Home › North Carolina › Raleigh › Gracie Raleigh
Gracie Raleigh
5 ★★★★★ 200 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Raleigh, North Carolina
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 (ages 4–6) — 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 gracieraleigh.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (919) 451-0749
Hours
| Monday | 6–7 AM, 12–1:30 PM, 4–8:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 6–7 AM, 12–1:30 PM, 4–8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 12–1:30 PM, 4–8:30 PM |
| Thursday | 6–7 AM, 12–1:30 PM, 4–8:30 PM |
| Friday | 6–7 AM, 12–1:30 PM, 6–7:30 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–12 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“The classes are well-structured and emphasize real world, practical techniques while maintaining a strong focus on safety and fundamentals.”
“My kid is attending Jui Juitsu classes more than 5 months.”
“The culture at Gracie Raleigh is only concerned about the benefit and improvement of its membership regardless of it being a hobby, a way to work out, self defense or competition.”
“The instructors are knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely invested in helping each student improve whether you’re brand new to jiu jitsu or have years of experience.”
Other martial arts here
“This was my first Muay Thai class and I honestly loved it.”
What members say
“Gracie has great coaches, like Karl, Jason, and lots of others, and plenty of rolling partners.”
“Friendly and welcoming from day 1, it felt like the coaches went out of their way to remember me as soon as possible.”
“Friendly and welcoming from day 1, it felt like the coaches went out of their way to remember me as soon as possible.”
“The classes are well-structured and emphasize real world, practical techniques while maintaining a strong focus on safety and fundamentals.”
“All of the coaches are knowledgeable and great with kids.”
“Gracie Raleigh is an outstanding academy with a welcoming, professional atmosphere from the moment you walk in.”
From the reviews
Gracie Raleigh is an incredible place to train. As an aging athlete, I would highly recommend training jiu-jitsu whether young or old. It is never too late to start! Brandon, Karl and all of the other coaches are extremely knowledgeable, talented and push you to succeed, as well as hold you accountable.
If another jujitsu gym opened next door to my house I would still drive to Gracie Raleigh to train. The culture at Gracie Raleigh is only concerned about the benefit and improvement of its membership regardless of it being a hobby, a way to work out, self defense or competition.
I recently tried a free class at Gracie Raleigh, and it completely exceeded my expectations. From the moment I walked in, the environment felt welcoming, structured, and super motivating. Coach Karl is honestly amazing. He breaks everything down in a way that makes it easy to understand, even if you’re brand new.
My son and I joined in September ’24. The community and coaches are all as attentive and involved as advertised. It has quickly become a much needed part of our routine. We are both learning to remain calm under pressure and that showing up on days we feel less than motivated often become the best days.
New to BJJ? Start at Gracie Raleigh
Gracie Raleigh 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 Raleigh
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 Raleigh
IRONGRIP Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 69 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Raleigh Brazilian Jiujitsu and Muay Thai
4.9 ★★★★★ 71 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy of Raleigh
4.8 ★★★★★ 147 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site