Open Mat Best Practices: Complete Guide for UK BJJ Gyms

Open mat is unstructured training time without formal instruction where students train freely according to their individual goals. Unlike regular classes with set curriculum and instructor-led technique, open mat allows students to drill techniques they're working on, spar with different partners at various intensities, ask questions to instructors or upper belts, work on weak positions or specific situations, and socialise with training partners in a relaxed atmosphere.

Open mat benefits students by providing extra training time beyond structured classes to accelerate skill development, freedom to work on their personal game rather than following class curriculum, opportunity for longer sparring rounds without time constraints, and a relaxed, social atmosphere that builds relationships with training partners. Many students consider open mat their favourite training time because they control what they work on.

For gym owners, open mat builds community as students bond outside formal class structure. It increases retention since more training time creates stronger gym attachment and students who attend open mat are significantly less likely to quit. It develops your gym culture as open mat reveals and reinforces your gym's values and social dynamics. The minimal effort required is also attractive—no instructor preparation or lesson planning needed, just supervision and mat access.

However, open mat presents challenges. Supervision is required for insurance coverage and safety—you can't simply unlock the gym and leave. Potential for injuries exists with less instructor oversight and students sometimes train too intensely without moderation. Managing guests and visitors requires clear policies about who can attend. Intensity management is crucial since without instructor intervention, students may roll too hard or create unsafe dynamics.

Weekend open mat is most common in UK gyms, typically Saturday or Sunday mornings from 10am-12pm or 11am-1pm. Weekend timing works well because it follows the work week with students looking for weekend training, creates a social atmosphere with relaxed weekend energy, allows families to attend with parents training whilst kids play or train separately, and permits longer sessions of 2-3 hours compared to weeknight classes. Saturday morning is particularly popular, establishing a regular weekly routine that students plan around.

Weekday open mat during midday or afternoon serves students with flexible schedules including shift workers, university students, self-employed professionals, and parents with school-age children. This is less common in UK gyms but viable in cities or university towns with sufficient flexible-schedule population. Typical times are 11am-1pm or 2pm-4pm on weekdays.

Post-class open mat immediately following evening classes (9-10pm) allows students who want extra sparring to stay after formal class ends. This requires minimal additional commitment from the gym since the instructor is already present and the facility is already open. However, late evening timing limits attendance, and students may be tired from the preceding class. This format works well as an occasional addition rather than your primary open mat offering.

Frequency varies by gym size. Once per week (typically Saturday morning) is standard for most UK gyms, providing consistent community-building without overwhelming your schedule. Twice per week (perhaps Saturday morning and Wednesday afternoon) suits larger gyms with strong attendance and diverse student schedules. Daily open mat is rare, limited to very large gyms or dedicated facilities in major cities where student volume justifies constant access.

Our recommendation for most UK gyms is to start with Saturday morning open mat from 10am-12pm, running weekly without exception to build routine and expectation. This two-hour window provides adequate training time without requiring excessive instructor commitment.

Clear rules prevent confusion and unsafe behaviour. Attendance policies vary across UK gyms. Current members only is the most common and safest approach, with no visitors allowed during open mat. Only your students train, minimising liability and simplifying management. Alternatively, visitors allowed with approval requires prior contact via email or phone to verify lineage and belt level, signed waiver and payment of drop-in fee, and introduction to supervisor upon arrival. This balances growth opportunity with safety. Open drop-in where anyone can attend and pay a drop-in fee carries highest liability risk and requires very experienced supervision—we don't recommend this for most UK gyms.

Drop-in fees for visitors typically range from £7-15 in UK gyms, with some locations like Artez BJJ charging £7 per day allowing attendance at multiple classes. However, some gyms like New School BJJ London offer free open mat to all students and visitors. Verify current rates in your area and consider your positioning—premium gyms typically charge, community-focused gyms may offer free access.

Supervision requirements are critical for insurance and safety. A brown or black belt instructor must be present at all times—this is standard across UK martial arts insurance policies. Purple belts may be acceptable depending on your insurer, but verify explicitly. The supervisor must be DBS-checked if children are present during open mat. Never run unsupervised open mat, as this likely voids your insurance and creates significant liability if injuries occur.

