Your first BJJ class in Lisbon: how it works

Your first class at Grapplers Collective Lisbon is a real class. Not a ten-minute look around the edge of the mat. A full hour of no-gi grappling in Anjos. Grappling is hard to understand from the outside. You can read about it, watch clips, ask questions, and still have no idea whether it is for you. One real session answers that better than anything we could say. So the invitation is simple. Come train, do the whole class, and decide afterwards.

What the first class actually is

A trial class can mean a lot of things, and many of them are not worth your evening. It often means a watered-down taster, a few minutes of light movement before someone steers you toward a contract. That is not what this is.

• It is a real class, not a demo. You warm up, you train live games against a partner who is actually resisting, and you leave having genuinely grappled.
• It is the same session everyone else does. You are not put in a separate beginner corner. You join the room, scaled to your level, alongside people who train here regularly.
• You do not decide on the night. Nobody asks you to sign up after class. Train once, go home, and think about it.

What it costs

We train at Alma Jiu-Jitsu in Anjos, and Alma sets the prices for drop-ins and monthly training. Prices can change, so we do not list them here. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you the current price before you come. No surprises at the door.

How to book a spot

We keep classes small on purpose. A small room means more attention, more rounds that fit you, and a partner who can actually look after a first-timer. The trade-off is that we cannot have people just turn up, so we ask you to book a spot. Send a WhatsApp message, pick a night, and we will save you a place and have someone meet you at the door. When you message, it helps to tell us:

• Which night you want to start. We train Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 19:30-20:30.
• Roughly your experience level. None is completely fine, and most people who book have never grappled.
• Anything we should know, like an injury or that you are new to Lisbon.

Classes are taught in English, and Portuguese speakers are just as welcome. We are at R. Maria Andrade 46, in Anjos. The metro Green Line stops at Anjos and at Intendente, both a few minutes on foot. Bring shorts or leggings and a rash guard or T-shirt. No gi is needed, since we train no-gi only. There are changing rooms and showers, so bring water and a towel.

What happens after your first class

If it clicks, you can keep coming with drop-ins or move to a monthly plan. Message us and we will send you the current options. There is no rush and no pressure to choose on the night.

And if you want to keep training with us without committing to a plan, we run a free monthly open seminar. It is open to everyone, from any gym, and built around live rounds rather than a lecture. It is another low-key way to spend an evening grappling and see whether this is where you want to train.

The short version

Your first class is a real, full session of no-gi grappling. Classes are small, so message us to book a night rather than turning up. Ask us for the current price when you book. Train once, see how it feels, and take it from there.