Upstream BJJ

“I’m an MMA fighter I joined in 2022 in the hopes of improving my jiu jitsu. The gym ended up surpassing my expectations from what I got out of it. Ive built strong friendships from my teammates. Seph is a legend of the game and gave me an understanding of jiu jitsu that I never envisioned having! I consider it a sanctuary and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else Y’all won’t regret it. If you’re looking for to ease yourself in, there’s a fundamentals class where you’re able to learn at your own pace, no rush Fast forward I’m going on year 3 being here and I love it!”

“*I’m a 41 year old woman, white belt, about 140 lbs* Love it at Upstream! Helpful instructors and extremely welcoming environment for women. Awesome place to learn and grow! They also have an intro program if you are brand new, not new to BJJ but it’s been awhile, or you want to brush up on your skills. They inspired me to do my very first tournament as a white belt; I never thought I’d do one, but everyone at Upstream is motivating and encouraging…really positive experience.”

“I was brand new to jiu-jitsu and a friend of mine who trains in Norfolk said that the word on the street was that Upstream was the best place to train in Richmond. So I decided to check it out. I had no martial arts background whatsoever, and Seph was and has been an incredible coach. He breaks things down into easy-to-understand concepts to help you progress. He is also very patient with me (a brand new white belt), understanding, encouraging, attentive to detail, and you can tell he cares about the study da in his gym. Seph is awesome, but the people in the gym are awesome as well. Everyone who trains there has been super nice, helpful, and supportive, which means a lot when you’re totally brand new to the sport. It’s an awesome atmosphere that I appreciate very much as a new white belt. 100% recommend!”

“An amazing place to begin your jiu jitsu journey. I started about 3 months ago and I have been hooked every since. Seph fosters a great community and multiple talented instructors along with himself. So happy I started coming here to begin my life long journey. Update: have now been here for over a year, still loving it and it has become a big part of my life! Love the community! Love the gym!”

“I’ve been an athlete my whole life, but when I finally decided to start training jiu jitsu in my mid-thirties with zero martial arts experience, I wasn’t sure what to expect. From day one, I never felt intimidated coming here. Everyone is incredibly welcoming and supportive, no matter your skill level. Seph and all the instructors are extremely knowledgeable, patient, and break things down in a way that’s easy to understand, making learning both effective and enjoyable. A year in, I can confidently say this gym has been an amazing place to train, grow, and challenge myself. Whether you’re completely new to jiu jitsu or looking to sharpen your skills, I can’t recommend Upstream enough!”