Snowblind BJJ

“Snowblind and Niamh, the instructor, are both great. Would highly recommend coming here. 1) The space and culture feel very safe and inclusive. This is very actively cultivated, and I can tell it's a priority for Niamh that people feel safe and comfortable, rather than a standard anti-discrimination line. As a visibly trans person I feel comfortable and supported, and I would highly recommend it for other queer people specifically. 2) It was also accessible to start as an absolute beginner at BJJ. Niamh instructs clearly and responds helpfully to questions, and then she or higher belts help you out when you're trying it out. There's a very good balance and pattern in a class, with instruction, then hands on practice, then incrementing what we started, practicing that, and so on. The overall teaching strategy emphasizes teaching the mechanics of things and why they work, rather than the steps. This teaching framework is helping me place new moves in a context to understand them better, but also if I do forget the specifics of a move, I have a better idea of how to reconstruct it. 3) BJJ is fun! The people here are great!”

“Super friendly and accommodating Jiu Jitsu studio. Came here after not practicing for many years and the instructors were super welcoming and patient with me, especially with me being so out of shape. It's a super chill and laid back place. Definitely recommend if you're looking to dip your toe into BJJ and want a laid back place to get started.”

“I can't say enough positive things about Snowblind BJJ! If you want to level up your jiu jitsu while making awesome friends, Snowblind is the place to be. The school has a super warm and welcoming culture paired with extremely high-quality instruction that's driven by a deep understanding of concepts and biomechanics (not rote memorization). Niamh teaches by first helping students build a strong foundation in the basic movements and concepts, and then progressively layering on more complexity as appropriate. She has a way of breaking down even confusing and complex-looking positions and movements so they make sense, follow simple rules, and are achievable. She's a skilled and sensitive coach with a real talent for giving each student the feedback they need to get to overcome challenges and get to the next level. I feel incredibly lucky I get to train at Snowblind and learn from her.”

“I've been training BJJ since 2010, been to many different gyms and by far, Niamh is one of the most technical, conceptual, and inspirational instructors I've had the honor - and fun! - to train with. Whether you're new to the sport, new to the area, back from an injury or time away, you'll find yourself warmly welcomed and accepted as you are. Try it out, you'll see what I mean!”

“I've been lucky to train at quite a few BJJ gyms across the country as well as in Seattle, and can safely say that Snowblind is easily my favorite of them all. Not only is Niamh a truly excellent instructor, but she has created a methodology that actually causes every lesson to stick. I actually feel like I'm regularly "getting it" for the first time in my BJJ training journey. The class structure at Snowblind is very thoughtfully designed. Most classes start with a high-quality lesson in stand-up, which many BJJ gyms tend to ignore. Then from there, we dive into the topic of the month, with each week building on the previous ones. The classes focus a lot on drills, experimentation, biomechanics, and play, which has made my learning really skyrocket. I much prefer this style of instruction over the maximum-intensity-at-all-costs formats that I've experienced at so many other gyms. It's easy to be consistent at Snowblind, because I'm free to go as intense as I like without judgement. The community is also wonderful. Everyone I've met at Snowblind is a true joy to roll and train with, and I'm never worried about anyone causing any sort of injury or being uncontrolled, even if the roll is intense. They are also all great training partners - always willing to meet you where you're at to help you experiment, learn, and test your skills. I'm truly grateful to have found Snowblind! Please come check it out, whether you're a beginner or even if you're more advanced and you've found that your BJJ progress has stalled. I'm sure you'll have a good time!”