Des Moines · Iowa

Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy

841 11th St, Des Moines, IA 50309

4.936 reviews · via Google

About Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy

Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Des Moines, Iowa teaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu in both gi and no-gi, across self-defense, sport and competition, with a kids programme and a women's self-defense focus built on escape technique rather than strikes. Seven instructors are listed, headed by Chris David, a 2nd-degree black belt training since 2000 who leads both gi and no-gi grappling, with Ed Spitzer — a black belt under Master Carlos 'Caique' Elias — heading the kids programme.

Pricing

Memberships

Membership (Monthly)MindBody contract description: 'Adult Membership - This allows access to all the adult classes we offer. Monthly membership with no contract.' Billed monthly, month-to-month commitment.

$130/mo

Membership (Yearly)Adult annual contract, auto-renews yearly. Works out below 12x the $130 monthly rate.

$1450/yr

One Month MembershipPAY-AS-YOU-GO, not the recurring plan: a one-off month pass sold under Services, expiring 1 month from first use. Costs $20 more than the $130 recurring membership, which is the gym's stated trade-off ('one is a monthly membership where there is a 30 day cancellation notice and the other is pay as you go').

$150/mo

Fundamentals Package3-mo commit · $399 is the TOTAL for a 3-month package including a BJJ gi, not a monthly rate — encoded with contractMonths per the package convention (the MindBody record charges $399 as an initial fee then $0.00/month). CAUTION: the description reads '3 month fundamentals membership with BJJ Gi - Starts January 1st 2026', so this item may be stale or seasonal.

$399/mo

Programs & discounts

Kids Membership (Monthly)Kids · 'This membership allows access to the kids BJJ program with no contract.' Month-to-month.

$120/mo

Family Membership (Monthly)Family · 'This membership is an immediate family membership residing in the same household. It allows access to all classes at the school.' Month-to-month.

$260/mo

Kids Membership (Yearly)Kids · Kids annual contract, auto-renews yearly.

$1350/yr

Family Membership (Yearly)Family · Internal MindBody label is 'Yearly Family Membership (BJJ/MT)' — the MT suffix implies a Muay Thai component the public site never mentions. Description: 'Family membership with no contract term.'

$3000/yr

One Month Family MembershipFamily · Pay-as-you-go family month pass, expires 1 month from first use. Compare the $260 recurring family membership.

$300/mo

3 month self defense fundamentals package3-mo commit · $199 total for a 3-month self-defence fundamentals package. Internal label 'Self Defense 3 month package'.

$199/mo

Visits & passes

Day PassExpires 1 day from first use.

$25 day

Contract

Month-to-month

Programs

Gi
No-Gi
Kids
Competition
Women's
Self-Defense

Weekly Schedule

Full schedule →

11:15 AM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Technique (Adults)

6:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Intermediate (Blue belt and above)

6:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals (Adults)

7:00 PM

Open Mat (Everyone)

Mon

11:15 AM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Technique (Adults)

6:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Intermediate (Blue belt and above)

6:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals (Adults)

7:00 PM

Open Mat (Everyone)

Tue

11:00 AM

Open Mat (Everyone)

6:00 PM

No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals (Teens & Adults)

Wed

11:15 AM

No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Technique (Adults)

6:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Intermediate (Blue belt and above)

6:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals (Adults)

7:00 PM

Open Mat (Everyone)

Thu

11:00 AM

Open Mat (Everyone)

6:00 PM

No Gi Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals (Adults)

6:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu (Ages 8-12)

7:00 PM

Gi Jiu-Jitsu (Ages 13-17)

Fri

11:00 AM

Open Mat (Everyone)

Sat

9:00 AM

No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Technique (Adults)

10:00 AM

No Gi Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals (Adults)

10:00 AM

No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Ages 8-12)

11:00 AM

Gi & No-Gi Kids Competition Jiu-Jitsu (Ages 8-17)

Sun

11:00 AM

No-Gi Competition Class (2 Stripe White belts and above)

1:00 PM

No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu (Women Only)

2:00 PM

Solo Movement for BJJ (Everyone)

Instructors

Chris DavidBlack Belt

head

Ed SpitzerBlack Belt

Head Instructor for DMJJA Kids / Gi BJJ Instructor

Lineage: Carlos "Caique" Elias

Jerrod AppenzellerBlack Belt

Instructor Gi and No-Gi Grappling

Miguel CarrascoPurple Belt

Instructor Gi and No-Gi Grappling / Kids BJJ Instructor

Ed SchneidersPurple Belt

Instructor Gi and No-Gi Grappling

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy cost?+

Monthly membership at Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy ranges from $121 to $150 per month. Drop-in classes are $25.

Does Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy offer gi or no-gi classes?+

Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy offers both gi and no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes.

Who is the head instructor at Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy?+

The head instructor is Chris David, a black belt.

Does Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy have a kids BJJ program?+

Yes, Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy offers a dedicated program for children.

Does Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy accept drop-ins?+

Yes, Des Moines Jiu-Jitsu Academy accepts drop-ins for $25 per class. Contact the gym to confirm availability.