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3320 Walnut Street, Denver, CO 80205Monday to Friday: 6:00 am – 8:30 pm · Saturday: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm · Sunday: ClosedMonday to Friday: 6:00 am – 8:30 pmWoman owned(720) 555-0105
Waza Jiu-JitsuDenver, CO
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Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Denver

Jiu-jitsu for people who have never tried it

A women-led academy with women-only classes beside open ones, a Saturday class for kids and a first month planned for the nervous beginner.

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A man with grey hair tying a black belt around his white uniform in a bright mat room

Your first month

Four steps, in the order they happen

Nobody expects you to know anything yet. This is what the first month looks like, so you arrive knowing what comes next.

  1. 01
    Before your first class

    Step 1: What to wear

    A plain t-shirt and shorts or leggings with no zippers. You don't need a gi on day one: ask at the desk and we will find you one to borrow.

    • Shoes off at the edge of the mat

    • Hair tied back, nails short, no jewelry

  2. 02
    Week 1

    Step 2: How to tap

    Tapping comes first, before any technique. Tap your partner or the mat with your hand, or say "tap", whenever you want to stop. Your partner lets go at once, and everyone taps, coaches included.

    • The first thing every new student learns

  3. 03
    Week 2

    Step 3: How drilling works

    One technique, shown slowly, then repeated with a partner at half speed. You switch roles every few minutes, and your coach comes round to every pair.

    • No live practice yet

    • Questions are part of the class

  4. 04
    Weeks 3 and 4

    Step 4: How rolling starts

    Rolling is live practice. It starts on your knees, in short rounds, with a partner your coach picks. You can sit any round out, and you decide with your coach when to begin.

    • Short rounds

    • A partner chosen for you

Schedule

Every class this fall

Open classes, women-only classes and the Saturday kids' class, all on one week.

Fall session

Showing 17 of 17

  • MondayMon

    • 6:00 am – 7:00 am

      Fundamentals

      Gi · Maude · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upBeginners, up to 20OpenTry this class

    • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

      Women's fundamentals

      Gi · Malaika · Main mat

      Women, ages 16 and upWomen only, up to 14OpenTry this class

    • 7:15 pm – 8:15 pm

      All levels

      Gi · Malaika · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upAll levels, up to 20OpenTry this class

  • TuesdayTue

    • 6:00 am – 7:00 am

      No-Gi

      Geovanni · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upAll levels, up to 20OpenTry this class

    • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

      Fundamentals

      Gi · Maude · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upBeginners, up to 20OpenTry this class

    • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

      No-Gi

      Geovanni · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upAll levels, up to 20OpenTry this class

  • WednesdayWed

    • 6:00 am – 7:00 am

      Fundamentals

      Gi · Maude · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upBeginners, up to 20OpenTry this class

    • 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm

      Women's all levels

      Gi · Malaika · Main mat

      Women, ages 16 and upWomen only, up to 14WaitlistTry this class

    • 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

      All levels

      Gi · Geovanni · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upAll levels, up to 20OpenTry this class

  • ThursdayThu

    • 6:00 am – 7:00 am

      No-Gi

      Geovanni · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upAll levels, up to 20OpenTry this class

    • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

      Fundamentals

      Gi · Maude · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upBeginners, up to 20OpenTry this class

    • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

      Women's No-Gi

      Maude · Main mat

      Women, ages 16 and upWomen only, up to 14OpenTry this class

  • FridayFri

    • 6:00 am – 7:00 am

      Fundamentals

      Gi · Malaika · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upBeginners, up to 20OpenTry this class

    • 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

      Open mat

      Geovanni · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upAll levelsOpenTry this class

  • SaturdaySat

    • 9:00 am – 9:45 am

      Kids' class

      Gi · Geovanni · Small mat

      Ages 7 to 12Up to 12OpenTry this class

    • 10:00 am – 11:30 am

      Open mat

      Malaika · Main mat

      Ages 16 and upAll levelsOpenTry this class

    • 11:45 am – 12:30 pm

      Women's open mat

      Malaika · Main mat

      Women, ages 16 and upWomen onlyOpenTry this class

Sample classes.

