Valko Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy

Valko BJJ is a fantastic place to start training jiu jitsu. Instructors are very knowledgable and patient with new students. I’m new to martial arts and i felt welcomed from day one. Also, higher belts will help you if you stay humble and show willingness to learn.
We just moved to a much larger room inside the fitness gym. If one day you choose to work on weights or other equipment you may do so as it is included with your membership.

Jay upgraded to a new space (in the same gym) that is nearly double the size in its own private area.
We have a lot of new faces coming in this year to try for the first time, so if you’re nervous, there will be plenty of other people who are new there, too. Plus, this place is incredibly welcoming anyway and you won’t regret it. Jiu-​Jitsu is still one of the best things I decided to do with my life.

Valko BJJ has got to be one of the best schools in the nation. World class technique is being taught. A welcoming atmosphere where everyone belongs also persists. Female students are valued and respected (which is rare in grappling). Tough training with students of all sizes and skill levels make it hard to even feel the need to go anywhere else. If you’re looking for top notch jiu jitsu training in Chicago, ValkoBJJ is the only sensible choice.

I’ve been going to Valko BJJ for the past few years and can’t recommend it highly enough for those looking to train Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu! Jay is approachable and laid back, with a teaching style that adapts to his students’ level of ability and talents. He makes sure to teach techniques with enough variations so everyone can get something out of it. He also does not try and force a style onto anyone, letting his students find their own strong suits, which is not the case at every school.
In addition to that, the academy has a good amount of higher belts always willing to share their knowledge. Everyone respects each other, while always pushing our training partners to be better. Great school and group of people!

I joined Valko BJJ about six months ago, after training in the suburbs for a number of years. I have also visited many BJJ gyms around the country, stopping in to train when I travel for work. Based on my experience, I highly recommend Valko BJJ to anyone interested in training or learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
First, Jay’s instruction is very good — with a nice balance of details and concepts. He sticks with one concept/​position per week, so there is enough repetition for solid learning within a week, and enough of a change to keep class interesting from week to week.
While providing excellent instruction, Jay also sets the tone for the school as a laid back, very approachable person. He truly cares about maintaining a high-​quality experience for everyone at the gym, and this attitude carries over to the rest of the students. At Valko BJJ, you will find a wide variety of students that allow for training to fit your motivation and goals, whether they are related to fitness, competition, or just trying something new. So, young/​old, experienced/​beginner, male/​female, small/​large, this is the gym to be at in Chicago. And, while there are many types of people that regularly attend Valko BJJ, they are united by the goals of getting better at Jiu Jitsu and helping each other along the way.
Great attitudes, excellent instruction, a lot of higher belts to help new students and provide high level training, challenging rolls, and a focus on learning takedowns (often neglected by BJJ gyms) all make for a great Jiu Jitsu experience. Drop in for a visit and you will not regret it.

I have know Jay for the past decade or so, as we used to train together. He has always had a natural ability to teach and has an incredible eye for proper technique. The gym is also full of great guys, and is not intimidating to walk into. The training is top notch!

I needed to find additional place to train at, so far this right what I was looking for. This is close to atmosphere I am accustomed to. Jay (Instructor) and student are great and down to earth. Highly recommend for all levels.

Valko BJJ is a really special place. I’ve been at
this jiu-​jitsu thing for over a decade now and have had the opportunity to train at a lot of high level gyms and I can definitely say Valko BJJ is top notch.
First of all, the instruction and the quality of the jiu-​jitsu is excellent. Jay, the gym owner, is a very knowledgeable black belt who is also extremely down to earth. He’s done a great job of creating an environment that is very welcoming to everyone.
The experience levels in the student base is extremely varied. A class could consist of white belts just getting started, nationally-​ranked competitors and black belts all training together; and it works out great! In my opinion, the reason this works so well is because of the welcoming environment I mentioned earlier. It truly is an ego-​free place and everybody helps each other out.
If you’re in the Chicagoland area, definitely come by for a class. I have no doubt you’ll learn a lot and have a fantastic experience!

Great group of guys and great instruction, especially because I just randomly dropped in. Would definitely recommend to anybody in the bjj world that’s visiting Chicago!

For longer than I can remember, I had always had an interest in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Eight months ago, I finally bit the bullet and began a serious search for a school in the Chicago area. Seeing that it was only a 10 minute walk from my apartment, I emailed Jay Valko of Valko BJJ to come out for a free trial class. Jay was very accommodating and approachable for my first lesson on the mat. I was sold after a 45 minute fundamental class and I make it to 3 – 4 classes a week since then.
Jay has a really great teaching style — typically we start with a good warmup to get the blood going, then he begins his instruction on a few moves that will be covered that particular week. After instruction, we drill the moves to use them in a simulated sparring situation. I have noticed in every class I have been to that Jay makes a connection with every student on the mat. That is not easy task for one man, especially on Monday and Wednesday nights when you see some really big turnouts. I have participated in a lot of sports in my life and Jay has one of the very best teaching styles and attitudes I have worked with.
There is a certain camaraderie that is evident at this school among Jay and his students. The higher belts always share their knowledge with students newer to the art like myself. Egos do not exist at this school. There really is no room for that. Learning Brazilian Jiu jitsu is a very humbling experience and quickly weeds out any meatheads looking to try to flex their muscles on the mat.
Don, Allen, and TK teach classes during the week if Jay is not there. All are very talented instructors that have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. They really care a lot about this place.
I was just expecting to pick up a new hobby when I started to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. However, since my first lesson, my entire lifestyle has undergone a significant change for the better. I stepped onto the mats at a bloated 242lbs and I am now at a much leaner 207lbs (and still losing weight and leaning out) thanks to Jay and his school.
I give this place my absolute highest recommendation if you are looking for a place to train in Chicago.

