Youth Gi Jiu-Jitsu · Ages 10–14 · Riverside, CA
Youth Gi Jiu-Jitsu at Flow Academy BJJ Riverside is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class for ages 10 to 14 that meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 PM at 10081 Indiana Ave, Suite A-1, Riverside, CA. It builds confidence, focus, fitness, and real self-defense skills through the middle-school years, and no experience is needed. Your child's first class is free.
Why youth jiu-jitsu
Ten to fourteen is a big stretch of growing up. Kids change schools, bodies, friend groups, and screens, often all at once. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gives them something steady through all of it: a place to work hard, a skill that grows every week, and coaches and teammates who expect their best.
Every escape a student finally gets right, and every round they hang in, is proof they can do hard things. That kind of confidence is earned on the mat, so it holds up in a new school, at a tryout, or in a hallway full of older kids.
Class asks students to listen, watch a technique closely, and then do it with control. That habit of paying attention and following through is the same one homework, tests, and practice ask for.
Jiu-jitsu works the whole body: strength, balance, flexibility, and cardio, plus the coordination that comes from moving with a partner. It is real exercise that never feels like a chore.
An hour on the mat is an hour off the phone. Kids come home tired in a good way, with a place to put their energy, their stress, and their competitive streak.
Students learn to use their words first, keep their distance, walk away, and get help from an adult. If they ever truly need it, they also know how to stay safe and control a situation without throwing a punch.
Training partners take care of each other. A tap means stop, every time, and students learn to respect the people who help them get better, including the ones who beat them in a round.
Every student gets stuck, loses a round, and has an off day. Then they reset, figure out what went wrong, and try again. That is a lesson in resilience no worksheet can teach.
As they grow on the mat, youth students learn to model good technique, help newer teammates find their way, and set the tone for the room. Leading is a skill, and it gets practiced here.
Stripes and belts turn a long journey into steps a kid can reach. Students learn to set a goal, show up for it, and earn it, one stripe at a time.
Middle school can be a hard place to start over. On the mat, kids from different schools and neighborhoods learn side by side, sweat through the same drills, and cheer for each other. Those friendships are built on working hard together, not on who has the latest phone.
Students who stick with jiu-jitsu learn more than moves. They learn to show up when it would be easier not to, to stay calm when things get uncomfortable, and to keep improving a little at a time. Those habits follow them into high school and adulthood, and jiu-jitsu is something they can keep training for life.
Kids this age are old enough to understand why a technique works, not just how, and young enough to pick up new movement quickly. A beginner at 12 trains alongside students who have been on the mat for years, and coaches meet each one where they are.
Getting enough activity. The CDC says children and adolescents 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day, including muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity at least 3 days a week. Two jiu-jitsu classes a week is one active, fun way to put more of that into a kid's week. Source: CDC, Child Activity: An Overview.
What a class looks like
Every class follows a clear rhythm, so students know what is coming and can focus on getting better. Here is the general flow; coaches adjust it to the group and the day.
Movement drills, stretching, and jiu-jitsu basics like hip escapes and breakfalls (safe ways to fall) that build coordination and get the body ready.
A coach demonstrates a technique, such as an escape, a sweep, or a way to hold a position, and breaks it into clear steps. Students are encouraged to ask why it works.
Partners take turns practicing with control until the movement starts to feel natural. Coaches move around the room, fixing details and giving feedback.
Students practice against more resistance through positional rounds (starting from a set position with a clear goal) and live drilling. New students ease in at their own pace.
Class ends with a cool-down and a quick word from the coach, which is a good moment for parents to ask how it went.
Who teaches
Led by Professor Carlos Miller · Head Instructor · 4th Degree Black Belt
Youth classes at Flow Academy BJJ Riverside are taught by our coaching team, led by Professor Carlos Miller, the academy's Head Instructor and a 4th Degree Black Belt with more than 29 years on the mats. His lineage runs from Rickson Gracie to Aloisio Silva to Professor Carlos Miller, and Flow has been teaching Riverside families for over a decade.
Want more mat time? Coach Ben brings 12 years of wrestling to Youth No-Gi: Fundamentals on Tuesdays at 5:00 PM and Takedowns on Thursdays at 6:00 PM. The Youth Combo plan pairs Gi and No-Gi. See No-Gi
Girls 10 and up can also join Women's Jiu-Jitsu on Tuesdays at 6:00 PM, a women-only class taught by Professor Zaide. See Women's Jiu-Jitsu
Honest answers
Signing a kid up for something new raises real questions. Here are straight answers.
That's okay.
You don't need to be athletic to start. Training is how kids get stronger, more coordinated, and fitter, and every student starts from their own level.
Safety comes first.
Techniques are learned cooperatively first, coaches supervise every round, and when a partner taps (a quick pat on the partner or the mat), everyone stops right away. There is no striking in Youth Gi class.
It teaches control.
Students learn to stay calm under pressure and use the least force needed. The anti-bullying message is simple: words first, walk away, get help, and protect yourself only if you have to.
Not at all.
Teens pick up jiu-jitsu quickly because they understand why a technique works. Coaches meet new students where they are and pair them with partners who fit.
That's normal.
A coach will welcome your child, explain what to expect, and pair them with a partner, so no one is left standing alone. Jiu-jitsu is a partner sport, so friendships form one drill at a time.
No.
Competition is optional. Students who want to test their skills can add Youth BJJ Competition Prep on Saturdays at 9:00 AM. Others train for fitness, confidence, and fun.
Still wondering about something? Text us at (951) 337-3781 and a real coach will answer.
Youth Gi Jiu-Jitsu meets twice a week, so students get steady practice without overloading a school-night schedule. Families who want more can add No-Gi or Saturday competition prep.
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). Youth students come from across Riverside and the Inland Empire, including Corona, Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley, Norco, La Sierra, Arlington, Canyon Crest, and Orangecrest.
Ages 10–14 · Mon & Wed (uniform not included)
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 Jiu-Jitsu. See our charter school PE page or call (951) 337-3781.
Youth Gi Jiu-Jitsu is for ages 10 to 14. Younger kids train in Kids Gi (ages 6–9) or Little Ninjas (ages 3–5), and students 15 and up can join the adult program.
Youth Gi meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 PM at 10081 Indiana Ave, Suite A-1, Riverside, CA 92503. Youth No-Gi adds Fundamentals on Tuesdays at 5:00 PM and Takedowns on Thursdays at 6:00 PM, and Youth BJJ Competition Prep meets Saturdays at 9:00 AM.
No. Beginners are welcome, and every technique is taught step by step. New students train alongside experienced teammates, and coaches pair partners by size and experience.
Comfortable workout clothes: a t-shirt and athletic shorts or pants without zippers or pockets. Students train barefoot on the mat, so bring sandals for walking off it, plus a water bottle. After the free first class, your child will need a Flow Academy gi for Gi classes.
Yes. Students learn controlled techniques and safe ways to fall, coaches supervise every round, and the moment someone taps, their partner lets go. There is no striking in Youth Gi class.
Students learn to stay calm, use their words first, walk away, and get help from an adult. They also learn real skills to stay safe and control a situation without striking, and that confidence helps them handle conflict calmly.
No. Competition is optional. Students who want to compete can add Youth BJJ Competition Prep on Saturdays at 9:00 AM, and everyone else trains for confidence, fitness, and fun.
Yes. Parents are welcome to watch from the side, and your child's first class is free.
No experience needed. Comfortable workout clothes and a water bottle are all your child needs for day one.
