They said it couldn’t be done. Well, that isn’t strictly true. They said it ‘probably shouldn’t’ be done. After all, the small rural town in the UK where I wanted to open a club has only about 10,000 residents. Our three closest cities are all about an hour’s drive away and boast 5 to 10 times the population. I don’t have the official stats, but also I strongly suspect a larger-than-average percentage of those 10,000 people are in the 60+ age range (it is a lovely place to retire).
Honestly, it was probably sound advice. But I didn’t listen. Over the years I’ve lived here, I’ve spent countless hours driving an hour too and an hour from training (I still do). So, when I started Borderlands Grappling in June 2024, I wanted to start something local where people could access great training without the anti-social commute.
So, I did just that.
5 Lessons I Learnt Opening A BJJ Gym In The Middle Of Nowhere
I might be relatively new to coaching, especially compared to those with decades of experience under their belts (pun intended), but I feel I have learnt a lot over the past 12 months. If you’re thinking of opening a club, especially one that is a little more remote, here are 5 things I learnt that may come in handy to know.
“Perfection Is The Thief Of Your BJJ Coaching Dreams”
That’s how the saying goes, right? I’m a bit of a perfectionist. For a long time, I dreamt of starting a BJJ academy, but the excuses were easy to come by. There aren’t any suitable venues. I can’t find somewhere local to do my first aid training. I won’t be able to find students. I’ll spend silly money on mats and never make it back… and so on.
If you want it, a time will come when you just have to bite the bullet and make do. Of course, there are minimum standards you need to meet in terms of safety and qualifications, but outside of that, my advice is to get started as soon as possible and improve as you go.
Personally, I found a popular local Facebook group very helpful for finding a venue, local first aid training and advertising for students. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a workaround for expensive mats, I just had to suck it up.
Start Small, Stay Scrappy
Sometimes being small is a superpower. Because I didn’t invest a bunch in a venue and state-of-the-art equipment, I have been able to make judgments based on real-life feedback from students. This has helped me invest in the areas that matter most to them and save costs in areas that don’t. I initially worried that not having a fancy gym would make the club less attractive, but it turns out people keep turning up because you care about their progress, not because you have the latest mats and a club sports therapist (although those things would be nice).
It’s More Hassle Than I Thought, But It’s Worth It (For Some)
Just because you’re great at BJJ doesn’t mean you will be good at running a school. In fact, I can imagine that for a lot of people, trying to open a school can drag every ounce of enjoyment out of BJJ.
Even to meet the minimum standards, there is a lot to deal with. You become a business owner, cleaner, accountant, marketer, first aider, risk assessor and occasional therapist. It’s a legit grind, even to run a small club. I can see why a lot of people start and close clubs quickly. If you’re a gym owner, you have my respect.
Marketing Matters
This is probably more true for our gym than most, given our location. To keep a slow, steady trickle of students coming through the door, I have needed to put in some serious marketing effort. Luckily, thanks to our amazing culture, most people who do come, stay.
I’m amazed at how little marketing some clubs do. Even after a year of coaching, I still get students through the door who say they’ve only just heard of us, which is pretty wild considering how small the town is — that just goes to show how much work I have left to do when it comes to marketing.
Kids’ Classes Are Chaos, But Totally Worth It
I was hesitant to start teaching kids. But when we did, it became clear that children’s BJJ isn’t just babysitting, it’s a powerful way to build confidence, discipline, and movement. Plus, they bring their parents, who sometimes end up training too.
Is It Worth Opening a BJJ Gym In The Middle Of Nowhere?
For me, starting a gym has been worth it. Despite all the hard work that you have to put in, seeing your students progress, how people always leave the gym with a big smile on their face and building a community in the town I grew up in is priceless. If you ever find yourself where England, Wales, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Powys all meet, we would love you to join us for a session at Borderlands Grappling (Ludlow).
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