HomePennsylvaniaPhiladelphia › Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

5 ★★★★★ 119 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

BJJ gym Beginners welcome Private lessons

Plan your first class

  • Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
  • 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
  • Today see hours ·
  • Phone (215) 587-0007

Hours

Monday 6:30–9:30 PM
Tuesday 6:30–9:30 PM
Wednesday 6:30–9:30 PM
Thursday 6:30–9:30 PM
Friday 6:30–9:30 PM
Saturday 5:30–7:30 PM
Sunday 12–3 PM

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 Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🥋 Gi

“I attended another two seminars - one in the gi and one out of the gi as well as a private lesson.”

All gyms that run gi →

👤 Private Lessons

“I attended another two seminars - one in the gi and one out of the gi as well as a private lesson.”

All gyms that run private lessons →

🛡️ Self-Defense 5 mentions

“In those years I also took part in his lessons of MMA and self-defence and that was a great experience.”

All gyms that run self-defense →

🌱 Beginners 6 mentions

“Aside from this, the other experienced practitioners in his gym help beginners like myself learn constantly.”

All gyms that run beginners →

Other martial arts here

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

🏟️ MMA 6 mentions

“I met Damon During the Summer of 2011 in Rimini Italy, where he was teaching MMA seminars at an international university course I was taking.”

Other gyms that also teach mma →

🥊 Boxing

“Classes span from jiu jitsu to judo to kick boxing and self defense.”

Other gyms that also teach boxing →

🦵 Kickboxing

“Classes span from jiu jitsu to judo to kick boxing and self defense.”

Other gyms that also teach kickboxing →

🤼 Judo 10 mentions

“Damon himself has a wealth of knowledge and experience in jiu-jitsu and judo, and in martial arts generally.”

Other gyms that also teach judo →

🤸 Wrestling 4 mentions

“The school is very clean and organize with a large mat so their is plenty of space for everyone to drill moves and wrestle during class hours!”

Other gyms that also teach wrestling →

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 119 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 2 mentions

“I am sure Damon is an excellent instructor and much more he is a good friend, great quality of teaching allows him to transmit peaceful feeling despite the field of his teaching.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 10 mentions

“Aside from this, the other experienced practitioners in his gym help beginners like myself learn constantly.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 6 mentions

“The school is very clean and the atmosphere is very friendly with student of all levels participating in the classes.”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 7 mentions

“He's got a great way of relaying concepts in an easy to understand manner and pick out small details no matter the level of student.”

🧼 clean, well-kept mats 3 mentions

“The school is very clean and organize with a large mat so their is plenty of space for everyone to drill moves and wrestle during class hours!”

💵 good value / fair pricing 2 mentions

“I’ve gained so much in the short few months I’ve been training here and I would highly recommend the school to anyone who wants to get into high quality and affordable training.”

From the reviews

I been coming to Philadelphia Jiu Jitsu for about 3 years and for the past 3 years it has been nothing but great and exciting! Damon and the other instructors know their stuff by heart and have a large range of knowledge of the sport alongside other types of mix martial arts that you learn a lot from various forms and…

★★★★★ — Eddie, Jan 2022

I started training with Philadelphia JiuJitsu this past summer and it has been a great experience so far. Damon is extremely knowledgeable with over 30 years experience and has a great passion for teaching.

★★★★★ — Paul, Jan 2024

I have been wanting to get back into martial arts after a decade hiatus. I tried several other schools in the area but they didn’t speak to me. The students at Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu are top notch. They are welcoming to beginners, train hard, and prioritize safety as well.

★★★★★ — Jeremy, Jun 2023

I have been training Mixed Martial Arts for 3 years and have visited and trained in many Academies. Philadelphia Jiu Jitsu is an amazing Mixed Martial Arts school located on Cherry Street in Philadelphia. I attended a class this past week and was extremely impressed with Damon and how he runs his academy.

★★★★★ — Dr., Jun 2015

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 119 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu 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.

Call about beginner classes: (215) 587-0007

Your first BJJ class at Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

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 Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

1760 Barbara St, Philadelphia, PA19145

Get directions

More BJJ gyms near Philadelphia

Royal StriKing Muay Thai & BJJ

4.9 ★★★★★ 57 reviews

2013 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA

🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site

BJJ gym Free trial Beginners welcome Kids & teens No-gi Competition team expert, high-level coachingwelcoming to beginnersno-ego, friendly academy

under a mile away

Osagame Martial Arts and Fitness

4.9 ★★★★★ 29 reviews

1168 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA

BJJ gym Kids & teens No-gi expert, high-level coachingno-ego, friendly academybuilds confidence & discipline

Straightforward studio offering judo & jiu-jitsu for children & adults, plus kettlebell workouts.

1.5 miles away

Gracie Academy Philadelphia

5 ★★★★★ 50 reviews

1231 Bainbridge St, Philadelphia, PA

🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site

BJJ gym Free trial Beginners welcome Kids & teens Private lessons Competition team Affiliated expert, high-level coachingwelcoming to beginnersno-ego, friendly academy

2.0 miles away

All BJJ gyms in Philadelphia, PA →

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.