Hunter Valley Jiu Jitsu

02/09/2026

No kids class this Friday 4th Sept. sorry for the inconvenience, makeup class on Saturday 5th Sep at 8:30am

16/07/2026

SOAPBOX TIME AKA MUSINGS FROM A MORON

I’ve been thinking lately about why one of the things that attracted me to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the first place was how bloody long it takes to get a black belt.

Not because I enjoy waiting. Because I liked what that time represented.

For the last few years there’s a lot of talk mostly online about faster promotions. “If they’re good enough, why make them wait?”

It’s a fair question.

If we’re only measuring who can tap who, then yeah, there are freak athletes who can reach an incredible level in five or six years.

But I don’t think a black belt is just about how well you roll

I’ve been coaching long enough now that I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve explained something to a white belt, had them nod like they completely understood… only for them to come back three years later and say, “Holy s**t… I finally get what you meant.”

The explanation didn’t change. They did. That’s the point.

A black belt isn’t someone who’s collected enough techniques. It’s someone who’s been wrong enough times that they stop thinking they know everything.

They’ve been smashed by people they thought they should beat.

They’ve had techniques stop working.

They’ve been injured.

They’ve hit plateaus.

They’ve taught beginners.

They’ve watched students surpass expectations.

They’ve learned that Jiu Jitsu isn’t about forcing things. It’s about seeing the whole picture.

White belts see an armbar. Black belts see ten different possibilities and know when to take none of them. That’s not because they’re smarter. It’s because they’ve spent years having reality beat the bu****it out of them.

That’s why I don’t believe belts should be treated like frequent flyer points. You don’t earn a black belt because you survived long enough.

You earn it because, somewhere along the way, Jiu-Jitsu stopped being something you do and started becoming part of who you are.

So if you’re training because you want the next belt, you’ll probably burn out.

Train because you love solving problems.

Train because you enjoy getting a little less s**t every year.

Train because your mates are here.

Train because it’s fun.

Then one day someone ties a black belt around your waist and you’ll realise something…

The belt wasn’t the achievement.

The person you became earning it was.

11/07/2026

Health & Hygiene Reminder

As the weather cools down and we spend a lot of time in close contact on the mats, it’s a good time to remind everyone about hygiene and illness prevention.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a full contact sport, which means skin infections such as ringworm, staph and impetigo, along with colds, flu and gastro, can spread quickly if we’re not careful.

To help keep everyone healthy, please:

✅ Wash your gi, rashguard, shorts, belt and any other training gear after every session.
✅ Shower as soon as practical after training.
✅ Keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed short.
✅ Cover any minor cuts or grazes with a secure waterproof dressing.
✅ Wear clean footwear off the mats and avoid walking barefoot in the bathrooms or outside.
✅ Let a coach know if you notice anything on your skin that you’re unsure about.

Please don’t train if you:

* Have ringworm, impetigo, staph or any other contagious skin condition.
* Have an unexplained rash or sores.
* Have a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, the flu or a contagious illness.
* Simply aren’t feeling well enough to train.

Missing one or two classes is frustrating, but bringing an infection into the gym can result in multiple people missing weeks of training. We’d much rather have you recover properly and come back healthy.

We’ll continue to clean and disinfect the mats regularly, but mat hygiene is a shared responsibility. Everyone doing the small things helps keep HVJJ a safe place for all our members, from our youngest kids right through to the adults.

If you’re ever unsure whether you’re okay to train, send one of the coaches a message. We’d rather answer a quick question than have an outbreak that affects the whole team.

Thanks everyone for doing your part and looking after your training partners.

08/06/2026

Today 5pm

07/06/2026

❄️❄️THIS WINTER, DON’T HIBERNATE.❄️❄️

Most people spend winter on the couch.

Our members spend it getting fitter, learning new skills and having a laugh with good people.

No experience required.
No contracts.
Complete beginners welcome.

🔥2 WEEK FREE TRIAL DURING WINTER 🔥

📍Rear 109 Northcote St Kurri Kurri

04/06/2026

We are closed on Monday 8th June. Enjoy the long weekend

27/05/2026

Production has been confirmed and equipment will arrive shortly.

09/05/2026

23/04/2026

Long Weekend Timetable

Friday 24/4 Closed
Sat 25/5 Closed
Mon 27/4 No Kids Class
Tue 28/4 All classes resume

22/04/2026

Hey guys, just something I’ve noticed after a long time around jiu jitsu.

Every belt level has its rough patches. White belts feel lost, blue belts often hit a wall, purple belts get frustrated, brown belts get busy, black belts get injured. Everyone at some point questions whether to keep going.

I’ve also seen plenty of people step away over the years for different reasons: motivation dips, injuries, life gets busy, progress feels slow. The one common theme I keep seeing is that nearly all of them eventually regret stopping.

Sometimes they miss the training, sometimes the mateship, sometimes the structure it gave them, sometimes they realise they were closer to a breakthrough than they thought.

If you’re in a rough patch right now, don’t confuse a temporary bad period with a permanent decision. You don’t always need to quit. Sometimes you just need to adjust. Train lighter. Train less for a period. Just show up and move. Come watch class. Rehab properly. Focus on learning instead of winning. Come help coach kids or fundamentals classes and develop that part of your skills

Progress in jiu jitsu isn’t linear and neither is life.

The people who last aren’t the most talented or the most motivated every week. They’re usually the ones who keep a foot in the door through the hard periods.

If you’re struggling, talk to me. There’s nearly always a smarter option than walking away

I’ll get off my soapbox now