Brasa Comprido BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) — Local services in Bloomingdale

I took some time while looking for a BJJ gym. I wanted a place with good coaches and a good base of students across all levels. I made a list of all of the gyms near me in the Western Suburbs and worked my way through them over a couple of months.

If you're an adult student with no background in grappling like me, let me save you some time. Give Comprido BJJ's trial class a go.

I started by looking up the credentials of the coaches at each place on my list. Comprido is a 7-time world champion and he holds the record for the fastest submission in black belt finals competition. I was impressed not only with his experience, but more with the fact that he is on the mat every day. It's obvious that teaching is just as important to him as his own success.

When I shortened up my list to a select few for trial classes, I initially thought that losing to lots of different attacks was a sign that the gym was good. I figured that if I'm tapping out in different ways, people there know a lot. But honestly, the fact that everyone else beats you tells you very little about the quality of the gym. If you're new to BJJ pretty much everything "works" against you, so it doesn't mean so much.

What means more is how much you can learn from the program and your team mates. Marcelo (a black belt instructor) is really great at explaining not just techniques like how to do an arm bar, but also concepts like why position is more important to establish first. I have also found that everyone I have rolled with has been willing to offer advice or answer questions about what I should work on to improve. You can go for a "full roll" every time or mix in some friendlier rolls where your mistakes are pointed out as you make them, giving you chance to learn live. It's that kind of instruction that really made Comprido BJJ the best experience I had in all of my trial classes.

On top of their quality instruction, this gym has a definite family feel that I appreciate. Two months in, I'm a fan of Comprido BJJ. I can only say good things about the coaching, front desk and fellow students. Grab a trial class and check it out...

So - first time reviewer, long time visitor (on Google reviews at least) but I felt this gym was worth the time and effort to encourage others to check it out, from the perspective of a visitor. (If you ask me this is a valuable outside perspective for these types of establishments)

Unfortunately work keeps me out of the area so I'm only able to visit this gym while seeing the fam - in a nutshell though, and please don't tell my mother, it has become a toss up between getting to roll here and seeing the family as to what I'm most excited about when heading home. The instruction here is top notch and super technical and the instructors do a fantastic job of "walking the mats" to ensure everyone is getting the concept/technique and when they arent, gets hands on with a student until they do (if you ask me this is as valuable, if not more so, than the instruction itself)...and despite their accolades in international competition - they are also super humble, friendly, and open - they make you feel at home immediately and genuinely care about your development, even visitors.

That being said, this is not a gym/team for the feint of heart. The practitioners there are highly competitive and there is always a mixture of higher belts that you will roll with, and they will push you...the good thing is, like their primary instructors, they will take an interest in seeing you develop as a team member and will lend their instructive advice on how to improve your jiu jitsu game.

This is a gym and community to be emulated in the larger jiu jitsu scene and I hope where ever I land to find one...

Look no further, you've found the best Brazilian Ju Jitsu in Chicago, and possibly of ANYWHERE outside of Brazil. The school owner, "Comprido" is not only a world renowned Brazilian Ju Jitsu expert (winning multiple world championships, coaching multiple UFC and professional Mixed Martial artists) but he is also a great teacher and friend. You see that in the way he actually teaches the classes and coaches the students, especially the kids. No student (no matter what BJJ level or fitness level) is ever not coached at the top level. He takes his time with everyone, and you learn in the proper way, similarly to the way BJJ is taught in Brazil. You won't ever get a different price for a different level of teaching. He is honest, fair, and ethical.

The facility is well equipped and very clean. This isn't your standard filthy MMA gym. In fact, you usually see Comprido cleaning it himself, every night.

Any new BJJ practitioner knows that when you start training at a school, much of your training comes from friendly higher level belts that can point out to you how to improve your BJJ. In this regard, Comprido's BJJ school does not disappoint. Almost everyone from blue belt and above is more than happy to help new students.

This school is simply the best...