Supervisor responsibilities include being present on premises without leaving the gym, monitoring training by watching for unsafe behaviour or excessive intensity, intervening if necessary to stop dangerous sparring or techniques, managing visitors by greeting them and ensuring waivers are signed, and emergency response following your injury protocols if someone is hurt. The supervisor isn't teaching a class but must actively supervise rather than disappearing into the office.

Safety rules form the foundation of successful open mat. Tap early and respect taps immediately—this is non-negotiable. Control intensity by agreeing with your partner before starting (light flow, moderate, or competition intensity). No slamming or dangerous techniques that could injure training partners. Beginners should pair with upper belts for safety and learning. Any injuries must stop training immediately with first aid administered and incident report completed. Post these rules visibly in your gym and review them periodically during open mat announcements.

Etiquette expectations maintain respectful atmosphere. Bow on and off the mat to show respect for the space and training partners. Ask before drilling or sparring—never assume someone wants to train with you. Rotate partners regularly to avoid monopolising one person. Help lower belts by offering guidance and patient drilling. Clean up after yourself by removing water bottles, gear, and personal items from the mat area. These small courtesies create a welcoming environment that encourages attendance.

Permitted activities during open mat include drilling techniques solo or with a partner to refine mechanics, positional sparring from specific scenarios (closed guard, side control, back mount, etc.), live sparring at agreed intensity with willing partners, asking questions to the supervisor or upper belts about technique or strategy, and filming training rolls for self-analysis with your partner's consent. This flexibility allows students to address their individual needs rather than following prescribed curriculum.

Prohibited activities prevent disruption and maintain safety. Teaching your own class unless explicitly authorised by the gym owner undermines your instructors and creates confusion about gym hierarchy. Coaching others without permission is similarly problematic—upper belts can answer questions but shouldn't conduct formal coaching sessions. Dangerous techniques beyond your gym's normal rules (excessive heel hooks if your gym restricts them, aggressive neck cranks, etc.) remain prohibited during open mat. Disrespectful behaviour including excessive ego, refusing to tap, or ignoring your partner's intensity requests results in removal from open mat. Children leaving the mat area without permission creates safety issues and requires clear policies, especially if parents are training simultaneously.

The key principle is that open mat provides freedom within the framework of your gym's existing rules and culture. It's not a lawless environment where anything goes, but rather unstructured time that still respects safety, hierarchy, and community standards.

Understanding who can supervise and their responsibilities ensures legal compliance and student safety. Brown or black belts are standard for supervision across UK martial arts insurance policies, reflecting their technical knowledge and maturity. Purple belts may be acceptable depending on your specific insurer—contact your insurance provider to verify minimum belt requirements explicitly. Any supervisor must be DBS-checked if children attend open mat, which is a legal requirement for adults supervising minors in sporting activities.

Supervisor responsibilities extend beyond simply being present. They must remain on premises without leaving the gym, even briefly. If you need to step out, have another qualified person cover or temporarily pause open mat. Monitor training actively by circulating and watching for unsafe sparring, excessive intensity mismatches, or beginners attempting techniques beyond their skill level. Intervene when necessary to stop unsafe sparring before injuries occur—this requires judgment about when to step in versus allowing students autonomy. Manage visitors by greeting them warmly, ensuring waivers are signed before training, collecting drop-in fees, and introducing them to other students. Emergency response preparedness includes knowing first aid protocols, having emergency contacts accessible, completing incident reports immediately if injuries occur, and understanding when to call emergency services.

UK insurance considerations are crucial but policies vary. Public liability insurance covers open mat as part of your general BJJ activities. However, verify supervision requirements explicitly with your insurer—some may specify brown belt minimum, others might accept purple belts. Document your safety rules in writing and make them available to your insurer if requested. This demonstrates you're operating responsibly and strengthens your position if a claim occurs. Maintain incident reporting protocols that document any injuries, the circumstances, and actions taken. This protects you legally and helps identify patterns that might require policy changes.

For comprehensive insurance guidance, review our BJJ gym insurance guide covering public liability, professional indemnity, and coverage for various training formats including open mat, competition training, and kids classes.

