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Carlson Gracie MMA
4.7 ★★★★★ 34 Google reviews · BJJ gym in North Aurora, Illinois
Part of Carlson Gracie
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
- 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 carlsongracie-mma.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (630) 945-6383
Hours
| Monday | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 6:30 AM–8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 6:30 AM–8:30 PM |
| Friday | 6–7:30 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM–12 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“My kids have been training for 1 1/2 years and love it here!”
“Best place to learn self defense, the instructors here are top level with many years of experience in BJJ, Boxing, Muay Thai and conditioning stop by and check them out!”
“They have a great way of breaking down techniques and making them easy to understand, which is really helpful for beginners like me.”
Other martial arts here
“I personally owe Lorenzo Clark the head Muay Thai coach everything and has made my passion for Muay Thai even stronger has been a mentor and a and gone above and beyond as a coach.”
“Jeff and Brian are the best in the business at getting fighters ready for battle in both jiu jitsu and mma.”
“Best place to learn self defense, the instructors here are top level with many years of experience in BJJ, Boxing, Muay Thai and conditioning stop by and check them out!”
What members say
“Had the privilege to roll with a purple belt and the instructor (black belt) Had great technical rolls with both guys.”
“They have a great way of breaking down techniques and making them easy to understand, which is really helpful for beginners like me.”
“This gym is more than just a place to come and get a work out it's a family and I've been accepted and treated amazing since I've joined.”
“They have a great way of breaking down techniques and making them easy to understand, which is really helpful for beginners like me.”
“Best place to learn self defense, the instructors here are top level with many years of experience in BJJ, Boxing, Muay Thai and conditioning stop by and check them out!”
“Carlson Gracie North Aurora is an exceptional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym with a team of knowledgeable and experienced instructors, including Brian Bishop and Jeff Neal.”
From the reviews
Carlson Gracie Aurora is the best place to train in. I personally owe all my gratitude and respect to this place for not only giving me a place to train but teaching me how to stay dedicated to all my goals. Jeff Neal is such an amazing coach with a very vast knowledge of MMA, boxing and Brazilian ju jitsu.
Carlson Gracie North Aurora is an exceptional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym with a team of knowledgeable and experienced instructors, including Brian Bishop and Jeff Neal. Both of them are highly skilled and dedicated to helping their students reach their full potential.
I’ve been a member of this gym for 5+ years so I’m obviously very happy with it. I love the classes consisting of technique training and then the optional striking sparring and BJJ rolling. The people are great as well. MMA people are kind, hard working, and very helpful.
Been taking my 7 year old son for boxing and jujitsu for about a month now. Brain and Pearson are awesome with kids. Gym is nice and clean, big mat, plenty of bags for boxing, and a really good group of members. Price was excellent also!!!
New to BJJ? Start at Carlson Gracie MMA
Carlson Gracie MMA comes up as a beginner-friendly gym, going by their listing and members’ reviews. 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 Carlson Gracie MMA
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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🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site