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Richmond Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense Academy
4.8 ★★★★★ 46 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Richmond, Virginia
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
- Women's classes dedicated women's BJJ classes — a welcoming space to train and start out in
- 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 richmondbjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 804-249-6509
Hours
| Monday | 5:30–9 pm |
| Tuesday | 5:30–9 pm |
| Wednesday | 5:30–9 pm |
| Thursday | 5:30–9 pm |
| Friday | 5:30–9 pm |
| Saturday | 9:30 am–1 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“From my very first class there I could tell that they had very constructed curriculum to help beginners and even people with experience learn the fundamentals of Jiu Jitsu.”
“Liz occasionally hosts women's classes that are great for building relationships with other women in jiu jitsu.”
“They offer classes or open mats every day of the week except Sunday, and cater to all levels.”
“I came in for a self-defense class, and he was incredibly welcoming, knowledgeable, and patient throughout the entire session.”
“The instructors are clearly very experienced teaching beginners and do a great job of introducing you to the sport, and my classmates were supportive and offered tips regularly.”
Other martial arts here
“Not only does it have a BJJ program, but it has an amazing Muay Thai program where they also have an awesome curriculum to learn the fundamentals of Muay Thai.”
“Instructor Trey brings years of experience with Judo and Wrestling into his BJJ teaching, which was great for someone smaller like me.”
“Instructor Trey brings years of experience with Judo and Wrestling into his BJJ teaching, which was great for someone smaller like me.”
What members say
“Head instructor Eric Burdo was great and also went out of his way make me feel welcome.”
“From my very first class there I could tell that they had very constructed curriculum to help beginners and even people with experience learn the fundamentals of Jiu Jitsu.”
“I've been training here for maybe 3 years now and have seen my jiu jitsu grown significantly thanks to Eric and Liz and the welcoming community of Richmond BJJ.”
“From my very first class there I could tell that they had very constructed curriculum to help beginners and even people with experience learn the fundamentals of Jiu Jitsu.”
“Richmond BJJ is extremely female friendly.”
“The atmosphere in the studio was very supportive and positive, and you can tell that he truly cares about helping people build confidence and learn practical skills.”
From the reviews
I had the opportunity to stop by this past week. I haven’t trained or exercised in about 2-3 years and made the choice to start getting back in good health due to having three grandkids wearing me down. The academy and experienced staff are nothing less than awesome.
Richmond BJJ has been one of the most rewarding Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gyms I have trained at since I started training. The instructors put in the effort to make sure that people who come to learn are leaving the gym satisfied. Since I've came down to Richmond I wanted to continue training while still in college.
Dropped in to train while traveling for work. The people were immediately friendly and welcoming, and made me feel right at home! Head instructor Eric Burdo was great and also went out of his way make me feel welcome. The intermediate BJJ class was well paced and I enjoyed the training partners.
I train BJJ in NY, but travel to Richmond at least once a year for work. Richmond BJJ is a great home away from home gym. Instructor Trey brings years of experience with Judo and Wrestling into his BJJ teaching, which was great for someone smaller like me.
New to BJJ? Start at Richmond Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense Academy
Richmond Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense Academy 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 Richmond Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense Academy
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.
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