Strike Jiu-Jitsu, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro: Visitor Review

Strike Jiu-Jitsu, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro: Visitor Review

Introduction

Strike Jiu-Jitsu in Ipanema is a vibrant, multi-discipline academy right in the heart of one of Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic neighbourhoods. While not as globally hyped as some of the big-name legacy gyms, it punches well above its weight with ridiculously high-level BJJ instruction, a super welcoming vibe, and the unbeatable bonus of being steps from Ipanema Beach. Offering primarily Jiu-Jitsu but with additional classes in Muay Thai and even Aikido, it’s a true “strike” hub for complete martial artists.

How I Found Strike BJJ

This was such a wonderful and unexpected find for me. I booked an Airbnb apartment two blocks up from the beach. I arrived in the usual haze of jetlag and long haul travel confusion after flying out from the U.K. I checked into the apartment, got the lift up to my accommodation on the 5^th Floor, dropped off my bags and then decided to wander back down the stairs to check out the area.

As I walked along the corridor on Floor 2 between 2 sets of stairs I literally stumbled across the Strike academy! And little did I know that I had found my home from home in Rio. For the next week, I trained there as much as I could – one day I did 4 classes in a single day, and as exhausting as that was, it was thoroughly worth it! The people were SO friendly, ultra helpful and incredibly skilled.

I turned up for an open mat one lunchtime, and I literally got bored of trying to count black belt stripes on people’s belts. I know for a fact there were two 7^th degree black belts, a 6^th degree black belt, another guy who told me he couldn’t remember what year he started training Jiu Jitsu, but that he had been a black belt since the year 2000, and it was genuinely a massive honour and privilege to be in that room, and to be tapped by so many ultra skilled BJJ players!

If you train at a super academy where many people have been training for decades, I get that what I describe may be commonplace, but at my home academy in the UK, we have a 2^nd degree black belt who owns and runs the academy, and one fairly recent black belt who takes some classes. To find so much experience and expertise in one place was for me, and I suspect for any UK BJJ player, genuinely mind-blowing.

Arrival and Check-In

The academy is located at Rua Visconde de Pirajá 452, sala 201, Ipanema – this is the main street with shops, restaurants and all of that running through Ipanema 2 blocks up from the beach. The location is super convenient with easy access via the General Osório metro station (just a short walk) and plenty of buses. It’s in a classic Rio building, so you head upstairs to the second floor.

As you may have heard, the local ‘Carioca’ culture is not renowned for exact punctuality in the way we might expect in most English speaking countries. I found I was often one of the first people there, being conditioned in the Uk to be there 5 mins before class as a matter of etiquette. In Rio, things don’t always work like this, but when everyone was assembled, I experienced some magnificent classes!

The facilities at Strike BJJ are bright, clean, and well-maintained with solid mat space that feels neither cramped nor cavernous—perfect for focused training without the chaos of overly massive gyms. The windows are open to the outdoors, which makes for a good atmosphere. The changing areas and showers were not huge, but were more than adequate and most importantly were clean and tidy.

The schedule at Strike Jiu Jitsu offers one or two early morning classes, a lunchtime class some days, and then 2 or 3 classes in the evening. Day passes (when we visited in 2026) cost 100 Brazilian Real – equivalent to c. $20 USD / £15 / €17 at the time of writing. This day pass allowed you to attend as many classes as you wanted on the day. A couple of times I arrived for the early class at 4.30pm (with a lot of teenagers, but still a great experience), then came back for the 7.30pm to 9pm class, and then stuck it out for the 9pm to 10pm class. Obviously this would not be viable for most people on an ongoing basis, but as I was in Rio for just a week, I was determined to leave physically exhausted, but with as much great instruction under my belt as possible.

Training At Strike BJJ, Ipanema

What was most valuable at this academy was that the instructors genuinely took an interest in this old, over sized sloth like gringo! I’m not saying we became the bets of friends, because you can’t do that in a week, but of the 6 different instructors I trained under, they all went out of their way to make me feel welcome and even to specifically focus on trying to improve my very below average Jiu Jitsu skills! My Portuguese is virtually none existent, and like so many English speakers so arrogantly do, I hoped to find English speakers where I went in Rio. Most of the instructors at Strike Jiu Jitsu were fluent in English, and even when they weren’t, they were incredibly helpful. For example, one of the classes was taken by an instructor called Fabricio, who I’m guessing he was maybe in his late twenties. I rolled with him at the end of one class, and deployed my old man half guard strategy – what was really appreciated was that as he cut through my attempt to slow him down like a knife cuts through hot butter, he was smiling and laughing with me. Then when I came back for the later class, he delivered an entire class on how to the half guard properly, sparred with me and let me get to do what he had just taught me before commencing full sparring. Then the next one of his classes I went to he taught the next stage of his half guard system (which to be honest was a bit too advanced for my brain to process), but the thought was so much appreciated.

