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1823 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, ALMonday to Friday: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.(205) 555-0112
Tanden Jiu-Jitsu
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Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Homewood

Train in the gi, without it, and on judo night

Evening classes for adults and college students, a teens' class on Tuesday and Saturday, and a first night that starts with how to tap.

Try a classSee the schedule
  • Adults and teens 13 to 17
  • Gi and no-gi
  • Judo night on Thursday
An instructor in a white uniform adjusting the sleeve grip of a student in a navy uniform in a bright academy

The week

Gi nights, no-gi nights and a judo night

Evening classes Monday to Friday and a Saturday morning. Pick a day, or narrow the week by style or age group.

Fall session

Showing 11 of 11

Monday

  • 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

    Gi fundamentals

    Kenyon Hardeman · Main mat

    AdultsBeginnersOpenTry a class

  • 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm

    Gi, all levels

    Kenyon Hardeman · Main mat

    AdultsAll levelsOpenTry a class

Tuesday

  • 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

    Teens' class

    Gi · Naoko Okazaki · Main mat

    Teens, 13 to 17All levelsWaitlistTry a class

  • 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm

    No-gi, all levels

    Naoko Okazaki · Main mat

    AdultsAll levelsOpenTry a class

Wednesday

  • 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

    No-gi fundamentals

    Naoko Okazaki · Main mat

    AdultsBeginnersOpenTry a class

  • 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm

    Gi, all levels

    Kenyon Hardeman · Main mat

    AdultsAll levelsOpenTry a class

Thursday

  • 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

    Judo night

    Kenyon Hardeman · Main mat

    AdultsAll levelsOpenTry a class

Friday

  • 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

    Gi fundamentals

    Kenyon Hardeman · Main mat

    AdultsBeginnersOpenTry a class

  • 6:45 pm – 7:45 pm

    Open mat

    Everyone · Main mat

    AdultsAll levelsOpenTry a class

Saturday

  • 10:00 am – 11:00 am

    Teens' class

    Gi · Kenyon Hardeman · Main mat

    Teens, 13 to 17All levelsOpenTry a class

  • 11:15 am – 12:30 pm

    Open mat

    Everyone · Main mat

    AdultsAll levelsOpenTry a class

Sample classes.

Adult classes have up to 24 students and the teens' class up to 14. Times change by session, and the booking page has this week's.

Membership

Three plans, each with its term

Every plan lists what it covers, how long it runs and how to stop.

  • Adult membership

    Gi, no-gi, judo night and open mat, for ages 18 and up.

    • Any adult class on the schedule, any number of nights
    • Open mat on Friday evening and Saturday morning
    • Judo night on Thursday
    • Promotions when an instructor sees the skills
    Term:
    Six months, then month to month
    Cancellation:
    In writing, with 30 days' notice. The month in progress is billed.
    Refunds:
    A month already trained is not refunded. Ask us about pausing for travel or an injury.
    Try a class

  • Student term

    For college students, with a term that follows the semester.

    • Every adult class, with the same promotions
    • Starts at the beginning of a semester and ends with it
    • Renew for the next semester or move to a membership
    • Show your student ID at sign-up
    Term:
    One semester, fall or spring
    Cancellation:
    It ends on its own with the semester. To stop sooner, tell us in writing with 30 days' notice.
    Refunds:
    A month already trained is not refunded. Ask us about pausing for travel or an injury.
    Try a class

  • Teens

    Ages 13 to 17, in the teens' class on Tuesday and Saturday.

    • Both teens' classes each week
    • A class of up to 14, taught by Naoko or Kenyon
    • Parents watch from the bench by the door
    • Promotions by the teens' instructors
    Term:
    Month to month
    Cancellation:
    In writing, with 30 days' notice. The month in progress is billed.
    Refunds:
    A month already trained is not refunded. Ask us about pausing for travel or an injury.
    Try a class

The figures for each plan are on our enrollment page and at your first class.

Your first night

Three steps from the door to the mat

Most people try a class before they join. Here is what that night looks like.

  1. 01
    Step 1

    Step 1: Pick a class

    Choose a fundamentals class, in the gi or without it, on the booking page. Fundamentals classes are for people on their first night, and nobody there has trained for long.

    • Gi fundamentals on Monday and Friday

    • No-gi fundamentals on Wednesday

  2. 02
    Step 2

    Step 2: Come as you are

    Wear a plain t-shirt and shorts or loose pants. We lend a uniform for gi classes, and you leave your shoes at the door. Nails short, jewelry off, hair tied back.

    • A plain t-shirt and shorts is enough

    • A uniform is lent for gi classes

  3. 03
    Step 3

    Step 3: Learn, then roll or watch

    After a bow and an easy warm-up, an instructor shows two moves and you drill them with a partner. You learn how to tap first, and a light roll at the end is yours to choose. Plenty of people watch their first night.

    • A tap or the word stop ends a drill

    • Questions answered at the front desk

The belt path

Five belts, white to black

Each belt adds a layer to the one before. A student is promoted when an instructor sees the skills, and every student moves at their own pace.

The full belt path
  1. 01

    White belt

    Skills

    • Escapes from the bottom and the back

    • Posture and grips in the gi

    • How to tap, and when

  2. 02

    Blue belt

    Skills

    • Guard passing and guard retention

    • A few reliable attacks from each position

    • Up to four stripes mark the steps between belts

  3. 03

    Purple belt

    Skills

    • Linking attacks into chains

    • Leg entanglements, in a controlled drill

    • Helping new students at fundamentals

  4. 04

    Brown belt

    Skills

    • Refining timing against partners of every level

    • Showing a drill to newer students

    • Judo throws and takedowns to match

  5. 05

    Black belt

    Skills

    • Teaching a full class

    • Coaching a round

    • A personal game built on the basics

Where to startTry a class

Sample levels.

Stripes on the belt mark the steps between colors. Teens train in their own class and are promoted by their instructors.

Instructors

Who is on the mat

Kenyon and Naoko teach every class on the schedule, and one of them is always there to meet you at the door.

  • Kenyon Hardeman, head instructor, seated cross-legged on the mat in a white uniform

    Kenyon Hardeman

    Head instructor

    Kenyon runs the school and teaches the gi classes, the judo night and the Saturday teens' class. He came to jiu-jitsu through judo, and he still starts every Thursday with falls and throws.

  • Naoko Okazaki, instructor, seated on the mat in a black uniform

    Naoko Okazaki

    Instructor, no-gi and the teens' class

    Naoko teaches the no-gi classes and the Tuesday teens' class. She is the first coach most new students meet on a fundamentals night, and she runs the open mat on Fridays.

Questions

Before your first night

All the questions

Do I need to be fit or flexible?

No. All fitness levels start here. Warm-ups are at an easy pace, and an instructor shows you how to scale each drill.

What is the difference between gi and no-gi?

In the gi you train in a heavy cotton uniform and use the lapels and sleeves for grips. In no-gi you wear a t-shirt or rash guard and shorts, and the grips change. Both are on the schedule.

What does tapping mean?

A tap, on your partner or the mat, or the word stop, ends a drill or a roll at once. You learn it before anything else on your first night.

Can college students join?

Yes. The student term follows the semester, and the evening classes start after most of the school day.

Can I watch a class first?

Yes. Sit on the bench by the door, or book a fundamentals class and watch from the edge of the mat.

How does tuition work, and how do I stop?

The plan you choose and the classes you attend set tuition. Plans run month to month after a first term, and you stop by telling us in writing with 30 days' notice. The how tuition works page has the rest.

Come for a first night

Book a fundamentals class, wear a t-shirt and shorts, and we take it from there.

Try a classSee the schedule