Terrific ego-free environment, great instruction, and friendly instructors who want to make sure you're learning and enjoying yourself. I first met one of the owners (John) in college back in 2005, and ever since I've known him, he has had a huge passion for the martial arts, and BJJ in particular. He has a great knack for creating camaraderie, and is an open, inclusive personality, which you can feel through the rest of the members at the gym. I was only able to train there for a few weeks a few years back (shoulder injury), but the environment was terrific, as was the instruction. they also have muay thai, boxing, and wrestling, so you're definitely able to explore your passions. the three most important takeaways: 1. john is a guy who is completely trustworthy and is not out to play "gotcha" with pricing. he's completely transparent with his prices and doesn't hassle you if you want to cancel (though i don't see why you would. the prices are VERY reasonable considering the local competition. 2. the environment is great- friendly, but if you want to train seriously you'll have tons of opportunity. 3. the instructors are excellent at showing you technique and truly care if you are grasping the concepts they're teaching. read more

Looking for an experienced but welcoming BJJ gym? Seeking an effective high intensity workout? Convenient location in Chicago? The Chicago School of Grappling is a yes for all three. Having been a wrestler and jiujitsu practitioner for a number of years, I was very interested in the CSOG. I attended one of the JitFit sessions which is comprised of a circuit of high-intensity, jiujitsu-based exercises. The JitFit sessions are non-contact and fitness oriented, I feel they are well suited to beginners to advanced people trying to get fit, as well as men and women. I believe they have a kids session too. I enjoyed my session, having mainly been lifting the past few years, and the HIIT type session was helpful in addressing my cardio and goal of leaning up, while practicing fundamental jiujitsu maneuvers. The instructors are very experienced here, Nick and John (black and purple belts respectively), and can teach the spectrum of jiujitsu - from fitness enthusiast to advanced competitor. I highly recommend checking out the CSOG! I'm looking forward to my next session. read more

I'm about to complete the free one week trial of the Chicago School of Grappling and have mostly positive things to say about it. I've been aware of the gym for a few years (I believe it changed ownership 4-5 years ago) but finally dropped in last week. Walking in, the place is pretty small and unassuming (classes may be in progress too) -- but ask around and someone will show you where everything is. The members are mostly friendly young professionals or students from the near West Side and many seem to have strong ties to Chicago. Everyone has a positive attitude and is supportive of whatever your fitness/martial arts goals are. The school offers a variety of classes, including boxing, kickboxing, and wrestling - though the majority of classes are Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The instructors emphasize technique and learning, so you're not just flailing about ineffectively. I started off with their novel fitness class "Jitfit" which is an interval style session of randomized exercises and rest periods (think burpees, planks, jump-rope, etc). To put things in perspective I am an inconsistent exerciser, but I've also run the marathon and lift weights from time to time on my own - I was sweating so much by the end you could probably ring sweat out of my shirt like a towel. I don't say that to scare anyone interested in joining away, I just advise bringing a water bottle because it's an intense workout. The classes are also go at your own pace so you can slow down if it's too much initially. That brings me to my only complaint which is that the gym is poorly ventilated so it gets very hot and humid on a summer day. Personally it makes me feel like I've completed a rigorous exercise if I'm sweating hard at the end, but it would be nice to have a fan or something to cool down with. All in all, I'd recommend anyone on the fence to come in and give the week trial a shot. You can try as many classes as you want so you can find something that works with your schedule and see if it's for you. Working out in a group is also great motivation to push yourself harder than you would alone. read more

Being experienced at training at many different gyms i decided to give this gym a shot because its close to me. So the 7 day free trial is a good idea for anyone looking to try any gym. I arrived about 10 minutes early and immedietly connected because everyone was friendly including the students, the owners and the assistants have to be nice, but sometimes the students aren't and everyone was really cool here. They also have a flexible schedule and vary up the types of classes that you can take (gi, no gi, just rolling, instructional, boxing, cardio, etc etc.) its also my undertstadning they dont make you lock into a yearly contract so flexible there too. good experience for me. try it! read more

Had a noon lesson from Mike, followed by half hour of rolling. Also, it was super easy to go online to sign the waiver and got 7 day free trial. Appreciated how they have loaner Gi's for you to use if you are new! The other students are friendly and easy to roll with. Thank you! read more

A great place for every skill level! This gym has a plethora of different techniques to learn. I am enjoying the experience.

