Athleticism and conditioning
No-Gi rounds move fast. Constant scrambles, level changes, and transitions build cardio, explosive strength, and the kind of conditioning you only get from moving against a real partner.
No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu & Takedowns · Youth & Adults · Riverside, CA
NO-GI JIU-JITSU & WRESTLING
IN RIVERSIDE, CA
No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu at Flow Academy BJJ Riverside is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and takedown training without the traditional uniform, for kids and youth ages 6 and up and adults 15 and up. Youth No-Gi meets Tuesdays at 5:00 PM (Fundamentals) and Thursdays at 6:00 PM (Takedowns), and adult No-Gi Fundamentals meets Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, at 10081 Indiana Ave, Suite A-1, Riverside, CA. Beginners are welcome, and the first class is free.
Youth ages 6+
Adults 15+
First class free
- YouthTue 5:00 · Thu 6:00 PM
- AdultsTue 7:00 PM
- AgesYouth 6+ · Adults 15+
- WearRash guard & shorts
- LevelBeginners welcome
Why No-Gi
Fast, athletic, and real
No-Gi strips grappling down to bodies, balance, and timing. Without a uniform to grab, you learn to control a person the way you would in real life or in a wrestling match: with underhooks, head position, and good hips. It is fast, sweaty, and a lot of fun.
Takedowns and wrestling crossover
Shots, sprawls, snap-downs, and getting back to your feet. Thursday's Youth Takedowns class is led by Coach Benjamin Frietze, and the skills carry straight over to scholastic wrestling.
Grips and body control
With nothing to hold but wrists, arms, and the body, you learn underhooks, overhooks, wrist control, and head position. That control is the foundation of everything else.
Scrambles and mat awareness
When a position breaks down, the person who reacts first usually wins it. No-Gi teaches you to stay calm in chaos and find your way back to a good position.
Self-defense in everyday clothes
Nobody wears a gi on the street. No-Gi teaches you to control and escape a person in regular clothing, with a focus on takedown defense and getting back to your feet.
A grappling base for MMA
No-Gi grappling is the ground game mixed martial artists rely on. If you are curious about MMA, it is a smart place to build a base without taking strikes.
It makes your Gi game better
The two styles feed each other. No-Gi sharpens speed and positional awareness; Gi sharpens grips, precision, and patience. Training both builds a complete grappler.
Confidence for kids and teens
Learning to sprawl, scramble, and get back up teaches kids they can handle pressure. That calm, earned confidence carries into school, sports, and the hallway.
A pace for people who love to move
For kids and adults with energy to burn, the faster pace is a great fit. Class keeps everyone busy, and that energy goes somewhere productive.
No-Gi vs Gi: which is right for you?
Both build real grappling skill, but they emphasize different things. Gi training teaches patience, grip fighting, and precision, because the uniform gives both people handles. No-Gi rewards speed, athleticism, and body awareness, and it looks more like wrestling. You do not have to pick one: start with whichever sounds more fun, and add the other whenever you are ready.
Youth No-Gi with Coach Ben
Youth No-Gi is for kids and youth ages 6 and up who want grappling in a high-energy, competition-ready environment. Coach Benjamin Frietze, with 12 years of wrestling including state and national competition, teaches takedown defense, wrestling fundamentals, scrambles, and mat awareness that carry over to jiu-jitsu and scholastic wrestling.
Adult No-Gi and open mats
Adults (15+) train No-Gi Fundamentals on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM as part of the Adult Jiu-Jitsu program taught by Professor Carlos Miller. The Adult Open Mat on Thursdays at 7:00 PM and the Flow Open Mat on Saturdays at 7:00 AM add extra time to drill and roll. Homeschool families can also look at Home School No-Gi on Thursday mornings.
What a class looks like
Inside a No-Gi class
Youth and adult No-Gi classes follow the same simple rhythm. Coaches adjust the pace and intensity to the group.
- Warm-up
Move like a grappler
Wrestling-style movement: stance and motion, level changes, sprawls, and hip escapes that build coordination and get you ready.
- Technique
Learn the details
A coach teaches a takedown, escape, pass, or control position and breaks it down: where your head goes, where your hips go, and why it works.
- Drilling
Rep it with a partner
Partners practice with control, then add light resistance as the technique starts to click. Coaches correct details as they go.
- Live rounds
Put it to work
Positional rounds and live goes, starting on the feet for takedowns or from a set position on the ground. New students ease in at their own pace.
- Cool-down
Wrap up
A cool-down and a quick word from the coach about what to work on next.
Meet your coaches
Coach Benjamin Frietze
Youth No-Gi & Takedowns · Flow Academy Riverside
Coach Ben leads Youth No-Gi at Flow Academy BJJ Riverside. He brings 12 years of wrestling, including state and national competition, to the mat, and he teaches young grapplers the takedowns, sprawls, scrambles, and mat awareness that make them hard to hold down and hard to stop.
- Takedowns done rightStance, level change, and finishing with control, so kids learn to take someone down safely.
- Takedown defenseSprawls, hand fighting, and getting back to the feet, the skills that matter most in a scramble.
- Respect on the matHard work and good sportsmanship go together. A tap means stop, every time.
