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Learning jiu-jitsu on the Westside
Santa Monica, Venice, and West LA hold some of the sport's most storied rooms. For someone just starting, the real question is not "which academy is best" but "which one fits me." This guide exists to answer that question.
Open mats in Westside
Rooms whose published schedule prints an open mat, each with the complete recorded summary of that schedule, its source and the date it was read. What an open mat is, and what a beginner does with one
- Gracie Originals Jiu-Jitsu Adult classes run at the Santa Monica room: gi Mon, Tue, and Thu at noon and 6 PM with open mats after, advanced no-gi Wed and Fri at noon, and a Saturday noon open mat. The Venice page lists kids classes only. Closed Sunday source · 2026-09-01
- Ocean Grown BJJ The homepage now prints the schedule as text: gi Tue, Wed and Fri 6 AM and Tue 6 PM; no-gi Thu 6 AM and 6 PM and Sun 10 AM; open mat Sat 10 AM; eight sessions a week, no Monday; arrive 15 minutes early in athletic clothing without zippers or pockets source · 2026-09-03
- Street Sports Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals and drilling run four times a week (Mon and Wed 5:30 PM gi, Tue noon no-gi, Thu noon gi), with 7 AM classes Tue to Thu, daily noon classes, Saturday adult classes, and a Sunday open mat source · 2026-09-02
A schedule is what the page printed on the day it was read. The academy's card carries the visitor and price facts recorded for it; where admission to an open mat, or its cost, is not published, ask the academy.
Women's classes in Westside
Rooms whose published schedule or programme page prints a women's or women-only class, each with the complete recorded summary of that fact, its source and the date it was read. What academies publish for women, and what to ask before a first class
- Alliance Jiu Jitsu Los Angeles by Cobrinha Fundamentals 1 for day-one beginners runs Mon and Wed 8 PM plus Tue and Thu 6:30 AM and 6:10 PM; no-gi fundamentals Tue and Thu 6:10 PM; women's classes Tue 8 AM and Sat 11:15 AM (the Mon/Wed 6:10 PM women's slot of the July grid is gone); advanced classes are belt-gated; no Sunday classes source · 2026-09-03
- Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Beverly Hills Women Empowered® — the official women's self-defense program source · 2026-09-03
- Meraki Jiu Jitsu Dedicated women's classes source · 2026-09-03
A summary records what the page printed on the day it was read. Whether a class is women-only or mixed, and who may join, is in the summary where the academy publishes it; visitor and price facts are on the academy's card; where something is not published, ask the academy.
Map
Every academy with a full entry is pinned on the map, and neighborhood-level pins say so. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Alliance Jiu Jitsu Los Angeles by Cobrinha
Who this academy suits
A true first-timer who wants a structured on-ramp: a four-week beginner course with three fixed classes a week
Why we say it: The school publishes a dedicated four-week beginner course that feeds into the fundamentals classes on its live timetable (verified 2026-07-14)
A student who wants a room led by a world-champion head coach, as the school's own page presents him
Why we say it: The school's about page introduces the head coach as a 4th degree black belt and lists his world titles (verified 2026-07-14, printed as the school's account)
Schedule verified Franchise networkStructured curriculumNo-giKids classes
Your first visit
- Trial
- New students start with a four-week beginner course, three classes a week (Mon and Wed 8 PM, Thu 6:10 PM); no experience required, academy uniform required; contact the school for start dates source · 2026-09-03
- Class schedule
- Fundamentals 1 for day-one beginners runs Mon and Wed 8 PM plus Tue and Thu 6:30 AM and 6:10 PM; no-gi fundamentals Tue and Thu 6:10 PM; women's classes Tue 8 AM and Sat 11:15 AM (the Mon/Wed 6:10 PM women's slot of the July grid is gone); advanced classes are belt-gated; no Sunday classes source · 2026-09-03
Classes and cost
- Programs
- Age-banded kids programs weekday afternoons and Saturday morning, ages 3 to 15 source · 2026-07-14
- Programs
- Gi and no-gi tracks; no-gi runs Tue and Thu source · 2026-07-14
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- 4929 Wilshire Blvd #104, Los Angeles, CA 90010 source · 2026-07-14
- Instructors
