You might read the things we post online about high standards, chasing excellence, and building a championship culture, and feel a little intimidated about starting to train here.
That reaction makes sense.
Those things are true — but they’re also not a reason to be intimidated.
If you’ve been around NLGA for any length of time, you’ll hear Coach Matt say this over and over:
“You’re allowed to make mistakes here.”
In fact, we might go a step further and say this:
Mistakes are mandatory.
That might sound strange coming from a gym that talks so much about standards and excellence, but the two ideas are not opposites — they’re connected.
Why Mistakes Matter
Jiu-jitsu (and grappling in general) is problem solving under pressure. You’re not memorizing a routine. You’re learning how to think, react, and adapt in real time against someone who is actively trying to stop you.
That means:
- you’re going to choose the wrong option sometimes
- you’re going to be late on reactions
- you’re going to get stuck
- you’re going to lose rounds
- you’re going to tap
That’s not failure — that’s learning in its rawest form.
If you never make mistakes, one of two things is happening:
- You’re not pushing yourself
- You’re staying inside what’s comfortable
Neither of those leads to growth.
High Standards ≠ Perfection
When we talk about high standards at NLGA, we’re not talking about being flawless. We’re talking about:
- effort
- honesty
- consistency
- accountability
You’re expected to show up, try to apply what you’re learning, and reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
You are not expected to get everything right.
In fact, if you’re training here and never getting uncomfortable, never failing, never having things break down — something is off.
The Right Kind of Room
NLGA is a place where:
- mistakes are corrected, not punished
- questions are encouraged
- effort is respected
- growth is prioritized over ego
We want people who are willing to look bad today so they can be better tomorrow.
That’s how real skill is built.
That’s how confidence becomes earned.
That’s how standards actually mean something.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need to be good to start here.
You need to be willing:
- willing to learn
- willing to struggle
- willing to make mistakes
- willing to keep showing up
Excellence isn’t the absence of mistakes.
It’s the ability to learn from them and move forward.
At NLGA, mistakes aren’t just allowed.
They’re essential.