Jiu Jitsu is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on Judo's mat wrestling component (ne-waza). It focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, controlling one's opponent, gaining a dominant position and using a number of techniques to force them into submission via joint locks or chokeholds.

If possible, please try to arrive a few minutes early so that you can meet the staff and instructor and you can become orientated with our space. Typically, people wear slippers inside (since shoes on the mat are not permitted) and comfortable exercising clothes. If you have a gi or a rashguard and spats of your own, bring them! If you don't, a t-shirt and comfortable pants / shorts will do for your first lesson. Please take note of the fact that we ask our members to wear long sleeves and long pants as much as possible to protect the skin from bruising and mat-burn. Also make sure your garnments don't have any zippers or other sharp edges. We also highly recommend the use of a mouthguard to protect your teeth.

Make sure your nails are clipped and that you're freshly showered; no one likes sparring with a stinky person, right? Also bring a towel if you'd like to make use of our showers and a bottle of water to stay hydrated!

Gi and No Gi are the 2 forms of Jiu-Jitsu. Gi Jiu Jitsu is grappling with the use of a traditional Gi, which allows you to grab the clothing of your opponent. No Gi is grappling without the traditional uniform, instead you wear shorts and a rash guard. In no gi you cannot grab your opponent’s clothing.

To be a complete Jiu Jitsu fighter, we highly recommend you train in both. Our instructors train and compete both in the Gi as No Gi. Furthermore, our classes are mixed, which means you'll never feel excluded, regardless of your attire.

DODO online is a members-only online environment where you can review all our recorded sparring sessions and study custom-made instructionals. Reviewing your sparring sessions is extremely beneficial in your quest to become a better version of yourself; see what you do well and where you can improve from a third-person point of view.

The ever-growing database of instructionals encompasses all facets of Jiu Jitsu; gi, no-gi, submissions, passing, guard retantion, etc. While it is not supposed to replace training, it does function as a great supplement if you either missed a class or want to review particular techniques from the comfort of your home. Upon subscribing to a recurring membership, you will receive a login name and password in your mail, which will grant full access to DODO online.

Not yet. But fear not, we're working on that!

YES! Jiu-Jitsu is an excellent choice for women, especially for how it contributes to one’s self-defensive ability, sense of community and belonging, and of course, mental and physical fitness. Regarding self-defense, it is a fantastic skillset to have (and practice) because, when an “opponent’s” physical size exceeds our own, Jiu Jitsu trains us to utilize leverage and specific techniques that work to fill that gap.

Outside of self-defense, the Jiu Jitsu community is widespread and actively growing; passionate people with a shared passion come together to practice, make mistakes and learn from one another. Lastly, unlike other popularized martial arts, Jiu Jitsu does not include over-aggressive attacks, punches, or kicks that leave people unconscious. Rather, Jiu Jitsu is quite the opposite. It is a more fluid, almost graceful-looking martial art that will challenge you both physically (get ready to increase your cardiovascular endurance!) and mentally, as you think logically to apply learned techniques and movements during training.

The community of women in jiu-jitsu is still a minority compared to men, so we are actively working to change and balance it.

You do not have to do anything you do not want to do! We encourage fighters to compete to push themselves past plateaus and to harness our human competitive nature, but it is not a necessity. Some people do Jiu Jitsu recreationally and do not have time to attend competitions. Whatever you choose to do, competition is not the only way to define your Jiu Jitsu journey.

The most important thing is that you are healthy and that you are having fun.

We do not have silly uniform policies; wear whatever you want as long as it's befitting apparel (e.g. no zippers, or sharp edges). You can wear a pink-camo gi with Chuck Norris patches for all we care. Heck, I might get one of those myself, come to think of it.