Why I Started Grapplers World: A Founder's Story
Like many Brazilian jiu‑jitsu enthusiasts, I love to travel. But finding a welcoming BJJ gym while traveling turned out to be surprisingly difficult. Here's how that frustration led to building the world's most comprehensive BJJ directory.
From Problem to Solution
Building the BJJ community we needed
The Spark: Struggling to Train on the Road
Like many Brazilian jiu‑jitsu enthusiasts, I love to travel. Whenever I find myself in a new city or country, the first thing I look for is a place to train. But finding a welcoming BJJ gym while travelling is surprisingly difficult. In one Reddit discussion, a traveller explained how hard it can be to locate gyms that offer drop‑in classes, welcome visitors and clearly communicate whether they provide Gi or No‑Gi training.
Most people end up scouring Google Maps, checking each gym's website for class schedules and membership policies – a time‑consuming and often frustrating process. The lack of reliable information makes it easy to miss hidden‑gem academies or to turn up at gyms that aren't beginner‑friendly.
“I've experienced this first‑hand: searching multiple sites, cross‑referencing reviews and still arriving at a gym only to find it closed for a holiday. I realised there had to be a better way.”
Building a Global Directory for Grapplers
The idea behind Grapplers World was simple: create an online directory of Brazilian jiu‑jitsu gyms and cities, inspired by the community‑driven ethos of platforms like Nomad List. Our goal is to help grapplers discover, filter and review top cities and gyms around the world, with BJJ‑specific criteria such as:
- Number of gyms per city and drop‑in fees – Know what to expect before you arrive
- Class schedules, coach credentials and training focus – Gi, No‑Gi or MMA‑friendly options
- Amenities like showers, saunas and strength‑training facilities – Essential for travellers
- Community tags – Women‑friendly, beginner‑friendly or competition‑focused environments
- Cost of living, climate, internet speed and safety – Factors that matter to travelling practitioners
By pulling these details into one place, travellers no longer have to guess. They can easily see which gyms in a city offer open mats, what time classes run and whether a gym encourages visiting beginners. The idea resonated with the BJJ community because it addresses the pain points travellers have voiced.
From Concept to Platform
Our journey started with 22 high‑priority cities – hotspots like Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Amsterdam and New York – and expanded from there. We built our platform on Next.js and Tailwind CSS for a clean, responsive front‑end, and used Supabase with Drizzle ORM for our backend. Early on, we integrated SerpAPI to scrape basic gym information such as names, addresses and contact details.
We also designed a two‑layer structure:
City Layer
Each city card displays key data like the number of gyms, average cost of living, climate and user ratings on categories such as safety, competition scene and open‑mat availability. Filters on the left‑hand panel allow users to find cities that match their training priorities.
Gym Layer
Within each city, gyms have detailed cards listing class schedules, coach credentials, drop‑in fees, amenities and user‑submitted photos. Visitors can see at a glance whether a gym offers Gi or No‑Gi classes, if it has a sauna, or if it welcomes digital nomads.
Empowering the Community
The strength of Grapplers World lies in its community contributions. Logged‑in users can suggest new gyms, upload photos, rate and review gyms or cities and flag outdated information. A future update will add a leaderboard for top contributors and integrate chat features so travellers can connect with locals before visiting.
We've also planned for geographic and linguistic expansion. Though we launched in English, we intend to add Spanish and Portuguese to better serve our global audience. Our vision is to build a truly worldwide community where practitioners can easily find quality training wherever they go, share their experiences, and help others do the same.
Looking Ahead
Since launching, we've been humbled by the response. Travellers and locals alike tell us how much easier it is to plan training trips with a central directory. In the coming months we will:
- Expand our database beyond the initial 22 cities, adding smaller towns and rural academies
- Implement advanced search filters (e.g., price range, competition team strength, wheelchair accessibility)
- Introduce a “training partners wanted” section for people looking to drill with fellow travellers
- Partner with gyms to offer verified information on class schedules and membership options
Join Us on the Journey
Grapplers World was born from the challenges we faced as travelling jiu‑jitsu practitioners. We saw a problem and decided to build a solution. By bringing together accurate data, community reviews and helpful resources, we hope to make your next BJJ trip smoother and more fun.
If you'd like to get involved, visit our site, leave a review for your favourite gym or suggest a hidden gem we haven't covered yet. Together, we can create the most comprehensive and trusted jiu‑jitsu directory on the planet.
Start Your BJJ Journey with Grapplers World
Ready to discover amazing BJJ gyms around the world? Join our community of travelling grapplers and help build the most comprehensive BJJ directory.