A Truly Incredible Experience at Kugtar MMA!!!…read more We are beyond grateful for the amazing guidance, support, and mentorship our son has received. From the moment he started, we knew we found something special. The environment is positive, DISCIPLINED, and uplifting -- exactly what every parent hopes for when choosing a martial arts school. A huge and heartfelt thank you to the Vanderlipe family, whose dedication and passion for jiu-jitsu shine through in everything they do. Their patience, encouragement, and genuine care have helped our son grow not only as an athlete, but also in his confidence, focus, and character. We have so much appreciation for the time, energy, and heart they pour into their students. We couldn't be more proud of the progress he's made under their guidance. He recently competed in a few tournaments for the first time this year. First tournament received a participation medal, second tournament a bronze, and third was GOLD! We highly recommend Kugtar MMA to any family looking for top-tier jiu-jitsu training, amazing role models, and a community that truly feels like family. Thank you, Vanderlipe family -- we are so grateful for everything you've done for our son!

Came with my friend and his son to see if he would be a good fit . I like the overall quality of…read morethe place but when the main female instructor ( i believe she was the main sensei's wife) came to class late loud and disruptive I immediately didn't like it. After class she approached and spoke with us with a sense of entitlement telling us we have to refer to her as ma'am when speaking to her but showed no respect while speaking to us. She then tells me I can beat up your mom and she's choked out guys that thought she couldn't do it. The head sensei showed the traditional demeanor of martial artist's I've met in the past honor and humility which has always been something I've found appealing. There was also 2 younger instructors who acted with respect and were leading the class. It was ma'am that made me not like the place and it seems she'd be there all the time.

I am a former student here and it is a very great place to learn and demonstrate self defense.read more

Great coach and training environment. Very affordable, and the coach is great with kids. Very…read moreencouraging, respectful, and invested in their success. For adults, the gym is very welcoming, especially for first-timers. All the training partners in the gym were very nice and helpful. Highly recommend this gym!

Absolutely amazing instructors. Very professional. Clean. Respectful…read more I genuinely feel like my child is learning a craft and many skills that will be carried throughout life.

I've been with MAI since their Brazilian Jujitsu program started, which was four or five years ago…read more(from this review). MAI is an associated school to Claudio Franca's BJJ in Santa Cruz. The atmosphere here is quite relaxed, with a emphasis on sportsmanship and an open learning environment. At the time of this review, the owner holds a purple belt in BJJ ( & a high level black belt in Kempo Karate, but my experience in the Kempo classes is very limited). There are a few other purple belts who attend regularly and once a week Daniel Thomas, BJJ black belt, comes in and instructs. I'm probably biased, but I've yet to come across a better instructor than Daniel. The class sizes for BJJ are small to medium in size. I'd say an average of ten to fifteen students per class. The student body size is quite larger, but different people might come on different days. Personally I appreciate a smaller class size - more room on the mat! If you are an association member with Claudia Franca BJJ, you can also attend one class per month at the other association schools, which is quite worth doing. I can't speak for the Kempo Karate program for adults. I know a number of parents who have enrolled their children in MAI's children's Kempo classes and they have told me it is a great program. If you are new to BJJ and want to give it a shot or an established/former student and are looking for a place to train, you should drop by. Classes are Tuesday @ 615 PM and Thursday @ 615 PM. Daniel teaches on Tuesdays. There are also BJJ classes on Wednesday and Saturday in the morning hours. I'd recommend a Tuesday class for your first though. Your first class here will be no charge. If you have any questions, call the place up and ask for Erick.

I needed to train really Bad!!…read more I saw there web site and called. They said go ahead and come in for a session. I showed up to a very clean and well kept school. The old school bags on the side. The smell of sweat and icy hot. I could see some kids grappling with there Instructor Josh 4-strip blue belt( I think really a purple belt.) leading the class. As class finished you could see how much the kids respected him. He introduced himself and said welcome in. They have a small dressing room across the mat. I went to change in the closed off studio. Class started with stretching and normal warm up. Went through some training moves. Great time on the mat. 4-5 5 min rolls with some really great students of this school! You guys rock!! Cheers!

The teacher does not live by example, don't train there one of the worst places to train .read more

I used to attend here and the instructors have their favorites. I was also 10 and a yellow stripe…read morewhen they had a black belt/boxer 30 year old spar me.. they didn't have her wear gear but I was a child and I was hit hard.

Great place to learn Martial Arts. Outstanding instructors and are very knowledgeable.read more

Mr C. is the last of a dying breed in the world of Martial Arts!…read moreOnce you learn the basics, your next step in progression would to learn from a grand Master like him on the advance techniques. Located down at the Salinas, Filipino Hall, upstairs.

*A love letter to my favorite place in the Monterey Bay area.*…read more If you are looking for a martial arts gym in the area that will introduce you to the art and take you to the next level, look no longer. Coach Mark is truly the best with whom I trained under and cares very deeply about helping students continue to realize their potential as human beings and as martial artists. I had my first class here Feb 2021 and was impressed with Mark's high level instruction, and the quality of my fellow teammates. The impression of a martial arts dojo for people who have never trained is that it is full of dangerous people ready to smash newbies. And while this is true for some gyms, Eliteteam Monterey is the type of place that will simultaneously push you to become better and empower you. It was through the coach and teammates' encouragement that I decided to compete, and if you are willing to learn the program and train consistently, you will be carried to another level with the support of a stellar coach and hard working team. Having trained at four different gyms since 2016, one learns to look at some details to understand the "health" of a gym: 1) The mats are always clean and are sanitized after every session. 2) Mark pays close attention to the organization, cleanliness, and vibe of the whole facility, so you feel right at home. 3) A shower is available for those on morning, noon, or evening training schedules and is stocked with "Defense" soap so that every person can keep the team safe with good hygiene (anti-ring worm, anti-staph). 4) This academy now has a Full Monday to Sunday schedule, with 6 AM classes, 12 PM classes, 4 PM classes, and 6PM classes. 5) It is a very inclusive academy and has classes for all levels, and women's classes 8-9 Saturday. 6) The coach constantly emphasizes fundamentals while helping you build skills, and then try them in live sparring under his close supervision so that everyone stays safe. 7) Striking classes are offered as well In addition to jiujitsu, I also benefited a lot from Coach Mark's advice about applying principles of the art in my professional and personal life, and how to improve my health. He provided me with strengthening exercises, cardio exercises, cool podcasts, and coaching at competitions, to help me build more confidence as a person and as a martial artist. Thank you coach Mark and the Elite Team Monterey crew. Catch you on the next roll.

I was visiting for a few days due to work and this was the highlight of my trip. Great vibe, I felt…read moresafe as a visitor, awesome technique. Thanks Coach Mark, and all the others of the team. Highly recommended