Gym Rules and Mat Etiquette

No shoes or footwear on the mats and always wear flip flops or shoes off the mats

Keep our white mats clean by keeping your feet clean and your shoes off the mats.

Maintain personal hygiene

Out of respect for your training partners and teammates, come to class clean, smelling good, and not directly from a very dirty environment such as a hospital or other contaminated work site. Keep your nails -hands and feet- clean and clipped. Remove all jewelry before entering the mat space so you don’t cut or scrape your training partners. Always wash your hands after using the restroom.

No open cuts, infections, or scrapes on the mats

If you have any minor cuts, tape them up fully. If you have any serious cuts or injuries, then you should not train. If you have a skin infection you must tell an instructor immediately - failure to do so will result in immediate forfeiture of your membership.

Clean your uniform and all gear after every use

Please wash all of your gear (including your belts) after every use. Reusing gear without washing is unhealthy and may lead to skin infections for you and your teammates.

Don’t train while sick

If you are sick don’t train and expose your training partners to your illness – rest up and come back strong.

Be on time

It’s tough in LA to predict traffic, but please do your best to be on time and if you do arrive late please be respectful to your teammates by quickly joining in the group’s activity. We’d rather have you here than staying home because you don’t want to be late, but when you get here, be here - get on the mats and let’s train.

Be here to train

HLPFC has a zero tolerance policy for unwelcome advances of a sexual nature towards other students. Grappling is a sport which involves physical contact between training partners and so it is extremely important that every student feel comfortable and free from unwanted attention of a sexual or romantic nature whether made in earnest or in jest. The mats are for training, not dating.

No hard plastic gear on the mats

Hard plastic wrestling ear guards and joint protectors can hurt your training partners and/or damage our grappling mats. If you prefer to use gear like this, please look into foam and soft options without hard plastic.

Respect others privacy

Privacy is important especially while sparring. Your teammates do not want to show up in a video on the internet without their permission. Please ask any training partner before recording or photographing any activity on the mats.

No side coaching. Especially parents.

HLPFC has experienced, well trained instructors who know the details and objectives of classes and sessions. Parents: please do not coach your children from off the mats unless you are highlyl experienced and know you are giving sound advice. Students: Please do not coach your training partners unless you are a higher belt and are certain you have a good understanding of the technique in question. While well intentioned you may unknowingly be misinforming your training partners. If you are unclear on when you should help or offer advice to another student please ask a coach.