I trained here years ago in high school. The workouts are intense and the lessons truly prepared me…read morefor real life situations. I only stopped going because I moved away for college. But their Krav Maga lessons prepared me to defend myself on campus when I really needed it.

These guys have wheat trainers in several disciplines including krav, jujitsu, muai tai, boxing,…read morekali and others. One thing that makes the collective Jim unique-is that you will frequently see instructors from one discipline taking classes in other disciplines. Likewise with students. This allows people to better respond to self-defense situation by knowing "what else is out there" as well-it allows you to train with different instructors and different teaching styles. Not to mention the weight lifting area is expansive --with nearly 2500 ft.² of weights.

I wanted to thank Deandre and Gavin for first inviting me to train at this gym when I first met…read morethem in Tatte off Rockville pike. I was Training at Yamasaki at the time and went to the free sessions and open mat at standard. I was struggling with mental health issues at the time and Greg and Noah and the rest of the crew were as patient as anyone could be. This gym is an Extremely skillful gym. I've spoken to Greg multiple times about jitsu in general and I have not spoken to anyone nor listened to any YouTube video with that level of intellect about the sport. Thanks for being patient with me, and the time invested in me as I never paid Greg a dollar between the 7 free sessions they offer and open mat, but I learned priceless knowledge. Hearing Greg tell the story about how a prince of Saudi along with the Gracies started the ADCC was awesome. Thank you all, and sorry for any misunderstandings while I struggled with mental health issues at the time! God bless. OSS.

There's no better BJJ gym in the DMV and arguably in the US. The only other schools that produce…read morethis level of fighter are B Team and New Wave. If you want an atmosphere full of dedicated, focused people- this is the place. I switched from another local gym and my game has improved significantly in a fraction of the time. Greg is a wizard and an amazing coach/ person.

I met Mario many years ago and he first invited me to train, though back then I had injuries which…read moreI never thought I would train jitsu...I first came in 3 years ago to start training but between injuries and my mental health battle we parted ways .I just wanted to thank everyone at the Yamasaki gym but especially Fernando, Oscar, Elaine, Jessica, and Enzo (also Mario in spirit) for being so patient with me as I tried to use their gym as a positive coping mechanism for my mental health. God bless you all. I do not train there anymore but think it's a great gym for anyone to train, as they were all great people. Thanks for investing the time in me when I was not myself mentally. OSS.

Best BJJ academy. They preserve the roots of the culture and the traditions of the martial arts.read more

Great gym felt like home very welcoming and friendly. Techniques were top notch and next level…read more 10/10 would recommend Tod was awesome great group of guys for real

Todd is the man. He was a world class competitor and is an even better teacher. Could not say…read morebetter things about his school and his willingness to teach and share!

I've been traveling out of town and this is one of the best BJJ gyms I've visited so far. There's a…read morevery healthy culture and community at Groundworks. The instructors (Chris and the two Seans) teach a very modern approach to BJJ. Instead of just showing a position, practicing it a few times, and then sparring, they have us play games to really drill in the position and how it connects to the overall picture. I have found this style to be extremely beneficial as a beginner who is still trying to understand the fundamentals. One of my favorite things about the gym is the strong sense of community. On Thursdays we go out to a Mexican restaurant after class and travel to other gyms. Whether you are new to BJJ or have been practicing for a while you'll be sure to find an awesome community and phenomenal training here at Groundworks. OSS!

This is an excellent place to train. I dropped in for an open mat and met a lot of people across…read moreall belt levels. Everyone was super friendly, welcoming and more than willing to teach me some new tricks. The gym owners themselves were very warm-hearted people and offered to roll with me as well which was tremendously helpful. Facilities were super clean and plenty of mat space for a bit crew to roll. Would give this place an 11 out of 10 and recommend to anyone looking for a place to train while visiting DC or even begin their jiu jitsu journey.

The best boxing gym in the dmv for amateur boxing or fitness, if you want a family you are in the…read moreright place, and the head coach bruce is one of the greatest people you could ever meet apart from being a decorated amateur and pro boxing coach

Love Love Love this gym! Me and my wife have been attending their boxing fitness classes for the…read morepast few weeks now. All their staff are warm, friendly and very welcoming. The energy is amazing. The workouts are insane and a lot of fun. It's not just a fitness class but they really teach you the sweet science of boxing and how to protect yourself. They also provide personal training. It's our first time learning how to box. It's an extraordinary art to learn. Highly recommending this gym. Shout out to Coach Tu and Coach Q.... You guys are awesome! More power to you!

