How MAAT’s Leaderboard Keeps BJJ Students Coming Back

Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

• MAAT's leaderboard shows who trained the most each week, month, year, or all-time
• Creates friendly competition and motivates students to stay consistent
• Helps students form habits and stay accountable

Introduction

One of the biggest challenges for BJJ, MMA and martial arts gyms is keeping students consistent.

While passion gets them started, it's habits and community that keep them coming back. That's where MAAT's Attendance Leaderboard comes in.

By turning training into a game, this simple feature has become a powerful tool for gym owners looking to build consistency, engagement, and retention, especially among white and blue belts.

Here’s why it works.

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The Psychology Behind the Leaderboard

Martial artists are competitive by nature. MAAT taps into that mindset with a real-time leaderboard that ranks students based on how often they train.

The result? More check-ins, more consistency, and more accountability.

• Gamification: Seeing your name on a leaderboard taps into natural motivation triggers.
• Visibility: Weekly, monthly, and yearly views give students fresh goals to chase.
• Community: Students cheer each other on, and it becomes a shared effort.

"My students love the leaderboard feature! It adds a fun bit of competition."

says Simon from Performance Jiu Jitsu

Rewards That Reinforce Habits

Some gyms go further: they celebrate leaderboard winners. Whether it’s a shoutout in the app, a branded rashguard, or even a paid flight to a competition, the gesture reinforces positive behavior.

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"Everyone likes to track their attendance and it's a good way to put some prizes in!"

says Jon from Kent Grapple

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👉 Read why Kent Grapple transitioned from Martialytics to MAAT here

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Even without gifts, students feel recognized. That public validation becomes a loop that keeps them training.

Retention Through Routine

Gyms using MAAT's leaderboard often report a noticeable uptick in member retention. It helps:

• Build routines, especially for beginners
• Create structure in student progress
• Keep students connected during slower seasons

By giving students a reason to show up regularly, the leaderboard complements other MAAT features like belt tracking and notifications, all working toward one goal: keeping your mat full.

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"Everyone’s hyped. A lot of people are training more than they did before using MAAT."

says Otto from Willi Jiu Jitsu

Easy to Use, Big Impact

The leaderboard is fully integrated within MAAT.

No need for manual updates or extra tools. It updates automatically based on check-ins, and students can view it anytime in their member portal.

• No admin work
• Mobile-friendly and visual
• Encourages self-accountability

This means coaches don’t need to push students as much, the leaderboard does it for them.

Conclusion: Turning Culture Into Retention

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, culture is everything.

MAAT's leaderboard strengthens that culture by rewarding effort, promoting consistency, and encouraging friendly competition.

It’s a small feature with outsized impact, especially in a sport where consistency defines progress.

👉 Want to see how MAAT can boost your student retention? Book a free demo today

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