Preview build: the sign-up form is not connected to the CRM yet, so nothing you enter is sent.
Armezzani Jiu-JitsuNew Brighton, PA Get started

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu · Striking · Ages 5 and up

Start on our mat.Become your best version.

712 reviews · 5.0 on Google · 100% recommend on Facebook

“Let me show you how great you can be.” Professor Lou Armezzani

Adult and kids classes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and striking for MMA, taught step by step so complete beginners fit in from day one. Your first visit is a Beginner's Class built for people who have never trained.

See the programs

Required for every new student

Step 1: Fill out our questionnaire

Every new student at Armezzani starts here, no exceptions. It takes about 3 minutes and tells Professor Lou who you are, what you want out of training, and how to set you up to succeed.

  • About 3 minutesMostly one-tap answers
  • Read by Professor LouHe personally reads every answer
  • Then we text youTo book your Beginner's Class
▶ A 45-second welcome from Professor Lou
Start the questionnaire →

"I personally read every questionnaire. I put real time into every new student, and I ask the same of you." – Professor Lou Armezzani

Programs
Adult & Kids BJJ · Striking
Rated
712 reviews, all five-star or recommended
Find us
1438 5th Ave, New Brighton

New student offers

Pick your way in

This month only

Free private lesson with Professor Lou

Start now and get a free one-on-one private lesson with Professor Lou, plus a free gi when you enroll.

Claim my free private lesson →

Try it first

Free trial class

Not sure yet? Take your first class on us. Fill out the questionnaire and we'll book you into a free Beginner's Class.

Book my free class →
The moment I walked into this school, I knew I was homeI started at 45, so it's never too lateLou teaches the basics better than anyoneEvery student is treated like familyBest investment in myself I could have madeCannot recommend stopping in for a class enoughThey have a lot of patience with the kids

Your first visit

How getting started works

Fill out our questionnaire

Required for every new student. It takes about 3 minutes, and Professor Lou personally reads every answer before we reach out to set up your Beginner's Class.

Start the questionnaire →

Take the Beginner's Class

Arrive 15 minutes early to meet the coaches. We'll loan you a gi, and there's no live sparring on day one. It's a class made for first-timers.

Pick your plan in person

After class we'll walk you through schedules and membership options face to face, so you choose what fits.

Programs

Pick where you start

Every program has beginner-friendly classes. Tell us which one you're curious about and we'll send the schedule.

Professor Lou with a smiling adult white belt student on the academy mats Adults

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

The grappling art built on leverage and technique. You learn to control and escape from real positions, in a room where training partners look out for each other.

  • Self-defense you can actually use
  • Conditioning without the treadmill
  • Gi and no-gi training
Get the schedule →
Smiling kids student with his new yellow belt next to Professor Lou in front of the academy logo Kids

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Kids learn to stay calm under pressure, handle themselves on the ground, and earn stripes for real progress. Bully-proofing without teaching them to strike first.

  • Confidence and focus
  • Respect for coaches and partners
  • Stripe and belt progression
Get the schedule →
Adults

Striking for MMA

Punches, kicks, knees and footwork drilled on pads and bags. A hard workout that also teaches you to keep distance and defend yourself standing up.

  • High-energy conditioning
  • Technique before contact
  • Pairs well with BJJ
Get the schedule →
Kids

Striking for MMA

Coordination, balance and discipline through pad work and structured drills. Kids burn energy in a controlled setting and learn when, and when not, to use what they know.

  • Coordination and fitness
  • Listening and self-control
  • Safe, coached partner drills
Get the schedule →
5.0
★★★★★

What members say

712 reviews and not one bad one. Every Google review is five stars, and every Facebook reviewer recommends us.

83Google reviews, all 5 stars
629Facebook reviews, 100% recommend
712Total reviews

Read all 83 on Google →

Why Armezzani

Not just another gym

Beaver County has options. Here's what members say keeps them on our mat.

712

Glowing reviews

All 83 Google reviews are five stars, and 100% of our 629 Facebook reviewers recommend us.

5+

The whole family

Kids from about age 5 through adults, so parents and kids can train under one roof.

Day 1

Built for beginners

Your first visit is a Beginner's Class. No experience, no shape requirement, no getting thrown to the wolves.

BR

Connected to Brazil

Professor Lou has been a student and affiliate of Professor Tony Passos for the past 15 years. We're an official Team Passos academy with a sister academy in Brazil, Projeto Arte Suave. This is a team, not a membership card.

Our coaches

Who you'll train with

Meet the coaches behind every class. More coach profiles coming soon.