Times change by term, and the enrollment page always has this week's. Women-only classes carry their own age line, and every class shows its size.

Belts

Five belts, at your own pace

A belt is your coach's decision, never a date on a calendar.

  1. 01

    White belt

    Every new student starts here
    Skills

    • Falling, bridging and shrimping

    • Escaping from the bottom and holding the closed guard

    • Tapping early and rolling at a pace you choose

    • Up to four stripes mark steps within the belt

    Moving up

    Your coach promotes you when they see the skills in your rolling, at a promotion day.

  2. 02

    Blue belt

    Skills

    • Passing the guard and sweeping

    • Linking attacks into short chains

    • Rolling at a steady pace with every partner

  3. 03

    Purple belt

    Skills

    • Building a game from the top and the bottom

    • Setting up attacks two and three moves ahead

    • Showing a drill to newer students

  4. 04

    Brown belt

    Skills

    • Refining the details in every position

    • Running part of the warm-up

    • Mentoring a newer partner

  5. 05

    Black belt

    Skills

    • Teaching and mentoring

    • Keeping the room welcoming

Where to startTry a class

Sample levels.

Every student moves at their own pace.

Coaches

Who you will train with

Three coaches share the week. You will meet all of them in your first month.

  • The owner and head coach seated cross-legged on the mat in a white uniform

    Malaika Winston

    Owner and head coach

    Teaches the women's classes and the Friday fundamentals class. She builds each class around one idea and drills it slowly before anyone rolls.

  • A coach seated on the mat in a white uniform

    Maude Cranston

    Coach, fundamentals

    Runs the weekday fundamentals classes and the Thursday women's No-Gi class. She teaches beginners at the pace they set and explains every drill twice.

  • A coach in a white uniform in the academy doorway

    Geovanni Zayas

    Coach, No-Gi and kids' class

    Coaches the No-Gi classes and the Saturday kids' class. The kids' hour is built on games, partner drills and a bow in and a bow out.

What students and parents say

“I almost cancelled before my first class. Nobody made a fuss: they showed me where to leave my shoes, paired me with someone patient and told me that tapping is part of the game.”

Priyanka S.Adult student

“Saturday morning is the class my daughter asks about on Friday. I sit on the bench at the edge of the mat and watch the whole hour.”

Linnea H.Parent of a nine-year-old

“I'm not flexible and I wasn't sure I could keep up. The coaches slow a drill down until it makes sense, and nobody is keeping score.”

Imran K.Adult student

Sample reviews.

Questions before a first class

How old do you have to be?

The adult classes are for ages 16 and up, and the Saturday class is for ages 7 to 12. If your teenager is between those, ask us which class fits.

Can I watch a class before I join?

Yes. Come to the front desk and we will find you a spot on the bench by the mat. For the kids' class, parents are welcome to stay for the whole hour.

What do I wear to my first class?

A plain t-shirt and shorts or leggings with no zippers. Shoes come off at the edge of the mat, hair is tied back and nails are short. If you don't own a gi yet, ask at the desk and we will find you one to borrow.

Which classes are women only?

Women's fundamentals, women's all levels, women's No-Gi and the Saturday women's open mat. Everyone is welcome in the other classes, and you can mix both whenever you like.

What is tapping, and how does rolling start?

Tapping is how you tell a partner to stop: tap their body or the mat with your hand, or say "tap". They let go at once. Rolling is live practice, and in your first weeks it starts slowly with a partner your coach picks.

How does tuition work, and how do I cancel?

What you pay depends on how often you train and who the membership is for, and we go through the current figures with you when you try a class. A membership runs for the term on your agreement and then month to month. You cancel in writing with 30 days' notice.

Come and see the mat

Try a class, meet a coach and decide at your own pace.

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