Gi
Training in the traditional uniform, built on grips, control and the positional game the sport is founded on.
Chang Phueak Road, Chiang Mai
BJJ Chiang Mai
Gi, No-Gi, beginners and kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, six days a week, under black belt instruction just north of the Old City.
4.9 stars from 84 Google reviews / Free trial class for beginners / Gi rental available / 400 THB drop-in
Where can you train BJJ in Chiang Mai? Gato Studio BJJ is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy at 181/40 Chang Phueak Rd in Si Phum, a few minutes north of the Old City moat, running Gi, No-Gi, beginners fundamentals and kids classes six days a week. Head coach Nattakorn Mahittharithikrai is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, the academy holds 4.9 stars from 84 Google reviews, and gi rental means visitors can train the same day they arrive.
- 4.9 ★★★★★84 Google reviews
- First class freeFundamentals, for beginners
- ฿400 THB drop-inSingle class or open mat
- Black Belt Head CoachNattakorn Mahittharithikrai
Where to find us
Chang Phueak Road, Si Phum
181/40 Chang Phueak Rd, Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200. Walkable from the north side of the Old City moat, and about ten minutes from Nimman by scooter.
Programmes
Find your class
Four programmes run out of one room in Chiang Mai. Whichever one you start with, the first session is a trial and nothing more is expected of you.
No-Gi
Rash guard and shorts, faster exchanges, body control instead of cloth grips. Popular with visitors travelling light.
Beginners
Fundamentals at 17:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Safe falling, frames, escapes, and the free trial slot if you have never trained.
Kids
Supervised sessions on Thursday at 16:15 and Saturday at 09:00, built around movement, control and mat discipline.
When to come in
Two training windows a day
Group classes run at 11:00 and again in the evening, Monday to Friday, with a Saturday morning block. Midday suits people working remotely in Chiang Mai and visitors with afternoon plans, while the evening is the busiest and the best time to meet the wider training group.
Gi and No-Gi alternate through the week, so there is a session for you whether or not you own a uniform. Private lessons fill the mornings and early afternoons by advance booking, and Sunday is a rest day.
| Day | Midday | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | No-Gi, 11:00 to 12:30 | Fundamentals 17:00, Gi 18:00 to 19:30 |
| Tuesday | Gi, 11:00 to 12:30 | No-Gi, 18:00 to 19:30 |
| Wednesday | No-Gi, 11:00 to 12:30 | Fundamentals 17:00, Gi 18:00 to 19:30 |
| Thursday | Gi, 11:00 to 12:30 | Kids 16:15, No-Gi 18:00 to 19:30 |
| Friday | No-Gi, 11:00 to 12:30 | Fundamentals 17:00, Gi 18:00 to 19:30 |
| Saturday | Kids 09:00, Gi 11:00, open mat 12:00 to 13:30 | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed | Closed |
What people say
4.9 from 84 reviews
- 4.9 ★★★★★84 Google reviews
The pattern in the reviews is consistent, and it is the reason the academy leads with proof rather than promises. Visitors mention a spotless facility, coaching that slows down and explains the detail, and rolling that includes every level in the room rather than sorting people by rank.
A large share of those reviews come from people who trained here for a week while travelling. That is unusual for a gym, and it shapes how the academy runs: newcomers are absorbed into the session rather than parked at the side of it.
- Spotless mats and changing space
- Patient, detailed instruction
- A welcoming culture for first timers
- All levels rolling together
Straight answers
The four things stopping you
Will I get smashed
Not in your first sessions. New students drill and work positions before they roll competitively, and when you do roll the coach chooses your partner. Training intensity is set by the more experienced person, and at this academy that person is expected to look after you.
Am I too unfit or too old
Fitness is a result of training rather than a requirement for it, and adults in their forties and fifties train here. You set your own pace, sit out a round when you need to, and nobody comments on it.
What do I wear
A t-shirt and shorts with no pockets or zips for your first visit, plus flip flops for off the mat. Gi sessions need a uniform and the academy rents them, so there is nothing to buy up front.
Do I need experience
None. The beginners class assumes you have never stepped on a mat, and every term gets explained the first time it is used. If you have trained before, tell the coach your rank and you will be placed accordingly.
Free Fundamentals trial / Gi rental available / 4.9 stars from 84 Google reviews
Who is teaching
Black belt instruction
Head coach Nattakorn Mahittharithikrai holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt awarded by Mick of Mildura Martial Arts in Australia, in the lineage Carson Gracie to Olavo to Mick to Bank. Lineage matters because it records who judged the standard, and it is why a beginner here gets corrected properly rather than left to copy the person in front of them.
Rank matters in this sport because it takes most people the better part of a decade to earn, and it tells you the person adjusting your grip has been adjusted themselves for years.
Visiting Chiang Mai
Train while you travel
If you are researching this before you land, you are the academy's most common visitor. A drop-in class is 400 THB, the Saturday open mat runs 12:00 to 13:30 at the same rate, gis can be rented so you do not lose luggage space to a uniform, and a message on Instagram a day ahead is all the notice needed.
The academy sits on Chang Phueak Road, walkable from the north side of the Old City and a short ride from Nimman.
Common questions
Before you come in
Send a direct message to @gatostudio.bjj on Instagram and ask for a Fundamentals class. Those run at 17:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the trial is free if you have not trained before. There is no phone line and no booking form, so Instagram is the fastest route.
No experience is needed. Beginners are placed in fundamentals work, taught the safety basics before anything else, and paired with training partners who know how to look after a first timer. Many students at the academy started with no martial arts background at all.
The beginners guide walks through the first session step by step.
Wear a t-shirt and shorts without pockets, zips or buttons, and bring flip flops for walking off the mat. If the class is a Gi session you will train in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu uniform, and gi rental is available so you do not need to buy one before you have decided to continue.
Yes. A single drop-in class is 400 THB for non-members, and a large share of the people on the mats are visitors training for a few days or a few weeks. Message ahead so the coach knows to expect you.
Full detail is on the drop-in page.
Classes are taught in Thai and English. Coaches demonstrate every technique before explaining it, so the movement is clear even when a term is unfamiliar, and international students train here every week without a language barrier.
There is space to park a scooter or motorbike at the building on Chang Phueak Road. Car parking in Si Phum is street based and busier in the evenings, so allow a few extra minutes before an evening class. Directions and landmarks are on the contact page.
Yes. Kids classes run on Thursday from 16:15 to 17:45 and Saturday from 09:00 to 10:30. Sessions focus on movement, positional control and mat discipline in a supervised environment, and parents are welcome to watch the first one. Age bands are listed on the classes page.
The academy is at 181/40 Chang Phueak Rd, Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200. That is a short ride north of Chang Phueak Gate at the top of the Old City, roughly ten minutes from Nimman by scooter. Open the map.
The academy is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 19:30 and Saturday from 09:00 to 16:00, and is closed on Sunday. Group classes sit at 11:00 and from 17:00, with private lessons filling the mornings and early afternoons. The weekly timetable shows which class runs in each slot.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a contact sport and injuries can happen, so honesty matters more than reassurance. Beginners drill at controlled intensity, submissions are released the moment a partner taps, and coaches supervise the room, which is why many people train for years without a significant injury.
Book your trial class
One message is the whole booking process. Tell the team which day suits you and they will confirm a class time.
Free trial for beginners / Black belt instruction / Chang Phueak Road, Chiang Mai