Is my BJJ gym legitimate?
A legitimate BJJ gym will have an instructor whose belt rank can be verified through their lineage. Check if the instructor can name who promoted them and if that person is a recognized black belt. Look for affiliations with known organizations. Red flags include self-promoted black belts, instructors who avoid discussing their background, and claims that seem too good to be true.
Detailed Explanation
Unfortunately, fake BJJ credentials exist, and training under an unqualified instructor can ingrain bad habits or create unsafe training conditions. To verify legitimacy, research the instructor lineage online, check with the organization they claim affiliation with, and see if other known instructors in the area acknowledge them. Legitimate instructors are typically happy to discuss their training history. A gym does not need to be part of a large affiliation to be legitimate, as many excellent independent gyms exist. However, completely unknown instructors with no verifiable training history are cause for concern. Visiting multiple gyms and comparing the instruction quality can help you gauge what legitimate BJJ looks like.
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