Home › North Carolina › Jacksonville › Twisted Kraken Jiu Jitsu
Twisted Kraken Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 66 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Jacksonville, North Carolina
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
- 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
- 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 twistedkrakenjiujitsu.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 910-358-8246
Hours
| Monday | 4–9 pm |
| Tuesday | 4–9 pm |
| Wednesday | 4–9 pm |
| Thursday | 4–7 pm |
| Friday | 5–7 pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“I started with the fundamentals, progressed to intermediate levels, and even had the chance to compete.”
“Coach Teddy and his team are extremely knowledgeable, breaking down the mechanics in an understandable and fun way that leave the kids excited to come back for more.”
“I started with the fundamentals, progressed to intermediate levels, and even had the chance to compete.”
“My son, who has autism, receives private lessons from Coach Teddy.”
“Whether you are here for Self defense, physical fitness, competition, a hobby, or prior martial arts training you are in the right place.”
What members say
“I recently started training here at Twisted Kraken and from the day I started I felt welcomed by Coach Teddy and all members of the class.”
“The classes are filled with friendly folks of diverse backgrounds and skill levels, and all are welcomed who come to work hard and have a great time.”
“The instructor staff does an excellent job at explaining technique and maintains active engagement throughout the training.”
“As a parent, watching my daughters' confidence grow, along with skills that could potentially save their life in the future, I am forever grateful.”
“Whether you are here for Self defense, physical fitness, competition, a hobby, or prior martial arts training you are in the right place.”
“My girls say their favorite part is sparring and they love Coach Gracie, and are so happy to have a female role model to look up to.”
From the reviews
Twisted Kraken has brought new challenges and the great sense of fulfillment that my husband needed since retiring from the Marine Corps and transitioning into civilian life.
Teddy, the owner of Twisted Kraken, makes it his priority to influence a positive culture and learning environment for the gentle art. His experience with previous martial arts schools shines through as he generates a positively structured, safe, and sanitary space to instruct his students.
Twisted Kraken is the best thing we could have done for our family. The culture, training focus and values are all in alignment with what I could have hoped for in a place for my son and husband to train.
Nothing but wonderful things to say about Twisted Kraken! It is our first experience with our child doing any kind of activity and it has been a fantastic experience. My little one that doesn’t like ANYTHING is excited and looks forward to class!
New to BJJ? Start at Twisted Kraken Jiu Jitsu
Twisted Kraken 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.
Your first BJJ class at Twisted Kraken 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.
More BJJ gyms near Jacksonville
Alliance Jiu Jitsu Richlands
5 ★★★★★ 41 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
The Factory Jiu-jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 20 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Grappling Disciples Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 21 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site