Jiu Jitsu Gym Near Me at Clarke Quay: Jason Quek's No-Gi Academy

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Singapore has taught grappling at 44 North Canal Road, Level 3, Singapore 059300, since its founder Jason Quek opened the doors in 2006. A single trial class costs S$30, adult membership is S$250 a month, and there is no registration fee. Clarke Quay MRT is three minutes away, so if you work in the CBD and search jiu jitsu near me at 5pm, the 6pm beginner hour is reachable without going home.

The academy calls itself Singapore's first BJJ school, and Jason Quek is described as the first Singaporean to earn a black belt in the art. He started teaching when the sport had almost no following here, and twenty years later he is still the one leading the class. The school is independent, with no franchise above it, which is why it charges no joining fee and follows no imported curriculum.

One of his black belts, a ten-year student, notes that every black belt now in the room (Clement, Jeong, Nic, Mervyn and Kenneth) and two brown belts, Phin and Wei Qin, began as white belts under Quek. Other members' reviews describe the same thing from the other end: one student says two and a half years of his detailed, question-led coaching took them from never having competed to a first gold medal at blue belt, and another sums up the approach as working smarter, not harder.

Every class on the timetable is no-gi Brazilian jiu jitsu and submission grappling. There is no gi programme and nothing to buy: you train in a rash guard and shorts or leggings without zips, pockets or buttons. Without collars to grab, control comes from body locks, underhooks and head position, and the academy says the pace is quicker than a gi room.

This makes it the obvious choice for wrestlers, MMA fans and anyone who finds the jacket fiddly. If you want gi training at lunchtime, Gracie Barra Singapore on Middle Road in Bugis is the better fit, since lunch slots here are still marked coming soon.

There is no fixed syllabus. Each class runs exactly one hour and closes with a question and answer session instead of a hard spar, and students are encouraged to bring the position they cannot solve. Quek rebuilds the technique around their body and game, which the academy says helps people with a bad shoulder or short arms who were previously told to just push harder. It admits this way of teaching is slower and does not scale, and that is the trade-off you are paying for.

Beginner hours teach one technique properly and drill it cooperatively. All-levels hours mix new and experienced grapplers, with the coach adjusting the move for each student. Class sizes are kept small enough for individual attention, and nobody is pushed toward competition.

Beginner classes run on Tuesday and Friday at 6pm and again at 7pm, so you can come straight from work or go home first and still make the later slot. Wednesday has an all-levels hour at 7pm, Saturday an all-levels hour at 1pm, and Sunday a beginner hour at noon. There are no kids, women's or open mat sessions, which keeps the room focused on adults learning technique.

Schedules can shift around competitions and public holidays, so send a message to the academy's number before travelling across town for a session. If you are unsure which hour suits you, say so in the message. The academy offers to tell first-timers which class to come to, and the beginner hours are explicitly open to people who have never trained any martial art.

The about page lists nine first-place finishes as best academy, starting in 2008, two years after opening. At that year's Singapore International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Competition, ten athletes took 14 medals including five golds, and twelve of the academy's fourteen medals that year came in no-gi. Results from the South East Asian Grappling Challenge in 2014 and 2015 show four more first places.

The school is careful to call these a record rather than a promise. Today the focus is refining positions students already know, making them cleaner rather than adding more moves, and most members never compete.

Walk-ins are not accepted. Book ahead by message and wait for the academy's reply with your slot before heading down. The trial is a full class with regular students. Outside clothes are not allowed on the mats, so bring a clean set to change into. Cut fingernails and toenails short, remove jewellery and tie hair back with something soft. A water cooler offers free cold and hot refills, and mats are sanitised regularly. Adults aged 24 and over pay S$250 a month, and anyone under 24 pays S$200. The academy's own pricing FAQ points out that the monthly figure does not by itself spell out attendance allowance, minimum commitment or notice period, so ask about those three before you sign.

Hong Lim Market and Food Centre at Block 531A Upper Cross Street is a short walk south and about five minutes from Chinatown MRT, and its stalls are featured in Michelin's hawker guide. After a 7pm class, walk back along the Singapore River past the lit warehouses of Clarke Quay, then follow the river upstream toward Robertson Quay if you want a longer stroll before heading home.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Singapore, 44 North Canal Road, Level 3, Singapore 059300. Clarke Quay MRT on the North East line is a three-minute walk, and Chinatown, Raffles Place and Telok Ayer are within walking distance. The nearest evening parking is in the public car parks at Clarke Quay and on Hongkong Street. Trial class S$30, no registration fee. The academy's Google Plus Code is 7RPW+VQ Singapore, a handy way to drop a precise pin on North Canal Road when sharing directions with a training partner.