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Nova Ryu Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Yoga

5 ★★★★★ 50 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Tacoma, Washington

BJJ gym Free trial Beginners welcome Kids & teens Private lessons No-gi Competition team

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 4–14) — 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
  • No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
  • 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 novaryu.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone +1 253-508-4373

Hours

Monday 5–7:30 pm
Tuesday 5:30–8:30 pm
Wednesday 10:30 am–12 pm, 6:30–7:30 pm
Thursday 5:30–8 pm
Friday 9:30–11:30 am, 6–7 pm
Saturday 9:30 am–12 pm
Sunday 9–11 am

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 Nova Ryu Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Yoga, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🧒 Kids BJJ 15 mentions

“Coach Jestyn excels not only in teaching jiu-jitsu techniques but also in working with kids, creating a welcoming environment for all ages.”

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🩳 No-Gi

“The prices, also, cannot be beat - especially considering the amount of classes you can go to every week (gi and no-gi).”

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🥋 Gi

“The prices, also, cannot be beat - especially considering the amount of classes you can go to every week (gi and no-gi).”

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🏆 Competition Team

“Added a photos of some of the last tournaments.”

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🛡️ Self-Defense

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🌱 Beginners 3 mentions

“Coach Jestyn is knowledgeable and dedicated to creating a unique and fun class that is approachable from all skill levels.”

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Other martial arts here

BJJ gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at Nova Ryu Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Yoga — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🥊 Boxing

“They also have Yoga and Boxing classes during the week, too, although we haven’t taken advantage of those, yet!”

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🤼 Judo 4 mentions

“The people here made it feel like home real quick and coach Jestyn is a very knowledgeable black belt in jiu jitsu and judo thats taught me so much in such a little amount of time.”

Other gyms that also teach judo →

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 50 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 10 mentions

“The people here made it feel like home real quick and coach Jestyn is a very knowledgeable black belt in jiu jitsu and judo thats taught me so much in such a little amount of time.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 7 mentions

“Coach Jestyn excels not only in teaching jiu-jitsu techniques but also in working with kids, creating a welcoming environment for all ages.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 14 mentions

“Coach Jestyn excels not only in teaching jiu-jitsu techniques but also in working with kids, creating a welcoming environment for all ages.”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 7 mentions

“Coach Jestyn excels not only in teaching jiu-jitsu techniques but also in working with kids, creating a welcoming environment for all ages.”

🧒 strong kids program 4 mentions

“Jestyn works so well with all the kids and it’s been so great watching my son grow in skill and confidence.”

💵 good value / fair pricing 2 mentions

“Nova Ryu offers the best of both worlds- world class instruction from a judo and jiu jitsu black belt but at a great price.”

From the reviews

I have been to a lot of BJJ schools around the country, and this is by far my favorite place to train. The coach is not only extremely knowledgeable in BJJ, but also holds a Judo black belt as well, so the instruction you receive is a very well rounded grappling system that can be applied to the sport and self defense.

★★★★★ — Joey, May 2025

Can’t recommend this place enough. Coach Jestyn is an excellent instructor with a deep background in martial arts, as a black belt in BJJ as well as in Judo. Classes consist of equal parts of warm up, technique, and rolling / sparring.

★★★★★ — Benjamin, Jan 2024

Jestyn works so well with all the kids and it’s been so great watching my son grow in skill and confidence. All the support coaches have so much patience as well the whole team is so great.

★★★★★ — Naomi, Aug 2024

Such a great learning environment from a top tier Coach. Coach Jestyn makes you feel at ease and comfortable on the mats where it’s suppose to be uncomfortable. Ha! But really.

★★★★★ — Art, Aug 2024

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 50 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at Nova Ryu Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Yoga

Nova Ryu Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Yoga 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.

Check beginner classes on their site

Your first BJJ class at Nova Ryu Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Yoga

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 Nova Ryu Jiu Jitsu/Boxing/Yoga

3912 Portland Ave E, Tacoma, WA98404

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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.