Deciding whether to allow visitors significantly impacts your open mat culture and growth potential. Pros of allowing visitors include marketing opportunity as potential new members experience your gym culture, building community connections with travelling BJJ practitioners creating goodwill, exposure to different styles and techniques that benefits your students, and additional revenue from drop-in fees (£7-15 per visitor). Cons include safety risk from unknown skill level or intensity, injury liability if a visitor is hurt or hurts your members, potentially disruptive visitors who don't fit your culture (rare but possible), and your members feeling uncomfortable with strangers in their training space.

Members-only policy is the safest and simplest approach. No visitors allowed during open mat, only current members train, making it easiest to manage with minimal liability risk and creating intimate community atmosphere. This works well for smaller gyms or those prioritising member comfort over growth.

Visitors with approval balances safety and opportunity. Visitors must contact gym in advance via email or phone rather than showing up unannounced. Verify their lineage and belt level through their home gym or instructor. Require signed waiver and payment of drop-in fee (typically £7-15). The supervisor introduces visitors to members and monitors their initial rolls. This is most common in UK gyms, allowing controlled exposure to new people whilst maintaining safety standards.

Open drop-in policy where anyone can attend and pay drop-in fee carries highest risk. No verification of skills or background creates safety uncertainty. This requires very experienced supervisor who can assess visitors quickly and intervene if problems arise. We generally don't recommend this approach for most UK gyms due to liability concerns.

Our recommendation for UK gyms is visitors with approval. This grows your gym by exposing potential members to your culture, builds reputation in the broader BJJ community as a welcoming gym, and generates modest revenue from drop-ins. Maintain safety through advance contact requirements, waivers, and active supervision. Belt level verification by asking for instructor reference or checking their gym's website provides reasonable due diligence.

Managing guests of members requires separate consideration. When a member brings a friend as a potential new student, allow one-time free visit as a trial experience with signed waiver and close supervision by the inviting member or supervisor. Follow up afterwards to encourage membership signup. This converts social connections into new members whilst maintaining safety through member responsibility for their guest's behaviour.

Pre-open mat preparation ensures smooth operation. Arrive early to unlock the gym and turn on lights at least 15 minutes before scheduled start time. Conduct a mat check for cleanliness and hazards like loose tape, water spills, or equipment left on training area. Ensure the supervisor is present and prepared with waiver forms ready for any visitors, emergency contacts accessible, and understanding of the day's expectations.

During open mat, the supervisor should greet students warmly as they arrive, creating welcoming atmosphere that encourages regular attendance. Monitor training actively by circulating and observing intensity levels, checking that beginners are pairing with upper belts, and watching for any unsafe situations developing. Answer questions if asked, but don't feel obligated to teach—students should largely self-direct during open mat. Manage intensity by intervening if mismatches occur or someone is rolling too aggressively for their partner's comfort. Keep emergency preparedness top of mind with first aid kit accessible and phone charged for emergency calls if needed.

After open mat, clean mats thoroughly with disinfectant spray following your normal protocols. Turn off lights and ensure the building is properly secured. Complete incident reports immediately if any injuries occurred, documenting what happened, treatment provided, and any follow-up needed. Consider posting photos or brief updates on social media (with student consent) to build community and promote future open mats. Many gyms post group photos from open mat, which builds team identity and shows potential members your community atmosphere.

Building community through open mat extends beyond just providing mat time. Encourage regular attendance by maintaining consistent schedule—same time weekly without cancellations. Some gyms organise post-open mat coffee or meals where students continue socialising off the mats, deepening relationships. Celebrate milestones like birthdays or belt promotions during open mat, recognising students publicly. Cultivate a welcoming atmosphere where new members and visitors feel included rather than isolated. The social bonds formed during open mat significantly increase retention, as students who have friends at the gym rarely quit.

Standard open mat with complete freedom is most common. Students train however they wish, choosing drilling, positional sparring, live rolling, or technique discussion. No structure or requirements exist, providing maximum freedom. Most students appreciate this autonomy to work on specific positions or simply enjoy relaxed sparring. This format requires minimal planning but depends on students to self-direct effectively.

