The most battle-tested grappling in the world.
Real no-gi jiu-jitsu, taught by brown belt Lance McConnell.
What You'll Walk Away With
Not features. Results.
Real jiu-jitsu coaching
Train under an experienced brown belt and a black-belt professor. You get the real thing — technique, drilling, and live rolling — not a watered-down version.
Real self-defense that works
Jiu-jitsu is the most battle-tested grappling art on earth. Train consistently and you'll have genuine, tested self-defense skills.
The best full-body workout you'll ever hate-love
An hour of jiu-jitsu is 90 minutes of cardio plus a full-body strength circuit. You'll sleep like a rock.
A progression path that never ends
White belt to black belt is a decade-plus journey. Every class, you get a little better at something specific. Addictive in the best way.
Your First Class
Exactly what happens
when you walk in.
The hardest part is the first class. Here's what it looks like — so you walk in knowing what to expect.
- 1
Show up 15 minutes early
We'll greet you at the door, show you around, and get your waiver signed in under 2 minutes. Loaner gear is ready if you need it.
- 2
Warm up with the class
You'll join the group warm-up. Nothing wild — mobility, light cardio, shadow drills. Listen to your body; we don't haze new students.
- 3
Learn a technique and drill it
A coach walks the class through the day's technique step-by-step, then you pair up and drill with a friendly training partner coached to look after beginners.
- 4
Water break and go home proud
You won't be thrown into the deep end. You'll leave knowing one real thing better than when you arrived — and ready for class two.
Curriculum
What you'll learn
Crossville's home for real jiu-jitsu — both gi and no-gi. Head instructor Lance McConnell is a brown belt under Brandon McCaughren, and Professor Michael Olson leads the gi classes. BJJ fundamentals, gi and no-gi sessions, advanced no-gi, and open mat — in a no-ego room where beginners are welcome from day one.
- Guard, sweeps, and the fundamentals of no-gi
- Takedowns and top pressure
- Submissions, escapes, and scrambles
- Positional sparring and live rolling
- Optional competition prep
Who it's for
Anyone 13+. No-gi jiu-jitsu works for every body type and age. We drill for weeks before you have to worry about rolling hard — you'll be welcome from day one.
Your Instructor
Lance McConnell
Lance leads every program at Crossville Jiu Jitsu and Thai Boxing. He has trained martial arts since 2005 and has been teaching in Crossville since 2013. He is a brown belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu under Brandon McCaughren and coaches striking through the Bang Striking system. Lance built the gym to give Crossville and Cumberland County a real home for no-gi jiu-jitsu and Thai boxing — a place where brand-new beginners and serious competitors train side by side. Expect detailed instruction, hard but friendly rounds, and a team that wants you to get better every class.
- Brown belt, 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu — under Brandon McCaughren
- Bang Striking affiliate coach
- Head instructor & owner, Crossville Jiu Jitsu and Thai Boxing
Questions
Before you
step on the mat.
Still not sure? Book a free tour — 20 minutes in person beats any phone call.
I've never trained jiu-jitsu. Will I be lost?+
What's the difference between gi and no-gi?+
Do I need a gi?+
Is there a belt system?+
Stop thinking about No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu.
Start training.
A $30 3-class trial. Zero commitment if it's not a fit. Loaner gear included. Zero pressure.