Jiu-Jitsu for Beginners in Arlington Heights, No Experience Needed
Fundamentals is where most students at Brazil 021 Arlington Heights get their start. You do not need to be in shape, flexible or tough before you walk in. You just need to show up. Plenty of beginners here have jobs and families and want a workout that keeps their brain busy, some practical self-defense and a group of people to train with. Our Arlington Heights BJJ academy welcomes complete beginners, and your first class is free.
Classes are built for people who have never trained, people coming back after time away and anyone who wants to tighten up the basics.
- Complete beginners to martial arts
- Adults who want fitness that never gets boring
- People looking for practical, leverage-based self-defense
- Returning students who want to rebuild their foundation
Inside a Beginner BJJ Class
Each class runs one hour. We start with a warm-up that teaches the movements jiu-jitsu uses, like shrimping, bridging and standing up safely. Then your coach shows a technique, breaks it into small steps and lets you drill it slowly with a partner. Toward the end you practice the move against light resistance so it starts to feel real.
Nobody throws you to the wolves. Your partners are other beginners and you always set the pace. Tapping is normal, encouraged and part of learning.
The Skills Every Arlington Heights Beginner Builds
Fundamentals covers the positions and ideas that every other class at the academy builds on. Week by week you will start to see how the pieces connect.
- The core positions: guard, mount, side control and back control
- Escapes for when you end up on the bottom
- Basic sweeps and simple, safe submissions
- How to fall, stand up and control distance for self-defense
- How to use leverage so size and strength matter less
Why Start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Brazil 021 Arlington Heights
Brazil 021 was founded by Andre “Negão” Terencio, a 6th-degree black belt and longtime IBJJF head referee, and Hannette Staack, a 5th-degree black belt and 7x World BJJ Champion. That world-class background shows up as calm, clear coaching, not ego. Black belt Patrick Mullen, who teaches fundamentals, started training in 2017 alongside his teenage daughter, so he knows exactly how a first class feels. Our students have given us 4.9 stars across 32 Google reviews.
Gi fundamentals run Monday and Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. When your coach says you are ready, the Tuesday All Levels class at 6:30 PM is the next step.
Book Your Free First Class
Book your free first class, then come a few minutes early so a coach can say hello and show you around. Wear comfortable athletic clothes without zippers or pockets, and bring water and sandals for walking off the mat. If you are not sure what to wear for a gi class, ask when you book. Free trials are for people who live in or near Arlington Heights. Visiting from out of town? That’s a drop-in, not a free trial.
We are at 3350 West Salt Creek Ln #117, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.