- Head coach Rubens Charles 'Cobrinha' Maciel, a 4th degree black belt with multiple gi and no-gi world titles, per the school's own page source · 2026-07-14
Autore BJJ
Who this academy suits
A beginner who wants a modern-lineage room with a genuinely full timetable: AOJ pedigree, classes seven days a week, and a free first class to test it
Why we say it: The site names both founders as AOJ black belts, publishes a seven-day schedule with a two-level fundamentals track, and offers the first class free (verified 2026-07-31)
A family in Brentwood or the Palisades with kids from age 3 — three youth bands on weekday afternoons plus Saturday, alongside the adult tracks
Why we say it: The schedule page publishes youth classes in three age bands on weekday afternoons and Saturday morning (verified 2026-07-31)
Schedule verified Free trialNo-giKids classes
Your first visit
- Trial
- First class free — the site invites a free trial to find which track fits source · 2026-09-04
- Class schedule
- Classes seven days a week on two mats — weekday mornings 6:15 and 7:45 AM, evenings 6:15 and 7:45 PM, age-banded youth slots, Saturday morning source · 2026-09-01
Classes and cost
- Programs
- Youth ages 3–14 in three age bands, weekday afternoons and Saturday morning source · 2026-09-03
- Programs
- Gi and no-gi tracks; no-gi all-levels Tue/Thu evenings, no-gi Level 2 weekday mornings source · 2026-09-04
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- 11943 Montana Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049 source · 2026-07-31
- Instructors
- Co-founders and head instructors Alexis and Gustavo Fonseca, black belts out of AOJ source · 2026-09-03
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Beverly Hills
Who this academy suits
A total beginner who wants the most codified on-ramp in jiu-jitsu: Gracie Combatives, with a free 10-day trial covering every beginner class
Why we say it: The school publishes Gracie Combatives as its beginner program with a free 10-day trial; the network's own page confirms the trial covers all beginner group classes (verified 2026-07-31)
A family that wants everyone on the mat under one roof: a three-tier kids ladder from age 3 and a dedicated women's program alongside the adult track
Why we say it: The programs page publishes Bullyproof in three age tiers plus Women Empowered alongside the adult track (verified 2026-07-31)
Schedule verified Franchise networkStructured curriculumKids classesWomen's program
Your first visit
- Trial
- Free 10-day trial with unlimited access to all beginner group classes; no experience necessary source · 2026-09-04
- Class schedule
- Class times are not published — the school asks you to email for the current schedule source · 2026-09-03
Classes and cost
- Programs
- Gracie Bullyproof® for ages 3–12 in three age tiers source · 2026-09-03
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- 324 S. Beverly Drive, 2nd Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 source · 2026-07-31
Gracie Originals Jiu-Jitsu
Who this academy suits
A student who specifically wants the Rickson branch of the family teaching line on the Westside
Why we say it: The founder's own about page states the Rickson Gracie Academy years and the 2015 black belt from Kron Gracie (verified 2026-07-14, printed as the school's account)
A beginner ready to commit rather than sample: the school takes no drop-ins and enrolls by text
Why we say it: The site states no drop-ins with text booking, and the published Santa Monica schedule runs adult classes at noon and evenings five days a week (verified 2026-07-14)
Schedule verified Structured curriculumKids classes
Your first visit
- Trial
- No drop-ins, per the site, and no free trial is published; text (310) 894-0398 to schedule a class source · 2026-09-03
- Class schedule
- Adult classes run at the Santa Monica room: gi Mon, Tue, and Thu at noon and 6 PM with open mats after, advanced no-gi Wed and Fri at noon, and a Saturday noon open mat. The Venice page lists kids classes only. Closed Sunday source · 2026-09-01
Classes and cost
- Programs
- Kids gi classes at both rooms: Venice Mon to Thu 4 PM, Santa Monica Tue, Thu, Fri afternoons and Sat morning source · 2026-07-14
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- Venice: 1800 Abbot Kinney Blvd Suite 1500, CA 90291 / Santa Monica: 1934 14th St, CA 90404 source · 2026-07-14
- Instructors
- Erik Soderbergh, who per the school's page trained at the Rickson Gracie Academy from 1999 and received his black belt from Kron Gracie in 2015 source · 2026-07-14
