Telltale traits of toxic schools by Stephan Kesting, a BJJ black belt for 20 years. Did he miss any red flags?
RED FLAGS
01:24 No cross-training
01:41 Separating you from friends and family
02:30 No trial classes
03:35 No talking to current students
03:55 No watching classes
04:14 Instructor's name + SA = positive
05:19 "Master"
06:27 No sparring till blue belt
07:27 No questions in class
09:07 Poor hygiene and dirty mats
10:48 High-pressure sales tactics
12:53 No talking in class
14:27 Gravy Seal bootcamp
15:24 "Every other school sucks"
16:13 Instructor chronically dates students
17:18 Financial-medical-astronomical-astrological advice
17:27 No competition / in-house tournaments only
20:22 Peaked in high school
22:57 Focusing only on top competitors
23:20 Focusing only on hot women
23:45 Focusing only on their phones
24:55 Can't pause your membership
25:41 "We don't tap to THAT here..."
27:26 Mat bullies are tolerated
ORANGE FLAGS
29:46 Mandatory and expensive uniforms
30:52 Ranking and promotion fees
32:19 I see dead people (and bow to them)
33:30 Instructor doesn't roll
35:01 No colored belts (or women)
35:21 "Professor" (see video below)
RELATED RESOURCES
The infamous "Don't Call Me Professor" video - https://youtu.be/-TeE3tYMiJM
Grapplearts instructionals in streaming and app formats: https://www.grapplearts.com/instructionals/
My best-selling book: Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Death-Subarctic-Stephan-Kesting/dp/1639368612/
My book co-written with BJJ black belt world champion Brandon Mullins: Nonstop Jiu-Jitsu: https://www.amazon.com/Non-Stop-Jiu-Jitsu-Champions-Aggressive/dp/B08CPNPNDD
