Fairfax Jiu Jitsu

Very expensive gym and a rip off. You won’t get much out of this place. Also if you cancel your membership, you’re charged cancellation fees of the remaining balance on your contract even though I wasn’t in this case. Their 2 month return policy is a joke. I tried to cancel my membership with this gym near the end of 2 months because I wasnt happy with the results of this place after taking a muay thai program but only given the fact that I could attend 1 instructor class and 1 open mat and there was no problem with that at first and also thinking that I was going to get a full refund because I was within the 2 month window however I didnt get a full refund because according to the gym I didn’t fulfill the agreement of coming twice a week. The concern was I didnt attend open mats in one of the weeks during the 1^st two months and that was on Thanksgiving. I didnt attend open mat because the gym was closed most of that week due to thanksgiving with the exception of Monday and Tuesday. I went on a Monday night to class and yet there was only one open mat available and that was the next morning. I didnt go to the Tuesday morning open mat the next morning because I was already at the gym the night before and nobody goes to the gym the next morning if they already went the night before it’s just impossible. I tried to explain most of these problems to Chuck however he didn’t understand and then started being an extortionist telling me that if I dont take 20 to 30% of my refund, I wont get a refund at all and I’d be forced to pay the cancellation fees. They couldnt even give me half of a refund. Forget this place.

Sam Kim and Mark Jones are great! The are completely dedicated to their art form and their students. The command demand and earn respect from their students. Very fun environment for kids and adults. They have jujitsu for adults and kids. They have kick boxing and the have Capoeria for kids and adults from professor Yara who has over 30years in the game!!! Another important piece of information is that gyms like these normally are full of germs and bacteria because most gyms don’t bother to clean or clean the wrong way. The have professional company that they pay to clean the gym correctly and that speaks volumes!!!

As a parent of a kid in the BJJ kids class, all I can say is that this place is awesome! This is the 4^th martial arts place I have signed my kid up at looking for a self defense hobby for him and both my kid and I love it and it’s the best out of the 4. It’s not one of those bullshit buy-​a-​belt places, no crazy ego driven instructors and no crappy staff (all of which I’ve had to deal with before). It’s a great place with great people! Good amount of kids in the kids class and classes are run very very well. Coach Mark Jones does an incredible job with the kids! You can tell he really enjoys working with them. And my kid really likes and respects Coach Mark. We checked out a few BJJ spots in Fairfax County after we moved to the area and a couple things I noticed in comparison was that this place is huge and they also have plenty of seating for parents to watch the classes. Both other places were much smaller and one place had no seating to watch the classes. But, it was the difference in the quality of the class that made us select this place. We’ve been here just over 7 months and I’m still convinced we picked the right place. My son has def become Jiu-​Jitsu minded since starting here, watching BJJ videos on youtube and practicing moves at home. He never took to any other martial art the way he’s taken to BJJ and I give full credit for that to Coach Mark. My kid recently competed in his first tournament and brought home 2 gold medals by winning both of his divisions. That’s the kind of instruction they can get if they come with a willingness to learn, pay attention and listen to what Coach Mark tells them to do. I look at some of the kids who have been here a long while and their skills are incredible. So with everything considered, like I said at the beginning of this review, this place is awesome! Luckily I live close but there are some parents that brings their kids from pretty far away. And with NOVA traffic that’s really saying something.

