Anyone can learn self-defense at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Portland.
We pride ourselves on being a Fun, Safe, Structured community where ANYONE and EVERYONE can learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense.
Learning BJJ should be fun!
Learning BJJ should be fun, not terrible. We aren’t a competition-based school, so we can focus on creating a Fun, Safe, Structured, and Cooperative environment. We believe everyone should be able to learn self-defense with partners who want to see you succeed and not just try to beat you. At Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Portland we work with each other, not against each other.
After you finish our beginning Jiu-Jitsu program, you’ll have demonstrated the ability and the confidence to defend yourself against an untrained opponent that is heavier, stronger, and more athletic than you.
Our School’s Commitments.
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Keep it Fun.
Learning BJJ takes time and we know the more you enjoy the journey, the more likely you are to continue and grow. If you aren’t having fun, you aren’t going to stick with it.
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Make it Safe.
No martial art is risk-free, but we strive to build a culture that prioritizes safety of all our training partners. If we can’t do a technique or submission safely, we shouldn’t be doing it.
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Always be Structured.
Rener and Ryron Gracie at Gracie University have pioneered curricula for every stage of your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu development. Whether you are brand new to BJJ or a Blue Belt and beyond, we have a well thought out program for you.
What our Students are Saying.
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Our Classes, Your Community.
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Gracie Combatives | Adult Beginners (13+)
New 2025 Class Times!
M - 7:30a, 5:45p | W - 7:30a, 12p, 7p | Sat - 9:15a
The world's leading Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program for beginners. Our classes are structured and provide a safe learning opportunity for students with no previous Jiu-jitsu experience. You’ll learn our 36 core techniques in a fun and cooperative environment. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones, even if an attacker is bigger and stronger than you.
We welcome newcomers with open arms!
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Women Empowered | Women's Self-Defense (13+)
New 2025 Class Times!
Tue/Thur - 6:15p
In Women Empowered, we work with each other, not against each other. In this 15-lesson program you’ll learn how to neutralize the 20 most common attacks carried out by perpetrators in a safe, supportive environment. This program will give empower you with scalable self-defense options ranging from verbal boundary setting to lethal force techniques, so you feel prepared for any potential threat.
Come for the Jiu-Jitsu, stay for the community of women supporting one another.
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Gracie Bullyproof | Youth (7-12yrs)
New 2025 Class Times!
Thur - 5:00p
Gracie Bullyproof builds unshakable confidence so that your child can overcome bullying without violence. We know that kids learn best while having fun. Parents love our Kids BJJ program because it's the perfect blend of self-defense and character development. Our instructors will teach your child how to protect themselves while they learn coordination, focus, discipline, confidence, and perseverance.
Give your child the gift of unshakable confidence.
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Master Cycle | Advanced Jiu-Jitsu
New 2025 Class Times!
M - 6:15a, 12p, 7p | W - 6:15a, 5:45p | Thur - 12p | Sat - 9:15a, 1p
From Blue belt to Black belt, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu consists of hundreds of advanced techniques organized into a clearly defined, systematic curriculum called the Master Cycle. In our Advanced Jiu-Jitsu Classes we’ve taken over 600 techniques and divided them into 7 Positional Chapters. Mount, Side Mount, Guard, Half Guard, Back Mount, Leg Locks, and finally Standing. Each chapter is generally studied for a couple months before moving on. Though we explore a wide variety of sport and self-defense techniques, there is a strong emphasis on staying “punch-safe” at all times which will help you manage a street altercation.
We want to create an environment where anyone and everyone can explore the art of Jiu-Jitsu in a cooperative and ego-free manner.
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“Amazing school! Highly recommend for anyone that wants to learn jui-jitsu in a safe environment without the pressure of egos. The instructors are VERY helpful and respectful - the students are willing to help and the culture reflects that.”
-Jay H.
The Gracie University Advantage.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Portland is a Certified Training Center in the Gracie University system. On top of our live classes, all our students receive a free subscription to Gracie University Online. This gives you unlimited online access to the Gracie streaming instructional video library that aligns with the program you are enrolled in.
With GU Online you’ll be able to review past lessons, learn upcoming techniques, and prepare for future belt tests 24/7.
Common FAQs.
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There are zero fitness requirements to be able to start our beginner Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes! One of the benefits of BJJ is that it relies on technique and timing rather than strength, speed, or athleticism.
Our students start at all different fitness levels; however, you will find that you do enhance your fitness by doing our BJJ classes.
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Not at all. In fact, many students starting in our classes felt the exact same way. There is absolutely no experience necessary for any of our beginner classes, and there is no sparring amongst beginners, so you’re going to be safe and have a great time!
Give yourself some time, and you will be astounded at what your body is capable of, and how much you can improve! Our certified martial arts instructors are trained to keep their teaching simple, effective, and beginner-focused. So even the most uncoordinated person will develop ‘ninja-like’ skills! Come see for yourself!
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Upon arriving to your first Jiu-Jitsu class, we will provide a uniform (dependent on the class you take) for you to wear. We recommend wearing comfortable undergarments or leggings, and a t-shirt or rashguard that you can wear.
Be sure to bring a water bottle, as you will be working up a sweat!
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Absolutely! Specifically because Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) has proven reliable in defending against larger opponents for nearly a century, it is the perfect martial art for women.
Many women train in our co-ed Gracie Combatives classes, however we also have women-only classes (Women Empowered) available if that is preferred.
We love seeing the physical confidence develop in our female students as they gain self-defense skills on the mat!
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Just show up! Upon arriving, you will be given a uniform and a focused introductory lesson by one of our instructors before you join in the group class.
No previous experience is necessary for any one of our group classes, so you will never feel left behind.
Our program is structured by class number, so you will always know exactly what techniques you will be learning on any given day. You could even check out the techniques of the day on GracieUniversity.com before class to get a head start!
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No. As a Gracie University Certified Training Center, we are not a competition-focused gym. Our first priority for our martial arts students is that they learn the fundamentals of self-defense. What you need to do to survive against an aggressive, untrained opponent may be different than what you would need to learn for a sport Jiu-Jitsu tournament.
We support the individual Jiu-Jitsu journeys of each one of our students, regardless of whether they choose to test their skills in competition.
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“Always assume that your opponent is going to be bigger, stronger and faster than you; so that you learn to rely on technique, timing, and leverage rather than brute strength.”
— Grand Master Helio Gracie