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DF Fitness & Martial Arts Center

4.9 ★★★★★ 60 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Gloucester, Massachusetts

BJJ gym Free trial Beginners welcome Kids & teens Private lessons

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
  • Women's classes dedicated women's BJJ classes — a welcoming space to train and start out in
  • Private lessons private, one-on-one coaching available — a focused way to start or to work around a busy schedule; ask about availability and rates
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule dffitnessmacenter.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone (508) 400-0004

Hours

Monday 6–9 AM, 1–8:30 PM
Tuesday 4:30–8:30 PM
Wednesday 6–9 AM, 1–8:30 PM
Thursday 4:30–8:30 PM
Friday 6–9 AM, 1–8:30 PM
Saturday 10 AM–12 PM
Sunday Closed

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 DF Fitness & Martial Arts Center, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🧒 Kids BJJ 24 mentions

“2019 I decided to give my son Noah the Gift of been part of Jiu Jitsu…and with DF he gave his first steps … his first teacher there was Rich and Dani .”

All gyms that run kids bjj →

👤 Private Lessons

“Private lessons for me has been perfect.”

All gyms that run private lessons →

🌱 Beginners 2 mentions

“I walked into the Muay Thai group class with very little to no experience of the sport.”

All gyms that run beginners →

Other martial arts here

BJJ gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at DF Fitness & Martial Arts Center — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🥊 Muay Thai

“I walked into the Muay Thai group class with very little to no experience of the sport.”

Other gyms that also teach muay thai →

Disciplines are mined from reviews and the gym's own info — they show what members have trained, not a formal class guarantee. If you specifically want MMA, muay thai, or wrestling alongside your BJJ, confirm the current schedule with the gym.

What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 60 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 2 mentions

“After that, Julio was great with my son, showing patience, kindness, and excellent instruction while helping him learn the fundamentals.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 10 mentions

“Our son attended a trial class with Franco, who was welcoming, energetic, and made him feel comfortable right away.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 13 mentions

“I’ve been taking the Jiu-Jitsu classes here for about a year and found an amazing community of dedicated people who are passionate to learn and are always humble to a fault.”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 3 mentions

“After that, Julio was great with my son, showing patience, kindness, and excellent instruction while helping him learn the fundamentals.”

🧒 strong kids program 5 mentions

“My son loves jiu-jitsu (he started almost two years ago) Dani and her team are amazing!”

🧼 clean, well-kept mats 3 mentions

“Everyone is welcoming and the facility is super clean.”

From the reviews

I’ve been training jiu jitsu here for about eight months. Dani and Felipe are very knowledgeable, professional and most importantly, patient. Whether they are teaching the kid or the adult classes they work to determine the student’s comfort level, push them to improve and make sure they are enjoying themselves and…

★★★★★ — Anthony, Aug 2023

2019 I decided to give my son Noah the Gift of been part of Jiu Jitsu…and with DF he gave his first steps … his first teacher there was Rich and Dani . Now 2022 it’s just Dani and he have grown so much on this art inside and out ! Jiu jitsu is a life style and we decide to be great in life !

★★★★★ — Tia, Dec 2022

Our experience with this gym is wonderful!! My son loves jiu-jitsu (he started almost two years ago) Dani and her team are amazing! They always do everything with love and respect… I also had a sedentary lifestyle before I started at the gym, but today I live an extraordinary quality of life!

★★★★★ — Nilda, Aug 2023

This is THEE fitness place in Gloucester! DF is a woman owned business to begin. Plus, Danielle is a charming, responsible, educated, & fun trainer/teacher/coach that I’ve ever known in my experience as a mature woman from Cali. who has trained many years & known several gyms.

★★★★★ — Cristina, Oct 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 60 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at DF Fitness & Martial Arts Center

DF Fitness & Martial Arts Center 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 DF Fitness & Martial Arts Center

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 DF Fitness & Martial Arts Center

15 Great Republic Dr, Gloucester, MA01930

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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.