No matter where you live, once you’ve committed yourself to training martial arts, finding quality martial arts instruction is critical. Be it a veteran martial artist or a novice who has set the intention to start their walk on the martial path, you can’t do it yourself so a good gym or dojo is a must.
With the rise of Mixed Martial Arts, the popularity of Jiu Jitsu has skyrocketed, rightly so. Jiu Jitsu is a force multiplying martial art, size and strength has little effect against a trained Jiu Jitsu practitioner.
Skill and technique is the primary focus, with a plethora of techniques ranging from takedowns, strangulation holds that render an opponent unconscious, to joint locks that can stop a fight dead in its tracks, Jiu Jitsu is a must for those who want to fight competitively in this era and ideal for those who want to learn an effective form of self defense without having to maul someone to incapacitate them.
Keeping all these points in mind, let’s discuss the best gyms to train Jiu Jitsu in Austin.
Paragon Jiu Jitsu Academy
For those of you who want a straight Jiu Jitsu dojo without the fight gym aspect with a variety of martial arts classes, Paragon Jiu Jitsu is ideal for the purist grappler who wants to focus on their ground game.
Lead instructor Robert Dembeck is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner with a black belt under the legendary Ricardo “Franjinha” Miller, who is recognized as one of the top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners in the world. The expertise is extended through Robert to his students.
It doesn’t matter if you are an aspiring novice, or a veteran grappler, Paragon offers a one week free trial at the dojo so you can get your feet wet and see if it is the place for you to sharpen your warriors edge. You can find more information on them below.
Classes Offered At Paragon Jiu Jitsu Academy
- Kids BJJ Coaches
- Teen BJJ Classes
- BJJ Fundamentals
- BJJ Adults
Instructors At Paragon Jiu Jitsu Academy
- Jose Portillo(Head Instructor)
- Jeremy Adams
- David Stone
- Mike Malinconico(wrestling coach)
Special Offers: N/A
Address: 6800 West Gate BLVD, Suite 116 Austin, TX 78745
Phone Number: 512.909.5200
Gracie Barra North Austin Jiu Jitsu
For those who follow the world of combat sports such as MMA and grappling, the name Gracie is one that almost everyone has heard in one way or another if they have paid the least bit of attention.
The Gracie family has been a vanguard for Jiu Jitsu for almost a century when brothers Carlos and Hélio Gracie founded what we know today as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It is hard to find a family with more renown and influence in a martial art and that quality extends to the thousands of Gracie Jiu Jitsu academies all over the world.
The Barra at the end of can be a little deceptive to a beginner who may worry it isn’t the same as traditional Gracie Academy Jiu Jitsu. Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu does have a different curriculum and a different logo based off of the Carlos Gracie side of the family as opposed to the Hélio side of the family is still owned by the Grace family and they both teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
The line up instructors are nothing short of impressive at Gracie Barra North Austin. Lead instructor Itacio Lisboa is a renowned 5th degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu professor who has been teaching the Gracie Barra lineage for decades, ranging from competition fighting to self defense for all genders and ages.
Professor Ricardo de Moraes is a 4th degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who emigrated to the United States São Paulo, Brazil to teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Ricardo has been training Judo since the age of 4 years old and continued for 12 years and earned his brown belt, until the age of 16, when he found Gracie Jiu Jitsu and eventually earned his black belt from 6th degree black Belt Professor Carlos Alberto Liberi.
Gracie Barra North Austin offers a variety of martial arts classes. Starting with children’s classes ranging from ages 3 to 16, both exclusive male and female centric classes, Judo classes as well as yoga classes. If this sounds like the kind of place you would like to try see below for more information.
Classes Offered At Gracie Barra North Austin
- Kids BJJ
- Teen BJJ
- Women’s BJJ
- BJJ Fundamentals
- BJJ Adults
- Yoga
- Self Defense
- Judo
Instructors At Gracie Barra North Austin
- Itacio Lisboa(Head Instructor)
- Ricardo de Moraes
Special Offers: 1 free trial class
Address: 8868 Research BLVD #608 Austin, TX 78758
Phone Number: 512.921.4950
Email: northaustin@gbaustin.com
Austin Jiu Jitsu
Austin Jiu Jitsu is an excellent option for both beginners and grappling veterans like. From a quaint Jiu Jitsu gym that turned into a staple of Austin, Texas martial arts, Austin Jiu Jitsu has established itself as a gym for martial artists who want to become formidable opponents in both self defense and competition fighting alike.
Jiu Jitsu is a lifestyle and the type of instruction you have can make the difference between failure and success. Finding a place to train where you “fit in” is just as, if not, more important than the training itself. Dojos are few and far between anymore, if you don’t feel at home then
you’re not off to the best start, Austin Jiu Jitsu is the type of dojo where you go to learn, not to flex your muscles and show you’re top dog.
