Main Page
Contents
AJJ SUMMER 2022 CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT
What, When and Where
This summer, jiu-jitsu classes will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 7-9 PM, and on Sundays from 3-5 PM, in the DuPont Wrestling Room in Building W32.
Before you come to your first class, please fill out the MIT Club Sports registration for the American Jiu Jitsu Club. Go to the link provided, and then click "Register" under "American Jiu-Jitsu" to register. This will not commit you to the club in any way—it's just a legal thing that MIT requires you to do before you can attend any club sport.
In addition, please email us at self-defense at mit.edu if you want to be added to the club practice mailing list.
Please wear a mask to class. As for what clothes to wear, we suggest athletic clothing such as a T-shirt and sweatpants or shorts, although a white gi and white belt are also appropriate if you own them. We also recommend bringing a water bottle to help you stay hydrated.
If you have any questions feel free to contact our club instructors (email self-defense at mit.edu) or take a look at the FAQ.
Practice Commitment and Make-up Classes
Attendance at every single class is not required to be "in the club." There are no formal make-up classes, and we do not take attendance—jiu-jitsu is something we do because we love it and are committed to self defense. However, know that your progress will be proportional to how frequently you practice—the more frequently you can attend class, the faster you'll be able to learn.
Who We Are
We train in practical and effective self‐defense—both traditional and modern. We employ extensive scenario‐based self-defense education appropriate for all body types, fitness, and experience levels. A true martial art is neither a sport nor a dance; it must be as effective on the street as it is in class… it must train the practitioner for the probable and prepare them for the unthinkable.
The American Jiu-Jitsu Club has been at MIT since 1994. We learn and practice Jiu-Jitsu (jujutsu, ju-jitsu), or the "Gentle Art," consisting of a wide variety of techniques: joint locks, submission holds, throws, strikes, fighting with improvised weapons, unarmed weapon defense (defending against someone with a gun, knife, or blunt weapon when you don't have one yourself), and ground-defense—not to mention de-escalation techniques and strategies. Jiu-Jitsu does not rely on brute strength, but rather on flexible response, the use of an attacker's own momentum against them, and using basic physics and anatomy principles to our advantage. Jiu-Jitsu prepares a person for any situation, including stand-up and ground fighting with and without weapons, and being attacked by multiple opponents at once.
Here is an old (but still relevant) tri-fold brochure to give you a sense of what our club practices are like.
Where We Practice
Classes are ONLY open to members of the MIT community with athletics cards. While we have many MIT staff and faculty members as well as spouses and alumni, our primary focus is always on the MIT student. We were founded by students and pride ourselves in being a student-run, student-led organization. We meet in the Wrestling Room on the 2nd floor of DuPont Gym (that's Building W32 on the map). If you have any questions feel free to contact our club instructors (self-defense at mit.edu) or take a look at the FAQ.
Note: To get to the DuPont Wrestling Room, you must enter the athletics complex through the Z-center entrance... walk through the Rockwell Cage (basketball courts), and into DuPont. Go upstairs. The Wrestling room is 2/3 the way down the hall. If you get lost, ask the desk staff to direct you to the DuPont Wrestling Room.
For a PDF map of DuPont, and where we practice, click here
When We Practice
While we offer two scheduled intro classes each year geared specifically toward new students, beginners are welcome to come to all of our classes!
Academic Year 2022/2023 Schedule
Academic Year Practice Schedule begins Thursday, September 1st, 2022.
(September - May)
Normal Club Practice (All ranks, belt techniques): Monday - 9 to 11 p.m.
- DuPont Wrestling Room
Normal Club Practice (All ranks, belt techniques): Wednesday - 9 to 11 p.m.
- DuPont Wrestling Room
Normal Club Practice (All ranks, belt techniques): Thursday - 9 to 11 p.m.
- DuPont Wrestling Room
Open Mat: Sunday - 2 to 3 p.m.
- DuPont Wrestling Room
Normal Club Practice (All ranks, belt techniques): Sunday - 3 to 5 p.m.
- DuPont Wrestling Room
