Great BJJ/Muy Thai/Crossfit gym with awesome coaches, top level instruction and the best people to train with! Could not be happier that I found this place!

Tons of mat space + lots of classes available = small class sizes and personal attention. The later classes are great for busy work days working past 6PM.30-day trial is much longer than other gyms.They have an organized method of teaching jiu jitsu consistent across instructors that builds on itself over weeks/months, not just a random move of the day. Felt very welcome as a beginner. Strong focus on safety and injury prevention, big selling point for the 30+ crowd.Pricing is a great value - BJJ is not cheap, esp. in DMV but Vanguard is very reasonable. You wont find a better deal in the area, I shopped around and came back to Vanguard.High ceilings and good ventilation are big perk vs other BJJ gyms. Does not get stinky and gross like basement gyms.Thanks Doug, Christian, Mike and others, I will be back!

I’ve been doing BJJ at vanguard gym for about 2 years now and I just started CrossFit as well. I can’t tell you how outstanding this place is, the coaches are so inspirational and motivating and the atmosphere is amazing. My first and current job is at the gym because I wanted to be more involved. Overall if you want a place to train Martial arts or crossFit this is the place.

Vanguard is the place to train at if you’re in Manassas or surrounding areas. The level of detail in which Coach Doug and Coach Chris go into with every technique is outstanding. Whether you’re interested in top notch training for competitions or looking for self denfense instruction, Vanguard always performs above and beyond my expectations. In addition, the atmosphere within the team/school is what truly makes this place feel like a home. This is not my home gym, but I look forward to each and every session I can make it to.

I really enjoy the family atmosphere, the principles the coaching staff adheres to and the goal-oriented approach the head coach encourages all members to have. The positive attitudes are contagious! Definitely worth checking out.

If you want to lift weights and get a good all-around workout but dont care for the typical gym... this is for you! Crossfit is worth every penny. All the coaches at this gym are knowledgeable and motivating. This place is accepting of all people, no matter what stage you are in achieving your goals. Had I known that this gym existed, I would have signed up a long time ago. Coach Doug is really an inspiration!

Excellent Kids Programs. My son has been more respectful, organized and responsible. The coaches are amazing with the kids from cross fit, BJJ and wrestling. Love this gym.

Had a great experience with the Intro to Muay Thai class! I felt challenged, but encouraged. It was a great work out and a great learning experience! Coach Mike was friendly and an excellent teacher. If youre thinking about trying Muay Thai, this is the place! I look forward to joining the regular class soon.

Great Gym, with a welcoming atmosphere. I would encourage anyone looking to get into BJJ to check out Vanguard. This place is top notch.

This is an amazing gym. It has totally changed the way I view fitness and the way I view a fitness facility. The coaches are great, knowledgeable, and encouraging. No one is made to feel weak or lame at Vanguard Gym. Coach Doug stresses the importance of teamwork and being a team, and the other members really take that to heart. It is a great place to workout no matter where you are in your fitness journey.The facility is great, and the equipment is awesome!! Some of the classes are large, but that is ok, because they have enough equipment that they never run out! I love that!! The Crossfit room is super clean and bright - it just makes you want to go in and workout!Try this gym - you wont regret it!! I have been going for nearly 5 months, and I go 4-5 times per week pretty consistently. I never feel like I have to force myself to come. I WANT to workout at this facility and with these coaches and members. You will, too!

I decided to go with this gym, however if I could rate them a -10 I would. They dont support their team and abandon them (to the point of booing their team members before major fight events). I definitely dont recommend this gym. They are childish and opposite of what they say they stand for. Theres nothing left to say about it. Dont join or go here, it will be your worst mistake!

Vangaurd is an outstanding. The best fitness program Ive belonged to outside of the military.

Just had a visiter,( Kelsey ) at my location in Raleigh, Nc.You can tell right away she come from a great gym and was taught to have fun in her BJJ.My compliments to her and her coaches.Well done, it was a pleasure having you.Machado Black BeltM. C. Tricoli

Great helpful staff,and very reasonable price

I have trained at other gyms in Virginia, and I have trained in a wide variety of martial arts throughout my life. Vanguard Gym is with out a doubt the best place I have trained!! The facility is really second to none. It is well equipped and very spacious.All that aside, the reason why I choose to train at Vanguard is Doug and his staff!! Dougs highly decorated service in the Marine Corps, his vast knowledge of self defense, and his impeccable skills in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu create a synergy that will be hard to find in other gyms around the country, let alone NoVA.Dougs staff is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, professional, and, above all, genuine!! A person can gauge another persons character traits by evaluating the people he or she surrounds themselves with. Doug has surrounded himself with, and staffed Vanguard Gym with, exceptionally moral and honorable men and women. They are the type of people that always make the right decisions, even when nobody is looking. They are people that you would be honored to call a friend.So, if you are looking to learn from the best, have access to an exceptional facility, and be surrounded by great people, I highly advise you to join the Vanguard team!!

I am a current CrossFit Coach at CrossFit Blacksburg, I attend CrossFit Manassas when I am home visiting family. This is what I have to say about it:Doug and his staff are constant professionals. They are in this business for the right reason, which is, to positively change lives for the better. Great camaraderie, great coaches, great energy. There is never a moment of, Oh, you cant do this WOD. It is a moment of, Here is how you are going to scale. EVERYONE can workout here, and their life WILL be changed for the better. Listen to Coach Doug and his staff, they know what theyre doing.

