I have been a member here for just over a year and my experience has been overwhelmingly positive…read more Jay and his team of higher belts all give expert instruction and the classes are a good mix of technical drilling and physical challenge. I try to go daily if I can. As an older guy, it's important to find the right team. In 2023, I managed to train over 200 hours with this team while rolling in a safe but demanding environment. I'd recommend this academy to any one!

Was visiting from out of town and messaged Jay about stopping by for a class. Jose was the…read moreinstructor and he and the rest of the class was very welcoming. All the students were very skilled and practiced in a safe way. I highly recommend anyone visiting Chicago or living in the area to check out the academy

I love this school. Christian and the other instructors are great and attentive. Renzo…read moreGracie-Chicago is kept extremely clean, the mats, floors, bathrooms and entire place is sanitized several times a day, it smells brand new. For sure this is the premier bjj on the northside of Chicago. This is a great learning environment for men, women and children. Everyone learns and absorbs information differently but I feel as though the entire staff has done a great job adapting to every students learning style and have created a very family friendly environment that everyone would look forward to going to everyday. With Professor Christian's pedigree he could sit on the sidelines and just tell people what to do but he is very hands on, very humble and a great person. He values relationships and is respectful to everyone. This is the place to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from someone who has it in his his blood.

Great gym with super nice folks and good instruction. Would be happy to train there again next…read moretime I'm around. Thanks, Coach Frank!

So when I'd been wanting to start BJJ for years but was always intimidated. I even tried a couple…read moreintro classes at another gym in Chicago and the vibe was just all wrong for me. This is why I'm so happy to have found Soul Fighters Chicago. Such a great gym with top notch instruction. Andre has found what is the perfect balance of seriousness/intensity in training while maintaining a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. One thing I've found particularly great about the instruction is the attention to detail. Somehow if your foot is not quite in the right place or your hand needs to be rotated Andre can spot this from across the room and will correct you so you're not drilling with mistakes, its truly impressive. While I don't make it to a ton of evening classes (6:30 am crew checking in!) I'd also like to shout out to Zito's instruction in the fundamentals classes. He's really great at making the new people feel relaxed and comfortable all while being a great teaching of techniques and concepts. This also brings me to the other students and overall vibe of this academy. Everyone is there is get better, have fun, and really takes the time to help each other. The feeling of camaraderie here is high and is what has allowed me to get over that initial intimidation and end up as a regular student going 2-4 times a week for the last 8 months. Overall I can not recommend Soul Fighters enough if you're interested in BJJ.

If you want to attend a Brazilian Jiujitsu school where the owner and head instructor dates his…read morefemale students and gets them pregnant. While forbidding his adult male and female students from dating each other outside of school grounds, which is a private matter between two consenting adults. Maintaining a double standard of "do as I say, not as I do" then this is the place for you! If you want to be accused, labeled, and threatened to cancel your membership or kicked out without getting the facts first because the owner doesn't know how to handle conflict resolution, then this is the place for you! If you get injured, and you're not able to attend training due to your injury, and you asked the owner to put your paying membership on hold temporarily because your orthopedic doctor has you on medical orders, be careful! The owner is more concerned about money than your health! He will get upset and ridicule you for putting your paying membership on hold. Somehow the owner has a medical degree! If you want to attend a Brazilian Jiujitsu school where you're a new student who has suffered a knee injury and another female student who happens to be a white belt, with no experience, and with a tremendous amount of ego and does a leg lock on your injured leg and you questioned their technique or asked them not to such a technique out of concern for your health and safety. Then this is the place for you! If your role with a student that practices "Tickle Jiujitsu" with his opponent, then you rough him up for doing something dumb and stupid, then he goes and cries foul 3 weeks after the fact to the academy owner. Then the academy owner blames you for being rough and informs you that this "student" has a 20% stake in the academy. Then this is the place for you! If you want to be ridiculed or embarrassed in front of others of a misunderstanding of the facts not yet known, then this is the place for you! If you want to attend a Brazilian Jiujitsu school where some students are too sensitive and act like babies, their egos get shattered. Then go cry foul, then this is the place for you! If you're under the impression that you're having a private telephone conversation with the school owner without him asking you permission for others to listen to such dialogue. Disregarding your privacy, then this is the place for you! If you want to attend a Brazilian jiujitsu school where the owner is more concerned about money more than your well-being, then this is the place for you! If you want to attend a Brazilian Jiujitsu school where the owner suffers from anger issues, acts unprofessional, rude, and hangs up the phone on you because the owner doesn't know how to handle constructive criticism, then this is the place for you! If you want to attend a Jiujitsu school were the owner has cameras all over the place without posted legal signs indicating that you're being recorded during training or anytime thereof, this is the place for you! I don't like to post negative reviews because of the love that I have for Jiujitsu. After leaving a well-respected Jiujitsu school and visiting "Soul Fighters" Andre Maneco, Brazilian Jiujitsu school, and staying for a short time, I experience all of the above. It's unfortunate and sad, but I feel compelled to leave a negative review because I wish not to elaborate any further due to the reasons above and many others. Male and female students have left this academy for personal reasons, and I'm just another casualty of the rude, unprofessional character and behavior from Andre Maneco. I wouldn't recommend this school, not even to my worst enemy! I was warned, but I choose not to listen... With so many good, professional, caring, and understanding BJJ schools around Chicago, this is "NOT" the one! Stay away! Lesson learned!

