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Balance Studios: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu & Muay Thai
4.8 ★★★★★ 71 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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 — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule balancestudios.net — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 215-636-9661
Hours
| Monday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Tuesday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Wednesday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Thursday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Friday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Saturday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Sunday | 7 am–9 pm |
The classes they run
“I respect that this school has place for everyone: children, women, people w older age, this is very rare based on my experience.”
“Highly recommend for anyone wanting to fight, compete, learn how to protect yourself, or just feel happy and enjoy training!”
“Here you can learn whatever suits you best: self defense, MMA, improve mobility/ endurance or progress into higher level and participate in various competitions.”
“There’s a great mix of beginner to advanced students with plenty of opportunities for good training.”
Other martial arts here
“I highly recommend Balance Studios to anyone taking their first steps on their Jiu Jitsu/Muay Thai journey.”
“Here you can learn whatever suits you best: self defense, MMA, improve mobility/ endurance or progress into higher level and participate in various competitions.”
What members say
“Throughout the time I have been training at Balance (6 months) I am impressed with the curriculum and flow from the talented, black belt instructors.”
“They have something for everyone, all levels are always welcome and there is an emphasis on humility and always having a “beginner’s mind”.”
“Everyone is always friendly and helping everyone else get better at jiu-jitsu and mma.”
“Each class builds off the previous class, the techniques are well covered and easy to learn and the vast amount of high levels students are always helpful.”
“Here you can learn whatever suits you best: self defense, MMA, improve mobility/ endurance or progress into higher level and participate in various competitions.”
“Phil and Rick have built their school to embody the "Gracie System" and the quality of their students reflect that.”
From the reviews
I dropped in here for two classes during a recent visit to Philly. After visiting many JiuJitsu schools across the country, I've got a good eye for quality of instruction and culture. I'm happy to report that this place hits the mark on both counts.
Awesome school and even better people. Me and my brother both train here and have a phenomenal experience. First of all the pricing is on par with most schools in the city. We have checked literally every school in the city and no one has the amount of black belts that can teach you and that you can roll with.
I love Balance with all my heart. I mostly trained in Center City, but sometimes visited Fishtown location. This place literally became my home. I did both, bjj and Muay Thai. I endlessly grateful to best of the best mentors and teachers. They made me better, the push my limits, they believed in me.
Balance is a such a great place to train! There are lots of options for classes and all the coaches are really knowledgeable and helpful, no matter your level. The training partners you have and people you meet there are the best and everyone seems genuinely interested in having fun while getting better.
New to BJJ? Start at Balance Studios: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu & Muay Thai
Balance Studios: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu & Muay Thai 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 Balance Studios: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu & Muay Thai
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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