I'm thinking about trying BJJ
Never trained? Coming back after years away? Start with the basics, ask questions and learn one thing at a time. You don't have to keep up with someone else's experience.
Try adult BJJ free
Ethereal BJJ · 555 Eastern Avenue · East End Toronto
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
for complete beginners.
Feel at home from the start.
A beginner-friendly academy for adults, kids and women. Never trained before? You're exactly who we're inviting. No experience needed. Your first 7 days are free.
Still thinking "but I'm not sure"? Start here.Complete beginners welcomeBeginner-friendly coachingNo experience needed
A personal invitation from Egor, founder & owner
What if the thing holding you back
is exactly why you should talk to us?
Maybe you've been curious for a while. You'd like to feel stronger, learn something useful or find an activity you actually look forward to. Or you're a parent hoping your child will find a place where they feel comfortable trying something new.
Then the questions arrive.
“Do I need to get fitter first?”
“Will everybody already know what they're doing?”
“What if I walk in and feel completely out of place?”
If that sounds familiar, this invitation is for you.
You don't need to arrive confident. You don't need to know the names of the techniques. And you certainly don't need to earn your place by being good at something you've never done.
You can arrive as a beginner. That's a perfectly good place to start.
I'm Egor, the founder and owner of Ethereal BJJ Academy. Beginner-friendly isn't a separate corner of what we do. It's how we want you to feel here: welcome to ask, welcome to learn, and welcome before you've learned a single technique.
You don't have to decide whether jiu-jitsu is for you before you visit. That's what your free week is for. And if a conversation feels easier than booking a class, let's start there.
"I don't want to be the only one who doesn't understand."
Then tell us that. A beginner's question isn't an interruption to learning. It's part of it. You're allowed to ask where to stand, what a word means, or to see a movement again.
"I'm not really a gym person."
You don't have to love lifting weights or running on a treadmill to be curious about a skill. BJJ gives you something to practise, a problem to think through and a partner to learn with. You may find that a very different reason to show up.
"My child is shy. I don't know how they'll react."
You don't have to guess. Tell us their age and what concerns you. Let's talk about the first visit before you ask them to take that step. The aim is to find a good starting point, not to force a child to fit a promise on a website.
For everyone who has almost tried it
You can spend another month wondering.
Or one class finding out.
You see people training and something catches your attention. Maybe it's the skill. The energy. The idea of doing something that asks a little more of you than another evening on the couch.
For a moment, you picture yourself there.
Then comes the list: get fitter first. Find someone to go with. Wait for a quieter week. Learn a little more before walking into a room where everyone seems to know what they're doing.
Here's the part you don't see in a training photo: nobody arrived knowing how to do this.
The first step doesn't have to be a big declaration about changing your life. It can be a name, a hello, a question. It can be one class with a coach who knows you're new.
That's the invitation at Ethereal. Not "come back when you're ready." Come in and let us help you start.
Starting for yourself? For your child? Prefer a women's class? Here's where you fit.
Different reasons. The same warm welcome.
You belong here
before you're good at it.
You don't need to choose a membership today. Choose who you're starting for. We'll help with the rest.
I'm looking for my child
A new room can feel like a big step for a child. Tell us their age and what they're like. We'll help you choose a class where they can begin learning, moving and meeting other kids.
Try kids BJJ free
I'd prefer women's classes
You don't need a training partner or any martial arts experience. Our women's classes welcome beginners. Come meet the coach and discover the basics alongside other women.
Try women's BJJ freeNot sure yet? Ask us to call you. We'll help you choose, without rushing you.
Something to learn. Something to look forward to.
Don't just count
the minutes.
Make them yours.
BJJ is a grappling martial art. You learn how to move, manage distance, control positions and work out how to escape them. Instead of punches and kicks, the focus is on positioning, leverage and technique.
At first, the movements may feel unfamiliar. Then a small detail starts to make sense. You remember where to put your hands. You recognise a position. You solve a problem that confused you last week.
That's the kind of progress you can work towards: one useful skill at a time.
There is effort involved. There is learning involved. There can also be a lot of laughter when you're learning alongside people who understand exactly what being new feels like.
Start with my free weekWhat are you hoping to find?
More than a class.
A reason to come back.
For you: progress you can practise.
Some days, "time for yourself" becomes another thing you never get around to. A class gives that time a place. Put the phone away. Focus on a movement. Work through a challenge with someone in front of you.
Progress doesn't have to be dramatic to matter. Remembering an escape. Moving with a little more purpose. Asking a question you were too nervous to ask last time. Those are worthwhile beginnings.
Give yourself a first class →For your child: room to try.
