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Sal's BJJ
5 ★★★★★ 19 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in DeKalb, Illinois
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
- Kids & youth classes kids and youth muay thai classes — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule salsbjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (630) 809-5540
Hours
| Monday | 10 AM–12 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 5–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 6:30–8:30 AM, 10 AM–12 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Thursday | 5–9 PM |
| Friday | 6:30–10 AM, 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5:30–7:30 PM |
| Saturday | 9:30 AM–1:30 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–1 PM |
The classes they run
“Sal does a great job of creating an inclusive environment that's comfortable for anyone, including women, adult beginners, and different body types.”
“Sal’s kids program regularly shows up and dominates locals tournaments while creating a fun, exciting, and entertaining atmosphere.”
Other martial arts here
“It's also been nice to see Sal's gym grow even more with a new and bigger location and a comprehensive wrestling, striking, and MMA schedule in addition to jiu jitsu.”
“It's also been nice to see Sal's gym grow even more with a new and bigger location and a comprehensive wrestling, striking, and MMA schedule in addition to jiu jitsu.”
“It's also been nice to see Sal's gym grow even more with a new and bigger location and a comprehensive wrestling, striking, and MMA schedule in addition to jiu jitsu.”
What members say
“Sal is a great coach and has built up a great gym full of good people that uphold a culture of hard work and kindness while remaining challenging, encouraging, safe, and welcoming.”
“Sal is a great coach and has built up a great gym full of good people that uphold a culture of hard work and kindness while remaining challenging, encouraging, safe, and welcoming.”
“Sal is a great coach and has built up a great gym full of good people that uphold a culture of hard work and kindness while remaining challenging, encouraging, safe, and welcoming.”
“Sal is a great coach and has built up a great gym full of good people that uphold a culture of hard work and kindness while remaining challenging, encouraging, safe, and welcoming.”
“Joining his studio has helped me improve my health and confidence, and has given me something fun to do in the evenings!”
From the reviews
Sal is a great coach and has built up a great gym full of good people that uphold a culture of hard work and kindness while remaining challenging, encouraging, safe, and welcoming.
Sal does a great job of creating an inclusive environment that's comfortable for anyone, including women, adult beginners, and different body types. His classes are challenging while allowing you to go at your own pace.
Sal's BJJ is an incredible place to learn the art. Sal not only is an incredible teacher, he makes it very fun and has a great sense of humor. Everybody that trains here is so welcoming and trains safely. The new facility is so clean and open and theres so much mat space!
Instructor is highly knowledgeable and experienced. An asset to the area. He is building a solid team.We have trained together in the past and i look forward to visiting this gym
New to muay thai? Start at Sal's BJJ
Sal's BJJ 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.
Your first muay thai class at Sal's BJJ
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.
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