Adult BJJ Questions, Answered

Yes — most of our adult students had never done a martial art before their first class here. You train in real group classes with our regular students, but everything is paced and partnered with beginners in mind, and the coaches know exactly who is new in the room.

No — the class is the fitness. Start at your own pace, rest when you need to, and let training build your conditioning week by week. Coaches would rather you pace yourself than sit out.

Either door works. Gi classes train in the traditional uniform, where grips on the fabric slow the action down and make it very technical. No-gi trains in athletic clothes and moves faster. Morning classes (7:00 AM Tuesday–Thursday) are gi, and beginner evenings start you with the fundamentals either way. Most students end up training a mix of both — try one of each in your first two weeks.

Adults train at 7:00 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; at 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM Monday through Thursday; and at 6:00 PM on Friday. Saturday at 10:00 AM is open mat. The full schedule for every program is on our class schedule page.

Comfortable athletic clothes (no pockets or zippers) and a water bottle. Arrive about 15 minutes early and check in at the door. We keep a few loaner gis at the gym if you’d like to try the uniform — just ask when you arrive. When you enroll, your uniform is included free.

Yes. Your first class is a real group class — not a tour and not a sales pitch — and it costs nothing. No payment and no contract are involved in a trial. Book through the free trial page or call us at (202) 636-3453.

Jiu-jitsu is a contact sport, so honesty matters: bumps and soreness are normal, especially in the first weeks. What keeps training safe here is the culture — tapping out stops everything, instantly, every time; live rounds are supervised; and nobody is thrown in against an experienced student to “test” them. Tell the coaches about any old injury before class and they will work with you on what you can safely do — and for anything medical, check with your doctor first. We’re coaches, not clinicians.

No. Live practice rounds (“rolling”) are supervised and always optional for new students. Plenty of first-timers watch a round or two before joining in, and the coaches scale everything to your experience.

Two classes a week is the pace we recommend for a beginner: enough repetition for techniques to start sticking, enough rest for your body to adapt. You can add more as your conditioning catches up.

Adults progress white → blue → purple → brown → black. Promotions are the coach’s decision, based on attendance, skill, and attitude — there is no fixed timeline and no belt is ever sold or guaranteed. Our Belt Journey page explains what each belt actually means.

Programs vary by how often you train, and we don’t publish membership prices online. Come try a free class first, and we’ll walk you through the options that fit — honestly and in person — with no contracts or long-term commitment.

We have our own parking lot at the gym — free parking at 720 Erie Ave, Takoma Park. Park in the three spaces on the left or the spaces on the side, and please keep the center of the driveway clear. Adults enter through the gray building’s back door; kids enter through the yellow building.

Classes are led by Professor Deivid Dias — a GFTeam black belt and IBJJF Pan American Champion — and his coaching team. You can meet them on the instructors page. Because coaches rotate with availability, we don’t pin a single coach to a single class time — whoever leads your session, you’re learning the academy’s curriculum.