Home › Virginia › Manassas › Vanguard Gym
Vanguard Gym
4.8 ★★★★★ 42 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Manassas, Virginia
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
- Women's classes dedicated women's BJJ classes — a welcoming space to train and start out in
- 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
- Website & schedule vanguardgym.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (202) 596-5528
The classes they run
“Great gym with a great staff of coaches for the kids BJJ program!”
“I really enjoy going to women's class and open mats.”
“I really enjoy going to women's class and open mats.”
Other martial arts here
“Had a great experience with the Intro to Muay Thai class!”
“The coaches are amazing with the kids from cross fit, BJJ and wrestling.”
What members say
“On top of the excellent coaching, I could not imagine a better group of folks to work out with.”
“Great Gym, with a welcoming atmosphere.”
“I really enjoy the family atmosphere, the principles the coaching staff adheres to and the goal-oriented approach the head coach encourages all members to have.”
“Many other martial arts establishments just throw out technique after technique without any thought on how those techniques chain together.”
“It is exceptionally clean with many restrooms, showers, and changing rooms that fit a busy person needs, such as my own.”
“Crossfit is worth every penny.”
From the reviews
This is an amazing gym. It has totally changed the way I view fitness and the way I view a fitness facility. The coaches are great, knowledgeable, and encouraging. No one is made to feel weak or "lame" at Vanguard Gym.
Just had a visiter,( Kelsey ) at my location in Raleigh , Nc. You can tell right away she come from a great gym and was taught to have fun in her BJJ. My compliments to her and her coaches. Well done, it was a pleasure having you. Machado Black Belt M. C. Tricoli
Vanguard is the place to train at if you’re in Manassas or surrounding areas. The level of detail in which Coach Doug and Coach Chris go into with every technique is outstanding.
I’ve been doing BJJ at vanguard gym for about 2 years now and I just started CrossFit as well. I can’t tell you how outstanding this place is, the coaches are so inspirational and motivating and the atmosphere is amazing. My first and current job is at the gym because I wanted to be more involved.
New to BJJ? Start at Vanguard Gym
Vanguard Gym 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 Vanguard Gym
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 Manassas
Fourth Dimension Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 33 reviews
Front Line Jiu-Jitsu Academy
5 ★★★★★ 45 reviews
Dominion BJJ
4.9 ★★★★★ 87 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site