You want to find a gym that is easy for you to get to and where you feel comfortable with the staff and the pace of the instruction. You want to feel as though the coaches listen to your individual goals and plans and work with you on those. You want to feel like part of the gym family over time.
This is a personal decision and will depend somewhat on your training goals. We have a broad selection of class-based sessions on offer and we can do 1 on 1 Personal Training (PT) sessions as/when required. Some students use PT sessions to boost their technical competence at certain times e.g. leading up to gradings, some use PTs because they have specific work commitments e.g. they work night shifts, while some do only class-based as they prefer to monitor their progress amongst their peers or a particular training buddy.
Comfy training attire – training shorts and t-shirt is fine.
We have a range of equipment for use by students when attending classes, particularly during the introductory week. This includes gloves, pads, and Gi’s. Over time you will need to purchase safety items such as mouth guards and groin guards, and if you begin training regularly you will enjoy doing so in your own gloves/Gi.
When it is time to purchase your own gear, Dark Carnival has you covered with an in-house shop where you can inspect and try on items before purchase.
The fee schedule is dependent on the frequency of your training and the type of membership you may take up. General information is available onsite at 69 Dundas Court Phillip or by enquiry here
You can pay fees via cash, direct deposit or debit, or credit card
If it is your first time on the mats, drop into any of the classes.
Your first session will have you partnered up with a coach to run through an introduction session. This will give you the basic techniques as well as outlying the concepts and approach to training at Dark Carnival.
During your trial week, we recommend trying every class and styles. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
If you are undertaking class-based training, yes. It is important to know how to be a good partner during drills, whether this be holding pads, or rolling in BJJ. It is also a useful experience to partner with people of various age, size and skills, as the gym community grows in its competence together.
Everyone plays together, advanced students were once beginners themselves.
We encourage students to participate in gradings in Muay Thai as well as BJJ which will provide the opportunity to challenge themselves and recognise a milestone in their training and development.
Yes, in-fact we have 3!
Dark Carnival runs a very successful kids program offering our Anti-Bullying program, DCKIDS, as well as both BJJ and Muay Thai. Starting from age 4 to 15 yrs, there are two options for children, a dedicated school semester-based program on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday afternoons (DCKIDS), or there are kids sessions on the mainstream timetable at 4:45pm Mondays and Wednesdays (BJJ & MT) for kids aged 9 – 15 yrs.
There is no age limit to learn with us and we are experienced in tailoring training to the level and physical abilities of the student. We have trained octogenarians and we also regularly work with people with disabilities.
We have four showers and four toilets onsite for the exclusive use of our members. Body wash, shampoo and conditioner are provided.
In addition to the class-based sessions, open sessions and the kids program, you can work with one of our strength and conditioning trainers who will help you lift your general fitness e.g. through boot camp style approaches and specific areas of strength and conditioning, or assist you with coming back from injuries.
We also offer 24/7 access to Students and Clients which allows them to access the gym in their own time.
From time to time we host dedicated workshops, which may include international guest instructors. As and when these events come up, social media is updated.
We are available for any number of events, whether they be onsite at the gym, or at another facility which we can bring equipment to.
Yes, this does include birthdays.
Short answer, Yes. Long answer, you do not ‘have’ to…however…
We encourage students to participate in sparring and rolling sessions as these allow the safe testing of learned technique in the chaos environment of sparring.
Emphasis is placed on technique, control and timing over speed and power. Learning to overcome adversity and build resilience through partner drills is not only beneficial for personal development, it is also a great workout.
Around 8 to 10 years. Might be quicker, 6 years, or it may take longer, 12+ years.
End of the day, unless you have other plans, we assume you are going to be something in 10 years, may as well be a black belt. Keep going.
The first step is easy, set up your complimentary week of classes or one-on-one session by clicking here.
The second step can be daunting, turn up.
Starting a new thing can be nerve wracking regardless of age, especially when it deals with vulnerability. No body likes to feel like a beginner. With that said, once you take those first two steps and get comfortable being uncomfortable the light switch will go on. This is how we build confidence and resilience…and have fun doing it.
Welcome to Dark Carnival.
