All Levels Welcome
Adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
A welcoming way back to your health, confidence, and community. No athletic background required.
Adult life has a way of quietly draining your health, your confidence, and your circle. Our adult program is built to give all three of those back. You'll learn one of the most effective martial arts on earth — the same one that quietly changed self-defense, MMA, and how the modern world thinks about fighting — taught in a way that meets you exactly where you are.
You don't need to be fit. You don't need to be young. You don't need any experience. You just need to walk in the door. We'll handle the rest.
How We Train
Structure. Substance. Community.
Structured Curriculum
Every class has a clear lesson — a position, a technique, a why. You always know what you're working on and where it fits in the bigger picture.
Gi & No-Gi
Both formats train different skills. Gi rewards grips, patience, and precision. No-Gi builds athleticism and adaptability. You'll work both throughout the week.
All Levels on One Mat
White belts to upper belts train together. Higher belts are responsible for teaching the lower belts — that's how the school stays good and how you get better, faster.
Proven Self-Defense
Every technique we teach has been pressure-tested in live sparring. If it doesn't work against a resisting partner, it doesn't go in the curriculum.
Honest Promotion
Belts are earned, not bought. Promotion is based on demonstrated skill, mat time, and character. When you tie on a new belt here, it means something.
Community That Lasts
The friendships are the real reason most members stay. You sweat together, you tap each other, you celebrate each other's wins. It becomes family.
The Pathway
From Day One to Blue Belt
A clear, honest map of what your first year and a half on the mat will look like. Some people move faster, some slower — but every adult who keeps showing up walks this same path.
Phase 1
First 30 Days
You'll learn the major positions (mount, side control, back, guard, half guard), how to fall safely, and the foundational escapes. Goal: survive any position long enough to recover.
You'll Learn
- Breakfalls & shrimping
- Trap & roll escape from mount
- Elbow escape
- Closed guard fundamentals
- Mat etiquette & tapping
Phase 2
Months 2–6
Now you build offense. Foundational submissions, the first sweeps, and the beginning of a real game. You'll start putting positions in sequence and predicting what comes next.
You'll Learn
- Rear naked choke
- Cross collar choke
- Americana & armbar from mount
- Scissor sweep & hip bump sweep
- Standing self-defense fundamentals
Phase 3
Months 6–18
This is where it starts to click. Live rolling against everyone in the room, a personal game taking shape, and a deeper library of techniques. Most students earn their first stripes here.
You'll Learn
- Guard passing systems
- Triangle, omoplata, kimura attacks
- Back takes & back control
- Takedown & guard pull options
- Pressure passing fundamentals
Phase 4
Toward Blue Belt
Blue belt at Empower means you can defend yourself, hold your own with anyone in the room at your level, and explain what you're doing and why. It's a real promotion.
You'll Learn
- Full position-to-submission chains
- Counters and re-counters
- No-Gi specific fundamentals
- Competition prep (optional)
- Teaching the new white belts
Inside the Room
What a Class Looks Like
Every adult class follows the same five-stage structure. You always know what's coming, and you always leave with a specific skill that's better than when you walked in.
Warm-Up & Movement
Solo and partner drills — shrimping, bridging, technical stand-ups, breakfalls. Mobility work that doubles as technique reps.
Technique of the Day
Coach demonstrates the lesson — usually one position with two or three connected techniques. Why first, then how, then the common mistakes.
Partner Drilling
Light, repetitive reps with a partner. The goal is to ingrain the movement before adding resistance. Coaches circulate and correct.
Positional Sparring
Live rounds starting from the position you just drilled. Specific goals, controlled intensity, scaled to your experience and your partner's.
Open Rolling
Full sparring with anyone on the mat. You're never required to roll, ever — and rounds are matched by experience and intensity. Tap early, tap often.
Honest Answers
What People Actually Worry About
I'm completely out of shape. Should I get fit first?
No. Showing up is the fitness plan. Jiu-jitsu will get you in better shape than the gym ever did, and you'll learn something useful while you do it. Most of our adults started exactly where you are.
I'm worried about getting hurt.
Smart concern. We control intensity hard — beginner rounds are positional only, taps are respected immediately, and you choose who you roll with. Injuries here come from ego, and we coach the ego out early.
How often should I train?
Two classes a week is enough to make real progress. Three is the sweet spot. Five plus is for people falling in love with it. Start with two and let it pull you in.
Do I need a gi?
Not for your first class — we'll loan you one. If you keep training, you'll want your own within a few weeks. We can help you pick one.
I'm in my 40s / 50s / 60s. Is this for me?
Especially for you. Some of our most committed students started in their forties and fifties. Jiu-jitsu scales — the older you are, the more it rewards technique and timing over strength and speed.
Your First Class
Arrive 15 minutes early. Bring water, athletic clothing, and an open mind. We'll loan you a gi, walk you through everything, and pair you with a partner who has done this a hundred times before.
Book a Free ClassWhat to Bring
- Athletic shorts and a t-shirt (or a rashguard if you have one)
- Water bottle
- Flip-flops for walking off the mat
- No jewelry, trimmed nails
- Yourself — that's the hard part
Your Journey Starts Here
Whether you are looking for a confidence boost for your child, a healthier and stronger you, or simply a place to belong, you are welcome at Empower. Come see what our community is all about.
Book a Free Class