Themed open mat focuses on a specific position or technique. Perhaps you announce 'back attack focus' for the session, and students work that theme through drilling and positional sparring. This provides more structure whilst maintaining the open mat flexibility, builds skill in specific areas, and helps less experienced students who struggle with complete freedom. Themes might include guard passing, takedowns, leg locks, escapes, or specific positions. Announce the theme a few days in advance so students can prepare questions or areas they want to explore.

Drill-focused open mat separates drilling and sparring. The first hour is drilling only with no live sparring, focusing on technique refinement and movement quality. The second hour opens for live sparring after students have warmed up and worked techniques. This format is excellent for technical development and allows injured or older students to participate in the drilling hour even if they're avoiding hard sparring. Some gyms reverse this—sparring first, then drilling—depending on student preferences.

Competition prep open mat serves competitors preparing for upcoming tournaments. Run competition-style sparring with timed rounds matching tournament length (6-8 minutes), have someone act as referee calling points and advantages, and use this to prepare students for the competition environment. This is particularly valuable 2-4 weeks before major tournaments when your competition team members need realistic match simulation. Schedule these occasionally rather than making it your regular format, as most students aren't competing and prefer standard open mat.

Social open mat emphasises community over intensity. Encourage lighter rolling and technical flow rather than competition-level intensity. Invite families to attend with children playing or training separately. Some gyms organise post-training meals or barbecues, extending the social atmosphere beyond just mat time. This format builds strong community bonds and appeals to recreational students who train primarily for social connection and fitness rather than competition goals.

Beginners at open mat often feel intimidated by the lack of instruction and experienced students rolling at high intensity. They can struggle without structured guidance on what to work on, feel overwhelmed by the intensity of advanced students' sparring, and worry about asking 'stupid questions' or bothering upper belts. Solutions include pairing beginners with patient upper belts who can guide them through positions, encouraging positional drilling rather than immediate full sparring, having the supervisor specifically check in with beginners periodically, and creating a culture where asking questions is encouraged and welcomed. Some gyms designate one corner of the mat as 'beginner area' where rolling is controlled and upper belts circulate to help.

Advanced students love open mat because it provides freedom to train their specific game without following prescribed curriculum. They enjoy long sparring rounds of 10-15 minutes allowing deep positional exploration, drilling complex techniques and transitions that don't fit in regular classes, and working with similarly experienced partners at high intensity. Advanced students often form the core of regular open mat attendance, arriving consistently and creating the culture that newer students observe and eventually join. Support this by ensuring they have appropriate training partners and space for their intensity level whilst also encouraging them to help less experienced students periodically.

Kids open mat requires different handling than adult sessions. Children need close supervision since they don't self-direct as effectively as adults, DBS-checked instructor must be present at all times when minors are training, and parent supervision is often required or at least encouraged. Rather than complete freedom, kids benefit from structured games and drills that keep them engaged and moving productively. Shorter sessions of 60-90 minutes work better than the 2-3 hour adult format since children's attention spans are limited. Some gyms run simultaneous parent and kids open mat, allowing families to train together with appropriate separation and supervision for each group. For comprehensive guidance on youth programming, see our kids programs guide.

Free trial students present an opportunity to experience your gym culture beyond formal classes. Consider allowing trial students at open mat on a case-by-case basis with close supervision for safety and liability, treating it as an opportunity for them to experience your gym's community atmosphere, and using it as a conversion tool to membership. The relaxed, social nature of open mat often sells your gym better than formal classes by showing the relationships and community you've built. However, ensure beginners have adequate guidance—don't abandon them to figure out open mat alone.

Visitors from other gyms create networking and cross-training opportunities. BJJ travellers visiting the UK often seek training opportunities during their stay, and allowing them to attend open mat builds goodwill in the broader BJJ community. Charge a drop-in fee of £7-15 as is standard in UK gyms, verify their belt level and lineage through brief conversation or checking their home gym, require signed waiver before training, and introduce them to your members to integrate them socially. Many gym owners have trained at gyms worldwide during their own travels, and reciprocal hospitality strengthens the global BJJ community.