With instructors like Dave Thomas, who received his black belt in Jiu Jitsu under Travis Tooke, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt from Professor Carlos Gracie Jr. himself, you’re guaranteed a legitimate education in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that will guide you to your path to personal mastery and an arsenal of unconventional, highly technical skills both on the mat and off.
Dave has experience on the state, national, and international level completion as well as MMA and defensive martial arts in MMA, Muay Thai, Judo and Jeet June Do.
On top of Dave, you have instructors like Dan Borth and John Martinich, both brown belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. John being the head instructor and coach at Austin Jiu Jitsu. John is known for his mastery and technical proficiency and passion for breaking town extremely technical aspects of the martial art as well as his passion for coaching competitive Jiu Jitsu fighters.
Dan Broth is also a brown belt, and an assistant coach with a creative approach to applying techniques in an unconventional manner he learned from Dave Thomas. While he’s not coaching, Dan is constantly expanding in his abilities on and off the mat, constantly training and learning from some of the best martial arts coaches in the Austin, Texas area, including working with All American NCAA Wrestler Jason Carr.
If you want to train in a dojo that is Jiu Jitsu centric without having to subjugate the quality of training for a mixed martial arts gym in a calm and low key environment, Austin Jiu Jitsu comes roughly recommended, big it your first class or thousandth.
You’re guaranteed a great training environment with quality, knowledgeable instructors who have gotten their education from reputable sources and a lot of hard earned time and effort.
If this sounds like it is up your alley, Austin Jiu Jitsu offers a flexible training schedule with classes Monday through Sunday, in both traditional martial arts for classes in Korean martial arts as well as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. If you would like to find out more about what Austin Jiu Jitsu has to offer read below for more information.
Classes Offered At Austin Jiu Jitsu
- Kids BJJ
- Women’s BJJ
- BJJ Beginners
- Adult BJJ
- Judo
- Submission Grappling(No Gi)
Instructors At Austin Jiu Jitsu
- John Martinich(Head Instructor)
- Dan Borth
- Dave Thomas(Owner)
Special Offers: 25% off BJJ Beginners Program
Address: 4220 South Lamar Blvd. Suite 400 Austin, TX 78704
Phone Number: 512-TAP-ROLL
10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Austin
It’s kind of fitting that there is a 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu school in Austin. The city is a little weird, so of course there’s a Jiu Jitsu school there that is also a little weird. 10th Planet Austin is one of the premiere places in Austin to train No Gi Jiu Jitsu.
You will get to practice the fantastic system that Eddie Bravo created that has been proven effective. No Gi Jiu Jitsu isn’t the only class offered here at this 10th Planet school. They offer all types of martial arts classes for all ages.
Everything from No Gi BJJ, wrestling, boxing, MMA, Muay Thai, and yoga. They also have multiple kids classes on their schedule.
If you go to any grappling contest in the state of Texas, you are likely to see 10th Planet Austin well represented there. They are a great No Gi school and offer some great training. If you want to check out 10th Planet Austin see below for more information.
Classes Offered At 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Austin
- Kids Jiu Jitsu
- Advanced Kids Jiu Jitsu
- Kids Striking
- Beginner Jiu Jitsu
- Intermediate Jiu Jitsu
- Mixed Levels
- Advanced Jiu Jitsu
- Wrestling
- Competition Class
- Yoga
- MMA
- Boxing Muay Thai
Instructors At 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Austin
- No instructors listed on website
Special Offers: 1 free trial class
Address: 4509 Freidrich LN #210, Austin, TX 78744
Phone Number: 737-255-2622
Black Widow MMA
One of the newer MMA academies in Austin is Black Widow MMA. This gym was opened by Bitsy Esparza in 2018, who is one of the only female led gyms in the state. She has worked with top fighters like Cris Cyborg, Evangelista Cyborg, the Schevchenko sisters, and Kevin Ross.
Leading the BJJ program here at Black Widow MMA is Jorge Castaneda. Jorge is a brown belt and has been very active in the state’s competition scene
Even though this MMA gym is newer it has been getting great reviews from those that trained there. If this sounds like a place you want to check below for more information.
Classes Offered At Black Widow MMA
- Kids BJJ
- Kids Muay Thai
- BJJ
- Muay Thai
- Boxing
- MMA
Instructors At Black Widow MMA
- Bitsy Esparza(Owner/Muay Thai Instructor)
- Jorge Castaneda(BJJ Instructor)
Special Offers: No entry fees or cancellation fees
Address: 2007 Kramer Lane Suite 101, Austin, TX 78758
Phone Number: 512-665-0468
Brazilian Fight Factory
Brazilian Fight Factory is the local Checkmat Jiu Jitsu affiliate in Austin. They offer world class instruction under an affiliation that has produced multiple world champions.
