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BLACK LION JIU JITSU ACADEMY Grand Rapids Michigan
4.9 ★★★★★ 164 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Byron Center, Michigan
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
- Membership memberships run around $75/mo — many academies also offer a discounted first month and family plans, so ask about new-member rates
- 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 4–16) — 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
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule blacklionjiujitsu.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 616-341-9038
Hours
| Monday | 6–7 am, 9–10:30 am, 5:30–7 pm |
| Tuesday | 6–7 am, 9–10:30 am, 4:30–8 pm |
| Wednesday | 6–7 am, 9–10:30 am, 1–2:30 pm, 5:30–7 pm |
| Thursday | 6–7 am, 9–10:30 am, 4:30–8 pm |
| Friday | 9–10:30 am, 5:30–7 pm |
| Saturday | 8:30–11 am |
| Sunday | 9–11 am |
The classes they run
“Would highly recommend for kids to gain self-confidence and respect for others, all while learning to defend themselves with a great martial art.”
“I started out as a 17 year old teenager who saw her little brother enjoy jiu jitsu and just decided to try it out for a bit.”
“Builds their self confidence and gives them the ability to defend themselves, plus the tournaments and classes are really fun.”
“Black Lion is an excellent place to develop your martial arts skills whether it be for fitness, self-defense, sparring or just training how to be an asset in crisis.”
“(Jamahal hill) He does an incredible job of breaking up the class into beginners and more advanced practitioners.”
Other martial arts here
“If MMA or Muay Thai is your thing Duncan is the best striking coach around.”
“If MMA or Muay Thai is your thing Duncan is the best striking coach around.”
What members say
“Excellent instructors Justin and Chad will always take care of you and are obsessed with developing your skills and knowledge everyday your there.”
“Coaches Chad and Justin have built an incredible culture that is welcoming, supportive, and focused on helping every student reach their individual goals.”
“Coaches Chad and Justin have built an incredible culture that is welcoming, supportive, and focused on helping every student reach their individual goals.”
“I personally love the hard work that goes into the students, and how uneasy it is to achieve merit, as it takes great knowledge, discipline, technique, and time.”
“Builds their self confidence and gives them the ability to defend themselves, plus the tournaments and classes are really fun.”
“The gym is clean and well kept and I couldn't be happier with the decision to walk through the doors and take the first steps.”
From the reviews
If you want a quality place to train and learn different skills Black Lion is the place to be. Excellent instructors Justin and Chad will always take care of you and are obsessed with developing your skills and knowledge everyday your there.
I cannot say enough great things about Chad and the Black Lion family. I took my son to the gym a few years ago and was amazed at how well the instruction was, that I wanted to try myself. Neither my son or myself had ever participated in a martial art.
I could not speak more highly about this place. I travel the country for work and have been to as many jiu jitsu gyms one can go to. This place is elite. Chad the owner is a 10/10 dude. He has trained world champion UFC fighters from the start of their career.
Black Lion Jiu Jitsu has been a great place for my son to learn Jui Jitsu and he has fun while doing it. Coach Bryce does a great job of teaching all the kids there and coaching them during tournaments. We have been here for a year and have only had positive experiences here.
New to BJJ? Start at BLACK LION JIU JITSU ACADEMY Grand Rapids Michigan
BLACK LION JIU JITSU ACADEMY Grand Rapids Michigan 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 BLACK LION JIU JITSU ACADEMY Grand Rapids Michigan
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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