Everyone has their own reason for training. Maybe you’d like to learn how to defend yourself if someone lays hands on you. Maybe your kids train and you’d like to be a role model or be able “play jiu-jitsu” with them. Maybe you’re looking for better focus, discipline, self-control, self-confidence, self-respect, or ability to solve problems under pressure. Maybe you’re young and looking for a great way to get out some extra energy and meet positive role models, or older and looking to improve your stamina. Maybe you’ve been in a dangerous situation before and want to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Maybe you’re just looking to get back into shape. BJJ is for everyone. Come try it out and see why it’s a good fit for you.

Absolutely. We encourage everyone to come in for free trial week before joining up. Not only does it give you a chance to see what BJJ is all about, it also gives us a chance to see if you’re a good fit for our dojo. Mat space is limited and BJJ is a full-contact sport. We’re looking for new members who are going to look out for their training partners, show respect for training partners and coaches, and follow mat etiquette. Come in for a free trial week.

Absolutely not. BJJ will get you into shape, and almost nothing you can do ahead of time will get you in the type of shape you’ll be in after a few months of BJJ. We’ve had new members come who are marathon runners, triathletes, body builders, combat veterans, and gymnasts. Any of them will tell you that their first class was like nothing they’d ever done before.

Absolutely not. BJJ is for everyone. The only way to get better at BJJ is to do more BJJ, and everyone starts in the same place: at the beginning. Prior experience in a combat sport may mean you’re more comfortable jumping into live rolling, but we’ll work with your level of comfort and experience to make sure BJJ is a good fit for you.

BJJ is perhaps even better suited for women than for men! BJJ was created to give smaller or weaker people a fighting chance against people stronger and larger than themselves by utilizing leverage, timing, and good technique. Many a strongman has been humbled by an experienced jiu-jitsu woman on his first day of class!

If you are uncomfortable jumping into a class with a lot of men, our Women-Only Self-Defense and BJJ classes offer a safe and welcoming environment to learn the fundamentals of jiu-jitsu and get to know a group of like-minded women. We view these classes as supplemental though, and all women are encouraged to join the adult BJJ classes, which are included in the women-only membership cost, to further develop and test their skills. We’ll be sure to pair you with partners who will help keep you safe and give you room to grow.

We welcome visitors from all gyms and affiliations. No drop-in fee for two classes or fewer.

Rolling, which means using your skills against a resisting partner, is a fundamental part of practicing BJJ (and where a lot of the fun comes in), but it’s not where everyone should start. We encourage you to only start rolling when you’re comfortable doing so, and if you have any concerns, we’ll be sure to partner you only with people who can help keep you safe and give you room to develop.

Absolutely. The focus of our kids program is on fun and safety. Beginners start out in our Cubs program, where they learn fundamentals of BJJ like how to get knocked to the ground without getting hurt, before moving up to our Jaguars program. We also have multiple coaches on the mats in our kids classes so we’re able to keep an eye out for everyone’s safety. Our kids program focuses on the core values of discipline, respect, and hard work that gives kids self-confidence and helps prepare them for real life.

Classes begin with warm-ups to get the blood flowing and work on fundamental movements. After that, there is a lesson, where students see moves demonstrated, ask questions, and drill with partners, followed by optional live rolling where students get to use their skills and techniques against resisting partners. We generally roll in five-minute rounds and rotate partners. If you’re newer or less comfortable rolling, we’ll be sure to partner you with people who will help to keep you safe and give you room to develop your skills.

BJJ is for everyone, and we want that to be the case financially as well. We offer discounts for law enforcement, active and retired military, teachers, and families. Come into the dojo or shoot us an email and we’ll work to find a plan that works for you.

In terms of gear, you need only a gi for gi classes and shorts, spats, and a rash guard for no-gi classes. For striking sessions, you’ll need boxing and/or MMA gloves and shin guards, and if you’re doing live sparring with strikes, you’ll need a mouth guard, head gear, and a cup for men.

BJJ is a form of submission grappling where chokes and joint locks are used to subdue a resisting opponent. Injuries happen from time to time, but in general, you’ll find a group of welcoming training partners who are are all trying to have fun while learning the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu while keeping each other injury-free.

“It's not who's good, it's who's left. It's hours on the mat. If you put in that time, natural athlete or not, you'll be a black belt. You're going to be somewhere in ten years, why not be a black belt? You just can't quit.” - Chris Haueter

BJJ is for everyone. Ask anyone who started later in life, and they’ll most likely tell you their biggest regret is that they didn’t start sooner. The journey from white belt to black belt is different for each person, and any given belt is not a measure of who you can beat, but how far you’ve come from your starting point toward your full potential.

Mat etiquette is the set of rules, both written and unwritten, spoken and unspoken, that help to maintain a clean and safe environment and show respect for the other members of the dojo. You’ll get a feel for other unspoken rules over time, but here are some of the basics:

1. Hygiene is important—wear clean clothes, and if you can, take a shower and brush your teeth before class. Help keep blood off the mats by keeping your fingernails and toenails trimmed.
2. Appropriate clothing must be worn. Fingers and toes get caught in pockets, zippers and buttons can cause cuts and bruises. For gi classes you’ll need a gi (kimono), for no gi classes spats, shorts, and a rash guard are highly recommended.
3. Remove jewelry and piercings.
4. No shoes to be worn on the mats at any time. For Pete’s sake, DO put your shoes on to use the bathroom.
​5. Don’t train sick. It becomes harder not to train than to train, but please help keep contagious diseases contained by staying at home.
6. Show respect for instructors and other students.
7. When it comes to rolling, it never hurts to ask your partner how they want to roll. Some people are new to rolling and may just want to work on positions and escapes. Others may have an injury they’re looking to avoid making worse. Some members are older and won’t be able to train as many days a week as they’d like if they roll at 100% effort each and every time.
8. Noticing that people don’t want to roll with you? Take a breath and ask how you can be a better partner.

Initially, nothing other than an open mind, a t-shirt, and shorts. For your free trial week, you’re welcome to borrow a gi for gi classes. Once you enroll, you’ll need your own gi for gi classes, and spats, shorts, and a rash guard for no-gi classes.