How to Find a Place to Train Jiu Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro
Rio is a gi city, with academies from Copacabana to Barra. This guide covers where visitors train, how to book, what to pack and five gyms to try.
Published: October 31, 2026
Key takeaways
- Most visitors to Rio train in the Zona Sul (Copacabana, Ipanema and Lagoa) or in Barra da Tijuca, where well-known academies sit close to the hotels.
- Rio is a gi city, so pack a plain white gi and a rash guard. No-gi classes exist, but they're a small part of most timetables.
- Message an academy on WhatsApp before you go, because that's how most Rio gyms book visitors and trial classes, and few publish their prices.
- Academia Gracie Humaitá, Brazilian Black Belt, Equipe Fabricio, Clube Osvaldo Alves and Infight Barra are five good places to start.
Training in Rio de Janeiro sits near the top of a lot of jiu jitsu bucket lists, and it's easier to arrange than most people expect. You don't need an introduction from your coach or a long stay, just a gi, a phone and a little planning.
Picture a 7 a.m. class two blocks from Copacabana beach, then breakfast and the rest of the day free. Several academies in this guide run exactly that kind of early class, every weekday.
There's plenty of choice, too. Our Rio de Janeiro page currently lists 200 gyms, from an academy whose history goes back to 1925 to small neighborhood clubs.
Read on for where visitors usually train, how gi and no-gi work in Rio, what to pack, how booking works and five academies worth a visit.
Where do visitors train BJJ in Rio?
Most visitors train in the Zona Sul, the beach neighborhoods of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Lagoa, because that's where they stay. Copacabana alone has 17 gyms on our map, and the well-known academies there are a short walk or a metro stop apart.
Barra da Tijuca, further west, has its own cluster of 18 gyms. If you're staying there, train there, because the trip into the Zona Sul can take a while at rush hour.
The gyms don't stop at the beaches. Rio's North Zone and West Zone are full of academies, including some of the sport's big competition teams, but they're a long way from most visitors' hotels.
Many Copacabana and Ipanema academies are upstairs in commercial buildings, so note the room or floor number ("sala 201", "3º andar") as well as the street. Our Rio page puts every gym on one map, which makes it easy to see what's walking distance from where you're staying.
Do Rio gyms teach no-gi?
Rio gyms teach mostly gi. Some academies offer no-gi classes, but no-gi-only academies are hard to find, especially near the beaches.
At Academia Gracie Humaitá, for example, no-gi is one class a week, on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Equipe Fabricio in Copacabana advertises gi and no-gi, and Infight Barra posts no-gi sessions on its Instagram.
If no-gi is all you train, message ahead and ask which sessions are no-gi before you plan your week around a gym. Better still, pack a gi and treat the trip as a chance to train the way Rio does.
What should you pack to train in Rio?
A plain white gi is the safest thing to pack for training in Rio, because some academies only allow white. Gracie Humaitá's timetable asks for a white gi, its visitor form accepts white or blue, and its code of conduct says gear linked to other teams may be restricted.
Pack a rash guard as well. Gracie Humaitá recommends one under the gi, and some Rio academies insist on it.
If you'd rather travel light, ask about rentals. At the time of writing, Gracie Humaitá rents a gi to visitors for R$40.
How do you book a BJJ class in Rio?
Most Rio academies book visitors through WhatsApp, so message the gym before you turn up. It's the main or only contact at Brazilian Black Belt, Equipe Fabricio, Clube Osvaldo Alves and Infight Barra.
Prices are rarely published. None of the five gyms in this guide lists a drop-in price on its site, so ask when you message, along with which class suits your level.
Bring your passport details. Gracie Humaitá has an online visitor form that asks for ID (a passport works), your belt and your home academy, and you agree to a waiver and its code of conduct.
Free trials are common for locals. Gracie Humaitá, Clube Osvaldo Alves and Infight Barra all offer a free trial class, and Gracie Humaitá lends beginners a gi for it.
Beyond that, the usual etiquette for training BJJ while traveling applies, and in a gi city like Rio a clean gi matters.
When do Rio gyms hold classes?
Rio academies run classes early in the morning, late in the morning and in the evening, which makes it easy to train on a trip. Gracie Humaitá starts at 7 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Equipe Fabricio has a 7 a.m. class every weekday, and Brazilian Black Belt opens the week with a 7 a.m. BJJ class on Monday.
Late-morning classes are common too. Equipe Fabricio trains at 10:30 a.m. every weekday, and Gracie Humaitá runs 11 a.m. classes on Tuesday and Thursday and a two-hour class on Saturday morning.
Evening classes at most of these gyms run from about 6 p.m. until 8:30 or 9 p.m.
