09/09/2026
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a close contact sport. We are gripping hands, sharing space, sweating, and training with our faces, arms, legs, and feet in contact with our partners and the mats. That is part of what makes our hygiene standards so important.
A few simple habits go a long way:
• Keep fingernails and toenails short and clean. Even a small scratch can break the skin and create an opportunity for infection.
• Arrive clean and wear a freshly washed gi or training clothes. Yes, wash your belt too.
• Keep long hair secured and remove jewelry and watches before training.
• Cover any cuts or open wounds securely before getting on the mat.
• Wear shoes everywhere off the blue mats, especially in restrooms. If you step off the mats barefoot, please sanitize your feet before returning.
•And one of the biggest ones: if you notice a rash, unusual spot, sore, or anything that could potentially be contagious, please stay off the mats and talk with your instructor.
Skin infections like ringworm, staph, and impetigo can spread through close contact. Staying home when something looks suspicious is not letting your teammates down. It is protecting them.
The same goes for illnesses. If you are sick, give your body time to recover and come back when you are ready to train safely.
Parents, we appreciate your help checking nails, clean uniforms, hair, and general readiness before your kids arrive. Our class time is limited, and having students arrive ready to train helps us spend that time doing what they came here to do.
Clean mats matter. Clean gear matters. Clean bodies matter.
But most importantly, looking out for one another matters.
Thank you for helping us keep Sammamish a safe, healthy place to train.