About Golden Jiu Jitsu
A game-based jiu jitsu gym in Golden, Colorado, built on how people actually learn. Established in 2022, rated 5.0 stars across 90+ Google reviews.
Our Story
GJJ started with a simple frustration: the way most jiu jitsu is taught has very little to do with how people actually learn.
If you've trained somewhere traditional, you know the format. A long warmup with no grappling in it. A long demonstration nobody quite remembers. Drilling moves on a partner who isn't allowed to resist. Ask why classes work that way and the honest answer is tradition, not results.
Decades of motor learning research point somewhere else: people build skills through play, variation, and real problem-solving. In 2022, we set out to build a gym around that idea. We called yoga studios until one said yes, borrowed mats from three different friends (none of them matched), and invited everyone we knew. Somewhere between 20 and 30 people showed up to the first open mat.
People kept coming back. Today, GJJ is a hybrid eco gym: plant-lined windows, natural light, and a community where people know each other by name.
Everything we teach serves two goals: turning adult beginners into genuinely skilled purple belts, and helping kids grow into good adults, not just good grapplers.
Avery's fridge at home is covered in handwritten thank-you cards from members. That's still the best explanation of why this gym exists.
How We Coach
Walk into a GJJ class and you won't stand in a line watching a coach demonstrate techniques. You'll play structured grappling games with a training partner, each with a defined starting position, rules, and a way to win.
We call our approach American Jiu Jitsu: play-based, research-backed, and built on coaching science rather than tradition and hierarchy.
Games, not drills
You learn by playing, not by watching. Each game gives you a real problem to solve with a real person. That's how skill sticks.
Concepts, not sequences
We teach you the principles behind why things work, not just step-by-step moves. When you understand the concept, you can figure out new problems on your own.
Both sides of every position
In most classes you'll practice attacking and defending. Passing and guarding. Pinning and escaping. You build a complete picture, not just half of it.
Tap early, play often, no ego
That's the standard everyone here trains by. Experienced members adjust their intensity for newer partners, coaches calibrate the games for new people, and nobody is trying to prove anything on you.
Coaches who study how people learn
Our coaches read the research on motor learning and skill development: Rob Gray, Keith Davids, Nick Winkelman. They know why games beat drills, and they design every class to maximize the time you spend playing.
Meet the Coaches
Our coaches don't just know jiu jitsu. They study how to teach it. Here's who you'll meet on the mats.
Avery Lorenzato
Owner and head coach. Brown belt under Rob Biernacki with nine years on the mats. Avery started GJJ in 2022 because he wanted a gym built around how people actually learn, and he still spends most of his free time reading coaching research and turning it into better classes.
Noah "Smiley"
Noah has been grappling his whole life. His family runs a Gracie Barra gym in Texas, and he's studying petroleum engineering at Colorado School of Mines. He brings a lifetime of mat time and an infectious love for the game to every class he coaches.
Huck
Gym dog. Chief morale officer. Will greet you at the door and occasionally wander onto the mats during class. Not technically on the coaching staff, but try telling him that.
Come meet us
Your first class is free. We'll show you around and pair you with a partner who knows the format.
Golden, Colorado
The gym is in Golden, Colorado, near the Colorado School of Mines, with adult classes seven days a week and kids classes Monday through Friday.
Plant-lined windows and natural light make it feel less like a training facility and more like somewhere you actually want to spend time.
About half our members drive in from neighboring areas like Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, and Denver West. Most people find us the same way: a friend who trains here wouldn't stop talking about it.
What our members say
Real reviews from our members on Google, where we hold a 5.0 rating.
" This place absolutely rocks and I truly don't think I've seen a better environment for training BJJ. The vibes are really friendly and completely avoid the cultural pitfalls I've seen in a lot of martial arts gyms. "
Matt S.
Google review
" Golden Jiu Jitsu has truly been the best. The coaching here is truly exceptional, thoughtful, clear, and grounded in both skill and patience. What impressed me just as much as the technical instruction was the quality of the community. "
Ella Y.
Google review
Come see for yourself
The best way to understand GJJ is to train here. Your first class is free. No experience needed.