Beginners class
Ready to begin?
Start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Rogue BJJ Canberra in Lyneham. Learn the basics, train safely and build confidence with a friendly crew.
No experience required · Supportive coaching · Learn at your own pace
Your beginner experience
Learn at your pace
Beginners sessions cover clear instruction, basic movements and time to practise. You do not need previous experience or elite fitness.
Training is cooperative rather than competitive. You work with supportive partners, learn useful skills and grow more comfortable on the mats as the weeks go by.
People first, technique second. Your safety and your learning matter from day one.
Your beginner journey
Three steps to your first class
Start here
Understand the Rogue approach and why you do not need to feel ready before you begin.
BJJ without the intimidation →
Step 2Know what to expect
What happens in a first class, what to wear, and honest answers to the questions beginners actually ask.
BJJ for beginners in Canberra →
Step 3Register
Eight sessions with Mike across the week. Send us your name and email and we will arrange it.
Register your interest →
What the free first week involves
A week to find out
Arrive and settle in
Meet the crew, get oriented and ease into training. No prior knowledge is needed and nobody expects you to keep up.
Learn the basics
Practise essential techniques through clear instruction and safe repetition, at a pace that lets you follow along.
Find your fit
Experience the coaching, the community and the training style, then decide in your own time whether it suits you.
Mike teaches every session in your free first week, so you meet the head coach each time you train. The eight sessions are listed below.
A supportive place to train
Why beginners feel at home
Safety first
You learn controlled movements and practise with guidance, so you can train confidently from the beginning.
No pressure
Cooperative training gives you room to learn without needing to compete or prove yourself to anybody.
Clear coaching
Technical instruction is broken into simple steps that make sense the first time you hear them.
Welcoming community
You will meet people who remember exactly what starting out felt like, and who will help you settle in.
Before you register
Still feeling unsure?
Questions are welcome. Take your first class at a comfortable pace and ask for the support you need.
What if I know nothing?
That is what the Beginners class is for. Coaches explain each movement step by step and check that it landed before moving on.
What if I am nervous?
Most people are, before a first class. Tell us and we will look after you — being new is the most normal thing in the room.
Do I need to be fit?
No. Jiu-jitsu is how you get fit, not something you have to be fit for. You work at your own level and build from there.
Will I have to compete?
No. Rogue is a non-competition club. Beginner training focuses on learning, safety and cooperation.
Who will be teaching me?
Mike Armstrong, the head coach, teaches every session of your free first week. He is a qualified workplace trainer and assessor, and holds current first aid and a current Working With Vulnerable People registration. There is more on how we are qualified to teach.
Can I just turn up?
No — Rogue does not take walk-ins. Everyone registers before training and acknowledges the code of conduct, which is how we keep the mat safe and the class within its cap of twelve.
Beginners on the timetable
When the Beginners class runs
| Day | Time | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 5:00–5:45pm | Beginners |
| Thursday | 5:00–5:45pm | Beginners |
From people who started here
They were all beginners once
Three of the reviews we are proudest of, because they come from people who walked in knowing nothing.
Rogue’s great! It’s a supportive and chill community, fostered by some great instructors that are very knowledgeable in BJJ. I’ve had a great time learning as a beginner under Mike and Tom.
Mike has an absolute wealth of knowledge regarding BJJ and is able to produce information that is easily digestible to people with zero prior martial arts experience.
Rogues a great place to learn jiu jitsu or yoga without being worried of being judged or injured. The approach Mike takes to the art ensures everyone is respected.
Quoted from our Google reviews, where you can read all of them. We have not edited them beyond trimming for length.
Your next step
Register for a free first week
Your first week at Rogue is free, and Mike teaches every session in it. Eight sessions across the week, from early mornings to a Saturday, so there is room to find the times that fit around your life.
The eight sessions in your free first week
| Day | Time | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 5:00–5:45pm | Beginners |
| Monday | 5:45–6:45pm | Principles |
| Tuesday | 7:00–8:00am | Explore |
| Tuesday | 9:30–10:30am | Explore |
| Tuesday | 4:15–5:00pm | Kids (ages 5–9) |
| Tuesday | 5:00–5:45pm | Youth (ages 10–15) |
| Thursday | 5:00–5:45pm | Beginners |
| Saturday | 10:30–11:15am | Self Defence |
Come to as many of them as you like during your week. If you are bringing a child, theirs is the Tuesday Kids or Youth class — see the Kids & Youth page.
Already grapple, and want to get onto the other sessions on the timetable while you are here? Mention it when you register and Mike will sort it out with you.
Send us your name and email and we will be in touch to arrange your week and answer anything you want to ask first. Registration in advance is required — Rogue does not take walk-ins, and everyone signs the waiver and acknowledges the code of conduct before training. Both are on this site, so you can read them before you commit to anything.