Why Train BJJ at West Coast?
There's a BJJ gym on almost every corner these days, so it's a fair question. What makes ours different comes down to three things: our culture, our coaching and our wrestling influence.
Culture and Community
Our BJJ room runs on "iron sharpens iron", not "dog eat dog". Everyone trains hard, but the goal is to make each other better, not to hurt or ego-crush the person in front of you. Beginners are looked after, experienced students are pushed, and everyone has a part in lifting the standard of the room. It's a strong, close-knit group, and it's the main reason people stay.
What Makes Our BJJ Different
Our BJJ program has a strong wrestling influence, but we don't just bolt wrestling techniques onto jiu-jitsu. The core principles of freestyle wrestling run right through our BJJ curriculum: pressure, control, body positioning and using your bodyweight effectively. The result is excellent takedown ability, heavy top control, smooth transitions and submissions that come more easily because the control is there first. It's highly effective for both sport and self-defence, and it gives our students a different edge to most BJJ clubs.
Who teaches it
The program is taught by Head Instructor Rodney Parkes, a Will-Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Paul Marston of Sozokan, in the lineage of John Will of Redcat / Will-Machado Jiu-Jitsu. Rodney continues to train with Alan Landy of Gladiator Wrestling and Justin Boylan of Total Martial Arts Centre.
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Rodney has more than a decade of BJJ and over 20 years of coaching experience across multiple martial arts. That matters. Many black belts don't start coaching until late in their journey, while Rodney has been coaching for most of his. Coaching across BJJ, wrestling, striking and self-defence also gives him a different perspective. He can see concepts that carry across combat sports, which helps him pick up details a single-style coach might miss.
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BJJ suits adults who want a technical, challenging and rewarding martial art that builds confidence, strength, fitness and problem-solving skills.
Grading
BJJ grading is done in class three times a year, at the instructor's discretion. We don't promote students fast. Belts are earned, and when someone wears one of our belts, it means something. Promotions are based on:
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the number of classes completed
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time spent at their current belt
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their technical ability
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their ability to roll and handle themselves against resisting partners, which we see every week in class
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When a student is ready, they'll be promoted in class.