Professor Lou Armezzani and his wife, both in white gis and black belts, smiling after training in Brazil

Owner · Head instructor

Professor Lou Armezzani

  • Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt since 2014
  • Former professional MMA fighter
  • 15 years with Professor Tony Passos

Lou started training jiu-jitsu in Scranton, PA, when he was 21. It was a much different time in combat sports. Things were rougher, schools weren't run the way they are now, and training was a lot more gritty.

Soon after starting Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Lou began fighting mixed martial arts and went on to become a professional MMA fighter. After a career-ending shoulder surgery, he went all in on jiu-jitsu, studying under Jason Ratchford and earning his purple, brown and black belts.

He then reunited with his longtime coach, Professor Tony Passos. Lou has been with Professor Passos for the past 15 years and continues to train and teach as part of Team Passos. That relationship makes Armezzani an official Team Passos academy and connects our students to our sister academy in Brazil, Projeto Arte Suave.

Kids program · Ages 5 and up

Kids on the mat

Stripes, new belts and a whole lot of fun. Here's what kids classes look like at our New Brighton academy.

Kids team and coaches lined up in front of the Armezzani logo
Big kids class group photo in front of the academy logo
Coach tying a new yellow belt on a kids student
Coach kneeling to award a stripe to a young student while coaches clap
Kids class drilling across the mats with their coach
Kids in gis lined up along the wall ready for class

Inside the academy

On the mat

Real classes at our academy on 5th Ave in New Brighton.

Adult class rolling across the mats in front of the Armezzani logo
Coach standing on the mat during no-gi training
Two training partners smiling on the mat after no-gi rounds
Adult team lined up by belt rank across the academy mats
Adults and teens from every belt lined up along the academy wall

Our mission · 12 years strong

Twelve years of excellence

For twelve years, Armezzani Jiu-Jitsu has had one mission: build confidence, discipline and resilience through Brazilian jiu-jitsu. We've built a positive, supportive community where every member is treated like family and pushed to become their best self.

Our core values

  1. Personal accountability

    Personal accountability is the keystone of our core values. We hold ourselves to the highest standard of integrity and own our actions, on and off the mat. It starts with leadership. When our leaders set a strong example, accountability takes root and grows throughout the whole team.

  2. A healthy lifestyle

    A healthy lifestyle isn't just important. It's a must if we want to become the version of ourselves we dream of and aspire to be. Being healthy means a healthy mind, body and soul. We nourish the mind with proper education, the body with proper nutrition and exercise, and the soul with the Lord Jesus Christ.

  3. A strong focus on youth

    Our kids program builds discipline, respect and confidence that carry children to success on the mat and in life. We all know raising children can be difficult, and the world they're growing up in brings influences we can't always see coming. That's why we believe in strong systems, discipline and a consistent, productive schedule. It's how we reach the results we all want as parents, leaders and teachers.

  4. Family first

    This is a family-oriented academy. Families are the building blocks of a healthy community, a healthy economy and a healthy world. We believe in welcoming families and getting parents and children involved in our way of life and our culture. It's the fastest way to spread health, happiness and well-being.

  5. Growth through adversity

    We embrace challenges and learn from setbacks, failures and difficult situations. We welcome the lessons, the blessings and the humility that come from failing, falling short and being wrong. They are 100% required for us to grow. And when we overcome these obstacles, the growth we gain is invaluable.

Dream Route banner: Team Passos, Projeto Arte Suave, Povos do Sertão, DreamRoot Leadership Institute, Kingdom Fight Club, Casa Shores and Armezzani Jiu-Jitsu, with photos from our Brazil camp and a QR code to donate to DreamRoot
Our Dream Route banner from the October 2026 Brazil camp. Scan the code, or tap the banner, to donate to DreamRoot Leadership Institute.

Team Passos · Recife, Brazil

Our family in Brazil

Armezzani Jiu-Jitsu is an official Team Passos affiliate. Professor Lou has been a student and affiliate of Professor Tony Passos for the past 15 years. That makes Projeto Arte Suave, led by Professor Jhonatas Alves in Paulista, Pernambuco, our sister academy in Brazil, the country where jiu-jitsu was born.

In October 2026 our coaches traveled to Recife for the Team Passos Brazil Camp and trained on the mats with Arte Suave's kids and adults. When you train with us, you're part of a team that reaches from New Brighton to Brazil.

