The 12-Week Fast Track · Kids & teens self-defense jiu-jitsu · West Town, Chicago
12 weeks of real jiu-jitsu. A stronger, more confident kid.
Self-defense built the way that actually sticks: by training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in our Kids & Teens classes at 1654 W Chicago Ave.
- Self-defense that works against bigger, stronger people
- Strength, coordination and endurance from real training
- Awareness, boundaries and the confidence to use their voice
Why this matters
Most kids are taught to be polite. Very few are taught to be safe.
Self-defense isn't mostly about life-or-death moments. It starts small: a classmate who won't take no for an answer, someone standing too close, a grab that feels wrong. Kids who've been taught to be nice and not make a scene often freeze instead of act.
That isn't a flaw in your child. It's a skill nobody has taught them yet, and skills can be trained.
Our goal isn't to teach kids to fight. It's to make them so aware, strong and steady that they rarely have to, and ready if they ever do.
Why jiu-jitsu
Brain over brawn
Jiu-jitsu was built so a smaller person can beat a bigger one, using leverage, balance and technique instead of size and strength. That's exactly the situation a kid is in if something goes wrong.
And unlike a one-time workshop, kids practice every skill against a real, resisting partner. Breaking a grip, escaping from the bottom, getting back to their feet: they do it for real, over and over, until it's automatic. Under pressure we don't rise to the moment. We fall back on our training.
What a class looks like
Every class trains body, mind and safety
Movement warm-up
Shrimps, rolls, breakfalls and bear crawls. They build core strength and coordination, and learn to fall without getting hurt and get right back up.
Technique
One skill, step by step: breaking a wrist grab, escaping a pin, defending a takedown, getting up safely. Then they drill it with a partner until it sticks.
Positional sparring
They start stuck on the bottom under a resisting partner and work to escape. Real pressure, controlled and supervised, so staying calm becomes a habit.
Live rolling
Short, coached rounds where they put it all together. Hard work, a lot of fun, and where the confidence really gets built.
Mat chat
Class ends with a 2–3 minute talk on one life skill a week: confidence, courage, perseverance, standing up for others and self-defense awareness.
What the training builds
Safer. Stronger. More confident.
Self-defense
- Breaking grabs and grips
- Escaping pins and getting back to their feet
- Using a bigger person's weight against them
- Positional awareness: always knowing where they are and how to get out
- A strong base, posture and body language that says “not an easy target”
Physically
- Full-body strength, especially core, grip and legs
- Balance, coordination and body awareness
- Cardio and endurance that build week by week
- Flexibility and mobility
- Knowing how to fall safely
Mentally & emotionally
- Confidence they earn on the mat
- Staying calm when things feel overwhelming
- Self-trust, quick decisions and the confidence to act on them
- Resilience: they learn not to quit
- Discipline, respect and good friends
The byproduct of training
Character that shows up everywhere
We don't lecture kids about confidence. It's what happens when they train hard, week after week, against real resistance. Over 12 weeks you'll see it show up as:
Confidence
Carrying themselves with confidence, introducing themselves and walking into new places without the nerves.
Self-worth
Standing up for themselves and knowing their worth doesn't depend on other people's opinions.
Awareness
Staying aware of their surroundings, trusting their instincts and recognizing when something isn't right.
Leadership
Owning their safety, leading by example and using what they've learned in real life.
Along the way: discipline, focus, responsibility, resilience, respect and grit. The inner strength to handle school, friendships and hard moments.
How the 12 weeks work
Three phases. One stronger kid.
Foundations
"I can do this."Breakfalls, grip breaks, first escapes and getting back to their feet. Using their voice stops feeling weird, and the nerves wear off.
Pressure
"I can handle this."They train with bigger, stronger partners. They get tired, get stuck, stay calm and solve it. Panic turns into thinking, and stamina goes up fast.
Ownership
"This is who I am."They escape from the positions that scared them in week one, carry themselves differently and work toward their first stripe.
Watch it show up at home and at school
The changes parents notice
The next 3 months happen either way
Three months from now, where will they be?
A · They trained
24 to 48 classes in. They're stronger, they've escaped pins against bigger partners, they say no without apologizing and they've earned their first stripe. People notice how they carry themselves.
B · They didn't
The seminar is a fun memory. Most of the skills have faded. They're back to hoping nothing ever happens.
Physical skills are life-saving skills, and skills fade without practice.
Meet the head coach
Coached by a 4× Pan American Champion
Taylor Biagi is a 2nd-degree black belt with 17+ years on the mat. She's been coaching since 2018 and owns Taylor Biagi Jiu-Jitsu in West Town, where kids, teens and adults train side by side.
Her approach is simple: train the body and the mind together, so kids get strong and sharp inside and out, and know how to keep themselves safe.
The offer
The 12-Week Fast Track
Your child joins our regular Kids & Teens classes. Minimum 2 classes a week, up to 4.
Everything they need
$498- 12 weeks of training, up to 4 classes a week
- FREE uniform (gi) and belt
- 2 months FREE
- A clear goal: work toward their first stripe by week 12
- Coaches who know their name and track their progress
| Enrollment (includes uniform + belt) | $299 |
| Month one | $199 |
| Months two and three | FREE |
| 12 weeks, total | $498 |
Our regular rate is $49/week, so 12 weeks would normally be $588 before a uniform. After the 12 weeks they continue at $49/week, and you can cancel anytime with 7 days' notice.
Questions parents ask
FAQ
My child has never trained. Is that okay?
Yes. Most kids start with zero experience. The first weeks are all fundamentals.
Do they need to be athletic or in shape?
No. Jiu-jitsu is how they get in shape. Every warm-up and drill scales to where they are.
Will this make my child more aggressive?
No. Kids learn control, respect and when not to use what they know. The goal is to avoid trouble, and to handle it calmly if it finds them.
Is it safe?
Every technique is taught step by step and drilled with control. Sparring is short, supervised and matched by size and experience.
What do they wear?
Their uniform comes with enrollment. Until it's fitted: leggings or athletic shorts and a t-shirt, with no zippers or jewelry.
What if they can only come twice a week?
Two classes a week is the minimum, and it still builds real skill. Up to four is welcome, and more classes means faster progress.
What happens after 12 weeks?
They continue at our regular rate of $49/week. You can cancel anytime with 7 days' notice before the next billing date.
Can they come with friends?
Yes. Training with their crew makes it easier to keep showing up.
Stronger body. Sharper mind. Ready for anything.
Twelve weeks from now they'll move better, feel stronger and walk into any room differently, and people will notice before they say a word.
Questions? Text Coach Taylor at 312-985-6113.