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Blog | Emerge Jiu Jitsu

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  • 5 Nov 2026

    Sharing the Mats: Awareness and Etiquette While Live Rolling

    Sharing the Mats: Awareness and Etiquette While Live Rolling When you are live rolling, your responsibility extends beyond the person directly in front of you. You also need to be mindful of your teammates training around you. We put a great deal of emphasis on protecting our training partners and helping each other benefit from every round. Part of that responsibility is remembering that other people are sharing the mats. They need space to train safely, just as you do. Being aware of those around you is an important part of becoming a good training partner. At Emerge, we expect that awareness to develop right alongside your technique. Know Your Space Before you begin a round, take a ....

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  • 4 Nov 2026

    Respecting the Belt: Etiquette Between Training Partners

    Respecting the Belt: Etiquette Between Training Partners When I started my formal jiu-jitsu training 17 years ago, we trained without the gi. For the first couple of years, there were no belts in the room. But we still knew who the senior guys were. You could recognize them by how they rolled, their wisdom, and the way they carried themselves. After moving and changing gyms, the training schedule more or less forced me to put on the gi. To this day, I’m grateful for that. I love training in the gi. With the gi, of course, came belts. I put on a white belt. There was plenty for me to learn, and I considered it an honor and a privilege to train with those who had more experience. ....

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  • Etiquette in the Dojo, Part 2
    4 Nov 2026

    Etiquette in the Dojo, Part 2

    Etiquette in the Dojo, Part 2 By Coach Don Cooper Some people say that jiu jitsu is for everyone. I have even heard people suggest that it is so beneficial that everyone should be required to learn it in school. It may surprise you to hear me say that I disagree. The reason is that some people do not appreciate the power of jiu jitsu and will use it recklessly or selfishly. Imagine someone who wants to bully others, boss people around, or hurt people. Now imagine giving that person the tools of jiu jitsu without addressing their character. That would not be good. This is closely related to why our values, etiquette, and behavior in the dojo are foundational to the art. If someone ....

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  • Six Important Parts of Etiquette in the Dojo
    3 Nov 2026

    Six Important Parts of Etiquette in the Dojo

    Six Important Parts of Etiquette in the Dojo By Coach Don Cooper Why do we put things like shaking hands and lining up on a jiu jitsu checklist? We could fill the whole thing with takedowns, guard passes and submissions. But I believe some of the most important things a kid can learn at Emerge are things they can take with them when they leave the gym. And for us adults, these same habits help make the dojo a place where people want to train and where we build each other up. I think of etiquette as a way to build the muscles of our character. We get to practice patience, understanding and self-control with real people, sometimes when we’re tired or frustrated. We learn to treat ....

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  • Respect, Humility and Gratitude
    12 Jun 2026

    Respect, Humility and Gratitude

    Respect, Humility and Gratitude- Why These Three Words Are Written Above the Entrance To Our Dojo by Coach Don Cooper As a jiu jitsu athlete we need to often stop and reflect on the deeper answer to the question of "Why do we train jiu jitsu?" For some it may just be that it is a lot of fun. For others it is for the exercise which has enormous benefits. For others it may be they are looking for self defense skills so they are not so vulnerable in a often dangerous world. For others they like the team atmosphere that pushes on one another to get better. For myself I agree with all of the above reasons however they are not sufficient in my opinion. The benefit of training jiu jitsu as a ....

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  • Why Martial Arts Helps Kids Succeed in School (From a Mom and a Coach)

    Why Martial Arts Helps Kids Succeed in School (From a Mom and a Coach)

    by Jennifer Cooper-Coach, mom and grandma As a mom of six, a grandmother of three and a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach who has trained for the past eight years, I have seen firsthand how martial arts can truly change a child's life. When parents ask me if Jiu Jitsu is good for kids my answer is always a big yes--not just for self-defense, but because if helps them in school, at home and in life. Here's what I have noticed over the years with my own kids and the students I have coached: 1. Focus Improves in Class and at Home Kids today are pulled in a million directions. Jiu Jitsu gives them the tools to slow down, pay attention, and really focus. I've watched children who ....

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  • Jiu Jitsu and Pinewood Derby: More Alike Than You Think
    14 Apr 2025

    Jiu Jitsu and Pinewood Derby: More Alike Than You Think

    by Coach Don Cooper At first glance, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) and Pinewood Derby races couldn’t seem more different. One involves sweaty gis, chokes, and ground battles. The other? Whittling blocks of pine into tiny race cars and hoping they blaze down a wooden track. But if you’re a parent who’s stepped onto the mats and also spent late nights sanding axles with your kids, you’ll start to see the overlap. When I was 7 years-old I was a Cub Scout and had to build a pinewood derby car. When I got the kit I instantly wanted to build it out. I was so excited that I started cutting and sanding and painting all in one night. I didn't understand that to make the ....

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  • How To Be a Good Training Partner While Live Rolling (Coach Don's general advice)

    Coach Don’s Tips on How To Be a Good Training Partner While Live Rolling: Safety for our training partners and for ourselves is number one priority. This should be noticeable in your attitude and behavior while rolling. During live rolls, focus more on learning rather than winning. Be deliberate about what you are learning. Apply the techniques and concepts you are drilling and studying outside of live rolling. Be disciplined to stay calm and focus on self-control and strategy. Do not be too proud to tap. When you focus more on technique, at first you will likely have to tap more. However, over time, the technique will make you magnitudes more skilled and you will see more ....

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  • 25 Sep 2023

    Never Give Up: The Most Important Lesson We Learn in Jiu Jitsu

    Hello Friends and Teammates, Recently I had an email exchange with a great mom and family that is part of the Emerge team. I changed the names for privacy, but here is our conversation. I think it is an important one regarding common struggles in jiu jitsu that also parallel life in general. My intent is for this to help anyone else who might have similar questions and challenges. Please give any feedback you might have or share with me your thoughts. -Coach Don Message from Mom: Hello Coach, Joey is starting to feel very discouraged that he isn’t getting better. He just told me that he when he does the rolling that everything happens so fast & he’s suddenly in ....

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Vancouver

Melissa R

My kids love this gym! They enjoy their teammates and coaches! Friendly staff and very clean.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Vancouver

Greg G

Don and Jennifer are such great and caring people. I’ve known them as neighbors for many years. Emerge is a family focused Jiu Jitsu training facility teaching the skills of self defense and mindset for all levels. Their great family is heavily involved in the training with them as they create an environment where families can learn and train together.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Vancouver

Amir L

Staff is extremely nice and cares about you and will take time to explain everything too you until you understand. Just in general filled with good people and is a good environment to be in

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