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Athens Jiu Jitsu
4.6 ★★★★★ 68 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Athens, Tennessee
Affiliated academy — reviews and the gym's own info point to a recognized BJJ lineage or affiliation (think Gracie Barra, 10th Planet, Renzo Gracie, Alliance, Atos or Checkmat). If lineage matters to you, ask which affiliation the academy belongs to and under whom the head instructor earned their black belt.
Plan your first class
- Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
- Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
- Kids & youth classes kids and youth BJJ classes (ages 4–14) — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
- Open mat open-mat rolling sessions for members to practice live — always optional and at your own pace
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule athensjiu-jitsu.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (423) 370-9548
Hours
| Monday | 5:30–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 5:30–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 5:30–8 PM |
| Thursday | 5:30–8 PM |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 9–10:30 AM |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“I look forward to when my kids are old enough to start training here!”
“The instructors know how to “read the room”, deliver an applicable lesson, and ensure all levels attending the class are able to practice and apply lesson with various opponents.”
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What members say
“The instructors know how to “read the room”, deliver an applicable lesson, and ensure all levels attending the class are able to practice and apply lesson with various opponents.”
“Ben, Jamie, and all the staff were very welcoming and the people I rolled with couldn't have been nicer.”
“It was safe for our sons, female cousin and my wife.”
“It is not only a great form of exercise, but it teaches important lessons to students of all ages about hard work and discipline.”
From the reviews
Athens Jiu Jitsu is an incredible family environment. A great place to train, loaded with helpful black belts who take pride in seeing their students growth! AJJ is absolutely outstanding, I would recommend it to everyone!
We moved to Tennessee a few years back and I'm so grateful we found Athens Jiu-Jitsu. I've trained Jiu-Jitsu for over 20 years and this is a great place all around. High level Jiu-Jitsu, awesome environment, amazing people. Highly recommend!!!
I’ve been training at Athens Jitsu since it started several years ago. It has been my home school ever since. Instructors and owners are phenomenal. It’s a friendly humbling atmosphere of folks I call family.
I always like to visit and try out new Jiu Jitsu gyms when I’m traveling. As a veteran with disabilities, it’s super important to me patronize a veteran owned gym. Ben was very knowledgeable, patient, skilled and funny veteran. Everyone there was friendly, accepting and good to be around.
New to BJJ? Start at Athens Jiu Jitsu
Athens Jiu Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. If you've never rolled or set foot on a mat, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit or flexible to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the intensity to you. Second, you won't be thrown into hard rolling — reputable gyms build fundamentals (positions, escapes, and basic submissions) for weeks, live rolling eases in gradually, and tapping early keeps every roll safe. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out, and leave your ego at the door. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.
Your first BJJ class at Athens Jiu Jitsu
Nervous about walking into a BJJ gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling basic positions and escapes with a partner — not hard sparring. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: athletic wear you can move in (or a gi if you have one); you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and a mouthguard if you have one — many gyms lend a loaner gi for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gi (or a rashguard and shorts for no-gi) and a mouthguard. Live rolling eases in gradually, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.
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