I have been an athlete all of my life playing just about every sport involving some sort of ball, but in terms of martial arts, I am a newbie.
This gym was my second (and probably final) attempt at getting into Brazilian jiu-​jitsu. I had previously taken a handful of introductory lessons at another gym in the area, but my experience was not great. When you are an absolute beginner, the social anxiety of drilling with strangers who are also much more experienced than you can be daunting. While I felt like an outsider at my first gym, Fairfax Jiu Jitsu has always been a friendly and welcoming environment.
Coaches Mark Jones and Sam Kim are both extremely friendly, charismatic, and knowledgeable. They really make the experience fun, while emphasizing growth and determination. Jiu-​jitsu can be stressful, but it’s easier to push through frustration and difficulty when you feel part of a team. The colored belts are also very friendly and helpful. There are students of just about every age, gender, and ethnicity. If you’re a competitive person, students from FJJ perform very well in tournaments and the Coaches take a very structured approach to preparing students for them.
In terms of the facility, it is much larger than other gyms I have visited. This allows for a large number of students to train at the same time. There is always someone to drill/​spar with, allowing you to really dive deeply into jiu-​jitsu if that is your desire. They have a weight room, multiple large mats, and striking areas as well. Everything is well maintained and hygienic. In addition to jiu-​jitsu they also offer Muay Thai, and Capoeira classes. Additionally, I believe they are moving to an even larger/​improved facility in the near future.
I highly recommend jiu-​jitsu to anyone. The benefits are far greater than simply learning how to defense yourself. While that is reason enough for many people to start, the personal growth opportunities, both physical and mental cannot be understated. There are social benefits as well. As a 30 year old who works full time in an office setting, it becomes increasingly difficult to make new friends. Jiu-​jitsu is the perfect way to expand your social circle, while improving yourself in every way. If you struggle with depression, there is no better cure than jiu-​jitsu. Intense cardio leading to increased dopamine production, novelty through learning new techniques on a continuous basis, and a sense of community.
If you’re a friendly person, I highly recommend Fairfax Jiu-​jitsu as a great place to start.

I have been training at Fairfax Jiu Jitsu for about 2.5 years, and I can say that I have found my training family. Not only is the instruction top notch (multiple medal winners at local/​regional/​national level tournaments), but the culture is excellent.
The owners, Mark and Sam, have developed a system where new students are recognized as integral parts of our BJJ community, and are encouraged along their journey. Truly awesome!
Since starting at FJJ, I have moved farther away from the academy, yet continue to make the drive. FJJ is home for me, and I can’t see myself training anywhere else.

Almost 3 years after randomly spotting it in a Sherdog thread, I’m still a happy camper in FJJ’s MMA program, and it’s hard to find fault with it. The stuff you’d expect from a quality school — a coaching staff as passionate about their sport as they are knowledgeable and able to convey said knowledge, ample and well-​kept training areas, and always respectful but competitive training partners — is in no shortage here. To find yourself sparring against individuals with years of experience (including pro and amateur fighters) can be daunting at the outset, and the degree of effort the practices call for will take getting used to, but a welcoming environment in all of the aforementioned respects will always encourage you to move past whatever hurdles you might encounter.
Also, it doesn’t hurt that this facility has its own equipment shop on site (NHB Gear) — good selection of gloves, mouth guards, clothes, gis, etc. Would recommend.

Dave «Rock» Jacobs met us in the parking lot to welcome 4 out of town guys from a gym not in his affiliation into his gym. He spent the better part of 3 hours rolling, helping, and coaching us as we worked with him and his students. There are some very tough guys and girls here. The facilities are HUGE. I’d gladly stop back in and train! There’s also an NHB Gear storefront if you want to purchase a gi/​shirt/​belt/​whatever.

I’ve been training at FJJ in the Muay Thai program (Only) for almost 1 year now. I did a good deal of research on the internet before electing FJJ as one of the places to check out. Location did play a big part in where I wanted to train as I live in Centreville and work in Herndon. Although location was at the top of my list in requirements I didn’t want to sacrifice quality of instruction or work out in a rundown gym. After doing some reading on the website, watching some Youtube video footage of classes and sparring sessions I decided that FJJ was a place for me to visit. Previously, had gone to other commercial boxing/​kickboxing gyms for trial classes and while they do have many locations and class schedules to be able to choose from, I found the majority of people attending these gyms were «fitness freaks» and only interested in the workout and calorie burn that the training offers. The classes also were centered mainly on bag work, in order to get someone to hold pads for you it had to be a personal training session which got to be very expensive.
So I went to FJJ, took the free trial class, everyone was very friendly and welcoming. They offered an amazing rate for a trial month to attend unlimited classes all programs (Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, MMA and Capoeira). My only regret is I only attended the MT program during my trial month; if I had to do it over I would have taken advantage of the Jiu Jitsu, MMA and Capoeira during that month.
So during my time spent with FJJ my goal was to learn MT and have an amateur fight, which was accomplished! The coaching staff at FJJ did a great job with authentic MT instruction and models the class how they train in Thailand. The head instructor Matt goes to Thailand several times a year for weeks at a time to continue his training and instruction. FJJ also host a group training session about once a month with former affiliated gyms in the DMV area, this is great because it gives a fighter the opportunity to mix it up with other fighters and really test your skills. For fighters serious about fighting this is a solid gym to train at, the steps to prepare for a fight are laid out for you by the coaching staff. All you have to do is listen to the instruction, show up and give 100%.