Professor Carlos Miller
Head Instructor · 4th Degree Black BeltAdult No-Gi Fundamentals on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM is part of the Adult Jiu-Jitsu program taught by Professor Carlos Miller, with more than 29 years of training. See Adult BJJ
Train Gi too
Kids & Youth ComboKids Gi (6–9) and Youth Gi (10–14) meet Mondays and Wednesdays. The Combo plans pair them with No-Gi. See Youth Jiu-Jitsu
Honest answers
Before your first No-Gi class
Straight answers to what people ask most before they step on the mat.
I've never wrestled or trained.
Start here.
Fundamentals classes (youth on Tuesdays at 5:00 PM, adults on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM) are built for beginners, and every technique is taught step by step.
Is No-Gi rougher than Gi?
Faster, not rougher.
The pace is quicker, but the rules are the same: control comes first, coaches supervise, and a tap means stop, every time. You set your intensity as you learn.
Will my child get hurt doing takedowns?
Safety comes first.
Safe falling is taught and practiced, takedowns are drilled with control under coach supervision, and partners are matched by size and experience.
I'm out of shape.
That's fine.
Conditioning comes from training. Warm-ups and drills scale to you, and you can take a breather whenever you need one.
Gi or No-Gi first?
Either works.
Start with whichever sounds more fun. The fundamentals overlap, and you can add the other style any time.
Do I need special gear?
No gi needed.
A rash guard or fitted athletic shirt and shorts without pockets or zippers are all you need. We train barefoot.
Still wondering about something? Text us at (951) 337-3781 and a real coach will answer.
No-Gi Schedule in Riverside
No-Gi classes run for youth and adults on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, with open mats on Thursday night and Saturday morning.
- Youth No-Gi Fundamentals: Tuesdays at 5:00 PM
- Youth No-Gi Takedowns: Thursdays at 6:00 PM
- Adult No-Gi Fundamentals: Tuesdays at 7:00 PM
- Adult Open Mat: Thursdays at 7:00 PM · Flow Open Mat: Saturdays at 7:00 AM
- Youth classes are open to ages 6+; adult No-Gi is for ages 15+
Train No-Gi in Riverside & the Inland Empire
Flow Academy BJJ's new Riverside home is at 10081 Indiana Ave, Suite A-1, Riverside, CA 92503, opening in mid-November 2026 (call or text (951) 337-3781 for directions). We serve grapplers from across the Inland Empire including Moreno Valley, Corona, Jurupa Valley, Canyon Crest, Orangecrest, La Sierra, and Downtown Riverside.
No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu
Youth ages 6+ · adults 15+ (uniform not included)
- Youth No-Gi Fundamentals: Tue 5:00 PM
- Youth No-Gi Takedowns: Thu 6:00 PM
- No-Gi Fundamentals (adults): Tue 7:00 PM
- Adult Open Mat: Thu 7:00 PM · Flow Open Mat: Sat 7:00 AM
- Youth No-Gi: $165/$185/$200 per month (12-mo / 6-mo / month-to-month)
- Kids Combo (Gi + No-Gi): $200/$225/$250 per month
- Adult Jiu-Jitsu (Gi & No-Gi): $185/$200/$225 per month
- Free trial to start
10% off for Military, Veterans, College Students, and Law Enforcement, plus sibling and family discounts. Approved charter school enrichment vendor with Mission Vista Academy, Excel Academy, and Elite Academic Academy -- homeschool families in Riverside can use PE and enrichment funds for youth No-Gi. See our charter school PE page or call (951) 337-3781.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Gi experience before trying No-Gi?
No. You can start with No-Gi even if you have never trained. Many students train both, but our coaches teach the fundamentals from the beginning, regardless of your background.
What do I wear for No-Gi class?
A rash guard (or fitted athletic shirt) and grappling or athletic shorts without pockets or zippers. We train barefoot on the mat, so bring sandals for walking off it, plus water. You don't need a gi for No-Gi classes.
Is No-Gi good for self-defense?
Yes. No-Gi techniques are highly applicable to real-world self-defense since attackers won't be wearing a Gi. The emphasis on body control and takedowns translates directly to practical situations.
What ages can train No-Gi at Flow Academy Riverside?
Youth No-Gi is for kids and youth ages 6 and up. Adult No-Gi Fundamentals is for ages 15 and up.
When are No-Gi classes in Riverside?
Youth No-Gi Fundamentals is Tuesdays at 5:00 PM and Youth No-Gi Takedowns is Thursdays at 6:00 PM. Adult No-Gi Fundamentals is Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. The Adult Open Mat is Thursdays at 7:00 PM and the Flow Open Mat is Saturdays at 7:00 AM.
Who teaches No-Gi at Flow Academy Riverside?
Coach Benjamin Frietze leads Youth No-Gi and Takedowns, bringing 12 years of wrestling experience including state and national competition. Adult No-Gi is part of the Adult Jiu-Jitsu program taught by Professor Carlos Miller, a 4th Degree Black Belt.
Does No-Gi help with wrestling?
Yes. Youth No-Gi covers takedowns, takedown defense, scrambles, and mat awareness that carry over to scholastic wrestling, and the Thursday class focuses on takedowns.
Can I train both Gi and No-Gi?
Yes. The Kids Combo (ages 6–9) and Youth Combo (ages 10–14) plans include both Gi and No-Gi classes, and the Adult Jiu-Jitsu plan covers both for ages 15 and up.
YOUR FIRST CLASS IS FREE.
No experience needed. Bring a rash guard or athletic shirt, grappling shorts, and a water bottle.