What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a grappling sport built on takedowns, positional control on the ground and submissions. There are no strikes or kicks. The goal is to take the match to the mat, control your partner with position and weight, and finish with a joint lock or a choke that makes your partner tap. The techniques rely on leverage and timing, so a smaller person can hold their own against a bigger and stronger one.

Two ways to train: Gi and No-Gi

• Gi is BJJ in the traditional uniform: jacket, pants and belt. You grip the collar, sleeves and pant legs, so the game is slower. Read more: Gi Jiu-Jitsu.
• No-Gi, also called submission wrestling, is trained in shorts and a rashguard. There are no fabric grips, so control comes from body position and the pace is faster. Read more: No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu and the guide What is submission wrestling?

At AOGG one membership covers both. For a comparison, see Gi or No-Gi for beginners.

How classes work at AOGG

The most common class is 90 minutes, and about half of it is sparring: positional sparring or free rolling. The schedule also has 60-minute technique classes, often followed by 60 minutes of open sparring.

Warm up on your own before class starts, because the class goes straight into the technique of the day. The instructor shows the technique step by step, you drill it with a partner and then try it in sparring. Either partner can stop at any moment by tapping the mat or their partner.

Coming in for the first time? Read your first class at AOGG and the academy rules.

BJJ belts and how promotions work at AOGG

Adults have five belts. Everyone starts as a white belt.

1. White belt: the starting belt.
2. Blue belt: survives bad positions and knows a basic response from every position.
3. Purple belt: has a game of their own and can control and submit blue belts.
4. Brown belt: a polished game. Can teach and can challenge other brown belts.
5. Black belt: awarded at the head instructor's overall discretion.

The international federation IBJJF sets minimum times of 24 months at blue belt, 18 months at purple belt and 12 months at brown belt. The minimum age for a black belt is 19.

Promotions at AOGG follow these principles:

• Level and conduct decide, not time alone. Being a good training partner and behaving well at the academy weigh as much as technique.
• Hobbyists and competitors hold the same belt. There are two ways to show the level: in everyday training, or with repeated wins in competition at your own belt. In Master age divisions the physical expectations flex, the knowledge expectations do not.
• Stripes and decisions. Stripes are awarded on the belt before a new belt. Instructors propose promotions and the club's head instructor decides. The main ceremonies are in June and December, but an approved belt can also be awarded in a regular class.

Kids and teens (ages 5 to 14) have their own belt system, assessed by the instructor in charge of the kids program.

Who is BJJ for?

You do not need a martial arts background or a high fitness level to start.

• Adult beginners: over a third of those who started on the autumn 2026 beginner course were 35 or older. Read Am I too old to start BJJ?
• Women: in addition to the mixed classes, the Sörnäinen academy runs women's BJJ classes.
• Kids and teens: own groups for ages 5 to 14. See kids BJJ.
• Competitors: those training with competition goals have the competition class.

AOGG in short

• One membership lets you train at all three academies.
• Members can access the Erottaja and Sörnäinen academies around the clock. The Kivenlahti academy is open during Hybridiareena HYPE's opening hours, from morning to late evening.
• Classes are taught mainly in English, and most instructors also speak Finnish.
• In the same club you can train at your own pace or with the competition team. Joining the competition team requires the coach's approval.

How to get started at AOGG

AOGG has three academies: Erottaja and Sörnäinen in Helsinki and Kivenlahti in Espoo. There are over 60 classes a week.

• Beginner course (Erottaja and Sörnäinen): 6 weeks, 12 sessions, 95 €. The course is No-Gi, and a t-shirt and shorts are enough. Sign up on the beginner course page.
• Start any time (Kivenlahti and Gi classes): at Kivenlahti and in Gi classes you can start directly in the All Levels classes.
• Already trained before: if you have trained BJJ or submission wrestling, your first trial class is free. Book a trial class.
• Visitors: if you are visiting from another city or from abroad, you can drop in for a single class. See the visitors page.

Prices are on the pricing page, and the guide How much does BJJ cost in Helsinki? goes through the first-year costs.