    • Zero Tolerance for Discrimination: There is a strict, zero-tolerance policy for any form of bullying, sexism, racism, homophobia, bigotry or discrimination based on background, fitness level, sex, gender, race or age.

    • Inappropriate Language & Behavior: Any form of sexualized comments, inappropriate touching, aggressive outbursts, or unwelcome personal advances will result in immediate removal from the club.

  • KODA:MA is dedicated to authentic skill development, training longevity, and to ensuring the safety of all its members.

    • Alcohol and Recreational Drugs: Attending class, stepping onto the mats, or coaching under the influence of alcohol, or any illegal recreational substance, or any substance the impacts your ability to train 100% safely, is prohibited.

    • Steroids and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs): We do not tolerate, encourage, or permit the use of PED’s within our community or facility.

    • Prescription Medications: If you are taking legally prescribed medication that may impair your reflexes, coordination, or judgment, you must notify the coach before class starts so we can ensure your training rounds are managed safely.

  • If you ever feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or witness behavior that violates this code, we want you to speak up immediately.

    • On the Mats: You can approach Wayne at any time during or after class to voice concerns in absolute confidence.

    • In Writing: If you prefer to report an incident discreetly, you can email us directly at info@kodamabjj.com. All reports are taken seriously and investigated with total discretion.

  • To ensure the safety and comfort of our community, this code is strictly enforced.

    • Right of Admission: We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate any membership if an individual breaks this Code of Conduct.

    • No Refunds for Violations: If a membership is canceled due to a violation of safety, hygiene, or conduct policies, no refunds for the remaining month will be issued.

    The head coach reserves the right to change and update the code of conduct, rules of engagement and club charter at any time.

Rules of Engagement

  • Do not hurt your training partners. This rule has absolute priority and comes before anything else. You must respect people’s bodies, agency, injuries, and requests for intensity reductions.

    Avoid injuries at all costs. Do not crank submissions, do not slam.

    You are entirely responsible for your training partner's safety.

  • You must be in control of your own body weight at all times.

    • If you lose balance and fall onto a partner, you have failed in keeping control.

    • If you throw your weight into an un-anchored space (like a wild rolling kimura or an explosive guard pass without grips), you put both yours and your partner's safety at risk

    • If you jump at a limb and fall back on it to attack it, you are not in control.

    • If you drop someone that you lifted up, you lost control.

    • If you have to fall in order to make someone else fall, you are not in control.

    • If when sparring you are tumbling around the room landing on other people, you are not acting with continuous control

  • The goal on the feet is to look for technical dominance leading to a controlled takedown.

    • Allowed & Encouraged: Standard wrestling shots (double legs, single legs), judo throws (footsweeps, hip throws) where you maintain control of your partner's descent. Technical guard pulls are also allowed.

    • Strictly Illegal:

      • Kani Basami (Flying Scissor Takedown): Ban due to the risk of knee injury.

      • Jumping Guard: Jumping your weight onto a standing partner's hips or legs is banned for all levels. Pulling guard must involve keeping at least one foot on the mat or establishing explicit, controlled grips first.

      • Spiking: You cannot drive a partner onto their head or neck during a takedown. If you lift someone, you are responsible for their safe landing.

      • Slamming: Lifting someone up and slamming them to the mat in an uncontrolled manner is strictly prohibited. If you lift for a suplex type move, you must turn out and control the landing.

  • Dynamic, athletic passing and heavy, clean pressure is all OK - but certain spinal or neck manipulations are not permitted.

    • Allowed & Encouraged: Heavy pressure passing, loose/dynamic passing, using frames, good pressure contact and establishing dominant controls (Side Control, Mount, Back).

    • Strictly Illegal:

      • Slamming out of submissions or guards: If you get caught in a closed guard or a submission triangle/armbar and stand to lift your partner off the mats, you cannot slam them down to break it. Just tap if you’re not getting out.

      • Direct neck cranks as a pin or escape: Putting shoulder pressure on the jaw or neck to force a pass is fine, but grabbing the head and forcefully cranking the cervical spine to force a concession is not OK.

  • Safety and longevity on the mats mean knowing when to tap, but also knowing that must use breaking mechanics with extreme care.

    • Allowed & Encouraged: All standard upper-body submissions via strangles and joint locks (straight armbars, kimuras, americanas, triangles, rear naked chokes, guilloutines etc.) and the wrist lock and straight ankle locks for all levels.

    • Allowed with Discretion / Higher Belts:

      • Rotational Leg Locks (Heel Hooks & Toe Holds): While we embrace modern grappling, these should be introduced safely through catch-and-release or restricted to advanced practitioners who understand the breaking mechanics and defence. These can be done at lower belt levels with mutual consent ONLY and catch / release.

      • Knee Bars: The straight bar of the knee is allowed again from catch-and-release training or amongst advanced practitioners. These can be done at lower belt levels with mutual consent ONLY and catch / release.

    • Strictly Illegal:

      • Reaping the knee (for white belts, AND in the gi at any level): For beginners, forcing the leg across the hip line from the outside in a way that compromises the knee joint is restricted until proper leg-entanglement safety is learned.

      • Striking of any kind: No accidental "grappling slaps" or ground-and-pound.

      • Spinal locks: Twisters, neck cranks, can openers. We all need to go to work tomorrow.

    All submissions must be applied with control, giving your partner the time to tap.

  • We do not implement any sort of traditionalism. No bowing, mandatory uniform colours, or forced  hierarchy. Instead, our culture relies on mutual respect, care for each others safety, high hygiene standards and encouraging and helping each other to improve.

    • Hygiene is Non-Negotiable:

      • Never step onto the mats with bare feet if you’ve walked outside or into the bathrooms, always wear footwear off the mats.

      • Ensure your gear (Gi or No-Gi kit) is freshly washed for every single session.

      • Keep finger and toe nails trimmed short to prevent scratching training partners.

    • Tap Early: Tapping is not losing; it’s simply a reset button in a physical puzzle. Protect yourself and respect your partner's tap immediately.

    • Match Your Partner’s Intensity: If you are a higher belt rolling with a smaller practitioner or a beginner, use the round to develop your technical frames and control, rather than using raw attributes or explosive power.

    • Account for size and weight disparity: If you are much bigger or stronger than your partner, do no abuse your physical advantages - remember the golden rule.

  • These are actions that don't involve technical grappling mechanics, but instead rely on pain compliance, micro-injuries, or illegal leverage. These moves although sometimes useful in a self defence context, are not permitted for safety reasons.

    • Manipulating Digits (Fingers & Toes): You must grab the whole hand or at least four fingers together to strip a grip. Grabbing, bending, or twisting individual fingers or toes (small-joint manipulation) is strictly illegal due to how easily they snap.

    • Orifices & Fish-Hooking: Inserting fingers into any opening, including fish-hooking the mouth, pulling the nostrils, or gouging the eyes—is an absolute no-no

    • Grip Restrictions (No-G.i): When rolling without the Gi, you cannot grab your partner’s clothing, shorts, or rashguard to prevent a movement or hold a position.

    • Hair Pulling & Skin Pinching: Intentionally pulling hair or pinching skin to force a reaction or escape a position is not allowed.

    • Trachea Crushing / Direct Throat Pressure: Pushing a lone thumb or driving a knuckles-first fist directly into the windpipe (the trachea) to force a tap through pain compliance is illegal. Chokes must target the sides of the neck (blood chokes) or use the forearm/shin cleanly across the throat (air chokes), rather than localized crushing.Item description