I trained at Valko Brazillian Jiu-​Jitsu Academy for over 2 years and Jay is an excellent instructor. There are a lot of great BJJ practitioners out there but not many who can train students well. Thankfully, Jay can teach. Jay is very articulate and patience during training. He carefully explains each technique step by step. TK is also a great instructor who teaches on Sunday. I highly recommend anyone regardless which belt you have to train at Jay’s academy.

Jay Valko is an incredible instructor who is truly passionate about his craft. I have had the opportunity to train at over 20 different academies worldwide and would definitely rate this academy as one of the best of the best. Jay is a very knowledgeable, caring, and professional teacher who will take the time to ensure that every last part of your technique is correct. This school is an incredibly welcoming environment with tons of higher belts who are willing to share their knowledge and experience. I would give this Academy six stars if I could.

Came in from out of town for a work trip and decided to drop in and get a training session in. Even at 7am on a Friday morning, there was a good crowd in class. The school uses space from a gym, but there was enough space to train. Folks were welcoming and helpful and got a great rolling session in. Will definitely come by next time I’m in town.

Great place to train and learn with super knowledgeable instructors and students alike. Very friendly and welcoming to all. No posturing or ego.

A great academy to train at! The instructor/​owner, Valko, is extremely skillful and friendly, which translates to all his students as well. I was visiting Chicago for 2 weeks and Valko was kind enough to let me train at his gym while I was there.
Me being a purple belt, I need higher level of people to train with, and I definitely got that in this academy. Even the blue belts were very skillful as well and gave me some trouble. And most importantly, I did not get injured while training in his academy, since no one had an ego, instead everyone was very technical and friendly. There was always a good range of people showing up for classes, at least 2 black belts, and all the color belts, and a range of big to small body types too. If I lived in Chicago, this will definitely be the academy for me to join!

This is hands down, the best jiu jitsu school in Chicago. Jay Valko is a very knowledgeable instructor. The atmosphere here is not like any other academies. As first time white belt, I felt welcomed, and was allowed to train at a pace that was good for me.
My husband has been training here for some time, and has tried other academies, but this is the place that he feels the most home, and feels that he is really able to learn and grow as a practitioner.
No matter your level of jiu jitsu, whether or not you’ve ever set foot on a mat, if you’re brown belt… This place is the place to be. You will evolve and grow in your jiu jitsu game.

There is not another BJJ gym in Chicago that can top Valko BJJ. All the instructors are top-​notch and Jay Valko personally teaches the majority of the classes himself. From experienced practitioners to beginning white belts, everyone at this gym is treated with a tremendous amount of respect. I had never trained prior to walking into Valko BJJ and received nothing but world class instruction from the day I arrived. Classes are offered in the morning, afternoon, and evenings and include not only gi and no-​gi jiu jitsu, but also boxing and judo. If you’re searching for a new gym, or are just interested in trying BJJ, please do yourself a favor and check out Valko BJJ.

I move frequently for work and have to constantly change jiu jitsu gyms. I first contacted Jay Valko via email and he promptly returned a message that afternoon, answering all my questions. I basically wanted to know the cancellation policy since some gyms make the process difficult. I pay for the monthly unlimited class ($ 130/​month) and to cancel, all you have to do is tell Jay and he’ll cancel your membership that day. The unlimited is cool because there’s plenty of gi jiu jitsu, which I usually go to, and they also have a couple other classes like Friday’s Japanese Jiu jitsu and Judo — both taught by legit sickos.
I’ve been training at Jay’s gym for 5 months now. Jay is very friendly and personable with everyone. He not only knows a lot about jiu jitsu, but he knows how to transfer that knowledge to his students in a fun and easy to understand way. He makes it a point to help each person individually, even if you’re new. Yesterday was the Illinois FIVE grappling tournament, and Jay was running all around to coach as many Valko members as possible. I was lucky to have him coach me thru all my matches.
Jays’ vibes and personality flow throughout the gym. The gym atmosphere is very chill/​respectful just like most jiu jitsu gyms. You can pick out any blue belt+ and they are always more than happy to work 1on1 with you, give you tips, or tell you what you’re doing wrong/​right.
I would say the only negative of Valko BJJ is on busy nights (Mon/​Wed), the mats can get a little crowded. Although pretty rare, sometimes Jay will alternate 2 groups to roll for safety reasons. Most of the time, it’s just the slight annoyance of having to reposition your partner and you because you’re too close to higher belts.
Overall, this is a great gym for beginners and long time jiu jitsu practitioners. And oh ya, clean mats, nice locker room, and showers/​towels/​soap.

I was in Chicago for vacation on Memorial Day and wanted to train. Jay Valko returned my phone call the next day and invited me down.
The gym is in a convenient location if you are staying downtown, I walked there. Being inside of a HiFi gym, it had full shower facilities.
Class consisted of warm up drills, 3 techniques, and open mat rolling. I was glad to get on the mats before the 8 hour drive back to Nashville.
Big thanks to Jay and his team for being so welcoming.

I was in Chicago for work and wanted to go to a BJJ gym near where I was staying over the weekend. This place was a convenient walk from my hotel near the Magnificent Mile, but I’m not sure about parking around the area as I did not drive.
The location of Valko BJJ is actually in a gym (Hi-​Fy I believe?) and is in the far back where they have a very large mat space. There were plenty of extra gis and one that was my size I was able to borrow. The area was very clean and the mats were very soft.
Class ran as situation drills, technique and finally a free roll session. There were a good amount of people for the class, but as time went on, more and more people showed up to roll. Rolling during my time there was asking someone if they wanted to roll and going for as long as you felt like.
I would highly recommend checking out Valko if you’re looking to get started into BJJ or if you’re traveling and want somewhere to train while you’re gone from your home gym.