My son and I started training at Vanguard in late 2012. At first my son was hesitant to train jiu jitsu, but after only a few minutes on the mat with the kids coaches, he loved it. He went from wanting to only train a couple of days a week to wanting to train every day. The kids coaches are outstanding in how flexible they are toward each kid based on their development, yet firm when they feel the need. Vanguard is the only martial arts gym I feel comfortable sending my kid to because I trust the owner and lead instructor, Doug. He is an oustanding role model and solid person.As for the adult jiu jitsu training....it is very well organized so each class and week of training chains off each other, leaving even the beginning student with a sense of knowing what to do from class to class. Many other martial arts establishments just throw out technique after technique without any thought on how those techniques chain together. That method leaves many students confused. That is not the case at Vanguard. Although the classes are highly structured, there is a lot of room for flexibility as there is a lot of open mat time where students can work on their techniques with other students and coaches. Ive trained in the martial arts for a little over a decade throughout my life and can say the quality and structure of Vanguards system is second to none.As for the physical property. It is exceptionally clean with many restrooms, showers, and changing rooms that fit a busy person needs, such as my own. I can train hard, shower up, and be on to work without having to go back home. Although I only train brazilian jiu jitsu, I see the CrossFit class has tons of energy and many students who seem to be really enjoying the experience and comraderie.Vanguard Gym gets an A+ in my book.Brett

I’ve been training at Vanguard Gym/CrossFit Manassas for over three years. I originally started out just training BJJ but also took advantage of the other classes that are offered including Thai Boxing and CrossFit.At Vanguard Gym/CrossFit Manassas the focus is not only on trying to become a better martial artist or athlete; there is also a strong focus on becoming a better person. A portion of class time is spent discussing core values and what it means to represent Vanguard Gym/CrossFit Manassas.Safety is always of paramount importance. During instruction and before any activity, key safety points are always discussed. During activity, coaches are always attentive to make sure everyone is safe. If anything is being performed in an unsafe manner the coaches quickly correct the problem.There’s definitely a strong team atmosphere. Other members are welcoming, encouraging, and supportive. There are organized team building events such as the “Vanguard Games” and the holiday party.I can’t speak more highly about the coaching staff at Vanguard Gym/CrossFit Manassas. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and always have time to answer questions or just talk in general. There is no pressure to participate in anything you do not want to participate in. The coaches are interested in what YOUR goals are and how they can support them.Vanguard Gym is a great place with great people. Highly recommend.

I wanted to take a minute to suggest Crossfit Manassas to any of those in the area looking for a solid box to join.This past summer after doing crossfit on my own for years, I though I would give Crossfit Manassas a try, and was not disappointed at all. The work, sweat, and effort Doug (the owner and coach) has taken to ensure that this is one of the best boxes in the gym is evident the minute you walk in and talk to him. Not only have the facilities been completely upgraded, expanded, and stocked with rogue equipment from wall to wall, but after speaking with Doug it was clear he has taken charge of the programming and will forget more about the science and coaching behind it than I will ever learn. Doug has taken the time to ensure the programming is top notch and that the other coaches in the gym are all on the same level. Doug has not just spit out another persons training philosophy, but you can tell he has taken his time to read up on Burgener, Rippetoe, Everett, and several other coaches and incorporated everything he has learned into his programming and coaching.On top of the excellent coaching, I could not imagine a better group of folks to work out with. The atmosphere in the gym is like I imagine it is at most boxes, nothing but an extended family. I have made leaps and bounds between having the proper coaching and teammates to push me everyday. If you are in the area and want to check it out, please do not hesitate...you will not be disappointed.

Great coaching. great learning. great workout. this is a gym that teaches jiu jitsu, muy thai, crossfit and more really well. ive been very satisfied with everything. When you join you feel like you become part of a team and that means more to me than joining a Planet Fitness or Golds. The atmosphere here makes me want to set goals and drive hard to be better at what I do. Not just jiu jitsu but even being a hard worker.

I’m a new member and I can only speak towards the BJJ/Thai kicking boxing portions of this gym, as well as its members. I did a trial at a number of other places in Herndon, Sterling, and Reston areas, though none others in Manassas. I also had a short stint at a place in El Paso, TX with regard to BJJ training, so that’s the extent of my perspective.This gym is fantastic. The people are really what make it. Coach Douglas is as down to earth a guy you can ask for. Talking to him, you infer a genuine passion for BJJ and interest in seeing everyone progress. He also takes a real pride in the performance of his students. These two qualities are key, but it’s his third quality that make this gym stand out (at least to me): the ability to instruct. He’s organized, he comes at it with a plan, and there’s no information overload. He demonstrates a lesson several times, each time building up your knowledge further, until you’re aware of the fundamentals, the risks, and the advantages inherent to what you’re learning.The same goes for the Thai Kickboxing. I didn’t even know what a slip or weave was on my first day, and the beginning instructor, Reid, worked with me personally during the class just to catch me up to speed on their curriculum. I really can’t speak highly enough of the staff. It’s not just Coach Doug; guys like Reid are at least half of why I decided to sign up.Add to that a class of students that reciprocate that passion and you have a frankly fun (can we use that word in a gym?) classes. I’ve constantly had higher belts pause mid-roll to show me how to defend against their assaults if they see me struggling, and even new students try to execute clean technique rather than a frenzied assault. It really does embody the words above the door – no egos.

I need place