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Gracie Academy Philadelphia
5 ★★★★★ 50 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Part of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
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
- 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
- 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 gracieacademyphiladelphia.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 215-839-6501
Hours
| Monday | 7–8:30 am, 12–1:30 pm, 6–8:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 12–1:30 pm, 6–8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 7–8:30 am, 12–1:30 pm, 6–8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12–1:30 pm, 6–8:30 pm |
| Friday | 7–8:30 am, 12–1:30 pm, 6–8:30 pm |
| Saturday | 10 am–1:30 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“The instructors have years of experience and they know how to handle kids for their kids classes.”
“Students range from casual workout enthusiasts to tough international competitors of all ages.”
“Her instruction and examples were thorough and her one on one instruction was very helpful.”
“They provide a class schedule as well as open mat training to fit every lifestyle .”
“Gracie Philadelphia is a great place to start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for competition, self defense or general fitness.”
“If you're a beginner or been training for a while you can get it all here.”
Other martial arts here
“If you are looking for a place to train BJJ or Judo there is no need to look any further.”
What members say
“I just moved to Philadelphia, and this place is making my adaptation to the city much easier due to the friendly environment and great instructors.”
“Best jiu jitsu school hands down everyone is welcoming safe environment eli is a great instructor very technical.”
“I just moved to Philadelphia, and this place is making my adaptation to the city much easier due to the friendly environment and great instructors.”
“Everyone is really passionate about learning, sharing techniques, and pushing each other to get better.”
“If students express interest in competition, Brian and the other instructors help push the pace and offer strategic guidance.”
“I joined Philadelphia Gracie Humaitá just under a year ago and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.”
From the reviews
I’ve been training here from white belt to brown belt and I plan on getting my black belt from this school. Brian and all of the instructors have so much experience in teaching and competing.
$30 drop-in fee but you can roll all day. Excellent instruction (I’m an 8-month white belt) and I got to roll with a careful blue belt. Class size was small; 5 total, including the teacher at 7am. I like the morning classes but few gyms have them.
I joined Philadelphia Gracie Humaitá just under a year ago and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. The instruction is second to none and Professor Brian Rago is also an extremely humble individual that genuinely cares about his students.
Extremely clean environment to learn Jiu jitsu. Flexible class schedule, and very knowledgeable instructors. Everyone is friendly and welcoming to new people as well. Stop by and take a couple free classes to see for yourself.
New to BJJ? Start at Gracie Academy Philadelphia
Gracie Academy Philadelphia 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 Gracie Academy Philadelphia
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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