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Southside Jiu-Jitsu Academy
5 ★★★★★ 18 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Anchorage, Alaska
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
- 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 4–8) — 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
- 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
- Website & schedule southsidejiujitsuak.com — book classes and see the live schedule
The classes they run
“She looks mean but she’s a total sweetheart with the kids.”
Other martial arts here
“There are multiple black belt Jiu-jitsu instructors, black belt judo instructors, and great Muay Thai & MMA classes.”
“There are multiple black belt Jiu-jitsu instructors, black belt judo instructors, and great Muay Thai & MMA classes.”
“A wonderful gym to learn and train juijitsu, judo, boxing and mma….”
“There are multiple black belt Jiu-jitsu instructors, black belt judo instructors, and great Muay Thai & MMA classes.”
What members say
“Been to 3 diferent juijitsu gyms, this one is by far the best, great coaches, and great family environment”
“Been to 3 diferent juijitsu gyms, this one is by far the best, great coaches, and great family environment”
From the reviews
Great gym and awesome coaches! We’d just really love to see Kat back out there helping. She looks mean but she’s a total sweetheart with the kids.
Southside Jiu-jitsu is an excellent gym to train at. I personally know the instructors, they're good, professional people with years of competition & teaching experience. There are multiple black belt Jiu-jitsu instructors, black belt judo instructors, and great Muay Thai & MMA classes.
Amazing place to train! Everyone is so welcoming and all the instructors are top notch. The judo classes are a great bonus and my jiu-jitsu has improved immensely since starting here. Absolutely recommend!
coaches are amazing: patient, engaging and fun. i always learn a ton at every lesson, and i always leave knowing i’ll get to come back and learn more!!
New to BJJ? Start at Southside Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Southside Jiu-Jitsu 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 Southside Jiu-Jitsu 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. 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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🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site