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Bellingham BJJ

5 ★★★★★ 54 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Bellingham, Washington

BJJ gym Beginners welcome Kids & teens No-gi Competition team

Plan your first class

  • 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
  • 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
  • Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule bellinghambjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone +1 360-393-0458

Hours

Monday 6–7 am, 12–1 pm, 5–8 pm
Tuesday 6–7 am, 12–1 pm, 5–8 pm
Wednesday 6–7 am, 12–1 pm, 5–8 pm
Thursday 6–7 am, 12–1 pm, 4:30–9 pm
Friday 6–7 am, 12–1 pm, 5–8 pm
Saturday 10:30 am–2 pm
Sunday 11 am–12 pm, 5–7 pm

Hours shift for holidays, seminars, and open-gym times — worth a quick check before a special trip.

The classes they run

BJJ classes on the schedule at Bellingham BJJ, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

📘 Fundamentals 3 mentions

“The quality of the instruction and the BJJ were awesome and I learned some cool new techniques as well as a few game changer details on some fundamentals.”

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🧒 Kids BJJ 3 mentions

“My son had a great time and really enjoyed it - they do an awesome job making it fun and engaging for the kids!”

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🩳 No-Gi

“) and have continued training in both Gi and No-Gi since.”

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🥋 Gi

“) and have continued training in both Gi and No-Gi since.”

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🏆 Competition Team

“The atmosphere is welcoming from day one, whether you’re a complete beginner, experienced competitor, or bringing your family in to train.”

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🔓 Open Mat

“I reached out to Jeff when I was in Bellingham for 2 weeks for work and he let me drop in for classes and open mats, and this is definitely a gym for everyone.”

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🛡️ Self-Defense 2 mentions

“Highly recommend the 5-week self defense series with JT.”

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🌱 Beginners 6 mentions

“The atmosphere is welcoming from day one, whether you’re a complete beginner, experienced competitor, or bringing your family in to train.”

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What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 54 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 4 mentions

“Jeff and Dave are both incredibly friendly, knowledgeable instructors, and the school community has the same friendly vibe to it.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 14 mentions

“This is, without a doubt, the best place in the area for all levels of BJJ to train and I couldn’t recommend it more highly!”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 17 mentions

“Jeff and Dave are both incredibly friendly, knowledgeable instructors, and the school community has the same friendly vibe to it.”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 5 mentions

“The quality of the instruction and the BJJ were awesome and I learned some cool new techniques as well as a few game changer details on some fundamentals.”

active competition team 3 mentions

“The instruction was on point, and I am still using some of the gi set ups and chokes in competition that I learned here in that short time.”

🧠 builds confidence & discipline 2 mentions

“Within the first week all of my fears were completely gone and all I could focus on was learning and getting better.”

From the reviews

Highly recommend the 5-week self defense series with JT. I learned so much and have a newfound sense of awareness and power. JT is absolutely the most wonderful man and teacher. Along with assistance from others, he made everything approachable, fun, professional, and memorable.

★★★★★ — Stephanie, Apr 2025

As a US. Marine Corps Veteran, Exercise Physiologist and Functional Medicine Health Coach for over two decades, I am always on a relentless quest to find the best practitioners to support and guide me in every genre.

★★★★★ — Elijah, Mar 2019

Great Academy. Great People and instructors. Jeff Shaw and Dave Porter are both very good at what they do but the best part is that they are able to do it in different ways so that the end user is able to get a very full scope of training and instruction.

★★★★★ — Chris, May 2019

A phenomenal place to train for someone thinking about trying JiuJitsu for the first time, or a well seasoned practitioner. Jeff and Dave are both incredibly friendly, knowledgeable instructors, and the school community has the same friendly vibe to it.

★★★★★ — Steve, May 2019

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 54 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at Bellingham BJJ

Bellingham BJJ 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.

See their beginner class info

Your first BJJ class at Bellingham BJJ

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.

BJJ is a contact sport. Ease in, tap early and often, listen to your coaches, and if you have any injuries or health concerns, mention them before class and check with a doctor if you're unsure.

Where to find Bellingham BJJ

205 W Holly St, Bellingham, WA98225

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and member reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.