*A love letter to my favorite place in the Monterey Bay area.* 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. read more

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

Eliteteam Monterey - Gym from the street view. - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Seaside, California

Came to the area visiting my wife's family and didn't want to miss out on my training routine. Came in and got great instruction and rolls from Mark and the guys at Eliteteam Jiu Jitsu. Made it to the 6am classes but he has a lot of classes available throughout the week. When I'm back in the area in a few months I'll be back at Eliteteam for more mat time. read more

Eliteteam Monterey - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Seaside, California

Great gym and awesome people I definitely recommend for anyone who's looking to start jiu jitsu Mark is a amazing coach

I was in town to see my family and figured I'd try to get some mat time away from my home gym on the East Coast. Coach Mark and everyone I trained/rolled with was very welcoming and nice, and I learned a ton during the 10 days that I dropped in. I can't wait to come back and train at Elite Team Monterey next time I'm in town. read more

My boyfriend has been training at Elite for a little over a month now and I can really see the change in him based on the instruction from Professor Mark. I can see the change in him both in class and outside of class. The instructor, Mark, seems very open-minded and patient with his new students. Mark is very friendly, hospitable, and supportive. For those that live here in the Monterey pennisula and those just passing through, definitely drop in to Elite Team Monterey for your BJJ classes. read more

Elite Team is an awesome place to grow yourself as a person and as a martial artist. I am happy to have found this place for the connections and knowledge gained. Coach Mark has lessons set up that make it super easy to follow along even as a new person. The environment is very friendly and most importantly clean! Members get access to weights and a shower as a bonus. If you don't have a gi you can use a loaner one they have for that class which I really like. Honestly just a really solid 10/10 place to start or continue your jiu-jitsu journey! read more

Eliteteam Monterey is one of the greatest gyms I have ever belonged to. Coach Mark is an amazing BJJ practitioner and even better coach. The atmosphere is extremely competitive yet relaxed and there is not one bad training partner. read more

I've been doing BJj for 15 years and been to many schools. Mark is a great teacher and would highly recommend this school. Good energy, positive people, no pretentious instruction. read more

we have two kids that attend Elite Monterey and both of them love it. Mark is super friendly and knowledgeable. Classes are flexible and the kids really enjoy themselves while also learning. Highly recommend! read more

Looking for a Brazilian jiu Jitsu place? Elite team Monterey is worth checking out. Mark Gutierrez is extremely knowledgeable in the art. But that isn't what makes him awesome. He has a very structured and concise way of explaining things that allows you to not only understand what is going on but makes information retention that much easier. Still, that isn't what makes him awesome. The people in his class are not only eager to learn, they are respectful of each other (and visitors such as myself-I come to take a class when I'm in town visiting in laws) and their attitude in the class and towards each other is a reflection of the instruction that they receive and the atmosphere in which they train. Don't get me wrong, if you want to "go hard" they will definitely push you to the limits! And this is what makes Mark awesome. Give elite team Monterey a try. You will give yourself an opportunity to learn a popular art that will not only teach you skills that are actually applicable for self defense, you will undoubtedly get in the best shape of your life! read more

I was in town for work so I took a drop in no-gi class with Mark at 6 am. The instruction was excellent and clear and the class was perfectly paced, so that we fit in a nice warmup, a couple techniques, and a few fast rolls in within an hour. My rolling partner was cool and friendly and his pressure game kept me honest. I'd strongly recommend them for both the beginner and more advanced practitioner. read more

Dropped in for a few classes while visiting from Seattle. Elite Team Monterey is an outstanding gym. Professional and knowledgeable instructors. Definitely a great place to get some rounds in. read more

My 13yo son trained in the adult class at Elite Team Monterey while we were in town on vacation and he absolutely loved it. If we lived in the area, we would definitely be customers. The Professor, Mark, was very welcoming, knowledgeable, and provided clear, detailed instruction. All of the students my son worked with (drilling & rolling) were very friendly. If you are looking for a bjj gym in the area, you MUST give Elite Team Monterey a try...and their kids program starts in August! read more

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I've had the opportunity to train here for the past few weeks, while away from my regular school back east. Mark is a fantastic instructor -- very skilled, technical, and passionate about what he does. I really appreciated how he took the time to answer specific questions. He also could effectively break down techniques and make difficult concepts easier to understand. I learned a tremendous amount in my relatively short time at his gym. The space is clean and convenient to get to. (Added bonus: you can see the ocean from the mat.) Street parking is free and easy to find near the building. I trained with a gi, but no gi is offered as well. I'm very happy that such a great school opened in the area. I've had a lot of fun, and look forward to training here again when I return! read more

I stopped by Monterey on my drive back home. I looked up on Reddit what BJJ schools were in the area and most people recommended Mark's Elite Team. Their praise were all met. Mark was such a welcoming and accommodating teacher. Their class was really in depth and the person I partnered up with (John? Josh?) was such a cool and helpful guy. Thanks you guys! read more

I just want to give a shout out to Mark and Eliteteam! I was coming in from out of town and he answered my questions prior to my drop in. He's a chill and welcoming dude with a clean training center and great students. Great instruction! Thanks brother! read more

Not welcoming to people who train outside the gym. Was hoping to come here to subsidize my training with another gym but was told I would have to choose gyms (even though they don't have conflicting schedules). I understand if this is the way the gym feels comfortable but it was definitely disappointing. I'm sure it's a great gym if it is going to be your home base! read more

Stopped in here for a gi class while on vacation with my wife. The instructor Mark is super knowledgeable and a great guy. He showed some sharp techniques and picked up some new details. He and the other students were very welcoming by and gave me advice on where and what to do on our trip. If I lived in the area I would def train her full time. Great school! read more

I highly recommend this training facility. I was visiting from so cal and they were very welcoming and respectful. Very detailed in instruction. Professor Mark is an awesome guy. Great group of guys and gals. I will be back. Thank you for the great training and hospitality. Clean facility. read more

This place is legit, Mark is a great instructor and really takes his time explaining techniques. Classes have real chill atmosphere, the students are eager to learn and eager to choke you out if you let them. Do not sleep on this gym. If you are new to the area or just passing through, check out Elite Team. I've been attending classes for the last five months and my game has gotten a whole lot better thanks to Mark and his students. I can't say enough good things about this place. read more

I have been training here for a little over 6 months . Previous experience was doing some nogi grappling back on the east coast a few years back. Good group of people, great one-on-one instruction and I like that there are class offerings in both gi and nogi. And as an added bonus, I have lost like 10 lbs over the past few months without trying! read more

I dropped in last week on Friday and Mark was super accommodating. Everyone I trained/rolled with was awesome, and super chill. All around great vibes, can't recommend the place enough, if you're in Monterey, look no further than Eliteteam for BJJ! read more