17200 Chenal Pkwy, Little Rock, AR 72223, USA
Our Kids Jiu Jitsu, Jiu Jitsu and Family Brazilian Jiu Jitsu programs are excellent choices for self defense, discipline and fitness. Learn more about our martial arts classes in West Little Rock now!
Head Coach at Westside BJJ in Little Rock, Arkansas.
No-Gi coach.
Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach.
I’ve trained Jiu Jitsu at gyms all around the world, and I can honestly say this place stands out. The mats are some of the cleanest I’ve ever seen, the environment is welcoming, and the people are genuinely nice. Every class is structured and technical, with attention to detail that makes a real difference. As a brown belt, I appreciate how the instruction challenges me while still being accessible for all levels. Great vibes, great training, and definitely a gym I’ll keep coming back to.
Posted 1 year ago
Friendly, clean, welcoming, with solid and focused technique instruction. Instructors are experienced and teach with a friendly constructive attitude. Many nice Brazilians (men and women)attend which tells you something.
Posted 1 year ago
If you’re in the Little Rock area, and you don’t stop by Westside BJJ you’re do yourself a disservice. Bruno welcomed me the second I walked through the door, and every student introduced themselves making me feel right at home. The instruction was clear and thorough. The rounds were excellent, challenging without being overwhelming. Everyone did an amazing job at matching pace with a visitor on vacation. Stop by, and bring a friend.
Posted 1 year ago
Westside BJJ is an awesome place to train with a super friendly vibe. The coaches really know their stuff and make learning fun and easy to follow. Our son loves the youth classes and has even competed. The confidence he developed at Westside was a big factor in making him feel comfortable competing. Whether you’re new or experienced, you’ll feel right at home here.
Posted 1 year ago
We’ve had a great experience at Westside BJJ. The coaches are wonderful with kids and help teach respect. Their youth classes have a great balance of hard work and fun.
I've been training at Westside for a little over 2 years. Every coach is incredible, and they all take the time to teach each person at their individual level. A new person coming here is going to be encouraged and welcomed both by the coaches and members. Also, the community at Westside is awesome. This is not a meathead gym, there are no a-holes or egos, and everyone tries hard to help and make each other better. If you want to make some friends, learn a new skill, and get in the best shape of your life, come join us!
Been training here for just over a year and could not be happier with the diversity of coaches and fellow practitioners. At 49 I was looking for a training program that would keep me coming back and moving in ways that would undo the damage from years of sedentary professional work. I’ve become obsessed with BJJ as an art form and the ultimate equalizer of technique vs size and strength. The learning never stops but it’s the community of people that keeps me engaged. Such a great group of wonderful people from all walks of life. If you’re looking for something that will challenge your mind and body in a supportive environment, I highly recommend you give it a try. I mostly train with Bruno at the Chenal location but have had great experiences training at the Bryant location as well.
Westside is the best place to learn and train BJJ in Central AR. They are family friendly and inviting of all levels of BJJ. Bruno is an outstanding coach who takes the time to get to know his members and provides teaching at all levels. We consider Westside as extended family and highly recommend!
My family has been going to westside BJJ for over a year now and we couldn’t be happier there. Bruno is amazing, and the community is great too. Also shoutout to Jeremiah - he’s a great no-gi coach.
I've been coming to westside for well over a year now. When I tell people you will not find an experience like this anywhere else in life, I mean it. I played all different kinds of sports growing up, and excelled in a few of them. Nothing however prepared me for jiu jitsu, but once switched to westside I have received not only the the highest level of grappling training in the state but also made relationships that I will continue to foster and carry with me throughout my life. Jiu jitsu isn't just about a bunch of sweaty guys rolling around on a mat, its also the community you gain from being part of a team. That is what westside is all about, bringing people together from every single race, religion, creed, political viewpoint and putting them together in a room forcing one another to let go of their differences and work together, effectively communicate, and just have plain old fun. This gym will forever be my home and im so happy and thankful to my coaches, Bruno, Jeremiah, and Roli.
I brought my son here several months ago and have been truly impressed by the facility and the Coach Bruno and the other instructors. The mats and gym are very clean and the coaches have been fantastic. My son quickly gained more physical conditioning and confidence, as well as greatly enjoying every class. I also like being able to let him train both gi and no-gi classes in the same membership, as well as the month-by-month billing schedule. Classes are flexible too, so we can pick which days we go. Highly recommend you try a lesson if you are curious!
Great club with top coaches and fantastic atmosphere. My son loves time he spends here, makes him more confident and atletic. Good place to make friends and socialize. Coaches are amazing and supportive. Coach Bruno always helps and focuses on individual growth. Would highly recommend !!!
Great gym! Visiting friends from out of town and wanted to get a class in. Went to the 12-1 Friday class. Great instruction, great people and great rolls! Will be continuing to train there anytime I am in town visiting.
