Forward this to the smelly guy at the gym.
This article is part of the BJJ White Belt Survival Guide. Some articles are for subscribers only. Subscribing will always be free, and then I can send you stuff like when I have a book launch or let you know when I win bronze in my next three-man tournament.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an up-close and personal hobby. It’s full contact in ways that not even football players and prisoners dream about.
Your face will be smashed against other faces. It will be in armpits and crotches Beware: other people will sweat on you, and you will sweat on other people. My very first roll was with my friend and pastor, Al. His sweat dripped both onto my eyeball and into my mouth. Yes, it was gross. Yes, I contemplated switching churches. Yes, it’s all part of the sport.
And because physical contact is part of the sport, it is utterly critical that you don’t smell like butt.
I’ve rolled with dudes who smelled like ashtrays, bongs, or Mexican restaurants. They weren’t enjoyable experiences. This is so important for mat etiquette that I made it its own article, because while you’d think it’s common sense, you must remember that as a white belt, you don’t have any.
It’s not just smell either; it’s hygiene. Clean mats, clean gis, and clean bodies help reduce the risk of skin infections and mean nicknames (but even then, they aren’t a guarantee, especially against mean nicknames).
Don’t be gross. Here are four practical steps for the BJJ white belt to make sure you aren’t your gym’s resident biohazard.
Brush your teeth before class.
Once, our brown belt joked about my morning breath, and I couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not, so ever since I’ve made sure to brush and mouthwash before I get on the mats.
Whenever you get to the gym—before sunup, at lunch, after work, or after dinner—pack a toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag and hit the bathroom first, or even just mouthwash. You can get the travel-size ones at any dollar store, so there are no excuses.
Wash Your BJJ Gi After Every Class.
Gis ought not to be worn more than once before washing. They get funky quick. When I first started BJJ, I had one gi, so I had to wash that thing every day. There is nothing worse than rolling with someone wearing a dirty, sweat-soaked gi that has been colonized by their disgusting brand of bacteria.
Next week I’ll share some pro tips on caring for your gi and how to handle it so the boar taint goes away. For now, know to wash it after every use and hang it up to air dry.
Take. A dang. Shower.
Just as you might wash your gi every day, you might end up showering several times a day. Even if it means you have more laundry than normal, that’s fine so you won’t have people avoiding rolling with you because you smell like stale garbage.
I normally shower at night and train in the morning. If I go right to work after training, I shower at the gym. If I work out again later that day or do something else that makes me gross, I rinse off and shower before I train again. You will have to plan ahead and figure out what works for your schedule and routine.
Unfortunately, most BJJ gyms aren’t like a Gold’s or LA Fitness, with plenty of nice showers and locker rooms. It may be one stall that has a cracked shower pan and mildew. Wear flip-flops if you have to; just get clean so you can keep training.
As I said, smell isn’t the only issue here. You don’t want to be the one who spreads ringworm and staph at the gym. That stuff runs rampant, and then everyone hates you because no one can train, and it never just takes two weeks to flatten the curve.
Trim your nails.
While you’re at the dollar store buying a travel size mouthwash, buy extra nail trimmers too. Keep one in your gym bag, kit bag, glove box, etc. Keep your nails trimmed because you will end up breaking one, scratching yourself, or scratching others. Eye gouges are (supposedly) accidental and not uncommon. Don’t take someone’s eyes out because you couldn’t be bothered to spend one minute trimming your digits.
Toenails too. No one wants to get scratched by your fungus-ridden talons.
On that note, don’t look at anyone’s toes. At all. You won’t be able to eat after.
Follow these basic rules and your hygiene won’t be the reason people avoid you. Then it’ll just be your spazzy personality.
