Commonwealth Buildings, Woolwich Church St, London SE18 5NS, UK
Join the Kodokan Academy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu club for top-notch BJJ training and grappling arts lessons. Experience the ultimate martial arts journey with our expert instructors.
I have been with the Kodokan for 2 months+ now. This is my first BJJ gym. During my first session, i was greeted by every member present and i felt very welcome, despite me being a little nervous, i massively enjoyed my first time there, and was eager to continue! Jared the coach is incredibly knowledgeable, and is clearly very skilled in the ways of BJJ. He adapts his teaching methods in order for everybody to be able to absorb the lessons and build a better BJJ understanding for themselves. The fellow students are all nice and supportive, and I've felt like this is a great atmosphere for new students who really want to learn the sport. I would encourage anybody reading this review to give Kodokan a try, and i highly suspect that you wouldn't regret it. We will all welcome you and help you learn with us this incredible martial art.
Posted 4 years agoSuch a welcoming and friendly atmosphere to train BJJ. From white belt to black belt every member of the club treats everyone with respect and looks after each other to create a safe environment to train. What sets this club apart from the others though is the coach and how the lessons are taught. It’s common in most clubs nowadays to have a string of different instructors teaching random techniques followed by free training but at Kodokan there is a schedule that makes sure all students have an understanding of the positions being taught as well as positional training designed to allow everyone to fully understand the techniques being taught. The main coach Jared has a huge wealth of experience and sincerely cares about each and every person’s progression in Ju Jitsu. He knows exactly what’s needed for each person to improve and no one is left behind. Could not recommend this club enough wether you’re a seasoned pro looking for extra training or someone interested in the martial arts
Posted 4 years agoKodokan is an amazing place to learn Jiu-Jitsu! Jared (coach) and Alexia have instilled a great ethos in the club whereby everyone makes an effort to get to know one another which creates a really relaxed and welcoming environment. I was pretty nervous on my first session as I have never done any sort of contact sport before and being female I wasn't sure how comfortable I would be. Delighted to say I was put at ease straight away. I still have plenty to learn skill wise but at the very least I get a full body workout at each session! Can't recommend it enough!
Posted 4 years agoI joined Kodokan BJJ Academy as a complete beginner with no prior martial arts experience whatsoever. I am so glad to have picked Kodokan to start my BJJ journey after few trial classes which is definitely something more than an academy. So, how has my experience been at Kodokan? See my breakdown below. - Academy Administration: Coach Jared is a great teacher and has a wealth of knowledge which is evident in his teaching methods during the class and training sessions. Alexia does an incredible job in organising and welcoming the students and helping them settle in. They are both extremely personable and responsive and make the students feel like part of the family. My key callout is how Alexia and Coach Jared went above and beyond during lockdown period to keep the students engaged organising online classes, setting up individual coaching sessions and arranging separate small group training sessions to keep our BJJ journey going while gyms were closed. - Coach Jared: In my trial classes, I couldn't help but notice how deeply knowledgeable Coach Jared is. His in-class BJJ techniques demos along with the ability to explain technicalities in an articulate fashion and to be able to answer students' questions in a calm and easy-to-understand way is something that really stood out for me. In addition to that, he is very personable and has a great ability to adapt his coaching style to suit your personality and goals. - Culture: The culture of any academy/organization is hugely important in establishing if you vibe or not. Coach Jared and Alexia both do a great job of creating a positive culture and encouraging the students to be part of the Kodokan clan. The academy's motto "Never Venture. Never Win" taken from Sun Tzu's The Art of War is truly evident in the training sessions and Coach Jared's addresses in the assemblies. - Training Partners and Skillsets: Although the academy is still relatively young, it's fantastic to see students from all sorts of backgrounds (mixed gender to encourage diversity) coming to train and with varying skillsets. It's great to train and practice BJJ in a safe environment and learn from high ranking students as well as from junior members. - Tournaments: During my time here, I have noticed a key factor in training sessions and classes is to prepare for competitions. The intensity of the classes increases as the tournament dates approach closer which is a great motivator and gives an opportunity to the students to challenge themselves and offer their best. Coach Jared is really good at encouraging students to bring the best out of them. - Feedback: One thing I really admire about Alexia and Coach Jared is their openness to feedback. They really do take into consideration what students are saying and how to improve things. One prime example of this is how Kodokan has now additional classes over the weekend to offer options to those who are unable to make certain days during weekdays. In conclusion, whether you are a beginner or an experienced BJJ practitioner, Kodokan is a great place to learn and improve your BJJ skills. 5 STARS & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Posted 4 years agoBeen training with Jared and the team for nearly a year now, there is a truly fun vibe until the class starts and then it's all business, you can expect to be pushed mentally, physically and emotionally but these challenges will help you grow and develop within yourself and within the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I lost nearly 2 stone of weight within 6 months of training 2-3x a week and it hugely helped my cardio and strength. For those unaware of, the best way I can describe it is a martial art where you look to control your opponent and submit them. There is no striking. I would recommend the sport and Kodokan to anyone interested, Jared is a former Bronze Medalist in the elite world championships, his family based in California run a high level gym so it's safe to say BJJ runs in his blood. The core group is very diverse, all shapes and sizes and extremely welcoming to new comers. Thanks for reading, hope to see you on the Mats Jon R
Posted 4 years ago