This is the best place to train jiu jitsu in Northern Virginia. The school is affiliated with the Yamasaki Academy and run by Dave Jacobs, Mark Jones, and Sam Kim.
There are always world class jiu jitsu talent training and teaching. The instructors are always patience and fun in their lessons. There are multiple levels to the jiu jitsu classes, so beginners don’t have to worry about training with more advanced students. There are also kids programs.
They also have very successful MMA and Caporeira programs.
The gym is huge. There are 2 big mats, a fitness area, a boxing ring, and plenty of extra space to stretch. They instructors are constantly looking for more and more ways to increase the value of membership by adding new training equipment and amenities.
All that and being that they are Yamasaki Academy affiliate gives you access to a very large network of schools and training partners all over the world.
+ Great Instructors
+ World Class Jiu Jitsu
+ MMA and Caporeira programs
+ Competitive Membership Pricing
+ Try out a class for free

I’ve been training brazilian jiu jitsu at Fairfax Jiu jitsu for almost 4 years now. Since the 1^st day I stepped foot in the door everyone from the staff to the students has been nothing but to nice to me. The instructors are all world class, and care about the progression of each and everyone of their students. I can proudly say that Fairfaxjj has become a second home, and I can’t wait to keep evolving my game for the years to come. If you’re not sure which program is right for you (mma, bjj, thai boxing, capoera) Fairfaxjj offers an awesome free trail period!

I popped in once for a class while I was in the area for work. The place is HUGE! Even the matted area covered a ton of ground, which worked out really well for the large size of the class. The variety of warm-​ups really did its intended job (and the large mat space keeps you from bumping into someone every 30 seconds).
I got the watch the second half of a kids class while talking with two of the adult instructors. It was a great environment, good interaction, and very child friendly class!
The instructor and other students are all really friendly — no attitudes here. There were a surprising amount of blue, purple, and brown belts in class, too.
Rolling with the high belts was insightful. If you train (or want to train) Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and are in the area, hit them up!

Nothing fancy, pretty basic, some equipment, and a decent amount of room for their different MMA classes (including two large matted areas for you to flip on, be pushed on, and fight/​dance it up!)
If you’re unsure about it all, breathe in, breathe out, and woosaa — 1^st timers get 2 free weeks of whichever class they want to pop into. Try them all if you want. They even have classes for kids.
I once knew nothing about the many different forms of martial arts and I honestly have nothing to compare Fairfax Jiu Jitsu to, but I strongly believe it is the people who can make or break any kind of establishment. Needless to say, it is everyone here, from Dave (one of the managers) to the students in the [I’m not telling you what I took!] class, that make this place amazing. Classes will challenge you, you will learn, and you’ll enjoy it all. I think I found my 2^nd family.
Try it out, let them know you saw my review, and that you’re ready for some ass kickery!

This is a great place to train! Two reputable black belts teach the classes, which is a rarity at most Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academies (that often fly in a black belt every once in a while). BJJ classes are offered 6 times a week, MMA classes 3 times a week, and capoeira classes are coming soon. The academy produces a lot of competitors in both BJJ and MMA.
The BJJ classes are generally 1.5 hours long, consisting of conditioning, technique, and sparring. I find the classes very challenging and rewarding.
The community of people is great, with very little ego or attitude. As a beginner student, I have been treated with a lot of respect and patience by both fellow (beginner and advanced) students and instructors.
The academy is associated with the Yamasaki Academy, which has a strong presence and reputation within the DC metro area. I’ve looked at some of the other academies in the local area, and easily choose Fairfax Jiu Jitsu. Other BJJ academies may look a lot fancier, but when it comes down to the quality and availability of instruction as well as the sense of community, I feel that Fairfax JJ beats them hands down.
Also, they offer a two week free trial that is definitely worth trying out.