NO! Most students that begin training have no previous experience. Some students may come in with some wrestling or martial arts experience, but it is by no means expected or required. All beginner classes are appropriate for Day 1 of training and our instructors are great at teaching new students!
I trained at FVGC just about every day, sometimes twice a day, for a few months while I was in Appleton in 2022. I'd trained in a lot of other gyms before arriving there, including plenty of well known, "world class" gyms, and plenty of not-so-great spots too. But I can confidently say that FVGC is a five-star gym, with five-star coaches, and above all, a five-star team. I learned so many great techniques while I was there: the collar drag sweeps (thanks Alex), the single legs finishes (thanks Dan and Keegan) and especially the triangles (Seriously, James, thanks so much, I use that finish every day now). If you're a beginner looking to get into BJJ or other martial arts, this is a perfect gym to start at, with lots of available classes throughout the week, and a super friendly, encouraging team who can build up solid fundamentals. And if you're a veteran looking for a new place to roll, this is similarly an excellent choice, with lots of tough competitors at all levels and weight classes. I'm so grateful for my time there, and for sure, anytime I'm back in the area, I will make a point of coming back to this outstanding gym.
I stopped in today for an open mat. The owners are fantastic individuals. They were very welcoming and I got a ton of great Jiu Jitsu rolls in. I was impressed with the amount of upper belts that train there. It also had clean showers/bathrooms which is super handy after a great training session. I look forward to visiting again soon! I highly recommend FVGC as a home gym or a place to visit when you are in the area.
Came to the gym completely new to bjj 3months ago and was welcomed with open arms. The instructors are amazingly talented and wonderful people. There is a great group of people who train here as well. I could not have found a better atmosphere to learn a new way to push myself. If you are in the area you should stop in and check it out, you will not regret it!
