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The Phoenix Way

5 ★★★★★ 111 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Shrewsbury, New Jersey

BJJ gym Beginners welcome Kids & teens Competition team

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 — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
  • Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule thephoenixway.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone +1 732-890-5039

Hours

Monday 4:30–9 pm
Tuesday 9 am–8 pm
Wednesday 4:30–9 pm
Thursday 6–8 pm
Friday 9 am–7:30 pm
Saturday 9–11:30 am
Sunday 8–11:30 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 The Phoenix Way, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

📘 Fundamentals 2 mentions

“This standing, striking martial art has enormous power, cultivated from hard training and proper technique.”

All gyms that run fundamentals →

🧒 Kids BJJ 13 mentions

“Anthony welcomed me and my daughter to the class and we could both tell immediately that many students had been with him for a long time.”

All gyms that run kids bjj →

🏆 Competition Team

“Anthony, his instructors and students promote a supportive environment while pushing everybody to learn, compete and get to the next level.”

All gyms that run competition team →

🛡️ Self-Defense 11 mentions

“I always look forward coming to class, and I highly recommend the Phoenix Way to anyone looking to learn self-defense or to just get in better shape.”

All gyms that run self-defense →

🌱 Beginners 3 mentions

“The Phoenix Way teaches martial arts for all levels and abilities this is a great place to train and a community to be part of.”

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 The Phoenix Way — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🏟️ MMA 5 mentions

“This is so much more than Karate as we do a combination of CrossFit as well as mixed martial arts.”

Other gyms that also teach mma →

🎽 Karate 14 mentions

“A short two months later, it became apparent that my weight training is now a supplement to The Phoenix Way style of Kyokushin Karate.”

Other gyms that also teach karate →

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 111 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 2 mentions

“I highly recommend anyone that's searching to learn a functional skill, become fit, and train with the best instructors to join The Phoenix Way!”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 9 mentions

“Since his first class at The Phoenix Way, he has gained so much strength, coordination, dedication, discipline, and confidence in his abilities.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 13 mentions

“Anthony, his instructors and students promote a supportive environment while pushing everybody to learn, compete and get to the next level.”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 3 mentions

“This standing, striking martial art has enormous power, cultivated from hard training and proper technique.”

great workout & conditioning 3 mentions

“Phoenix Way has been everything i expected in terms of martial arts training, conditioning, flexibility and overall fitness.”

🧼 clean, well-kept mats 4 mentions

“The facility is immaculate, very well kept and the equipment is all top quality.”

From the reviews

Phoenix Karate is amazing. I like it so much because the teacher there Shihan Anthony Codispoti helps you workout past your potential. His program builds your muscles and confidence.. He also teaches a lot of cool martial arts methods to help you if you ever get in a fight.

★★★★★ — Sean, Aug 2018

The Phoenix Way is an incredibly positive and safe martial arts school that I have been training at for 18 years. The camaraderie between training partners is superb, the technique and conditioning taught in each class is engaging and knowledgable, and the Phoenix community is welcoming and encouraging for each…

★★★★★ — Chloe, Feb 2022

My daughters started Karate at The Phoenix Way when they were four years old. They earned their black belts at 14 years old and starting teaching the kids class with Shihan. The Phoenix Way has led them to gain confidence, focus and excellent leadership skills as young adults.

★★★★★ — Dawn, Nov 2020

The Phoenix Way is a unique school for training in Karate and mixed martial arts. Shihan Anthony is a dedicated teacher who channels the strength, discipline and values of Kyokushin Karate into his students and the surrounding community.

★★★★★ — Jeremy, Apr 2023

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 111 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at The Phoenix Way

The Phoenix Way 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 The Phoenix Way

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 The Phoenix Way

170 Patterson Ave, Shrewsbury, NJ07702

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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.