Not another expectation to be good at something immediately. A chance to listen, move, practise and try again alongside other children. Some kids arrive eager. Others need a little more time with a new activity.
Your free week gives you more than a quick impression. Try multiple classes, speak with the coach and see how your child responds. You can explore whether this is a good fit before deciding what comes next.
Explore a free week for my child →For women: a place to start together.
If you'd feel more comfortable beginning in a women's class, that choice is here. You can come on your own. You can be completely new. You can ask the questions that matter to you before you book.
You don't need to have a certain personality to learn a martial art. Quiet, outgoing, nervous or simply curious: start with the basics and get to know the people you're learning with.
Find my first women's class →
Let's take the mystery out of it
Your first class isn't a test.
It's a beginning.
- Choose a class, or talk with us first.
Tell us who the class is for and what you're unsure about. We'll help with the choice.
- Meet your coach.
Let them know it's your first time. You are not expected to know the movements or the vocabulary.
- Learn a little. See how you feel.
Ask for something to be explained again. Take the first visit as a chance to discover the people and the practice.
You aren't coming in to prove how tough you are. You're coming in to learn.
Tell the coach it's your first visit. Ask the questions that are on your mind. If a movement doesn't make sense, say so. You don't have to pretend you understand, and you don't have to keep up with somebody else's experience.
Our beginners classes concentrate on the fundamentals that prepare you for all-levels training. Think basic movement, positions, escapes and the habits that help you practise with a partner. The foundations matter, and it's worth taking time with them.
Beginners can also participate in all-levels BJJ classes. And if you'd like to stay with beginners classes longer, you can. This isn't a race to stop being new.
Picture the end of that visit. You may still have questions. You may have found parts challenging. But you won't have to imagine what the room is like, who the coaches are, or how it feels to try. You'll have your own experience to decide from.
That's all we're asking you to start with. An experience, not a promise to become somebody else.
“I'm interested. I'm just not ready yet.”
That's a good enough reason to get in touch. You can ask about the class, the people, what to wear or how to help a shy child get started. A call is a conversation, not a commitment to train.
Let's have a quick call →Start with seven days free
One class starts it.
A week lets you explore it.
You don't have to judge a whole new activity from a few minutes at the door. Book your first class, meet the team and use your free week to try more classes and see how training fits your life.
No experience required. No pressure to already know whether BJJ will become your thing. That's what trying it is for.
7days free
Your first step, not a lifetime decision.
And when you're ready for the next step
Enjoy your first week?
There's a next step.
No giant leap required.
After your free week, talk with us about our four-week Beginners Program: $99, 50% off, plus applicable taxes. It's a no-commitment membership built around the very fundamentals of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Start any time. Train in beginners classes, with access to all classes as well. Build your foundation, revisit what you need to practise and move into all-levels training at a pace that makes sense for you.
It's for adults, men and women, and teenagers who are ready to begin. You don't have to make that decision today. Start with your free week. Then we'll talk about what comes next.
Try Ethereal for free first
Come through the door
A real place.
Real people.
Your next first.
We're at 555 Eastern Avenue, Unit 2, Toronto, in the East End. Come meet the people you'll train with, see the space and get a feel for the academy.
Looking for women's BJJ? We have women's classes too. Prefer to talk before you book? That's absolutely fine.
I'm always available if there's something specific I can help you with. Text, WhatsApp or call 647-410-7332. Or leave your details below and we'll get back to you.
Egor Radzik
Founder & Owner, Ethereal BJJ Academy
A few things you might be wondering.
Do I need to be fit before I start?
You don't need to reach a fitness milestone before asking about your first class. Tell us about your experience and any limitations so we can discuss an appropriate starting point. For a medical concern, check with your healthcare professional before training.
What should I bring?
Bring water and comfortable athletic clothes. Ask us about the clothing or equipment for the class you choose before your visit; gi and no-gi classes have different requirements.
What happens after I book?
Choose an available date and class on the trial page, enter your details and complete the waiver before you train. Check your confirmation for the booked class. Sending us a question below does not reserve a class.
Can I speak to someone first?
Of course. Use the form below or call 647-410-7332. You don't need to enter payment-card details to ask a question or request a call.
Let's make the first step easier
You bring the questions.
We'll help with the start.
Tell us what you're curious about. We'll reply by email, or call if that's what you prefer.
No card details. No class reservation until you book. Just a conversation about getting started.
Already ready? Choose your free trial class here.
You don't have to be ready for everything.
Just the first class.
You could keep wondering what it would be like. Or you could come in, shake a few hands and find out.
We'd love to welcome you to Ethereal.
Book my free trialP.S. Still a little nervous? Tell us. You won't be the first beginner to arrive with questions. Let us help you take that first step.