Yes, most of our members start off brand new. We work with everyone at their own pace.
Our classes are 2 hours long. There's a warm up and some group exercises at the start, then people split up and train with their own grades, usually working on syllabus techniques. Black belts will be on hand to instruct and support as required – and to keep you safe.
We are part of a larger Ju Jitsu association called Jikishin, which sometimes puts on events with us such as weapons training. As you progress, you’ll be able to take part in these and even compete for the club if you want to.
Ju Jitsu literally means the ‘yielding art’. It dates to 16th century Japan, and a number of other martial arts draw heavily from it (such as Judo).
It’s designed for self-defence and so using a mixture of locks, throws and strikes. Often, these involve using an opponent’s weight or balance against them – or in conjunction with your own – hence “yielding”.
Our ju jitsu is a version of the traditional Japanese art. You might have seen Brazilian Ju Jitsu (or BJJ), which is a different art, and more focused on fighting from the ground. You can learn ground fighting skills as you progress with us.
Ju Jitsu has a long heritage and traditions, and we incorporate those into our practice – we think it’s part of what makes us special! You will pick these up as you go along, so don’t worry about getting everything right to start with.
If you’re just starting, bring loose, comfortable clothes like shorts, jogging bottoms, an old t-shirt etc. You need to be able to move freely in what you wear. We train in bare feet.
For safety reasons, jewellery, glasses and piercings need to be removed or covered during training. You could consider leaving valuables at home.
There are drinking fountains at our training venues and places to fill up bottles.
If you decide to join, you can purchase a gi (着) through our online store, which is the traditional martial arts training outfit. It’s easier to do techniques in the right kit – and you can still wear a t-shirt underneath if you would be more comfortable.
When you arrive, just say you are there for the ju jitsu class; we’re the only one in each venue.
Classes on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday all have changing facilities and shower cubicles. These are gendered. Use whichever facility you are most comfortable with. If you would prefer a separate room, speak to a black belt and we will look to get you sorted.
On Mondays, separate changing and showering space is more limited. Talk to the class runner if you have concerns.
Definitely not! Everyone is welcome; we have members of all ages and walks of life. We celebrate the different identifies of the people in our community.
We have an under-18s policy. If you – or someone you know – if under 18 and is interested in joining, please get in touch via the contact page.
100%. Everyone is welcome.
There’s no minimum fitness level for our club, and there is no right or wrong body type to start ju jitsu.
When you join, we will train with you at your own pace. If you’re up for being pushed a bit harder then we will, but going slower at the start is fine too.
We ask that you’re honest with yourself and with us about any injuries or limits, so we can adjust what you learn to make sure that it is safe and still fun.
Once a week is fine to start with. If you're looking to progress quickly, we would recommend twice a week. Monthly membership gives you access to all our classes.
Like with all skills and arts, you get out what you put in – so come willing to learn, to enjoy and to work hard and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can grow.
Like many martial arts, we use a belt and grading system. When you start you're a white belt. In order to progress to the next belt (yellow) you learn a syllabus of moves that we'll provide. All black belts know these so no matter what class you go to you'll have an opportunity to work towards your next belt.
When you feel you are ready to progress on, you do an assessment in class. You'll get feedback on that and then progress to a grading if everything is okay.
You then get your next belt and a new syllabus of more advanced techniques and the cycle repeats.
Yes! We have an active social Committee and there’s lots of events throughout the year from picnics and board game nights, to archery, kayaking, or just hanging out after class. We’re a social bunch.
A real highlight every year is Pride in London and Brighton Pride. We hate to blow our own trumpet, but we can normally get the crowds going more than most!
You can find out about pricing structures on our membership page. We don’t want cost to be a barrier to people joining. We’re a not-for-profit club and costs are based around breaking even.
