Home › Ohio › Columbus › U A Jiu Jitsu
U A Jiu Jitsu
4.9 ★★★★★ 34 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Columbus, Ohio
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
- 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 gracieua.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (614) 300-0606
Hours
| Monday | 6:30–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 6:15–8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 7–8 PM |
| Thursday | 6–6:45 PM, 7–8:30 PM |
| Friday | 6:30–7:30 PM |
| Saturday | 10:30 AM–12:30 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“If you’re a competitor, you’ll get competitive rolls and instruction.”
“Very friendly and open environment, good gangster rap for open mat.”
“You’ll get self-defense instruction, old and new school jiu jitsu, wrestling, and a dose of fighting philosophy.”
“His instruction is excellent and the class environment is friendly and welcoming to all levels of experience including beginners or those more advanced.”
Other martial arts here
“You’ll get self-defense instruction, old and new school jiu jitsu, wrestling, and a dose of fighting philosophy.”
What members say
“Solid BJJ training with great instructors in a positive atmosphere where everyone has a chance to learn and thrive.”
“Great place to start your journey and the first class is free, so if you are new and want to try it out or get a feel for the place you get that opportunity.”
“I consistently hear people talk about how friendly the environment is here, and I’m not sure I would have continued my jiu jitsu training if I hadn’t felt the same way.”
“Each instructor has a different style and insights to the various techniques and positions.”
“I’ve been training at Gracie UA for almost 2 months now after a very long time away from BJJ.”
“As an smaller female white belt it's important to feel safe and comfortable and I certainly do training here.”
From the reviews
I would recommend the women's self defense class here to everybody I know. The teacher (and other students) creates an incredibly welcoming and supportive environment and is skilled without being intimidating. So glad I found this place!
This place is fantastic. I’ve trained at various places around the country and you can’t beat the atmosphere here. It truly offers something for everyone. If you’re a competitor, you’ll get competitive rolls and instruction. If you’re a hobbyist just looking to learn, you won’t feel overwhelmed.
I HIGHLY recommend UA Jiu Jitsu in Clintonville (Columbus), Ohio! The women's self defense class taught by Dave on Thursday evenings is outstanding. His instruction is excellent and the class environment is friendly and welcoming to all levels of experience including beginners or those more advanced.
I’ve been training at Gracie UA for almost 2 months now after a very long time away from BJJ. The instructions are very thorough and gives instructions when you’re not doing something correct or will help if you have questions. Great atmosphere to train and a great group of people!
New to BJJ? Start at U A Jiu Jitsu
U A Jiu Jitsu 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 U A 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 Columbus
Carlson Gracie Columbus
4.6 ★★★★★ 18 reviews
Mad Max's Academy (MMA)
5 ★★★★★ 25 reviews