Academy members with Team Passos and Projeto Arte Suave students after training in Brazil
Kids from Projeto Arte Suave gathered around a coach on the mat
Academy members at the Recife sign in Brazil
Coaches and members relaxing under a tree in Recife
Training partners laughing on the mat under the Projeto Arte Suave banner
Coaches and students smiling together at Projeto Arte Suave
A packed class lined up across the Arte Suave mats
Students rolling under the Projeto Arte Suave banner
Two students in white and blue gis rolling in Brazil
Coach rolling with a young student in Brazil
Guard passing drill at Projeto Arte Suave
Arte Suave students seated along the wall under the DreamRoot banner
Professor Lou smiling on the mat with Team Passos coaches and students in Brazil
Our crew at the giant RECIFE letters on the waterfront
Professor Lou taking a selfie with the group at Marco Zero in Recife
Students rolling under the Projeto Arte Suave and Team Passos banners
A student working from mount during open rolls in Brazil
A coach in a black gi helping a student at Projeto Arte Suave
Training partners rolling while the class looks on in Brazil

From the academy

Blog

Tips and thoughts on training, health and raising confident kids.

January 25, 2026

The Positive Effects of Martial Arts for a Child in School

Read article

School asks a lot of kids. Beyond reading and math, they have to learn how to sit still, follow directions, make friends and handle frustration. Martial arts trains every one of those skills.

In a kids jiu-jitsu class, children listen to a coach, wait their turn, and practice a technique until they get it. That kind of focus carries straight into the classroom. Earning stripes and belts teaches them that steady effort pays off, which is the same lesson behind good grades.

Jiu-jitsu also builds confidence without aggression. Kids learn to stay calm when things get hard, to control a situation instead of panicking, and to treat training partners with respect. Parents often tell us their kids come home calmer and more focused.

If your child is ready to build focus, respect and confidence, start with our questionnaire and we'll set up a Beginner's Class.

February 20, 2026

Finding Harmony: Martial Arts as a Path to Balance and Well-Being

Read article

People look for balance in a lot of places: meditation, yoga, long walks. Martial arts offers something those don't, which is a challenge that demands your full attention.

When you're on the mat working through a position, there's no room to think about work or bills. That focus is its own kind of rest. You leave class tired in the body and clear in the head.

Training also builds steady habits. Showing up two or three times a week, learning a little more each time, and working through tough rounds teaches patience and resilience that spill into everyday life.

Jiu-jitsu isn't just exercise. It's a practice. If you're looking for more balance, our Beginner's Class is a good place to start.

March 14, 2026

Protect Your Heart with Martial Arts

Read article

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your heart, and martial arts makes it hard to skip a workout because it never feels like one.

A jiu-jitsu or striking class mixes steady movement, short bursts of hard effort and recovery, which keeps your heart working across a whole session. Over time, that kind of training helps build cardiovascular fitness, strength and endurance.

Stress plays a role in heart health too, and the mat is a great place to let it go. Add a supportive team that expects to see you, and you have a routine you'll actually keep.

Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, then come try a Beginner's Class. It's paced for people who have never trained.

First-timer questions

Nervous? Good. Read this.

Why do I have to fill out a questionnaire?

Because we take every new student seriously. Professor Lou personally reads every one. Your answers tell him your goals, your experience and your schedule, so your first class is set up for you. Jiu-jitsu takes commitment, and the people who take a few minutes to fill this out are the ones who show up ready to train.

I'm out of shape. Should I get fit first?

No. Training is how you get in shape. The Beginner's Class is paced for people who have never done anything like this.

I've never trained. Will I get hurt?

Beginners learn the movements step by step with coaches watching. Partners look out for each other, and you go at your own pace.

Do I need a gi or any gear?

No. We'll loan you a gi for your first class. Wear athletic clothes underneath, skip anything with zippers or pockets, and arrive 15 minutes early so we can get you set up.

Will I have to spar on my first day?

No. There's no live rolling on day one. Your Beginner's Class is about learning the basics safely and getting comfortable on the mat.

Can I watch my child's class?

Yes. Parents are welcome to stay and watch.

How young can kids start?

Kids start at almost 5. A very mature 4-year-old who can listen, follow directions and stay with the group for a full class is welcome too. Classes build confidence, focus and respect along with real self-defense.

How much does it cost?

After your Beginner's Class we sit down and walk you through schedules and membership options in person, so you pick what fits your goals and your family.

Beaver County & north of Pittsburgh

Training families from

The academy is at 1438 5th Ave in New Brighton, a short drive from across the county.

  • New Brighton
  • Beaver
  • Rochester
  • Ambridge
  • Aliquippa
  • Baden
  • Hopewell
  • Ellwood City
  • Midland
  • Cranberry

Your first class is waiting

Stop thinking about it. Start training.

Start the questionnaire →
Start questionnaireCall