Update on parking: If you can't find parking on the non-permit streets (which is more difficult during the day if you want to drop by a noon class), they have a bunch of permits that you can grab and use for the day so you don't have to worry about getting a ticket! read more

Great place to learn BJJ. I trained with two Nick coaches and they both good in their own unique way. Very friendly, open and professional. Clean gym and nice positive atmosphere. Usually, the gym is never crowded and trainers have enough time to correct you when you doing something wrong. I would definitely suggest that place if you want to improve your physical shape and thinking in critical situations. read more

I'm training for the Chicago Open tournament next week and I stopped by Chicago School of Grappling for their Saturday open mat to get in some rolls with new people. There was plenty of (clean) mat space and several different people to roll with. There were different body types, styles, and belt levels which made it nice for competition practice. Everyone was super friendly and more than willing to train in any way - drilling, flow rolling, sparring, positional drilling, etc. There's a changing room, shower, and a fridge full of water available. Parking was a little difficult, but that's because I didn't realize they have parking passes for you there inside. Great place to train - I'll definitely be back. read more

I've been to a couple bjj gyms and this is by far the best one. Everyone is welcoming and instructors are very detail oriented.

In the beginning of August i was trying to look for a MMA Gym in Chicago to learn how to do BJJ ( Brazilian Jiu Jitsu). While looking around, one particular place caught my eye and made me feel like this was the place to be. Got off of the Racine Blue line and walked about two-three blocks towards the UIC Pavilion. My first class was JitFit ; a combination of Jiu Jitsu drills with basic conditioning exercises in the mix. It literally made me sweat my butt off. Afterwards John ( Owner and Trainer) persuaded me to do BJJ afterwards. I was pretty hesitant since i felt like i lost all my stamina but something inside told me to KEEP GOING. After that class, I gained a good sense of confidence and eventually I started to go almost everyday. They start you off with a seven day trial to check out their other classes with other skilled trainers. Beside BJJ they have Kickboxing, Boxing, Wrestling , Women's and kids grappling 101 and they do a free mat session on the weekends. The vibe is very family-like and everyone is there to help you succeed. The motto of the gym is keep trying and fail to learn. Such a perfect motto for place that motivates you to be your better self! read more

I was going to Bjj classes consistently since February. It was going alright, I was not learning too much but things take time. During September of 2017 this year I was sexually assaulted during class. When I worked up the courage to tell a week later my instructor Nick M. He said why did you wait too long to tell me. They decided to suspend me and that guy.I would like to say it really is not a female friendly environment. I will not trust someone who is not aware of his surroundings. read more

This review is long overdue! I have been coming here for almost three years and they are awesome! As a woman it can be very intimidating and I was worried about encountering a meathead type of environment but everyone is wonderful and the instructors are very inclusive. What's nice that I didn't expect is that this place fosters great friendships amongst the staff and the students. The instructors are incredibly knowledgeable and patient. They are very happy to answer questions about techniques. I have tried all of the classes and they are a great workout! If you are looking to lose weight or just want a good cardio workout, jitfit is an excellent option! I would describe it as a hybrid between Jiu Jitsu technique and HIIT training. For those students who are really looking to lose weight, the instructor, John Le, even offers "check in" group texts with his students to keep them on track with their meals! Cat teaches a women's jiu jitsu class and she is such an amazing and fun instructor! For women who are curious about jiu jitsu and want to get their feet wet I would highly recommend! Another favorite class is muay thai- John Welch is another knowledgeable instructor and his class is a great cardio alternative! FYI- they offer a free one week pass... Come check them out!! read more

The reason you want to choose this place to get into shape while learning jiu jitsu is because of the instruction. They teach jiu jitsu and wrestling techniques and everyone in jiu jitsu knows that having a solid wrestling base is the preferable base to learn jiu jitsu from. Not to mention the instruction is second to none. One of the instructors is a former Marine, wrestler, and jiu jitsu black belt and the others are known by other jiu jitsu instructors that teach at other schools in the area for being solid instructors, too. They're patient, super understanding, and take time to explain different techniques. I've been attending classes for 6 months now. As a white belt I've been competing lately and even earning medals. But I go to classes cuz they're fun. Be sure to grab a parking permit which they have inside and come to a class. I'm getting so much value for the price. When you come by be sure to say, "Hi." Women's classes are on Friday nights and while I haven't been I hear they're fun, too. read more