How to Find a Place to Train Jiu Jitsu in Dallas
Dallas-Fort Worth has BJJ gyms all over the Metroplex. This guide covers picking one you can reach, free trials and drop-ins, and five gyms to try.
Published: October 25, 2026
Key takeaways
- Dallas-Fort Worth is too spread out to cross for every class, so start your search in the part of the Metroplex where you live or work.
- Three of the five gyms in this guide hold classes at 6 a.m. on weekdays, so you can train before the traffic builds.
- Alex Martins Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas, Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Gracie Barra Southlake Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are five gyms worth a trial class, spread across Dallas, Allen, Southlake and Arlington.
- Free trials are easy to find around Dallas, from a free first class to a 30-day free trial at Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
- Visitors can drop in at Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas for $30 at the time of writing.
You can train good jiu jitsu almost anywhere in Dallas-Fort Worth without giving your evenings to the highway. The trick is finding an academy that fits your map, not just your wish list.
Picture a 6 a.m. class in Allen before work, a lunchtime session a few minutes from a downtown office, or a no-gi class off Mockingbird Lane on the way home. Each of those is on the timetable at one of the five gyms below.
At the time of writing, our Dallas page lists more than 160 gyms across the Metroplex, from Prosper and McKinney in the north to Cedar Hill and Mansfield in the south.
With that much choice, the only hard part is narrowing it down. This guide covers which part of DFW to train in, how to fit classes around traffic, the gi and no-gi split, what trials and drop-ins cost, and five academies to try first.
Which part of the Metroplex should you train in?
The best place to train jiu jitsu in Dallas-Fort Worth is close to where you already spend your days, because the Metroplex is too big to cross for every class. Dallas and Fort Worth are about 30 miles apart, and the suburbs stretch well beyond both.
Fifteen miles on LBJ Freeway at 5:30 p.m. isn't the same as fifteen miles on a Sunday morning, and a class that means a long drive is the one you end up skipping.
If you live in Plano, Frisco, Allen or McKinney, you rarely need to drive into Dallas to train. The same goes for Southlake, Keller and Grapevine, northeast of Fort Worth.
If you work in downtown Dallas or Uptown, look for an academy within a few minutes of the office. You can train at lunch, or roll after work while the worst of the traffic clears.
Our Dallas page covers the whole Metroplex, suburbs included, so you can see what's near your house and your office on one map. If you live on the west side, Fort Worth has a page of its own.
Can you fit jiu jitsu around a DFW commute?
Early and lunchtime classes make jiu jitsu in Dallas much easier to fit around traffic. Three of the five gyms in this guide hold classes at 6 a.m. on weekdays, so you can be done before the highways fill up, and all three run noon classes during the week too.
If evenings are the only time you can train, choose a gym on your side of town. Then drive the route once at the hour you'd actually go, because that drive decides whether three classes a week is realistic.
How do Dallas gyms split gi and no-gi?
Dallas jiu jitsu gyms range from academies built around the gi to places where no-gi fills most of the evening timetable. Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas, for example, runs no-gi every evening from Monday to Thursday.
The other gyms in this guide that publish a timetable teach both, so check the split before you book if you already have a preference.
If you're brand new, a gym that runs both is a safe bet, because you can try each style without switching academies.
What does it cost to try a Dallas gym?
Trying a jiu jitsu gym in Dallas often costs nothing, since four of the five academies in this guide offer a free trial at the time of writing. The offers range from a single class to a full month:
- Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a 30-day free trial that includes a free uniform.
- Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas has a 7-day free trial, with no credit card needed.
- Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Gracie Barra Southlake Brazilian Jiu Jitsu both give you a free first class.
Visitors who are only in Dallas for a few days usually pay a drop-in fee instead. Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas lists a $30 drop-in rate at the time of writing. For the other four, message ahead to ask about visiting.
Arrive a few minutes early to sign the waiver. If it's your first time away from your home gym, the same courtesies apply here as anywhere you train on the road.
Five Dallas gyms to check out
These five Dallas-Fort Worth academies aren't a ranking, but they're a good place to begin. Each is well reviewed and teaches jiu jitsu as its main program, and between them they cover central Dallas, Collin County and the Tarrant County side of the Metroplex.
| Gym | Area | Gi or no-gi | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Martins Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | West Dallas | Both | Early risers and lunch-hour trainers near downtown |
| Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas | Lower Greenville, Dallas | Both, mostly no-gi | No-gi fans and visitors |
| Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Allen | Both | Complete beginners and families in Collin County |
| Gracie Barra Southlake Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Southlake | Both | Women, and beginners who want structure |
| Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Arlington | Ask when you book | Anyone who wants a long free trial |
Alex Martins Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (West Dallas)
Alex Martins Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is on West Commerce Street, close to downtown Dallas. Nearly every adult class on its timetable is marked all levels, so newer students and experienced grapplers share the mat.
