Why is member management software important?

As both a software developer and BJJ student, I’ll never forget the conversation that sparked the creation of Jitsufy. After a morning training session, I was speaking with my coach about how he had to juggle administrative tasks instead of breaking down the details of the sweep he’d just taught us. Class time was taken up by students trying to all sign in on one iPad. Keeping track of member promotions was becoming trickier as the number of members grew. Members were constantly asking to change subscription level or to pause memberships and managing that was growing arms and legs.

“The hardest part of running this place isn’t teaching the triangle choke,” he told me. “It’s keeping track of everything else.”

Those words resonated deeply. Here was my coach – someone who could break down the most complex positions into learnable steps – getting caught up in administrative tasks simply because the right tools didn’t exist. This wasn’t just about efficiency; it was about giving instructors back their time to focus on what matters: developing their students’ jiu-jitsu.

That’s how Jitsufy was born – from real needs identified in the day-to-day of academy operations. I wanted to create something that would handle all those crucial behind-the-scenes tasks and fundamental challenges every BJJ school faces:

The Member Journey - digital tracking beyond attendance

Every academy knows the challenge: keeping track of member details, waivers, and contact information. Digital storage linked to a member ID means no more digging through physical or digital folders looking for signed waivers. Everything you need is instantly accessible.

The Belt Journey Chronicles - progression tracking that makes sense

Tracking student progress shouldn’t be more complicated than defending spider guard. Yet as academies grow beyond that core group of day-one students, keeping records of stripes, promotions, and competition results becomes increasingly challenging. Jitsufy makes this seamless – showing exactly which belt and stripe level each student is at.

Schedule Management - less admin, more rolling

When you open up a new class, or if there needs to be a rescheduling due to sudden instructor incapacity, you need to notify everyone quickly. Jitsufy makes schedule updates and communication effortless, ensuring students never miss important training sessions. Plus, the advance class sign-up feature provides crucial attendance records for insurance purposes - because documentation is your best defense against liability issues

The Payment Puzzle - flexible systems for every academy model

From dedicated competitors training twice daily to hobbyists making it to class once a week, managing different membership tiers is essential. Our payment system handles everything from monthly memberships to drop-in fees with the precision of a well-executed omoplata.

Built by grapplers, for grapplers

Every feature in Jitsufy emerged from real conversations with instructors and students - not from corporate boardrooms or generic gym management consultants. It’s software built by people who understand the difference between north-south and knee-on-belly, for a community that deserves tools as specialized as our sport.

Understanding the challenges of establishing a new academy, we’re offering a special package for schools just starting their journey. Just like your first BJJ academy experience shapes your entire grappling career, your initial management system sets the foundation for your school’s growth.

Roll smarter, not harder

As my professor always says while applying crushing pressure from the mount: “Jiu-jitsu is about efficiency, not strength.” The same principle applies to running your academy. Let us handle the administrative arm-drag so you can focus on what matters – developing your students’ technical games and building a thriving BJJ community that stands the test of time.

Want to learn how we’re helping academies spend less time on administration and more time on the mats? Let’s talk. As a developer who lives for both clean code and clean armbars, I’d love to show you how we’re transforming academy management one tap-out at a time.