I dropped on for an open mat. The gym is very clean. There is a good amount of mat space. More importantly, everyone was welcoming and very nice. This gym and its members are great ambassadors of the sport. Thank you.
Was a great place for our family to visit while we were in town. Welcoming atmosphere and great bjj knowledge
I love this place! I like how they are patient and calm with kids, willing to explain multiple times if needed. Highly recommended!
Thank you for the great hospitality and awesome rounds. I certainly appreciated Professor Penedo letting me train with the crew. Everyone was super friendly; right off the bat, I could be friends with several for a long time. For sure, I will be back again!!!
Got to visit Westside BJJ today and had an amazing experience. Clean mats and clean facilities. But more important the culture there is fantastic. I felt welcomed immediately by everyone going out of their way to say hi. I had some hard rolls and great conversations after. Bruno the owner / professor was super genuine and friendly. Invited me in like I’ve been there for years. No egos on these mats just good hard work. If your in the Arkansas area definitely stop by hear. Thanks for an awesome experience.
Great place for solid bjj teaching! Great Instructors and people!
Super welcoming and helpful place. I’m new to martial arts and Bruno and the rest of the crew made sure I had good guidance and appropriate difficulty level for my first class. Highly recommended!
Westside was a great environment to train in. They were very welcoming and were great hosts for me as a drop-in. I’ll definitely be coming back next time I’m in town!
I was in Little Rock for the week and stopped by to train with Westside Chenal. The gym was clean and everyone very friendly. Bruno was so nice and welcomed me on the mat with open arms. Highly recommend visiting Bruno and Westside BJJ to train!
Best place hands down for kids to adults to learn Brazilian Jiu-jitsu!
We were traveling through Little Rock and dropped in (kids and adult class). The whole gym was very welcoming and the Professor was great! We all had a wonderful time training and will definitely come back again!!
I trained at Westside BJJ while visiting Little Rock. Professor Bruno was extraordinarily kind and professional. The technical instruction was excellent. The students were all very welcoming and helpful. Everyone made me feel comfortable. The mats and facilities were both clean and well-maintained. I will absolutely train here again.
I wanna start with this the professor of this gym is a down to earth man. I dropped in his class cus im outta state for work. And he treated me like i been there for years. If u are looking for a place to train or learn. Here u go. Thank professor bruno. I will be going back when i come through town.
If you live or are visiting Little Rock you absolutely must make a stop over at Westside BJJ. Bruno and all of his students are incredibly welcoming. 11/10
While visiting Little Rock, I trained at Westside BJJ. Professor Bruno was incredibly nice and professional. The students were all very welcoming and humble. The facility was super clean and comfortable. I will train here again as soon as I have the chance. Thanks guys!
Incredible academy! I LOVED taking classes with Professor Bruno and his team of (gentle) monsters! The skill level and talent here is incredible, and it feels like a family! I cannot recommend this academy enough! No matter what your goals are, they can help you on your path to achieving them!
I was visiting the area and decided to check out a gym here. Spoke with Coach Bruno on the phone, very kind and welcoming. When I arrived coach TJ welcomed me, showed me where to change and leave my belongings. Easily found a partner to train with, then rolled with 3 different people. Everyone was very friendly, great group to train with. Thanks Westside BJJ! Oss.
Excellent instruction from coaches who actively watch their students drill and roll. Good, solid material being taught (darce and reverse triangle from mount tonight), AND they did something tonight I've never seen before: drill-roll-drill-roll-drill-roll with positional rolling to nudge you to hit the drill live. Going to have to tell the coaches at my home gym about that... An involved staff, super supportive students, the exact kind of atmosphere you want whether you're looking for your kid or shopping for yourself. next time I'm in little rock, I won't be googling where to train.
I was in town from hurricane Ida Professor Bruno was more than welcoming to let me train. The academy was clean with awesome mats! The students were more than welcoming and gave me awesome rolls; this guy is definitely building some beasts! I will definitely be back every time I’m back in the area! If you need a place to train and learn self defense look no further make the leap and join this academy.
Bruno is an excellent coach. If you're looking for BJJ this is the place to be.
Got to drop in a class while passing through town Bruno is the man. Great class fun excited everyone was really nice. Highly recommend
Amazing place with awesome people!!
My son and daughter have been taking classes with Bruno and Jeremiah for 4 weeks now and they’re hooked. Both of my kids are completely engaged and improving leaps and bounds. It has been excellent for them physically and mentally, and the coaching is second to none (we tried several places before committing). I would highly recommend this to any parent who has high standards for their children’s character and work ethic.
I've had my daughter training her for several months, and was impressed by the environment and instruction. I just began training myself and think the adult classes are informative and helpful for different skill levels.
Best place to train!
This place is amazing!! Very professional !!