From Tuesday to Thursday there are classes at 6 a.m., noon and 7 p.m., which makes it a strong fit if you work downtown and want to train before or after the office.
No-gi runs three times a week, and there's a women's-only BJJ class on Tuesday evenings. Muay Thai and a kids' program for ages 3 to 16 share the academy, and you can book your first class online.
Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas (Lower Greenville)
Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas has been an affiliate of the Marcelo Garcia academy since 2009, and today it's on East Mockingbird Lane.
Every adult evening class from Monday to Thursday is no-gi, which makes it the natural pick in this list if you prefer training without the gi. Gi classes run at 6 a.m. and noon on Mondays and Wednesdays, and twice on Fridays.
It's also an easy gym to visit, with a $30 drop-in rate at the time of writing. New students get a 7-day free trial, a T-shirt and athletic shorts are fine for it, and unlimited membership costs $189 a month on a month-to-month basis.
Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Allen)
Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is on East Stacy Road in Allen, and it's well suited to complete beginners. Its fundamentals class, built for people with no martial arts experience, runs on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
No-gi classes run on Monday and Wednesday mornings and on Wednesday evenings, and there's a women's class on Wednesday mornings. There are 6 a.m. adult classes from Monday to Thursday, too.
Kids can start at age 3, the gym doesn't tie you into a contract, and your first class is free.
Gracie Barra Southlake Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Southlake)
Gracie Barra Southlake Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is on West Southlake Boulevard and belongs to the Gracie Barra network of more than 1,000 schools. It's ideal for women who want their own class, with women's sessions at noon and 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and at noon on Wednesdays.
Beginners get a fundamentals class every day from Monday to Saturday, in a mix of gi and no-gi. There's also an eight-week adult beginner bootcamp, with a weekly semi-private session and a uniform included.
Your first class is free, and the academy lends you a gi for it. Kids' classes start with parent-and-child sessions from 6 months old.
Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Arlington)
Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is on Valcasi Drive in south Arlington, between Dallas and Fort Worth. With more than 750 Google reviews at the time of writing, it's the most-reviewed gym on our Dallas page.
Its adult program is open to all levels, including complete beginners, and there are separate classes for kids aged 4 to 12 and teens aged 13 to 17.
It's best suited to anyone who wants a long look before committing, because new students get a 30-day free trial that includes a free uniform. Its timetable comes with the sign-up offer rather than on an open page, so ask about the gi and no-gi split when you book.
Finding more gyms across Dallas-Fort Worth
Five gyms can't cover a metro area the size of Dallas-Fort Worth, so treat this list as a way in rather than the whole picture. The right academy for you might be a smaller one ten minutes from home.
Our Dallas page maps more than 160 gyms across the Metroplex, suburbs included, each one open and screened for jiu jitsu.
Zoom in on the area around your home or office and pick two or three. Then vet them the way you'd vet any gym and book a trial class at each.
Final thoughts
Dallas-Fort Worth gives you more choice than you'll ever need, so the real work is narrowing it down. If I were choosing here, I'd start with where I live and work, look for class times that dodge the traffic, and check the gi and no-gi split before booking anything.
Then make the most of the free trials. The academy that fits your week will teach you more than a famous one you only reach on Saturdays.
FAQ
Where can I train no-gi in Dallas?
No-gi training in Dallas is easy to find at Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas, where every adult evening class from Monday to Thursday is no-gi. The other gyms in this guide that publish a timetable also run no-gi classes on set days.
Which Dallas gyms have women's classes?
Women's BJJ classes run at three of the five Dallas-area gyms in this guide. Gracie Barra Southlake Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has three a week, Alex Martins Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has one on Tuesday evenings, and Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has one on Wednesday mornings.
Can kids train BJJ in Dallas?
Kids can train BJJ at plenty of gyms around Dallas, including most of the academies in this guide. Alex Martins Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu start at age 3, Alvarez Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at 4, and Gracie Barra Southlake Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has parent-and-child classes from 6 months.
How much does BJJ cost in Dallas?
BJJ membership at Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas costs $189 a month for unlimited classes at the time of writing, and visitors pay $30 for a drop-in. Four of the five gyms in this guide offer a free trial, so you can try a gym before you pay anything.