Been training with Greg at the adult BJJ class for a week now, and it's been the best training…read moreexperience for me so far. Warmups aren't too difficult but they get your joints ready for drilling and sparring. The techniques are taught in a clear, step-by-step manner that has both street safety and sport effectiveness in mind. There isn't any aggressiveness but everyone trains respectfully and there are plenty of purple belts who have helped me really hone in on details. Everything is handled in a way that pushes you to strive for detail-oriented jiu-jitsu while respecting your training partner.

I have been going to Bartman MMA since November 2011, and have loved every minute of it. If…read moreanything as I've grown, I've craved the teachings even more, now going 3 classes per week. I started out at his other location in Bethesda, joined the "Women's Kick Ass" class and Brazilian JiuJitsu classes here in Glenmont too. It's amazing, Greg and Tori (Women's class co-teacher) are amazing at what they do. They have been doing it a long time and you can tell. Not only by their technique, but their true passion for the sport. Anytime Relson Gracie is comin to town, they're there, for support, to give accolades, to LEARN. Aside from being great people, they are great teachers too. They communicate clearly, are happy to show moves in slow motion, from different angles, and hear your questions at any time; I am often guilty of saying "so...I was watching TV, and saw this move on Criminal Minds..." They teach students of all kinds-shapes-and sizes. They have a kids class too, so you know what that means... if they can keep the attention span of little children and teach them how to protect themselves....they're super coaches! What you really learn is how what they teach you depends on using your body to your advantage. It doesn't matter if you're big or small, strong or "room for improvement," it's a matter of physics... like working your body angles, pivot points, and leverage.... like calculated chess moves. I've learned self defense for the street, and proper grappling moves as well. The other bonus I've taken away is the mental aspect learned through all this. JiuJitsu is a calm of mind activity. Yes, you may rolling around on the ground, defending yourself, breaking a sweat (which is also a good cardio workout), but you're also trying to keep your mind at neutral. You don't want to waste all your strength in a battle for bronze (especially if you're my size, you'd often lose that fight). You don't want to tense up either. You stay calm, you keep in mind you are worth fighting for and there is always a way out of this. You "turn on your spidey senses" to feel where your partner/attacker is grabbing you, and use your skills to maneuver around their grasp. Seriously--mind included--it's a full body workout. 3rd to last fun fact/tip: Greg and Tori hold seminars for private groups too (good for team-building activities, safety lessons, birthdays, maybe even bachelorette parties.... the moves I've learned, have definitely gotten me out of some tickle wars with my husband). 2nd to last tip of awesomeness: If you prepay for a class, or combination of classes, in bundles you get a discount! Be sure to ask when registering (because after this adoring review, how could you not sign up :-) am I right). Okay, the real last tip/fun fact: Students are also welcome to open mat Thursday nights for more practice!!

Should start off with admitting that I'm a Jiu-Jitsu addict. Further, I'm a small framed…read more30-something male. So visiting other academies can be intimidating. When traveling to Gaithersburg for work, I saw there was an academy reasonably close to where I was staying. Professor Noel was incredibly hospitable and encouraging for me to attend the classes. The academy itself is very clean throughout. The drilling or fundamentals classes were great in that they're both a good working and emphasizing drilling technique to perfection (drillers make killers as the saying goes). The advanced class that I attended immediately applied to something I've struggled with. With the requisite rolling, I found the students calm and technical with their sparring habits. Finally, the students themselves - across the belts - were friendly and inviting. I would definitely visit again as well as recommend Foundry Jiu-Jitsu as a place to train if you live in the area.

One of the very few places I miss in Montgomery County, MD. I have practiced judo and Brazilian jiu…read morejitsu in my teens before coming to the US, but since my skills were getting rusty, I tried several schools and The Foundry was the best fit for my skill level. I was not trying on to getting back to competing again, but to feel that empowerment and camaraderie among who practice this martial art. Perfect for every skill level. Great and knowledgeable instructors. Wonderful introduction for children to teach them discipline, respect, and being gentle with self and others. I highly recommend this for everyone who wants to be in tournaments, self-defense and fitness.