Jiu Jitsu Gym Near Me in Joo Chiat: Brazilian-Led GFTeam Singapore

GFTeam Singapore trains on the third floor of 438B Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427651, above the street's shophouses, and a visiting adult can drop in for S$55. Marine Parade MRT is an eight-minute walk, adult classes run 60 minutes, and the first lunchtime session of the week starts at noon on Monday. For anyone in the east searching jiu jitsu near me, this is the Brazilian-led option tucked into Joo Chiat.

The academy describes itself as a Brazilian-led school of jiu jitsu in the heart of Joo Chiat and is part of the global GFTeam network, the Rio de Janeiro team whose students wear the same badge on every continent. Head Professor Popeye Vinicius sets the curriculum, with Coach Derick and Coach Ritz Ang assisting on the adult mat and Coach Jeremy running the children's programme. The website does not give a founding year, and the business runs its bookings through the Vibefam platform and its own GFT app on the App Store and Google Play.

The tone on the mat is set out plainly on the homepage: effort matters more than ego, tough competitors inside and good humans outside. Reviews from members single out Professor Popeye for calibrating each class to individual goals and for translating his competition experience into technique beginners can use, and one student notes extra access to online technique material.

Number 438B is one of the upper-floor units in a row of shophouses, so look for the side entrance rather than a shopfront. From Marine Parade station on the Thomson-East Coast line, walk north for about eight minutes; from Dakota on the Circle line, buses 10, 16, 32 and 33 run along Joo Chiat Road. The academy lists towels and showers as its amenities, and one member's review describes the room as super clean, air-conditioned and fitted with some gym equipment.

The live booking calendar for the week starting Monday 19 October 2026 shows a tidy pattern. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each have a 10:30am intermediate class for one-stripe white belts and above, a noon fundamentals class, a 6:30pm fundamentals class and a 7:30pm intermediate class. Thursday evening switches to no-gi fundamentals at 6:30pm.

Friday has no-gi intermediate at 10:30am followed by gi fundamentals at noon and 6:30pm, and Saturday finishes the week with a noon fundamentals class after two morning kids' sessions. Sunday is a rest day, and no open mat or women's class appears on the calendar, so plan your rolling around the weekday blocks.

Gi Fundamentals covers core movements and is the class beginners join, while Gi Intermediate adds combinations, positional work and strategy. No Gi Fundamentals explains how techniques change without the jacket, working guard entries, submissions, stand-up and movement drills, so it is a sensible first class for wrestlers or anyone who does not own a gi.

Children aged 14 and under train in a 45-minute kids class at 5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and at 10am and 11am on Saturdays. On the first Saturday of every month the academy holds BJJ Super Kids, a class for children aged 5 to 14 with special needs. The academy frames it around inclusivity, awareness and empowerment on the mats, and the regular kids' class lists confidence, discipline and communication alongside technique.

Tourists pay S$55 for an adult drop-in and S$45 for a child. The one-time Starter Pack is better value if you are in town for a week: S$59 for an adult or S$49 for a child buys unlimited classes for seven days and includes free gi rental. Residents who have lived in Singapore for at least a month get one free trial credit instead.

Commitment pricing is steep at the top end. Twelve months upfront costs S$3,388 for adults and S$2,352 for kids, while the adult ten-credit pack is S$450. One-to-one lessons are S$250 a session or S$2,400 for ten, and a group private for up to four people costs S$350. Note that the ten-credit pack is labelled four months' validity in its title but three months from the first class in its terms, so use it quickly.

The academy does not publish a dress code, so bring a gi if you own one, or take the starter pack and borrow one. For no-gi on Thursday or Friday, a rash guard and shorts without pockets are the safe choice. Pack a towel and toiletries for the shower, a large bottle of water, and arrive early enough to climb the stairs and change before the bow-in.

If you only have a Sunday free in the east, skip GFTeam, because nothing runs that day. The Gentle Art Academy at Katong Square, 88 East Coast Road, keeps a Sunday noon open mat and is a short bus ride down the road. Fridays are the best day for a mixed visit here, with no-gi in the morning and gi at lunch.

After class, walk along Joo Chiat Road to Koon Seng Road to see the brightly painted Peranakan terrace houses that draw photographers to the area, then loop back along Joo Chiat Road. For food, Dunman Food Centre at 271 Onan Road is a small hawker centre that has been feeding the neighbourhood since 1974, close enough to reach on foot before the bus home.

GFTeam Singapore, 3rd Floor, 438B Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427651. Nearest MRT is Marine Parade on the Thomson-East Coast line, about eight minutes on foot, or Dakota on the Circle line with buses 10, 16, 32 and 33. Book classes through the Vibefam page or the app; adult classes are 60 minutes and Sundays are closed. Private sessions are not on the public calendar, so message the academy on WhatsApp to arrange a time, and mention whether you want gi or no-gi so the coach can plan the hour around it.