Guests of members bring potential new students through personal connections. When a current member brings a friend to experience BJJ, allow one-time free visit as trial experience with the understanding that ongoing attendance requires membership. Require signed waiver even for free visits to maintain liability protection. Supervise closely—the inviting member often feels responsible for their friend and will help guide them. Follow up afterwards with the visitor to encourage membership signup, perhaps offering a new member promotion or trial period to convert the interest into long-term membership.

Running unsupervised open mat is the most serious error, voiding your insurance coverage, creating massive liability if injuries occur, resulting in unsafe training with no intervention capability, and demonstrating negligence if serious injuries lead to legal action. Always have a brown or black belt present supervising, even if they're not actively teaching. The supervisor's presence prevents problems and provides response capability if injuries occur.

Having no clear rules creates confusion about what's allowed, enables unsafe behaviour without clear boundaries, leads to conflicts when students have different expectations, and results in injuries from excessive intensity or inappropriate techniques. Post written rules visibly in your gym covering safety expectations, visitor policies, equipment requirements, and etiquette standards. Review these periodically during announcements at the start of open mat.

Allowing anyone to drop in without verification brings unknown individuals with unverified skill levels, creates safety risk for your members, increases liability exposure significantly, and can make regular members uncomfortable with constant strangers. Require visitors to contact you in advance, verify their background through brief conversation or online research, and introduce them to the supervisor and regular members upon arrival. This screening provides reasonable protection whilst remaining welcoming.

Maintaining dirty mats leads to skin infections from inadequate cleaning, student complaints about training conditions, and visible uncleanliness that reflects poorly on your gym. Clean mats before and after every open mat session using appropriate disinfectant. During long sessions, consider a brief mid-session cleaning if mats become slippery from sweat. Regular deep cleaning beyond daily maintenance prevents long-term bacterial and fungal growth.

Providing no structure whatsoever leaves less experienced students not knowing what to do and wasting time, creates potential for prolonged periods where beginners sit idle, and results in students leaving early because they felt unproductive. While open mat is unstructured by definition, light structure helps: announce any themes or focuses for the session, facilitate introductions between students who don't know each other, suggest pairings for beginners who look uncertain, and perhaps run timed rounds with brief breaks to create rhythm. This guidance helps without removing the autonomy that makes open mat valuable.

Use this systematic approach to launch successful open mat sessions:

Planning Phase:

• Decide on schedule—Saturday mornings 10am-12pm are most common and successful in UK gyms
• Set supervision requirements by confirming brown or black belt availability and verifying insurance coverage with your provider
• Create written open mat rules covering safety expectations, etiquette requirements, visitor policies, and prohibited behaviours
• Determine visitor policy: members only (safest, simplest), approved visitors with advance contact (balanced), or open drop-in (highest risk)
• Set drop-in fees if allowing visitors—£7-15 is standard range in UK, though some gyms offer free open mat

Setup Phase:

• Designate a supervisor for each session or rotate among qualified instructors if you have multiple brown/black belts
• Print waiver forms for visitors and store them accessibly near the entrance
• Post rules visibly in the gym where all students can read them easily
• Verify insurance coverage explicitly by contacting your provider and confirming open mat is covered under your policy
• Create incident reporting protocol documenting what information to collect and how to report injuries

Launch Phase:

• Announce first open mat at least two weeks in advance through email, social media, and in-class announcements
• Communicate rules clearly to all members before the first session, either through written handout or verbal explanation
• Provide supervisor training on safety protocols, visitor management, emergency response, and when to intervene versus allowing autonomy
• Start open mat sessions and maintain consistent schedule without cancellations—reliability builds attendance
• Gather feedback after the first month through informal conversations or brief survey to identify improvements

Ongoing Operations:

• Maintain consistent schedule—same day and time weekly so students can plan their attendance reliably
• Clean mats before and after each session using appropriate disinfectant following your standard protocols
• Monitor safety and culture by having supervisors report any concerning incidents or patterns
• Build community through post-open mat social activities, celebrating student milestones, and fostering welcoming atmosphere
• Periodically review and update rules as your gym grows and culture evolves

For broader context on how open mat fits within your programme structure, review our programme design hub covering curriculum development, class scheduling, and creating comprehensive training opportunities for students at all levels.