When picking a new gym there are several things to consider. A wide range of criteria that may be different depending on the person. For me it really depends on these factors:
- Professors skill level
- Talent at the gym (fellow students)
- Location
- Cleanliness
- Overall Vibe in the Gym
Professors skill level – This is obviously important because we can’t learn from a chump:) J/K however you may have a gifted BJJ practitioner that is not a good teacher. Inversely you don’t want to learn such a detailed art from a hack that is missing important details. BJJ is all about the details and if you miss those you are wasting your time. So make sure that you are learning from a qualified coach/professor.
Talent at the Gym – You can learn almost as much from your fellow students as you can from your coach/professor. So a good group of people who don’t have ego issues and are training for the same general reasons your are will insure good cohesion with your counterparts, which will lead to productive training sessions.
Location – Location is key. If you have to put a significant effort into commuting to and from the gym everyday well the odds are against you. So it could be quite a deterring factor if your gym is not convenient to get to. We aren’t always 100% motivated to train everyday (Unless your Jocko Willink). And so, the less excuses we have to not train that day the better.
Cleanliness – Nobody wants to train in a dump, so make sure that the place you are looking at is well maintained and offers a clean environment for everyone to enjoy.
Overall Vibe in the Gym – Every gym is different. Some are very competitive while others are more recreational. I recommend finding a gym that has a healthy emphasis on both elements.