Some of the best grapplers not just in Austin, but the world train here at the Brazilian Fight Factory. Including high level competitors like Kody Steele. Josh Lewis, and William Tackett, and Brandon Guteirrez.
At the Brazilian Fight Factory, they offer one thing and one thing only. High level Jiu Jitsu. If you want to train with some of the highest level grapplers in the state, then this is the place for you. If you want to check out Brazilian Fight Factory while in Austin see below for more information.
Classes Offered At Brazilian Fight Factory
- Kids BJJ
- Adult Gi BJJ White-Blue
- Adult Gi BJJ Blue and Above
- Adult Gi BJJ All Levels
- Adult No Gi All Levels
- Competition Class
Instructors At Brazilian Fight Factory
- Rodrigo Cabral(Head Instructor)
- Josh Lewis
- Kody Steele
- Brandon Gutierrez
- William Tackett
Special Offers: Free trial class
Address: 11150 Research BLVD Suite 102, Austin, TX 78759
Phone Number: 512-428-6125
Email: info@BrazilianFightFactory.com
Gracie Humaita Austin
If you want to train traditional Jiu Jitsu while visiting Austin, TX, then there is a Gracie Jiu Jitsu school available for you. Gracie Humaita Austin is listed as one of the premiere Jiu Jitsu schools in Austin.
They offer a fantastic list of classes from traditional Gracie Jiu Jitsu, self defense, MMA, and sport Jiu Jitsu. This school is led by professor Paulo ‘Coelho’ Brandao, who is a 5th degree black belt under Royler Gracie. Brandao is a former world champion that has been the head instructor at Gracie Jiu JItsu Austin for a number of years.
The facilities that this school has are fantastic and one of the nicest you’ll find in Austin. If you’re more into training traditional Jiu Jitsu, then this is the option for you while you’re in Austin. For more information on Gracie Humaita Austin see below.
Classes Offered At Gracie Humaita Austin
- Kids BJJ
- Junior BJJ
- Teen BJJ
- Fundamentals
- Drilling and Sparring
- Gi All Levels
- Women’s BJJ
- Beginner No Gi
- No Gi All Levels
- Self Defense
Instructors At Gracie Humaita Austin
- Paul Brandao(Head Instructor)
- Jordan Silverman
Special Offers: 1 free trial class
Address: 1701 West Ben White Ave Austin, TX 78704
Phone Number: 512-814-0800
Email: frontdesk@gracielegacy.com
Mario Esfiha Jiu Jitsu
When you’re visiting Austin, you can train with a Jiu Jitsu with Mario Esfiha, a BJJ practitioner with 32 years of experience. Professor Mário grew up in Rio de Janeiro and has been training since he was fourteen years old and has competed in every major Jiu Jitsu championship in the world.
Beyond being a 5th degree black belt, Mario is also a Judo black belt and level 3 US Army Combatives Instructor. Esfiha has done it all in Jiu Jitsu and has a lot of knowledge to share at his Austin academy.
At his Austin Jiu Jitsu school, they offer great Jiu Jitsu classes for kids to adults. Definitely a great choice if you’re ever in Austin and want to train Jiu Jitsu. See below for more information on Mario Esfiha Jiu Jitsu.
Classes Offered At Mario Esfiha Jiu Jitsu
- Kids BJJ
- BJJ Gi
- Wrestling for BJJ
- Open Mat
- Judo
- Muay Thai
Instructors At Mario Esfiha Jiu Jitsu
- Mario ‘Esfiha’ Queiroga(Head Instructor/Owner)
- Travis Joyner
- Douglas Curttright
- Alex Henley
- Arjun Ghosh(Judo Instructor)
- William Ward
- Michael Romer
Special Offers: N/A
Address: 1921 Cedar Bend Dr. Unt 146 Austin, TX 78758
Email: N/A
Phone Number: N/A
Jean Jacques Machado Jiu Jitsu Austin
Next to Gracie, Machado is one of the most respected names in BJJ. Master Jean Jacques has one of his great affiliations down in Austin offering some of the best Jiu Jitsu in the world.
JJ Machado Jiu Jitsu Austin is led by Todd White, who is a 4th degree black belt under Master Jean Jacques. White is an Austin native that has been training Jiu Jitsu since the early 90’s. He went to California to study art, but met Machado and his life was consumed by BJJ ever since.
After receiving his black belt and wanting to return to Texas to raise his children Machado made White an offer. He wanted White to open a Jiu Jitsu school in Austin affiliated under Machado’s school. It’s been history ever since and JJ Machado Austin has been one of the Best Jiu Jitsu gyms in Austin.
