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Hero Athletics
5 ★★★★★ 44 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Knoxville, Tennessee
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.
Functional fitness center offering jiu jitsu, kickboxing, and self-defense training, plus personal training.
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
- Membership memberships run around $75/mo — many academies also offer a discounted first month and family plans, so ask about new-member rates
- 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 3–7) — 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
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule heroathleticsknoxville.com — book classes and see the live schedule
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
The classes they run
“Before training with Shamir I struggled to maintain my health during intense no GI and gi schedules.”
“Learning no GI jiu jitsu with the community at hero Athletics has been amazing!”
“), personal training, nutrition plans, new/well maintained equipment, and a built-in family that is ready to help you reach your goals, whatever they may be.”
“I learned about self defense and have become a stronger woman physically and mentally because of her!”
Other martial arts here
“Come let this local mma fighter, personal trainer, all around great person help you become your own super hero!”
“There’s not enough stars to tell you how awesome the environment and people are Ken- awesome instructor and friendly loved his kickboxing class!”
“It's the absolute best place to learn how to wrestle,the instructor there is amazing and so I will definitely be back!”
What members say
“It's the absolute best place to learn how to wrestle,the instructor there is amazing and so I will definitely be back!”
“But there's a definite add when there's a welcoming atmosphere with people who actually want to be there, work hard, and enjoy it.”
“), personal training, nutrition plans, new/well maintained equipment, and a built-in family that is ready to help you reach your goals, whatever they may be.”
“The membership fee is well worth all the individual attention I get from the extremely competent staff.”
From the reviews
This gym is truly unique. Shamir and the team are offering something special. I feel lucky to take part as a black belt instructor in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Before training with Shamir I struggled to maintain my health during intense no GI and gi schedules.
The most inclusive gym I have ever experienced! No toxic culture here. I feel welcome and comfortable asking questions of any of the coaches or other members. The membership fee is well worth all the individual attention I get from the extremely competent staff.
Let me tell you about this place…. There’s not enough stars to tell you how awesome the environment and people are Ken- awesome instructor and friendly loved his kickboxing class! Shamir- love love love her BJJ classes she’s awesome, friendly, and so strong! Very inspiring!
It's the absolute best place to learn how to wrestle,the instructor there is amazing and so I will definitely be back! It's worth checking out. The people there are very welcoming and helpful.
New to BJJ? Start at Hero Athletics
Hero Athletics 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 Hero Athletics
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. 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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