Home › Maryland › Columbia › Rising Tide Academy (Columbia) Gracie Jiu-Jitsu - Muay Thai
Rising Tide Academy (Columbia) Gracie Jiu-Jitsu - Muay Thai
4.9 ★★★★★ 159 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Columbia, Maryland
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 — 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 risingtidemartialarts.us — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (443) 832-0904
Hours
| Monday | 5–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 5–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 5–8 PM |
| Thursday | 5–8 PM |
| Friday | 5–8 PM |
| Saturday | 9:30 AM–3 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“I am incredibly grateful for the skills, confidence and mentorship my son received while training at Rising Tide through middle and high school.”
“I am incredibly grateful for the skills, confidence and mentorship my son received while training at Rising Tide through middle and high school.”
“I went in for their no gi class and had so much fun I stayed for the gi class as well.”
“I went in for their no gi class and had so much fun I stayed for the gi class as well.”
“The coaching staff is knowledgeable, detail-oriented and genuinely invested in their students’ growth whether you’re a beginner just getting started or a serious competitor.”
“This is a place where professional fighters as well as everyday people come to learn self defense.”
“The coaching staff is knowledgeable, detail-oriented and genuinely invested in their students’ growth whether you’re a beginner just getting started or a serious competitor.”
Other martial arts here
“We got a ton of value out of both the bjj and muay thai programs.”
“It’s easily one of my favorite MMA and BJJ gyms in Maryland.”
What members say
“Mike has been around for a long time in the Maryland BJJ scene and has always been a great instructor and an example for his students and community!”
“The coaching staff is knowledgeable, detail-oriented and genuinely invested in their students’ growth whether you’re a beginner just getting started or a serious competitor.”
“This gym is amazing, tons of mat space, very clean, and everyone was super friendly.”
“The coaching staff is knowledgeable, detail-oriented and genuinely invested in their students’ growth whether you’re a beginner just getting started or a serious competitor.”
“The coaching staff is knowledgeable, detail-oriented and genuinely invested in their students’ growth whether you’re a beginner just getting started or a serious competitor.”
“The cleanliness of their facilities and quality of instructors sets a very high bar for any other organizations to try and meet”
From the reviews
Honestly, what's not to love about Rising Tide? The mat space is HUGE and they clean it thoroughly after each class so it always looks and smells super clean. It's great for entire families to train together. The training itself helps deal with stress, anxiety and also builds up your confidence.
The facility is clean, the instructors are great, and the atmosphere is fantastic. A few weeks ago, I signed up my son. I saw how helpful jiu-jitsu could be and had to get him into it. The instructors are very nice with the younger kids.
I can’t say enough good things about Rising Tide. It’s easily one of my favorite MMA and BJJ gyms in Maryland. The owner and staff are incredibly welcoming, and the culture they’ve built makes it a great place to train whether you’re a complete beginner, intermediate, or a high-level athlete.
As a gym owner myself, I have a ton of respect for what they’ve built here. This is a top-level school with high-quality coaching, a strong culture, and athletes who truly represent the program the right way.
New to BJJ? Start at Rising Tide Academy (Columbia) Gracie Jiu-Jitsu - Muay Thai
Rising Tide Academy (Columbia) Gracie Jiu-Jitsu - Muay Thai 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 Rising Tide Academy (Columbia) Gracie Jiu-Jitsu - Muay Thai
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 Columbia
2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu
4.9 ★★★★★ 67 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Rising Tide Hi Tech Martial Arts: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, MMA
4.9 ★★★★★ 197 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Brazu Jiu Jitsu Academy
5 ★★★★★ 19 reviews