Jack Duffy
Founder - Novo Eastbourne
Alex Salisbury's first black belt, Jack brought Novo to Eastbourne in 2020 and built the branch from venue to venue before opening the permanent academy with Dinko in 2025.
Submission grappling
No-gi and submission grappling in Eastbourne
No-gi is the busiest programme on our Eastbourne mats. Take the gi away and the game speeds up: underhooks, wrist control and body locks replace collars and sleeves. It is the ruleset behind modern submission grappling and the closest cousin to MMA grappling.
Expect wrestling-influenced takedowns, leg locks taught safely and progressively, and plenty of flowing positional rounds. Everything you learn here feeds your gi game, and the other way round.
What to bring: a rash guard or fitted t-shirt, and shorts without pockets or zips.
When it runs
No-gi at Novo Eastbourne
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Monday
7pm - 8pm
Submission grappling
With Jack Duffy
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Tuesday
6pm - 7pm
Womens grappling
With Chloe Roberts
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Thursday
7pm - 8pm
Submission grappling
With Jack Duffy
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Friday
7pm - 8pm
Submission grappling
With Jack Duffy
Who it is for
Beginners are welcome from the first class, and you can start with gi or no-gi: they feed each other, and most members end up doing both. No-gi runs more often, so it is usually the easier one to fit around work, and as the closest cousin to MMA grappling it fits alongside MMA training too.
How a class runs
- A warm up with the whole class.
- A takedown, a position or a submission taught step by step. Leg locks come progressively, with the control positions first and the finishes later.
- Drilling with a partner, with everyone expected to release early.
- Flowing positional rounds, and sparring that is optional in your first class.
Who teaches it
Your coaches
Chloe Roberts
Womens grappling coach - Eastbourne
Chloe runs the womens grappling class at Novo BJJ Eastbourne. A purple belt and gold-medalling competitor, she has built one of the most welcoming womens mats on the south coast.
From our members
What members say
5.0 · 56 Google reviews (opens in a new tab)-
ben askaroff
Awesome gym, coaches are high level and loads of classes to choose from. Nice bunch of people and good atmosphere too. Definitely recommend 👊🏼
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Ryan Perkins
Great high level coaching, busy timetable, brilliant team environment and top quality mat space.
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Richard Canton
Great instructors, very informative, and a great team atmosphere. Everyone helping and pushing each other to get better. Highly recommended.
Google reviews of Novo BJJ Eastbourne, in the members' own words. Read them all on Google (opens in a new tab)
Before you come
Common questions
- Should I start with gi or no-gi?
- Either. They feed each other, and most members end up doing both. No-gi runs more often, so it is usually the easier one to fit around work.
- Are leg locks safe to learn?
- They are taught progressively, with the control positions first and the finishes later, and everyone is expected to release early in drilling. Nobody is asked to crank anything on a training partner.
- What should I wear?
- A rash guard or fitted t-shirt and shorts with no pockets or zips. Zips and pockets catch fingers and toes, which is why they are not allowed on the mat.
Something not answered here? Read the full FAQs or ask us directly.
Find us
Train in Eastbourne
Performance Fitness Gym14C Maple Road, Eastbourne BN23 6NY
Get directions on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Nearer Hastings? Hastings HQ runs gi, no-gi and MMA every week.
Also on the mats
Train something else
First class free.
No experience, no gi, no problem. Book below or just turn up ten minutes early.
Performance Fitness Gym, 14C Maple Road, Eastbourne BN23 6NY