This academy has so many gifted and highly experienced Professors in the Gentle Art! For example, Professor Muzio de Angelis is a 7^th degree (Coral) black belt under the Rolls Gracie lineage. He is also a world leading referee under the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). In his classes, while warming up, he asked participants to count the repetitions of conditioning/warm up exercises, he asked (ordered!) me to count in English, which was a very nice touch, much appreciated and made me feel a part of the class.

It would be easy to write an entire article about the Professors and students at Strike Jiu Jitsu, but for now, please rest assured that if you attend a class, you will get top level instruction guaranteed.

Self Defence Jiu Jitsu

One thing I was keen to experience in Rio was the old skool self defence aspects of the Brazilian interpretation of this ancient art. I’m old enough to have trained way back when this art was mostly aimed at self defence, before the UFC started, before sports competition took over and before (most) societies moved away from constant casual street violence.

I have never been to a ‘Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’ class outside of Rio where there was any element of self defence instruction. This was for me a real focus of my visiting Rio, I had some academies lined up to investigate this aspect, before I stumbled across Strike Jiu Jitsu. It seems to me that in Rio, if you train under an instructor older than about mid 40s, then the class starts with a physical warmup, then goes straight into 4 or 5 quickly practised self defence techniques. So I actually got to check out old skool self defence Jiu Jitsu at the Strike academy, which was amazing. Much of the techniques were things I had learnt back in the 1990s frankly speaking – like pulling your elbow up and across your face if someone goes to head butt you for example. It’s often not advanced stuff, but in self-defence, simple is normally good – if it works.

This way of training really appeals to me – 5-10 minutes of basic self-defence techniques which are repeated often for a few minutes at the start of the class, before moving onto the ground grappling techniques which modern day BJJ is best known for.

The bottom line is this – if you wanted to try out the self-defence elements of BJJ while you are in Rio, you could definitely do that at the Strike academy.

Post Training at Strike JJ

Post-training, you have a number of options for relaxing round here. There was a really nice bakery/café directly opposite over the other side of the road which sold sandwiches, cakes and the ubiquitous and heavenly Acai bowls. If you haven’t come across Acai, it’s a purple berry fruit full of nutritional value, which is blended to create a bowl of refreshing, tasty and nutritionally beneficial after training sustenance!

Or you can stroll straight to the beach for a cool-down swim – it’s about a 5 minute walk to Ipanema beach with all the glamour, amazing scenery and activity you get down there.

What Others Say About Strike Jiu Jitsu, Ipanema

Don’t just take my word for it - reviews and social proof are strong for this place - lots of 5-star feedback highlighting the welcoming staff, quality instruction, clean space, and great location. Visitors and locals alike praise it as one of the top spots in Zona Sul (South Zone)  for consistent training and real growth. Some note the vibrant community and how it’s ideal for tourists who want more than just mats.

Here’s some real quotes from reviews for this academy:

·       "Excellent Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Highly qualified professionals and an extremely welcoming environment." — Claudio (5/5)

·       "Without a doubt, it is one of the best and the newest martial arts school in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro! ... It's worth making a visit without commitment! I'm sure you will become part of the STRIKE family!" — Raphael (5/5)

·       "Excellent academy. In the heart of the Carioca south zone. With competent professionals." — Fernando (5/5)

·       "Sensational!!! Best Jiu-Jitsu academy in Rio de Janeiro!" — Daniel (5/5)

The Gentle Art Guide Gym Score: Strike Jiu Jitsu, Ipanema

- Technical level and quality of instruction: 5/5 

- Facility and mat space: 4.5/5 

- Atmosphere and community: 5/5 

- Accessibility and visitor friendliness: 5/5 

- Value for visitors: 4.7/5 (very reasonable drop-in rates for the quality and location) 

- Overall: 4.8/5 — A fantastic Rio gem that combines elite BJJ with friendly vibes

The Gentle Art Guide Conclusion

Strike Jiu-Jitsu Ipanema delivers a high-quality, enjoyable training experience in an unbeatable location. Whether you’re in Rio for a week or looking for a regular home base in Ipanema, it’s worth your time.

Check their schedule, drop them a message for a trial, and get ready to roll with a smile—then hit the beach afterward. Perfect for levelling up your game while living the Carioca dream. Highly recommended!

TO CONTACT STRIKE JIU JITSU, CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE HERE: https://www.strikejiujitsu.com/

Oss!

Jimmy Rose, lifelong martial artist and BJJ enthusiast