Home › New Jersey › Princeton › Gracie Barra North Princeton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense
Gracie Barra North Princeton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense
5 ★★★★★ 147 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Princeton, New Jersey
Part of Gracie Barra
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
- 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
- No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule gbprinceton.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 609-948-8140
Hours
| Monday | 12–8:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 4–8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12–8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 4–8:30 pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 8:30–11:30 am |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“The coaches are amazing with kids, and the advanced adult classes can be very serious and challenging(in a good way).”
“I would recommend anyone who wants their child to learn self defense or martial arts to consider Gracie Barra BJJ.”
Other martial arts here
“I personally enjoy the jiu jitsu classes and strength and conditioning the most, but Muay Thai is also a good option.”
“I enrolled my daughter because MMA, particularly Jujitsu; is a required skill now a days, in my opinion.”
What members say
“The entirety of the experience from communicating with Kris on the phone, to meeting Claire and to finally meeting Professor Wojtek was amazing.”
“Coach Kris & Professor Wojtek were both extremely welcoming, making what could have been a daunting experience enjoyable.”
“The environment (from both coaches and participants) is very supportive and focused—they emphasize discipline and consistency here.”
“The coaches are great at translating techniques to students.”
“He mentions to me all the time that Ji Jitsu at Gracie Barra is his favorite thing in the week.”
“Great coaching, clean facility, and a very welcoming team.”
From the reviews
My sons attended another local martial arts school where they were treated like recruits for the military. A month ago I moved the boys to Gracie Barra in North Princeton to try out the juniors classes. BLOWN AWAY by the positive and teachable mindset of ALL THE COACHES!!!!
This is a great gym with wonderful people! The coaches are very skilled, love what they do, and share their enthusiasm for martial arts with the class. The coaches are great at translating techniques to students.
The coaches and professors at GB North Princeton are truly amazing! They make everyone feel welcome, and have truly built an extended family with all the students that go there. The amount of time they put in getting to know everyone who goes there is incredible.
I have been deeply involved in martial arts for over 20 years, I therefore tend to be painfully meticulous and downright pendantic about what martial arts Dojos or gyms I choose to train at.
New to BJJ? Start at Gracie Barra North Princeton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense
Gracie Barra North Princeton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense 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 Gracie Barra North Princeton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Self Defense
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.
More BJJ gyms near Princeton
Princeton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 64 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Montgomery Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 86 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts (Lawrence Township, NJ)
4.8 ★★★★★ 104 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site