This style of Jiu Jitsu is tried and tested as one of the most effective BJJ systems you can learn. You’ll be hard pressed to find another school that has the reputation that this BJJ school has. If you’d like more information on JJ Machado Austin look below.
Classes Offered At Jean Jacques Machado Austin
- Kids BJJ
- Pee Wee Kids BJJ
- Adult BJJ
- Adult No Gi
- Competition Class
- Private Lessons
- Open Mat
Instructors At Jean Jacques Machado Austin
- Todd White(Head Instructor/Owner)
Special Offers: Free Trial Class/Loaner Gi If Needed
Address: 11210 US-290 a200, Austin, TX 78737
Phone Number: 512-956-0898
Email: N/A
Atos Austin
You can’t make a best Jiu Jitsu gym to train list without mentioning that there’s an Atos school in the city. Just west of Austin in Lakeside is a great affiliate of Andre Galvao’s San Diego school. If you’ve spent time around Jiu Jitsu, you know that Atos means quality BJJ.
At this school, you’re going to get the same top level training in like you would at Atos headquarters. Head instructors Gui Campos and Tiago Scalco were handpicked by Andre Galvao to run this affiliate school in Austin. They run a highly reviewed school that is among the best Jiu Jitsu schools in Austin.
If you or your kids want to train, they have a class on the schedule for everyone. Gi and no Gi, they got both styles of Jiu Jitsu, where you can train like an elite grappler. If you want to train at Atos Austin look below for more information below.
Classes Offered At Atos Austin
- Little Kids BJJ
- Kids BJJ
- Homeschooler BJJ
- Teen BJJ
- Intro BJJ
- Fundamentals
- Advanced BJJ
- Women’s Fundamentals
- No Gi
Instructors At Atos Austin
- Gui Campos
- Tiago Scalco
Special Offers: Free Trial Class
Address: 1508 Ranch Road 620 S, Suite 103, Lakeway, TX 78734
Phone Number: 806-443-0302
Email: info@atosaustinbjj.com
Integração Jiu Jitsu
Integração Jiu Jitsu is a well known affiliation in Brazil that was established in 1995. The very first American affiliation happens to be in Austin, Texas and it is an awesome school.
This school is headed by instructor Gabriel Martins who is a world class BJJ competitor. He has won quite a list of tournaments including the American National Championship and the Pamericano Championship.
At this school, you will be getting some solid instruction and among the best you can get in Austin. Great techniques taught by a world class competitor. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Whenever you’re in Austin and want to train, then Martins school would not be a bad choice to make. If you want more information on Integração Jiu JItsu see below.
Classes Offered At Integração Jiu Jitsu
- Littles BJJ
- Kids BJJ
- Advanced Kids
- Adult BJJ Beginners
- Adult BJJ
- Adult No Gi
- Open Mat
Instructors At Integração Jiu Jitsu
- Gabriel Martins(Head Instructor)
Special Offers: Free Trial Class
Address: 1600 West Stassney Ln, Suite 6, Austin, TX 78745
Phone Number: 512-697-9746
Email: info@ijjatx.com
VOW BJJ
The last Jiu Jitsu school on our list for Austin is VOW BJJ. Village of Wolves(VOW) Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is another newer BJJ school in Austin run by black belt Ryan Villalobos. After getting his black belt from his instructor Sean Cooper in 2014 and just a few years later he opened his very own academy.
They have quickly become one of Austin’s premiere grappling schools. Villalobos has created a school that offers a wide variety of grappling classes for all types of people and styles. Since they opened their doors, VOW BJJ has gotten some great reviews and has been touted as a great place to train.
Take a look at all of the information on VOW BJJ below and see if they are what you’re looking for during your stay in Austin.
Classes Offered At VOW BJJ
- Kids BJJ
- Adult BJJ Beginners
- Adult BJJ
- Women’s BJJ
- Women’s No Gi
- Yoga
- No Gi Fundamentals
- No Gi
- No Gi Leg Locks
- Takedown Class
- Open Mat
Instructors At VOW BJJ
- Ryan Villalobos(Head Instructor/Owner)
Special Offers: Free Trial Class
Address: 5555 Lamar Blvd, C109 Austin, TX 78751, United States
Phone Number: 512-814-0183
Final Thoughts
As you can see, if you are an aspiring martial artist with a burning desire to start on your path or a veteran martial artist with a decade of experience looking for a place to train.
Keep your skills fresh and sharp in Austin, Texas with a variety of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu dojos with numerous instructors that fit all aspects and niches you may be looking to fill at your disposal.
Shop around and give them a try and see which one fulfill your needs, you will get there.
Check out some of our other best BJJ citys here