Gracie Barra Northridge is in the San Fernando Valley, at 19520 Nordhoff Street, Unit 10, in the Northridge neighbourhood of Los Angeles. It has been open since 2011.

The founder and owner is Romulo Barral, a fifth-degree black belt whom the academy describes as a BJJ Hall of Fame member. Its bio credits him with five black belt world titles, an ADCC title, a No-Gi World title, two Pan American titles, a European title and two Brazilian national titles. The site's overall world-title count is not consistent (the bio says ten, another section says eight), so check an independent record if the number matters to you.

The kids program is the academy's other headline. It takes children from 4 to 15 and is built around focus, discipline and teamwork. The school describes it as one of the largest kids programs in the world. It has been led for more than ten years by Jaeson Bianchi, a military veteran and second-degree black belt under Barral.

Adults have their own program, and there is a women's class for all levels. The school does not list a separate no-gi class, though reviews on its site mention students winning tournament medals.

The timetable starts at midday Monday to Friday and runs into the evening Monday to Thursday, with an earlier finish on Fridays. Saturday is a morning-to-early-afternoon session, and the school is closed on Sundays.

Visiting and first class

• Free trial: booked through the academy's "Book a Free Trial" form. You pick a program and date and get an email confirmation.
• Drop-ins: we could not find a published drop-in price. Gracie Barra says members can train at any official school.

Details above were checked on the academy site in October 2026. Confirm the current schedule with the school before you go.