Hello BJJ friends,
Late last year I bought a condo roughly around the same time my contract at my BJJ school expired. Due to life becoming busy and expensive, I decided to take some time off from training. The purchase set me back financially but I'm finally starting to get my finances back in order and I am ready to get back on that mats.
However, my new place is no where near my old gym. Also, this gym is one of the best in the city (the most expensive). I recently discovered that there is a MMA academy right the corner of my new house. Doing some research I found out that there is a gi jiujitsu course offered by a blackbelt. I inquired about the price and it is literally 1/3 the cost of my old school.
So knowing that i'll save money and time on travel & tuition I have a bit of a dilemma. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about my old school. Everyone there is great and friendly and the professor is an absolute gentleman. But I know the subject of switching schools is very touchy in the BJJ community.
Will I be seen as a creonte if I don't go back? What would be the right protocol if any?
Are you someone important at your gym? Is it some famous instructor's gym? What belt are you and are you an active competitor? It honestly might not be a big deal. Depends on a lot of factors. Times have changed a lot. Just be upfront, respectful and appreciative to your old gym and team 
Did not read, cretone.
I am 1 hour from my gym. No excuses.
Go train. 
You also already stopped training. It's not like you are switching from a school you are currently training at. How can someone be a creonte by going to a different school that they stop going to already regardless of the reason.
Train where you want. Don't worry about anything else.
email your old instructor with the explanation. Dont worry about it. If he has a problem with you doing the sensible thing then thats his problem
BTTMike - Train where you want. Don't worry about anything else.
Exactly right. People move on to different things in all areas of life. Bjj should be no different. For a lot of coaches it's no different. They follow the money, the prestige, their hearts, their pursuit of the American dream. You should do the same.
I would go to the better school but thats just me. If its not a big deal money shouldnt matter hell most places that are that much cheaper are also not as good or they would chargemore money. When me and the wife moved about 3 years ago I could have easily changed school since I am now 45 minutes away from my original school. But in my opinion its the best school in the city and were I started, I am comfortable there and have been treated well there. For me it was a simple choice because the price of the gym wasnt a factor and I would rather travel for superior instruction then go somewhere close with worse instruction or inferior training partners.
I was JKing, I train at two gyms.
Do what makes you happy
Definitely creonte.
Are you a white belt? Have friends at your old gym? Odds are good that no one cares.
Train where you you will train the most. It's ultimately about money a lot of the time so don't sweat it. Especially if you're it a higher belt it's really not a big deal.
I wouldn't worry about being called a creonte, this stuff in BJJ is silly.
I would research the instructor to see what his background is and do a trial. If you don't like it there, go back to your old gym. There is a gym literally 4 minutes away in the same town I live, however I choose to train at a place 25-30 minutes away because of the instructor.
Your skill level and the skill level of your new and former teammates should factor into the decision more than money.
GaspareBJJ - Did not read, cretone.
I am 1 hour from my gym. No excuses.
Go train.
Cretone..lol
GaspareBJJ - Did not read, cretone.Guys like this are killing Bjj.
I am 1 hour from my gym. No excuses.
Go train.
You should start by going to the new gym and trying one of their classes. They might not have anything to offer you except mat time.
The Green Bastard -Sarcasm how does it work?GaspareBJJ - Did not read, cretone.Guys like this are killing Bjj.
I am 1 hour from my gym. No excuses.
Go train.
It doesn't work. People are fuck heads nowadays
I left a gym 20 minutes from home to go to one an hour away because the old gym changed their schedule and I could NOT make their new times.
I wrote the (very good) instructor a letter explaining my actions. He wrote back and was very gracious about it. I still run into him at tournaments etc. and he is always really cool.
People have to or want to change schools for all sorts of reasons. If the instructor spent a significant period of time with you, you could do what I did, but that's just me - I probably didn't need to bother, I just thought the old instructor deserved an explanation.
Just be up front with your old instructor. Give him a call and explain. If he doesn't understand than your better off at the other place.
I believe as long as your not bagging old teammates or the instruction at the gym the word creonte doesn't exist.