Five Rio gyms to check out
There's no single best academy in Rio, but these five are a good place to start. They're well known, well reviewed and easy to reach from where most visitors stay, and between them they cover history, beginners and a bit of no-gi.
| Gym | Area | Gi or no-gi | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academia Gracie Humaitá | Lagoa | Mostly gi, one no-gi class a week | Visitors who want the history, and beginners |
| Brazilian Black Belt | Ipanema | Gi, plus Muay Thai, boxing and judo | English speakers staying in Ipanema or Leblon |
| Equipe Fabricio Jiu-Jitsu | Copacabana | Both | Early risers staying in Copacabana |
| Clube Osvaldo Alves Jiu-Jitsu | Copacabana | Gi | Complete beginners |
| Infight Barra | Barra da Tijuca | Both | Visitors staying in Barra, and families |
Academia Gracie Humaitá (Lagoa)
Academia Gracie Humaitá has the deepest roots of any gym in this guide. Its own site dates the academy to 1925 and calls it the first Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy, and it's been at its current home on Rua Vítor Maúrtua in Lagoa since 2023.
It also has one of the clearest processes for visitors in the city. Its site has separate options for beginners and for people who already train and are passing through, and visitors can drop in at the 7 a.m., 11 a.m. or 7 p.m. classes, or on Saturday morning.
Beginners get a free trial class with a loaned gi, but the first trial is evenings only, at 7 p.m. on a weekday.
Brazilian Black Belt (Ipanema)
Brazilian Black Belt is on Rua Visconde de Pirajá in Ipanema, a block from General Osório metro station. It's the most-reviewed gym in this guide, and the only one with a full English website, which pitches it directly to foreign visitors.
Classes start at 7 a.m. on Monday and run from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m., and one fee covers jiu jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing and judo. It's a strong fit if you're staying in Ipanema, Leblon or Copacabana and want to book in English on WhatsApp.
Equipe Fabricio Jiu-Jitsu (Copacabana)
Equipe Fabricio has trained in Copacabana since 1986, two blocks from the beach on Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana. It teaches gi and no-gi, and kids' classes run alongside the adult timetable.
It's ideal for early risers, with adult classes at 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. every weekday and an open mat on Saturday morning. Afternoon and evening classes run from 4 p.m. on weekdays, and you can book a trial through the site or WhatsApp.
Clube Osvaldo Alves Jiu-Jitsu (Copacabana)
Clube Osvaldo Alves is on Rua Ministro Viveiros de Castro in Copacabana, and it's one of the best-reviewed academies in the neighborhood. It runs a dedicated adult beginners' class, separate from its advanced class, and a kids' program.
That makes it a good choice if you've never trained before and want to try jiu jitsu in Rio. It offers a free trial class, and it doesn't publish a timetable, so message on WhatsApp for times.
Infight Barra (Barra da Tijuca)
Infight Barra has taught in Barra da Tijuca since 1995, according to its own Instagram, and it's one of the best-reviewed gyms in Barra. Alongside jiu jitsu it runs Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing and MMA.
Its Instagram shows fundamentals classes and no-gi sessions, and it's known for its kids' program, which starts at age 3. Book a free trial class through the WhatsApp link in its bio.
How do you find more BJJ gyms in Rio?
These five Rio gyms are a starting point, not the whole scene. With 200 gyms on our map, there's a good chance of a well-reviewed academy within a few blocks of wherever you're staying.
Our Rio de Janeiro page shows them all on one map. Every gym on it is open, has Google reviews and has been checked for BJJ at that location.
If your trip takes in São Paulo as well, our São Paulo page covers the city's academies, and the same checks for a legit gym apply anywhere.
Final thoughts
Rio makes it easy to fit jiu jitsu into a trip, as long as you plan a little. Pick a gym near where you're staying, pack a white gi and a rash guard, and send a WhatsApp message before you turn up.
Whether you train at an academy with a century of history or a neighborhood club around the corner, a few classes in Rio will be one of the best parts of the trip.
FAQ
Can visitors train at BJJ gyms in Rio?
Visitors can train at most BJJ gyms in Rio, but it's best to message ahead on WhatsApp to confirm the class and the price. Some academies limit visitors: one well-known Ipanema academy only takes visiting students who've been referred by someone at the gym.
Do I need a white gi to train in Rio?
A white gi is the safest choice for training in Rio, because some academies only allow white or blue gis. Academia Gracie Humaitá asks for white and rents gis to visitors for R$40 at the time of writing.
Where can I train no-gi in Rio?
No-gi classes in Rio are mostly a few sessions a week inside gi academies. Equipe Fabricio in Copacabana teaches gi and no-gi, Academia Gracie Humaitá runs a no-gi class on Tuesday mornings, and Infight Barra trains no-gi in Barra da Tijuca.
Do Rio BJJ gyms teach in English?
Rio BJJ gyms mostly run in Portuguese, and most of their websites are Portuguese only. Brazilian Black Belt in Ipanema has a full English website aimed at foreign visitors, and basic jiu jitsu terms are the same in any language.
How much does a drop-in class cost in Rio?
Drop-in prices in Rio are rarely published, so ask when you message the academy. Ask whether the price covers one class or several days, because some academies, such as Gracie Humaitá, take visitors for a single session or for a few days.