Phone (310) 894-0398, text preferred Website Naver Map Apple Maps
MC Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club (Santa Monica)
Who this academy suits
A beginner in central Santa Monica who wants a free first class and a fundamentals slot every weekday evening
Why we say it: The site publishes a free introductory class and the live calendar runs fundamentals every weekday evening (verified 2026-07-14)
An early-morning or lunchtime trainer: 6 AM classes Mon and Wed, 11 AM classes Tue and Thu
Why we say it: The live calendar runs Mon/Wed 6 AM and Tue/Thu 11 AM all-levels sessions with a 30-minute live block after (verified 2026-07-14)
Schedule verified Free trialDaily beginner classesKids classesParking
Your first visit
- Trial
- New students book a free introductory class through the site source · 2026-09-03
- Class schedule
- Fundamentals run every weekday evening (Mon, Wed, Fri 6 PM; Tue, Thu 7 PM), with 6 AM all-levels Mon and Wed, 11 AM Tue and Thu, Friday evening no-gi, and Saturday morning competition training; the school asks you to arrive 10 minutes early source · 2026-09-03
Classes and cost
- Programs
- Kids classes Mon to Thu at 4:15 and 5 PM source · 2026-07-14
- Programs
- Gi-based with a dedicated Friday evening no-gi class source · 2026-07-14
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- 320 Wilshire Blvd Ste 101, Santa Monica, CA 90401 source · 2026-07-14
- Instructors
- Maycon Carvalho, introduced on the school's page as a 5th degree black belt under Aldo Caveirinha and an IBJJF No-Gi World Champion source · 2026-07-14
- Parking
- Free 90 minute parking in the lot behind the building, per the school's page source · 2026-07-14
Meraki Jiu Jitsu
Who this academy suits
A beginner who wants a small, deliberately private room rather than a big open academy — and is fine booking a trial instead of walking in
Why we say it: The site brands as a private club while publishing trial-booking links and a contact form (verified 2026-07-31)
A household that wants women's classes and kids programs from age 3 under one roof on the Westside
Why we say it: The site lists dedicated women's classes and kids programs from age 3 alongside the adult tracks (verified 2026-07-31)
Schedule verified No-giKids classesWomen's program
Your first visit
- Trial
- Brands as a private club, yet publishes trial-class booking links — book a trial rather than walking in source · 2026-09-04
- Class schedule
- Facility hours published (Mon–Fri 11–8, Sat 9–1, closed Sunday); class times sit behind the booking links source · 2026-09-02
Classes and cost
- Programs
- Kids programs from age 3, in age-appropriate levels source · 2026-09-03
- Programs
- Gi and no-gi tracks source · 2026-09-03
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- 11652 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064 source · 2026-07-31
Ocean Grown BJJ
Who this academy suits
A beginner drawn to old-school Carlson Gracie lineage in a small room — three named black belts including a 4th degree, entry through a free trial week requested by a short form
Why we say it: The site names three ranked black belts (verified 2026-07-31) and now publishes a free trial week requested by form (re-read 2026-09-03)
A traveling Rey Diogo or Carlson Gracie student — the site's own words put the mat open to you anytime
Why we say it: Verbatim on the own site: affiliated students are welcome to train anytime (verified 2026-07-31)
Schedule verified
Your first visit
- Trial
- A free trial week, requested through the form with no obligation to join; no drop-in rate is published; Rey Diogo and Carlson Gracie affiliates are welcome anytime source · 2026-09-03
- Class schedule
- The homepage now prints the schedule as text: gi Tue, Wed and Fri 6 AM and Tue 6 PM; no-gi Thu 6 AM and 6 PM and Sun 10 AM; open mat Sat 10 AM; eight sessions a week, no Monday; arrive 15 minutes early in athletic clothing without zippers or pockets source · 2026-09-03
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- 11318 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064 source · 2026-07-31
- Instructors
- Founder Marshall Lipps (2nd-degree black belt under Rey Diogo), with Perry Hauck (4th-degree) and Wilton Rezende (black belt) source · 2026-09-03
Street Sports Jiu-Jitsu
Who this academy suits
A first-timer who wants a free trial and a real fundamentals track, with lunchtime options
