Jiujitsu Columbus

“Started at Blind Fury with my 13 y/o son to try something new. Wonderful environment with an amazing staff. Jason and his team provide great instruction.”

“There were things I genuinely appreciated about this gym at first. The owner was kind and flexible about my schedule, which I appreciated. Many of the guys training there were nice and respectful on the mats. Clean mats. Easygoing environment. For context: I’m not a novice. I’ve been doing BJJ for eight years, I’m a purple belt, and I’m a certified BJJ instructor. I know what good gym culture and true brotherhood feel like. When things got bad, it became clear that this wasn’t a gym with true brotherhood. I guess I hadn’t been there long enough to be “part of the family.” I bought the gis with the gym patches. I stayed after to help clean mats with everyone else. I was just there to train; not to make waves. The problem started when one of the guys walked me to my truck after class, and then sent me an unsolicited Facebook message that said, “I’ve thought about you every day since I met you.” I shut it down immediately: “I don’t appreciate comments like these. I’ve been happily married for 13 years, and comments like this don’t make me feel safe or respected in my training environment.” He deleted all his messages to me and blocked me after that, which seemed like a dramatic response rather than just saying something like, "my bad." I quietly told one professor I didn’t want to roll with that guy anymore. No drama. No scene. I wasn’t making accusations and didn’t give details. Then I got a call from Christina (owner's wife) asking what the deal was so I told her what happened. She replied, “We’ve never had a problem with him.” But it was clear she meant that I was the problem here. She reiterated that he was part of the family, and I was the new one and that I should be careful what I said about this gym member. The message was clear: they’d rather protect him than make sure I felt safe. It’s not weird that someone was odd with me. That happens. What matters is how your teammates and coaches handle it. I’ve trained at other gyms where my teammates made me feel safe. That didn’t happen here. Instead, I felt like I’d done something wrong by setting a simple boundary. I wish I could say I felt supported, but I didn’t. Nobody ever reached out when I stopped showing up. They could call when his reputation was at risk, to see if I was going to do anything big. But no one called when I stopped going to class and no one I'd been training with messaged me on IG. I didn’t want drama. I didn’t want to burn bridges. I just wanted to train, to learn, and to trust the people around me. To feel confident that when I stepped on those mats and let people spar with me, I was in a safe place with people who had my back. On my birthday I drove to the gym and sat in the parking lot for twenty minutes because I just wanted to do what I love to celebrate a new year. But I was so worried he’d be in there that I’d have to face him and no one would have my back, so I left. Maybe that sounds dramatic, but I didn’t want to ruin my day by feeling vulnerable in the wrong way again. It's been seven months. Truth is, if anyone had ever called me and said, “Hey, we miss you. Sorry that happened.” I would have come back. BJJ is a sport that demands camaraderie, trust, teammates and coaches have your back on and off the mats. I didn’t find that here. I hope they do better for the next woman who wants to show up, train hard, and feel safe. *UPDATE: The owner replied to my review, saying I was "kicked out of my previous gym for bad behavior." This is completely untrue and unfounded. I've never been kicked out of any gym, and I've trained all over the world, from Utah to California to Brazil and Texas. We move a lot because my husband is active duty military. I was a respected and valued member at my most recent gym in San Antonio and my professors trusted and believed in me to the point that they trained and helped certify me to become an instructor. One was even a professional reference for my job application when I moved here and got a job. My training partners and professors would confirm this.”

“Love love love this gym! Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. Jason the owner is such a kind person and annamazing teacher. Would reccomend for everyone from beginners to advanced, theres always something to learn!”

“Legit BJJ / self defense school, open and welcoming all experience levels. Supports military vets. I visited from NC while in town and participated in NOGI adult class. So glad I did! Check your ego at the door and be ready to learn. Thanks to all for helping me on my path! Definitely will be back.”

“Blind Fury Jiu Jitsu is a great community to be a part of for anyone interested in Jiu Jitsu at any level. By far the best place to train in Columbus”