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The workout you’ll actually look forward to, and skills that hold up under pressure. Ages 13 and up. No experience needed.
Why Adults Train with Us
- Get in real shape. Every class builds strength, cardio and flexibility. You’ll be too focused to watch the clock.
- Learn to handle yourself. You practice against partners who are actually resisting, so you know what works.
- Leave your stress on the mat. It’s hard to think about work while someone’s trying to pass your guard.
- Join a team. Your training partners become friends who notice when you miss a week.
Gi or No-Gi: Train One or Both
Submission Wrestling (No-Gi), Monday–Thursday at 6:00 PM. Shorts and a T-shirt or rash guard. Fast-paced, athletic, and a natural fit for former wrestlers. If you wrestled in school, your takedowns, scrambles and top pressure carry right over. We add the submissions.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Gi), Tuesday & Thursday at 7:00 PM. The traditional uniform adds grips and slows things down, which makes it great for learning technique. You can borrow a gi during your trial.
Beginners can take any class. Sparring is optional until you’re ready.
Nervous? Good. Everyone Was.
Here’s exactly what happens at your first class:
- Arrive 10 minutes early in athletic shorts and a T-shirt. Leave jewelry at home and trim your nails.
- John meets you at the door, shows you around, and gets you signed in.
- Warm up with the group, then learn two or three techniques with a patient, experienced partner.
- Watch or join sparring at your own pace. Nobody throws a beginner to the wolves.
- Afterward, we sit down for five minutes to talk about your goals and answer your questions.
Simple Pricing
- Founders Membership: $75/month. Unlimited adult classes with a 12-month commitment. After that, your $75 rate is locked in for as long as you stay a member. Limited to the first 25 members or through December 31, 2026, whichever comes first. 22 of 25 spots left.
- Your first 30 days are free.
- Discounts for military, police, fire, and first responders.
What Our Members Say
High-quality instruction in gi and no-gi. Excellent gym culture. A good mix of people: all body types, skill levels, walks of life. Everything you could want in a good jiu-jitsu gym. Clean mats. Affordable, especially if you do a monthly membership. Free trial weeks, so no reason not to give it a shot.
— Thomas, Purple Belt
New to the area, they are very welcoming, and the facilities are really well done.
— Lane, Blue Belt
Everybody is cool, classes are taught well, it’s easy to understand, and it’s a very beginner-friendly environment.
— Blake, Blue Belt
Jiu-jitsu is something I never knew I needed. I found this community after a year of turmoil, with lower lows than I ever imagined but with that came the highest highs I’ve ever experienced. Freeport Martial Arts gives me the community and confidence to be fully myself. It’s given me an outlet to reduce stress from running a business, a community of relationships that have turned into extraordinary friendships, and way to move my body and mind keeping me both mentally and physically strong. Being relatively new to Freeport, I am eternally grateful for this experience. On days I don’t feel like training, I end up laughing and walking out of there with my mood lifted and excited for the next training session. I urge everyone to try it, try something, somewhere – you never know what you could be missing out on. You may walk out of there with a new best friend, a really cool skill or even just a good story. Come join me on my journey and start yours. We can’t wait to meet you.
— Kate, White Belt
As soon as you walk through the front door, you can tell this gym has a very positive atmosphere. Stepping through these doors could change your life. It did for me.
— Brandon, White Belt, Marine Corps veteran
Common Questions
I’m out of shape. Should I get fit first?
No. Training is how you get in shape. You set your own pace, and nobody expects you to keep up on day one.
I’ve never done martial arts. Will I be the only beginner?
No. Most of our members started as complete beginners, and we pair new students with experienced partners.
Will I get hurt?
You control the intensity, and you can tap out to stop anytime. We teach you to train safely before you spar. We clean the mats after every class and ask everyone to shower after training and stay home if they have a skin issue.
I work shifts or my schedule changes. Can I still train?
Yes. Membership covers every class, so come whenever your schedule allows. Text John at (815) 200-8818 and we’ll help you find times that work.
What do I need to bring?
Athletic shorts, a T-shirt, a water bottle and flip-flops for walking off the mat. Gis and rash guards can wait.
How old do I have to be?
Adult classes are for ages 13 and up. Members under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign up and attend the first class.
What Are Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Wrestling?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (joo-JIT-soo), commonly referred to as BJJ, and Submission Wrestling are grappling martial arts used for self-defense and sport that focus on taking a fight from the feet to the ground, using a variety of takedowns, trips, and throws, and then finishing the fight with submission techniques like joint locks and chokeholds. In competitions, matches can be won by submissions, by points, and by referees’ decisions.
The objective of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Wrestling is to gain a dominant position to control and submit your opponent, following a systematic process:
- Defend
- Escape
- Control
- Submit
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Self-Defense
Most fights start on the feet; however, most end up on the ground. That is why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is such an effective martial art for self-defense.
When you know how to operate on the ground, you gain a substantial advantage over an untrained person. Training also teaches you to stay calm and in control under pressure, on the mat and off it.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Sport
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has become a wildly popular combat sport that provides practitioners of all ages and abilities opportunities to compete. In a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition, you compete against opponents of the same age, sex, weight, and belt level, which means you are effectively competing against yourself.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Community
Most people say the best part of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training is the community. Over time, training partners become friends who eventually become family. You will meet people who also train, and you will form an immediate bond with them.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community is so strong because learning BJJ is incredibly fun yet immensely challenging. It takes hundreds of repetitions to gain proficiency in a technique, years to receive belt promotions, and decades to master. Without the endless help and support of our training partners, none of us would maintain the motivation to continue.
Jiu-Jitsu Belt System
Freeport Martial Arts follows the graduation system outlined by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). Adults ages 16 and older follow a progression of five belt colors:
- White
- Blue
- Purple
- Brown
- Black
Regardless of a student’s martial arts background, all students begin their Jiu-Jitsu journey as a white belt and progress through belts as they develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Students can expect to spend two to four years at each belt level, earning their black belt in an average of 10 to 15 years.
Try It Free for 30 Days
The hardest part is walking through the door. We’ll take it from there.
Questions? Text John at (815) 200-8818