Why we say it: The live timetable on the school's own schedule page runs fundamentals-and-drilling blocks four times a week, and the homepage publishes a free trial class (verified 2026-07-14)
A beginner who wants an established room: the founder has taught here since 1998
Why we say it: The school's own legacy page states the 1998 founding and the founder's coral belt in the Machado line (verified 2026-07-14, printed as the school's account)
Schedule verified Free trialStructured curriculumKids classes
Your first visit
- Trial
- One free trial class, booked through the site's trial page or by email source · 2026-09-03
- Class schedule
- Fundamentals and drilling run four times a week (Mon and Wed 5:30 PM gi, Tue noon no-gi, Thu noon gi), with 7 AM classes Tue to Thu, daily noon classes, Saturday adult classes, and a Sunday open mat source · 2026-09-02
Classes and cost
- Programs
- Kids gi classes Mon and Wed 4:30 PM and Sat 10 AM source · 2026-07-14
- Programs
- Gi-based with no-gi slots on Tue, Wed, and Fri source · 2026-07-14
Location, instructors, contact
- Address
- 11901 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064 source · 2026-07-14
- Instructors
- Renato Magno, who per the school's own page opened the room in 1998 and holds a coral belt in the Machado line source · 2026-07-14
Academies being verified
We are re-confirming the essentials: class schedules and trial mechanics. Each academy joins the full guide once its facts meet the bar.
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10th Planet West LA · Official site(213) 799-3477 · Book a visit to try a class; drop-ins are published at $35 per classLast checked: 2026-09-04
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Beverly Hills Jiu Jitsu Club
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Dynamix MMA · Official site11870 Santa Monica Blvd #102, Los Angeles, CA 90025 · (310) 584-1700 · The BJJ program is led by Gustavo Gasperin, per the gym's siteLast checked: 2026-07-14
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Gracie Barra Culver City · Official site(805) 822-7553Last checked: 2026-07-14
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Kaizen Academy BJJ · Official site2014 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291 · Every new student gets a free trial class, no commitment and no equipment needed, per the school's FAQ and its book-your-free-trial buttonsLast checked: 2026-09-03
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Kings MMA West Hollywood
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Level Up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu · Official site3249 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 · (424) 345-5022 · Erik Klinger, founder, per the school's siteLast checked: 2026-07-14
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Sparta Academy · Official siteLast checked: 2026-07-14
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Werdum Training Center · Official siteLast checked: 2026-07-14
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West LA Jiu Jitsu · Official site1990 Westwood Blvd Suite 105, Los Angeles, CA 90025 · 310-809-4124 · Book a free trial lesson, per the school's siteLast checked: 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
Which academies on LA's Westside offer a free trial?
Autore BJJ: First class free — the site invites a free trial to find which track fits; Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Beverly Hills: Free 10-day trial with unlimited access to all beginner group classes; no experience necessary; MC Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club (Santa Monica): New students book a free introductory class through the site; Ocean Grown BJJ: A free trial week, requested through the form with no obligation to join; no drop-in rate is published; Rey Diogo and Carlson Gracie affiliates are welcome anytime; Street Sports Jiu-Jitsu: One free trial class, booked through the site's trial page or by email
How do I book a trial class?
It differs by academy. Where we could verify the booking method, it is listed under "Your first visit" in that academy's entry; otherwise, asking through the academy's official channel is the most reliable route.
I'm a complete beginner. Can I just show up?
It differs by academy. Entries show where a fundamentals program and first-visit process are verified. For the rest, check with the academy before visiting. For what a first class actually feels like, see the beginner posts on our blog.