Code of Conduct

Respect On and Off The Mat

Every person who walks through our doors is treated with dignity — regardless of rank, size, gender, background, or experience. We greet each other. We bow to the mat. We shake hands before and after every roll. Rank is earned through effort and consistency, not awarded by personality, and higher belts carry greater responsibility, not greater privilege.

In practice

• Greet your coaches and your partners. Call your coach "Coach", by name, by nickname — whatever feels natural to you both. Respect is the point, not the form.
• Introduce yourself to new members. Make space in line.
• Banter and laughter are part of the academy. What's not okay is sarcasm or jokes that punch down at another member — read the room, especially with people you don't know yet.

Hygiene Is Non-Negotiable

BJJ is close-contact. Poor hygiene isn't a minor personal matter here — it's a safety issue that affects every training partner you touch. Skin infections spread fast. We take this seriously, and we expect you to.

In practice

• Clean gi (gi classes) or freshly-washed rashguard + shorts (no-gi). Never worn twice.
• Fingernails and toenails trimmed short. No jewelry, no watches, no hair clips.
• Any cut, rash, or skin condition — cover with tape or stay off the mat until cleared.
• No shoes on the mat. No bare feet off the mat.

Train Safe, Tap Early

Nobody comes here to get injured. Tapping is not losing — tapping is the acknowledgement that lets us train hard for years without breaking. Above all: protect your partner. They're the reason you have someone to train with tomorrow.

In practice

• Tap clearly and early. A verbal "tap" or any audible signal always counts — your hands don't need to be free.
• Release submissions the instant you feel the tap. No exceptions.
• Tap early and often. Ego costs more than it pays.
• Don't injure your partner for imaginary points — there's no scoreboard in training, only the person you'll roll with again tomorrow.
• Match intensity to your partner. Sparring a new white belt ≠ sparring a competition team purple belt.
• Neck cranks and flying techniques are not allowed. Leg locks are controlled — never explosive.
• If anything feels wrong in your body, stop. Tell the coach. Sit out if needed.

Zero Harassment. Zero Tolerance.

Harassment, intimidation, unwanted physical contact outside of trained technique, and any form of discrimination have no place at Imperial Ground. This includes sexual, racial, religious, homophobic, transphobic, or ableist behavior — whether spoken, written, implied, or online. Reports are taken seriously and investigated. Confirmed violations follow our Infraction System.

In practice

• If a partner says "stop," "slow down," or "not there" — you stop immediately. No negotiation.
• No unsolicited contact, messages, or follow-ups outside of academy purposes.
• Report concerns directly to João or any coach. You can also email info@imperialground.com in confidence — or use Speak Up in your member account for a private channel that's anonymous by default. All three reporting paths explained below ↓

Be A Good Training Partner

The quality of your BJJ is downstream of the quality of your partners. Be the partner you would want. Give honest reactions, let white belts work their game, don't smash to prove a point, and help newer members understand what they just experienced.

In practice

• Match weight and resistance to the drill and to your partner — not 100% unless asked. Mind big weight gaps: don't dump your full weight on a much smaller training partner.
• Coach from your rank only when asked. White belts don't coach. From blue belt up, offer only if invited — and keep it brief.
• Reset quickly between rounds. Don't ghost your partner mid-round to water.
• Thank your partner at the end. They spent their round with you, too.

The Academy Is A Community

You are choosing to be here — and you are choosing to contribute to the space, not just consume it. Put your water bottle in the bin. Straighten mat seams. Welcome new members. Show up to seminars and special events when you can. The academy is only as strong as the community behind it.

How To Raise A Concern

Three ways to flag something — pick whichever feels safest. None of them require certainty. "I think something's off" is a fine reason to use any of them.

• In person — talk to João or any coach before, after, or between classes.
• By email — info@imperialground.com goes directly to João.
• Anonymously, in your member account — Speak Up is a private channel built for things you wouldn't say in the open mat WhatsApp group. Anonymous by default. Read the honest limits before you use it (the form spells them out).

Open Speak Up →

What Happens If The Code Is Broken

Violations are handled through our transparent Infraction System: verbal warning, written warning, suspension, expulsion. Serious violations (harassment, violence, repeated hygiene issues) may skip steps. The Infraction System exists to be fair to the person accused and fair to the community. Read it in full here →

View Infraction System

Google Reviews — Members Only

We invite Google reviews only from members who have trained with us — at minimum a free trial class, ideally a few sessions in. We never ask non-members for reviews, never offer discounts in exchange for them, and never write our own. Honest first-hand experience is the only signal we want potential members to see.

We monitor our Google profile and request removal of reviews that don't match a verified member or trial-goer. If you spot a review from someone you don't recognise as part of the academy, please flag it via Google's report function so we can act on it. If you've trained with us and want to share your experience: thank you.

★ Leave a Google review