Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Everyone is welcome to come in and see just what Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is like.
Judo
Ray will be teaching Judo classes on Saturday, May 4th, with regular, separate judo classes coming soon after.
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Classes and age (More than age plays a role in which classes are best for each student, so this is just an approximation.)
Kids class - Best suited for ages 9 and under, as well as older kids who are brand new to jiu-jitsu and still getting comfortable on the mats training with others and listening to instructions. Parents are welcome to join their kids on the mat for this class!
Youth class - Ages 10-15, or those with some experience, and who do well working with others and paying attention.
Adult class - 14 and over
Parent/guardian permission required for everyone under 18.
Depending on the level of interest among different age groups, as well as the nature of grappling depending as much on size, strength, and maturity as it does age, these are just guidelines and exceptions are possible. If there are scheduling conflicts, exceptions can be made as well. Contact us if you have any questions.
Cost
Classes are $10 for ages 18+ and $5 for those under 18, with the first class free for everyone new to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. We also have family and monthly discounts.
Schedule
Although it varies depending on attendance and other factors, we typically stay open beyond the last class/open mat of the day for those who want to get extra mat time in.
Contact us below for more information if you’re interested in classes for yourself or your child. Please contact us about first responder classes.
Instagram @AroostookBJJ
Instructors
Houlton native Sam Holmes began training BJJ in 2010 under Relson Gracie black-belt Toney Waldecker, and had been training regularly under Joe Moreira black-belt Greg Connor since 2016, receiving his purple belt in August of 2019 from 8th degree coral belt Master Joe Moreira. Sam began regularly teaching both kids and adult classes in Woodstock, NB in 2018.
Ray Koppel began his martial arts journey at nine years old when he began studying Kuk Sool Won under Eric Lee. After earning his black belt, he boxed, fought in karate tournaments, and eventually found his passion in Judo under David Quinonez, who awarded him his brown belt. He then widened his breadth of Judo experience by training with various clubs and collegiate teams. Following a hiatus from combat sports, Aroostook Grappling Club rekindled Ray's love for martial arts. He currently trains BJJ under Sam Holmes at Aroostook Grappling Club and Judo under Brahim Bethi of Samurai Judo Club.
Lindsay Bates started training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in late 2012. She joined with minimal understanding of what the sport was, but was looking for a place to make friends and stay fit. Muay Thai was discovered shortly after, and circumstances allowed a few, thoroughly enjoyed, years of training both arts at various gyms. She became a teacher's assistant in BJJ at blue belt, and was committed to the sport, competing multiple times to gain experience. Shortly after she acquired her brown belt in 2020, the gyms closed and she retired her BJJ black belt aspirations. In 2024, her goals were reinvigorated and supported at AGC with Sam Holmes as a calm and methodical coach.
What is Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ)?
Jiu-jitsu is a martial art and sport built around the core of self-defense; one-on-one grappling without strikes or weapons.
Instead of trying to subdue your opponent by striking them, as in most other martial arts, BJJ relies on a high level of control, and ultimately submission, in order to succeed at the sport or in a self-defense situation.
Although there is nothing that inherently prevents one from using strikes in a self-defense situation (and we do train to defend against a striking attacker), the absence of regular striking in training is specifically what allows jiu-jitsu practitioners to train regularly and comfortably enough to develop their skills and abilities to a relatively high level, without the wear and tear that comes from training striking, or the limited realism of a self-defense martial art that relies only on points or judges, like wrestling or judo.
We learn body movements and techniques that help maximize leverage, efficiency, timing, precision of movement, and more in order to control and ultimately submit our opponents. It is much more science and art, problem-solving and developing one's own unique style, than relying predominantly on natural ability, strength, size, or speed.
Although a full system of self-defense includes some degree of striking (and de-escalation, situational awareness, and much more), BJJ has demonstrated itself to be the most fundamental element of effective self-defense and beneficial in many other indirect ways as well, becoming one of the fastest growing sports in both the US and the world.
What are submissions?
Although simply achieving and maintaining control over an opponent can be ultimately effective for many situations, BJJ also utilizes submissions that, in a sport and training environment, result in the mutual acknowledgment of a win/loss, and in a self-defense situation can either injure an attacker in a specific and controlled way, or render them unconscious without injury.
Kids classes are focused almost entirely on developing general body movement, proprioception, motor skills, and dexterity, as well as positional and control techniques, with a limited look at the most fundamental submissions.
Youth classes begin to train more submissions, with most submissions available to adults, and the most complex or dangerous techniques reserved for adults with experience.
Who is BJJ for?
Everyone.
You don't need to get in shape first. Whether you're short or tall, lean or stout, naturally athletic or clumsy. Whether you've done any sports or organized exercise before. If you're older and want to just stay, or get, in shape, in the absence of school sports. If you're still in school and want an alternative to traditional sports, or something to complement them in the off-season and maintain cardio. If you're younger and still developing basic dexterity, proprioception, and motor control.
What do you need?
Flip-flops, or something similar, are required for walking around off the mats, in order to keep your feet, and the mats, clean.
Sport BJJ is generally split into two forms; gi and nogi. The traditional BJJ uniform is called a gi, and the accompanying rule-set allows participants to actively grab and manipulate this gi as part of BJJ. Nogi (no “gi”) is at the other end of the spectrum; a rule-set where grabbing an opponents’ clothing is not allowed, and practitioners typically wear shorts and rashguards, relying on direct control of an opponent’s body. Self-defense BJJ encompasses both, to better reflect the unpredictable circumstances of self-defense
Everyone is encouraged to try classes first and to make sure BJJ is for them before purchasing a gi. Typical athletic wear – shorts, sweat pants, t-shirt (no snaps, buttons, or zippers) – work well enough for a short time. If you’re ready to purchase a gi, talk to training partners for recommendations and sizing, and message us for available discount codes for some brands.
Some practitioners use mouth guards, ear protection, as well as various other braces and sleeves commonly found in many other sports.
Gym Policies
Be clean. BJJ is a close contact sport. Please be kind to your training partners by having clean clothes and a clean body. And try to avoid strong-smelling perfumes or soaps.
Please don't come if you're sick or think you may be sick. No open wounds or infections.
No weapons or jewelry on the mats (some small piercings and simple rings can be okay or covered with athletic tape). This includes long and/or sharp fingernails and toenails.
Location
We have 1,200 square feet of mat space located downstairs at Serendipitous Dragonfly, at 79 Main, Houlton.
BJJ in Maine.
These are some upcoming BJJ tournaments in Maine.
Flow Sub-Only Open 5 - Rockland. Ages 4+, both gi and nogi. September 15
Black Fly Kids Tournament - Rangely. Ages 4-17, both gi and nogi. June, 2025
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