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Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

5 ★★★★★ 119 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Muay Thai gym Beginners welcome Private lessons Fight team

Plan your first class

  • Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
  • 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 ·
  • Phone +1 215-587-0007

Hours

Monday 6:30–9:30 pm
Tuesday 6:30–9:30 pm
Wednesday 6:30–9:30 pm
Thursday 6:30–9:30 pm
Friday 6:30–9:30 pm
Saturday 5:30–7:30 pm
Sunday 12–3 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 Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🌱 Beginner Muay Thai 6 mentions

“Aside from this, the other experienced practitioners in his gym help beginners like myself learn constantly.”

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👤 Private Lessons

“I attended another two seminars - one in the gi and one out of the gi as well as a private lesson.”

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🥊 Sparring 2 mentions

“He gives you personal attention and makes it a point to spar with every single person in the academy, including white belts.”

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🏆 Fight Team 4 mentions

“He was also teaching amateur and professional fighters at his school.”

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🛡️ Self-Defense 5 mentions

“In those years I also took part in his lessons of MMA and self-defence and that was a great experience.”

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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 Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🦵 Kickboxing

“Classes span from jiu jitsu to judo to kick boxing and self defense.”

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🥊 Boxing

“Classes span from jiu jitsu to judo to kick boxing and self defense.”

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🥋 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) 35 mentions

“I have been attending jiu-jitsu classes at Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu for roughly the past 5 months and it has been the healthiest and focused I have felt in my life.”

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

🏟️ MMA 6 mentions

“I met Damon During the Summer of 2011 in Rimini Italy, where he was teaching MMA seminars at an international university course I was taking.”

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🤼 Judo 10 mentions

“Damon himself has a wealth of knowledge and experience in jiu-jitsu and judo, and in martial arts generally.”

Other gyms that also teach judo →

🤸 Wrestling 4 mentions

“The school is very clean and organize with a large mat so their is plenty of space for everyone to drill moves and wrestle during class hours!”

Other gyms that also teach wrestling →

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 119 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, authentic coaching 2 mentions

“I am sure Damon is an excellent instructor and much more he is a good friend, great quality of teaching allows him to transmit peaceful feeling despite the field of his teaching.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 10 mentions

“Aside from this, the other experienced practitioners in his gym help beginners like myself learn constantly.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly gym 6 mentions

“The school is very clean and the atmosphere is very friendly with student of all levels participating in the classes.”

📘 real technique & fundamentals 9 mentions

“Every class we are taught an abundance of information and we are able to get individual attention from Damon himself to make sure we are doing things correctly.”

🥊 legit sparring & fight team 10 mentions

“There is judo, wrestling, aikido, knife and stick fighting, and practical self-defense techniques.”

🧼 clean, well-equipped gym 3 mentions

“The school is very clean and organize with a large mat so their is plenty of space for everyone to drill moves and wrestle during class hours!”

From the reviews

I been coming to Philadelphia Jiu Jitsu for about 3 years and for the past 3 years it has been nothing but great and exciting! Damon and the other instructors know their stuff by heart and have a large range of knowledge of the sport alongside other types of mix martial arts that you learn a lot from various forms and…

★★★★★ — Eddie, Jan 2022

I started training with Philadelphia JiuJitsu this past summer and it has been a great experience so far. Damon is extremely knowledgeable with over 30 years experience and has a great passion for teaching.

★★★★★ — Paul, Jan 2024

I have been wanting to get back into martial arts after a decade hiatus. I tried several other schools in the area but they didn’t speak to me. The students at Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu are top notch. They are welcoming to beginners, train hard, and prioritize safety as well.

★★★★★ — Jeremy, Jun 2023

I have been training Mixed Martial Arts for 3 years and have visited and trained in many Academies. Philadelphia Jiu Jitsu is an amazing Mixed Martial Arts school located on Cherry Street in Philadelphia. I attended a class this past week and was extremely impressed with Damon and how he runs his academy.

★★★★★ — Dr., Jun 2015

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 119 reviews →

New to muay thai? Start at Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym, going by their listing and members’ reviews. 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.

Call about beginner classes: +1 215-587-0007

Your first muay thai class at Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu

1760 Barbara St, Philadelphia, PA19145

Get directions

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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.