Kid’s Beginner Class: Our kid’s beginner class is the foundation of Blue Gorilla Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We believe that children are not just our community’s future, but also our academy’s. This class is designed to be first and foremost fun. What we have learned is that if we can create a fun and disciplined environment, students maintain a desire to continue training and learn to love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We have done this through the use of specific games and drills that teach kids the art without them really knowing it. There is no live sparring in the beginner class, and no submissions are taught. This ensures that students develop a basic understanding of positioning, leverage, and control, with a strong focus on self-defense. This course is obviously great for beginners, but several students elect to continue taking this course when they are eligible to move to the advanced class. Class structure involves a warmup with a focus on movement patterns and baseline physical fitness, involves jiu-jitsu-based games, along with positional control, and self-defense techniques. Age requirements vary. Children between the age of 5-16 are allowed, with children 3 and 4 years old being able to attend with approval from Coach Adam.

Advanced Kid’s Class: This class is for students that have a basic understanding of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and are comfortable sparring with other team members. In this class, submission holds (joint locks and chokes) begin to be taught. This class prepares students for adult classes and is the final touch on preparing them for real world encounters, should that ever happen. Class structure is more serious with the class beginning with some form of sparring. Class will then shift into techniques and will end with either extensive drilling of the learned technique or with a final sparring round. What we have found is that once kids become comfortable in the beginner class with all of the games and begin to spar, it quickly becomes their favorite part of class. CLASS REQUIREMENTS: Any student who achieves the rank of gray and white belt are allowed to attend this course as a right earned from their belt promotion. Students may be allowed to attend this class as a white belt, but that will be determined on an individual basis at the sole discretion of Coach Adam. Students who attend as a white belt will also be encouraged to attend the beginner course as well, until they have achieved the rank of gray and white belt.

Adult Fundamentals Class: Like the children’s class, this course is foundational. This class will focus on teaching new adult students the basics of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in a non-threatening and fun way. Positional control, escapes, sweeps, and submissions will be taught in this course; however, no live sparring will be allowed with submissions. Occasional positional sparring will occur, but the main focus will be on learning and drilling the technique. Class structure will consist of a jiu-jitsu-based warmup, followed by instruction (usually centered around self-defense), and drilling the learned technique. Students will be introduced to ‘flow rolls’ where two students will trade techniques without the application of submissions. This is important so that students learn to control their bodies and move in a smooth and methodical way with proper body mechanics. This class is perfect for beginners as they will leave feeling like they learned something, and not feeling like they were beaten up. Likewise, advanced students will also enjoy this course as the pace is comfortable and there is a strong emphasis on technique and practicality. Participants MUST be at least 16 years-old unless expressly approved by Coach Adam prior.

Advanced Adult Class: This class is not for beginners. This class is noticeably more intense, with classes starting with a flow roll, then moving straight into live sparring rounds. Advanced techniques will be taught and then drilled. This is a fast-paced class that demands students be ready to work the entire 60 minutes. Adults are allowed to attend this class. It is encouraged for students to be at least a four-stripe white belt before attending this course. Students who are under 18 years-old may only participate in this course when expressly approved by Coach Adam.

Women’s Self-Defense: This class is very similar in structure to the Beginner Adult Class, with the main difference being that only women are allowed as students. This class will mainly be taught by Coach Sherri in conjunction with Coach Adam. The class will begin with a jiu-jitsu-based warmup, followed by instruction specific to women’s self-defense. While the minimum skill level for this class is low, this will be a fast-paced and fun class. Students should be prepared to work for the entire class period. The goal for this class is to build women’s self-confidence by ensuring they are competent in these techniques, and have the confidence that these techniques will work against a bigger and stronger male opponent. At Blue Gorilla BJJ, WE WILL NOT MAKE CONFIDENT VICTIMS, we WILL make empowered and competent female practitioners. This class will only be taught in the gi.

Law Enforcement Only Class: This class is only open to current and retired members of law enforcement. We understand how important it is for police officers to be competent in the application of physical force. We also realize how important it is to communities that officers are able to control and arrest violent suspects in a manner that is effective, but also reasonable. This class will focus on arrest and control tactics, weapon retention, and survival tactics to give our police students the greatest chance of returning home safely to their families and keep them off of the news. If not personally known by the instructional staff as fellow members of law enforcement, courtroom security, or corrections, valid credentials must be presented prior to being admitted into the class.