Fundamentals
White belt · Day one welcomeThe first 40 techniques every grappler needs: escapes, frames, sweeps, and your first submissions. No experience, no gi, no problem — loaner gis available.
Mon / Wed / Fri · 6:30 AM & 6:30 PM
Greenville, SC · Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Pressure,
meet flow.
Reedy River Jiu Jitsu is a fundamentals-first academy minutes from downtown Greenville. Technique over strength, position over panic — for first-timers, competitors, and kids.
The river doesn't fight the rock. It finds the way around.
That's jiu jitsu. A smaller, calmer person controlling and submitting a bigger, stronger one — not by force, but by leverage, timing, and position. It's why we named the academy after the river that runs through our city.
Classes are structured, egos stay at the door, and every roll starts and ends with a handshake. Whether you're here for self-defense, fitness, or competition, the path is the same: show up, drill, flow.
Programs
Four ways into the water
Every program runs on the same current — fundamentals, live drilling, and rolling matched to your level. The colored edge marks the belt level each class serves.
All-Levels Gi
All experience levelsThe heart of the academy. Positional study, situational sparring, and full rounds — the traditional art in the traditional uniform.
Mon–Fri · 6:30 PM
No-Gi
Blue belt & up recommendedFaster pace, modern systems — wrestling entries, leg locks, and scrambles. Rash guard and shorts, no collar to hide behind.
Tue / Thu · 7:30 PM
Kids (6–12)
Youth belts · Ages 6–12Discipline, coordination, and anti-bullying skills through games and drilling — a program kids genuinely ask to come back to.
Mon / Wed · 5:30 PM
Not sure where you fit? Come to Fundamentals — everyone starts in the shallow end.
Your coaches
Two coaches, one standard
Every class at Reedy River is coach-led from start to finish — no assistant-run rooms, no autopilot warmups.
John Combs
Head Coach · Founder
John built Reedy River around the fundamentals-first approach he wished he'd had as a white belt. Expect heavy top pressure, precise details, and a coach who still drills the basics every day.
Mary Walker
Head Coach · Founder
A guard player with a competitor's eye for detail, Mary runs the no-gi program. She's the coach who'll break a sweep into five steps and make each one click.
Weekly schedule
The mats are open six days a week
| Time | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 AM | Fundamentals | Fundamentals | Fundamentals | |||
| 10:00 AM | Open Mat | |||||
| 12:00 PM | Open Mat | Open Mat | ||||
| 5:30 PM | Kids | Kids | ||||
| 6:30 PM | All-Levels Gi | All-Levels Gi | All-Levels Gi | All-Levels Gi | All-Levels Gi | |
| 7:30 PM | No-Gi | No-Gi |
Your first class
Walking in is the hardest part
Everyone on our mats had a nervous first day. Here's all it takes:
- Arrive 15 minutes early — a coach will meet you at the door and walk you through everything.
- Wear a t-shirt and athletic shorts or leggings. We'll lend you a gi, free.
- Bring water and a change of clothes. Leave the ego in the car.
- Train the full class with a partner matched to you. No one gets thrown to the wolves.
Your first class is free
No contract, no card on file, no hard sell. Just come train.
Book your free class