Gym Hygiene: The Talk Nobody Wants to Have

Look, nobody wants to write this post and nobody wants to read it. But I've been in combat sports long enough to know that if you don't address hygiene head-on, problems happen. Skin infections spread. People stop wanting to train with certain partners. The culture takes a hit. So let's just get into it.

Before you step on the mat

Shower. If you're coming from work or you've been moving around all day, shower before class. You're about to be in closed guard with another human being. This is basic respect.

Fresh gear every session. That rashguard you wore to Monday's No-Gi? It goes in the wash. It doesn't get hung up and re-worn Wednesday. Same for your gi after Tuesday's class. If it smells clean to you, it might not smell clean to the person in your closed guard.

Trim your nails. Fingernails and toenails, both. Long nails in grappling cause scratches, and scratches on sweaty skin are how infections start. Check them before every class. Takes 30 seconds.

Clean feet. If you're walking from your car to the gym in flip-flops, great. But those feet get wiped down before they touch the mat. We have wipes at the entrance for a reason.

No jewelry. Rings, necklaces, earrings — all off. A ring can break a finger (yours or your partner's) during a grip exchange faster than you'd think.

After class

Shower as soon as you can. Not "when you get home in an hour." As soon as possible. We provide Defense wipes at the gym for free — if you can't shower right away, use them. They're antibacterial and designed for exactly this.

Wash your gear immediately. Don't let it sit in your gym bag fermenting. It's not going to smell better tomorrow. Throw it in the wash when you get home.

Let everything dry completely. Damp gear grows bacteria. Hang your stuff up, let it air out, don't ball it up in a bag.

The smoking thing

I'll keep this brief. If you smoke, don't smoke right before class. The combination of cigarette smell and sweat in close quarters is rough on your training partners. If you've smoked recently, shower and brush your teeth before you come in. This isn't a judgment call — it's a proximity issue.

Why we don't apologize for being strict about this

Skin infections in grappling — staph, ringworm, impetigo — are real and they spread fast. One person training with something communicable can take out half the gym for weeks. Prevention is easy. Treatment is not.

We've built a culture at The Garden where people address this stuff directly and without drama. If someone pulls you aside and says something, it's not personal. They're protecting the community. Take it in that spirit.

Clean gym, clean training, good culture. That's the deal.