What to Expect at Your First BJJ Class (Hemel Hempstead Edition)

You’ve booked your taster. Now what? Here’s a minute-by-minute walkthrough of a typical first BJJ class at Watford Tactical Fighting in Hemel Hempstead.

Before You Arrive

Eat at least 2 hours before. Drink water. Trim your finger and toe nails. Remove jewellery. Wear shorts and a t-shirt (we lend you a gi for the first class — after that you can buy one or train in no-gi attire).

First 5 Minutes

Coach Jay or one of the senior students will meet you at the door, give you a brief tour, and run through mat etiquette: shoes off the mat, bow on, bow off, tap to submit. That’s about it.

Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Light cardio, shrimping (the foundational BJJ movement), breakfalls, and joint mobility. Don’t worry about doing it perfectly — everyone is bad at it the first time.

Technique (25 minutes)

Coach demonstrates a move twice. You partner up — usually with a senior student who’ll guide you through — and drill it slowly. Lots of stops, lots of resets. No pressure.

Positional Drilling (10-15 minutes)

You start in a set position (e.g. opponent has you in their guard) and try to apply what you just learned. Light resistance. Stop and reset every minute or two.

Cool Down and Questions

Q&A time with the coach. Ask anything. Then bow off, shake hands with everyone you trained with. That’s tradition.

What You’ll Feel Afterwards

Tired. Slightly disoriented. Almost certainly hooked. Book your free taster here.