WOW! What an awesome gem in Little Rock! Everyone was helpful and REALLY FRIENDLY! I’ve never felt more comfortable around other people while working out. It really felt like I accomplished something instead of just walking on the treadmill for an hour every morning. 10/10 AMAZING place! Can’t wait to be back.
I have been at this gym for 4 months now. Bruno provides great instruction, is very knowledgeable, and sets a high standard for the students. All my training partners were very welcoming. Also, the facility is so bright and clean. I would definitely recommend.
Great program and great coaches!
Fantastic instructors with an awesome gym. Doesn't get any better! If you are even remotely interested in trying jiu jitsu, check it out!
Bruno is great with the children. I have never seen him loose his patience with the children, he keeps them focused without stifling their enjoyment of the training, and genuinely seems to enjoy interacting with and instructing them.
My son has been training at this gym since the day it opened, so I guess I should review the facility at this point. The staff is amazing, especially Bruno. My son has learned a lot and at his first tournament, just 8 weeks after starting, he took 2nd place in his division. The facility is very clean and provides an atmosphere free of distraction. Overall this gym and it's staff are of the highest quality and if you are interested in brazilian jiu jitsu you would be doing yourself a disservice if you missed out on the instruction provided here.
This is gym is amazing! The coaches are so welcoming and warm. They make you feel like you are part of the family right away! The gym itself is very clean and bright! The training is Excellent!!
You could not ask for a better place to train,very family oriented and awesome instructors.
Top notch instruction,clean,friendly,welcoming environment,family friendly ,I highly recommend.
I came into this gym about 2 months ago, with no experience whatsoever in BJJ, or any other martial art for that matter. The instruction I have received here from Bruno has been amazing and presented in a way works even for a a guy who knows nothing about BJJ. In addition, the people here are incredibly welcoming, which helped with my nerves when i first started. Would definitely recommend you give it a shot if you think you are interested, whether you are brand new, or experienced already!
Top notch instruction. The place I train when passing through Little Rock.
Great bjj instructors, worlds class bjj. Nice environment, Super clean and welcoming people. I would say, best bjj gym in Little Rock.
This is THE place to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in West Little Rock!
Fantastic gym, great coaches great people for you to train with. It's a definite must go for kids and adults of all ages!
I absolutely love this place! Bruno and Molly are great instructors. They have classes for kids and adults. Their place is very clean and esthetically pleasing! Come on and learn some new skills, make friends, learn how to defend your self, lose weight, get in shape, push your self, become a competitor, or just come to chill and take it slow. BJJ will fit your lifestyle!
Great instructors that are very kncowledgeable and draw from competition tested and real world experience in their martial arts. Cant suggest this enough. Extremely great with kids as well.
Bruno and Molly are probably the best husband wife team in all of BJJ. It doesn't matter if you are a man, woman or child they have a program for you. Westside is the only gym I would ever recommend anyone go to. If you go anywhere else then you are literally throwing money in the trash. Don't be that guy who throws money in the trash, go to westside and let Bruno and Molly teach you how to be the best martial artist that you can be.
Cant get any better BJJ in West Little Rock!
Incredible place to learn and train Jiu Jitsu for kids and adults. I will be training here when I can for years to come!
One of the few extra curricular activities that my daughter feels excited about AND I feel like she’s really benefitting from. Great family friendly environment and there is nothing like learning from world class athletes.
I have been in and out of athletics my whole life. Coming off a 9 year stint dedicated to fitness I found myself wanting more from my training. After about a year of searching I landed back at BJJ. I have been training the martial art for about 9 months now. I am 34 y.o. and I am honestly in the best shape I've EVER been in. The mental challenge is almost as rewarding as the physical. It doesn't matter what stage of life you are in. Whether you're a parent looking to get your kid involved or a parent looking to better your life's quality, Jiu Jitsu can be the challenge you need to introduce to your routine. I think Coach Bruno is one of the best. He is from Brazil and is one of the nicest guys ever. We need more white belts so come in and check it out!
This is a great gym, great people, and great jiu jitsu. Thanks, Bruno!
I’m new to Westside BJJ and I already feel like part of the family there. I was hesitant to start BJJ given my age and physical condition, but Bruno, Molly and all the other students made me feel comfortable and welcome from the very beginning. I joined Westside BJJ to improve my fitness and learn some self-defense techniques; best decision i’ve ever made.
Super clean with world class coaches that support your journey. Great professor to student ratio ensures a thorough understanding of bjj concepts. If you’re thinking about trying bjj, there is no other place better.
Absolutely love WestSide BJJ! Great atmosphere. And you can always look to get in some great hard work . You can learn at your own pace and fall in love with the process of learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu along with making friends ,becoming apart of a family, and getting in the best shape of your life along the way ! Amazing black belt instructor, American national championship, and professional MMA fighter , Bruno Cesar de Souza will make sure to help you in every way possible to reach your goals in BJJ!
Only an opinion of the aesthetics of the building as I have yet to begin my journey to becoming a jujitsu master
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