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2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu

4.9 ★★★★★ 67 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in Laurel, Maryland

Muay Thai gym Free trial Beginners welcome Kids & teens Private lessons Fight team

Plan your first class

  • Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
  • Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
  • Kids & youth classes kids and youth muay thai classes (ages 5–13) — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
  • Women's classes dedicated women's muay thai classes — a welcoming space to train and start out in
  • Private lessons private, one-on-one coaching available — a focused way to start or to work around a busy schedule; ask about availability and rates
  • Sparring & clinch sparring and clinch sessions for members ready for controlled contact — always optional and coach-supervised
  • Fight team a competition team for members who want to test themselves as amateur fighters
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule 2ndgearbjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone (240) 786-5553

Hours

Monday 4–10 PM
Tuesday 11:30 AM–1 PM, 4–10 PM
Wednesday 4–10 PM
Thursday 11:30 AM–1 PM, 4–10 PM
Friday 6:30–10 PM
Saturday 10 AM–1 PM
Sunday 12–2 PM

Hours shift for holidays, seminars, and open-gym times — worth a quick check before a special trip.

The classes they run

Muay thai classes on the schedule at 2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🌱 Beginner Muay Thai 3 mentions

“The curriculum is well thought out and beginners aren't thrown in to sink or swim like many schools are known to do.”

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🧒 Kids Muay Thai 2 mentions

“The academy is fun, diverse, inclusive, with patient and caring coaches for the kids and teens, and highly skilled specialized instruction for adults.”

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Teen Muay Thai

“The academy is fun, diverse, inclusive, with patient and caring coaches for the kids and teens, and highly skilled specialized instruction for adults.”

All gyms that run teen muay thai →

🥊 Sparring 2 mentions

“The academy has a very friendly and easy-going community, but the sparring sessions are intense, with short breaks and a lot of strong heavy-weights to roll with.”

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🏆 Fight Team 4 mentions

“Cannot recommend highly enough, wether you’re just starting out, or a black belt ready to compete nationally”

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🛡️ Self-Defense

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Other martial arts here

Muay thai gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at 2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🥋 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) 20 mentions

“2nd Gear BJJ offers people of all size, age range, and skill level a safe and professional training environment with a relaxed atmosphere.”

Other gyms that also teach brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) →

Disciplines are mined from reviews and the gym's own info — they show what members have trained, not a formal class guarantee. If you specifically want BJJ, boxing, or MMA alongside muay thai, confirm the current schedule with the gym.

What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 67 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, authentic coaching 4 mentions

“I highly recommend to come over to try out a class, just for the opportunity to experience coach Ken’s instruction and great training environment.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 14 mentions

“I felt like I belonged right from the beginning (the professor knew I was visiting and greeted me upon arrival) and all the members made me feel welcome.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly gym 18 mentions

“The instructors and students were extremely welcoming, I had a fantastic training session and met some awesome people!”

📘 real technique & fundamentals 3 mentions

“As a hobby, form of exercise, and social outlet, I’m always happen to have gone; haven't been disappointed yet.”

🥊 legit sparring & fight team 9 mentions

“The academy has a very friendly and easy-going community, but the sparring sessions are intense, with short breaks and a lot of strong heavy-weights to roll with.”

🧠 builds confidence & discipline 5 mentions

“What brought us first, was the kind of training provided by the coach at the time and the discipline he brought to the mat.”

From the reviews

An excellent place to learn Brazilian Jiujitsu. The curriculum is well thought out and beginners aren't thrown in to sink or swim like many schools are known to do. An emphasis is put on ensuring new students truly understand the fundamentals.

★★★★★ — Efren, May 2017

My boys started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at 2nd Gear in March 2022. Completely new to the sport. The support and training offered here has positively contributed to their physical, emotional and mental health. We have since relocated, but the mentorship and friendships developed will last them a lifetime.

★★★★★ — Jasmine, Mar 2025

I am so blessed for my boys to be part of this community! We have been doing Jiujitsu for ten years, three of them were with 2nd gear! So basically this review came little bit late 😊.

★★★★★ — Eman, Apr 2025

Professor Kenneth Brown is one of the legends of jiu jitsu, but most importantly an amazing person to get to know and be around with. Coach Ken is the reason I spend most evenings at 2nd Gear Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where everyone is welcome.

★★★★★ — Peter, Dec 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 67 reviews →

New to muay thai? Start at 2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu

2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. If you've never thrown a punch or a kick, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the conditioning to you. Second, you won't be thrown into sparring — reputable gyms build fundamentals (stance, footwork, and the basic strikes of the "art of eight limbs") for weeks before any contact, and sparring stays optional. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.

See their beginner class info

Your first muay thai class at 2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu

Nervous about walking into a muay thai gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling the basics on pads and bags — not fighting. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: shorts or athletic wear and a t-shirt; you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and hand wraps if you have them — many gyms lend gloves for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gloves, wraps, a mouthguard, and shin guards. Sparring is optional and comes later, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.

Muay thai is a contact sport. Ease in, listen to your coaches, and if you have any injuries or health concerns, mention them before class and check with a doctor if you're unsure.

Where to find 2nd Gear Jiu Jitsu

8730 Cherry Ln Ste 14, Laurel, MD20707

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and member reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.