Anytime you are in Virginia, or the Richmond area, make sure you visit this beautiful location in historic downtown. There you will find the best jiu jitsu along the East coast! Owner/ Instructor Black belt Seph Smith, and his Upstream team, offer state of the art instruction, whether it's open mat, marathon roll, or class. A visit here , I assure you, will offer plenty to tighten up your game. The entire atmosphere is friendly, helpful, and great Southern hospitality! Whether it's no Gi or Gi; there is always a great diverse group of talent ready to roll. Professor Smith is very accessible to all, during drilling, he observes closely and offers individual feedback to help fix your game for solid improvement. Regardless of belt rank, age, or ability, everyone there integrates and rolls with each other; absolutely no egos! It's like a potato chip; you can't do just one, you'll go back for more classes, as I did! Great women's class on Saturday, offered by an active female IBJJF competitor, which is excellent for those girls seeking a great female only class. Don't miss the #rva jiu jitsu experience by hitting up these mats on North 3rd Street! Oss! read more

I started my BJJ journey training under Seph and trained with him up to blue belt before he went down to Richmond to start Upstream. I still try to train at Upstream any time I am in town because he is such an amazing teacher. Seph has a truely world class ability to teach and spends a lot of time connecting the details of specific techniques with high level global concepts. Technique and Art combined. Another thing I think is fantastic about his school is that Seph is really approachable and cool to talk to about pretty much anything. That personality reflects in the school as well as students as well. I've never felt like an outsider at Upstream, even though I am usually rolling with peope for the first time when I drop in. However, the guys I have rolled with are also tough competition and you will get good rolls in. If you get the chance you should train at Upstream. read more

Upstream BJJ is worth every 5 star review that you've read so far. I just joined after researching where to start and it exceeded expectations. Seph and Nora are incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable. It's a smaller space so there is plenty of hands on instruction and opportunities to watch and listen. I come from a background wrestling and Tae Kwon do, BJJ scratches the itch learning a skill, drilling, and critical thinking surrounding when to deploy. They give the opportunity to come and check it out before you purchase anything. They price is very reasonable after that. For any worried about Corona, I've found they are taking all sanitizing and safety procedures seriously. Which goes along with a general mindset of personal safety while rolling. Worth checking out! read more

My daughter goes here and she is always motivated for her classes. The classes are flexible, meaning if you miss one you can attend the other with no question asked or fees. Also if for some reason you just cant make it, your classes roll over. I really like how the instructors focus on every kid regardless if its a large class of small one. That is really important some classes due to the size they cant work one on one with a child who needs help. I am pretty sure they memorized every kid by name. Also if the kids act up they make the whole class do push ups or some other exercise, teaching discipline as a unit. Granted they don't expect a perfect form so its funny to watch the little ones in triangle position. read more

Seph was my very first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor. He is beyond compare when it comes to having an understanding of the techniques he teaches. He is always willing to make sure you understand what is being taught. The environment he fosters in his class is first rate and very inclusive. Honestly, I'd put any student taught by Seph Smith far ahead of their peers for as highly technical as Seph's instruction is. Not only that, Seph is extremely funny too which helps hold attention during class. If I were living in Richmond, VA, I'd still be training under Seph Smith. read more

Before joining Upstream BJJ, I scouted other BJJ gyms in the surrounding areas. What's different about Upstream BJJ is the level of instruction you received from Seph Smith, the head instructor. Seph has the ability to convey high-level concepts and break them down into simple metaphors, whether you're a day-one student or a seasoned student. If you're ever in town visiting Richmond, VA and need a place to train visit Upstream BJJ, you will not be disappointed. The people that train at Upstream BJJ are very friendly and welcoming to all. read more

I transferred to Upstream from a different school has a blue belt. Was welcomed buy everyone in the gym. The atmosphere is nice and light but everyone works hard. it is the best place to get some good training in. Seph is an amazing teacher breaks things down really well and teaches concepts as well as techniques. Seph always makes it out to coach his students at tournaments no matter where they are and competes himself. over all great place to train would recommend it to anyone who wants to train bjj read more

I've known Seph since about 1999 and used to roll with him back in the day. He's always been very savvy on the mat, and open to share his knowledge. I was sooo glad to see him come home and open Upstream! I've visited periodically and look forward to more in the future. Seph and his students have all the necessary ingredients: a warm and welcoming collective spirit, a positive learning environment, very technical training, and a large dose of good humor! read more

Seph offers the highest level of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction in the Richmond area in a school with a great vibe. While he is renowned for his broad knowledge of techniques and ability to convey information so well, he is above all else a very caring and kind hearted person - something that cannot be found in every BJJ gym. I believe if you are looking for an academy in Richmond that this should be your first stop! read more

Reviewing it again after a bunch of classes. It's still freaking awesome and super fun. Everybody is great to train with, really friendly, and helpful. Seph is a fantastic teacher, balancing hard training with good humor. Nora is awesome at keeping things organized and smooth in these weird times, and runs the show like a boss. I can't recommend it enough. These classes are the highlight of my week. read more

I just moved to Richmond and visited Upstream based on a recommendation from my old coach. Seph and Nora are super welcoming and the vibe is low key and ego free. The instruction is technically sound and easy to understand. Seph is a great teacher, and I'm looking forward to learning from him and the other instructors. I highly recommend a visit if you're looking for a school in Richmond. read more

The kids are back in school, and the classes are busier than what they were over the summer, but Seph and his coaches are keeping them engaged and providing the perfect outlet for all that energy that gets pent up while sitting still behind desks. We've seen strides of improvement in our child, not only physically but also in terms of mutual respect and focus. Thank you read more

The atmosphere at Upstream is great as everyone I have met there has been friendly and competitive but also helpful when people need to slow down and learn a new technique. Seph and the other instructors have all been welcoming and quality teachers who I would recommend to anyone from a beginner to a more serious competitor. read more

I learned from Seph for a couple years when he taught in Northern Virginia. Seph is a great instructor and a fun person to be around. I loved his classes; always learned and always laughed. Since Seph moved, I have traveled to Richmond many times specifically to train at Upstream BJJ. I would recommend this place to anyone. read more

Seph is spot on with his detail. Have done 3 seminars with him now and walked away extremely impressed. I feel like a "sloth" with the techniques when we first start. His corrections having me flowing pretty smoothly by the time were done. Would recommend him to all levels and experience. Great personality to top it off. read more

My wife and I did the free week trial and ended up signing up after 2 days. Seph, Nora, Andron and the rest of the students were very welcoming. I love the way they teach the class and the amount of detail they explain for the techniques they show. I would recommend Upstream for just about anybody new or experienced. read more

I was impressed when I heard Seph on two popular bjj podcasts and am much more impressed after having joined Upstream a month ago with my adult daughter. The instruction and vibe here is all first rate. I visited three other bjj schools and am so happy that my daughter and I (both beginners) landed at Upstream. read more

I trained with Seph for over 5 years and visited his gym in Richmond multiple times. Seph's instruction is top notch, with great attention to details. Besides his instructing ability, he is also a top level competitor in both gi and nogi. I would recommend this gym to anyone located In the downtown Richmond area. read more

I have know Seph since he was a blue belt. Over the past 10 years + Seph has become an excellent role model for the BJJ community. Richmond, VA is lucky to have a ground karate guy of Seph's caliber. If you want some proper training and a place that will make you feel like home give, Upstream BJJ a try. read more