I started training jiu-jitsu back in Feb. of 2014 at a different school where my brother-in-law and…read moresome friends currently train. After about a year, I started to look for other schools due to scheduling (I couldn't make it to as many classes as I wanted to). I'll never forget the first time I walked into Carlson Gracie HQ - Master Carlson Gracie Jr. himself signed me up. He was very warm and welcoming, and continues to be to this day (to all of his students). Master Gracie's level of instruction and attention to detail is top notch as many other reviews have noted. On the days where Master Gracie is not teaching, Master Andre Madiz runs the BJJ classes and also does an amazing job. It's a win-win situation. The facility is incredible. It's super clean and roomy. There is enough mat space to have a BJJ class AND Muay Thai class going at the same time. It's also air-conditioned which is such a bonus here in Chicago. Lastly, there's something to be said about the culture at Carlson Gracie HQ. I look forward to my BJJ days because I know I will be challenged mentally and physically. I know I will gain something from each class. But equally as important, I look forward to spending time with my training partners and instructors. This gym has such good vibes, is super welcoming, and It really does feel like an extension of my family. Oss!

I had the amazing opportunity to train at HQ with Andre Madiz and had the amazing pleasure to meet…read moremr Carlson Gracie Jr himself. Great guy and extremely humble and welcoming. Will definitely come Back to train here everytime I'm in Chicago

I visited Supreme while I was in town for a Bear's game, and everyone was very welcoming! I was…read moreable to train for free, met a lot of cool people, and Idriz even gave me a free shirt! The academy was very clean and they offer showers after training. I was able to drill some moves with a variety of people, big and small, male and female, and it was a great experience. I highly recommend that you check them out, and train here if you live nearby!

Came to visit, had a lovely time at the women's open mat and class with PJ. Highly recommend.read more

Great place, amazing coach. Will make you feel at home even if it is your first time. Highly…read morerecommend!!!!

Hands down the best martial arts gym in Chicago! The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Thai Boxing and women's…read moreself defense classes are incredible. If you're looking to get started in martial arts, improve your skillset, find a community or hone your skills, this is the place to go! PS: They have tons of free parking right in front + a fully-equipped locker room and recovery room!

This is a great place to learn Brazilian jiu jitsu and the owner of the school is a great guy and…read moreworks at your pace with you. I remember first starting out and I felt comfortable immediately at his school! Haven't gone anywhere else since. The other students are amazing to work with also, and there are more girls coming into the school which is a great thing since the sport is so male-dominated. Consider coming here to do a trial, you won't regret it.

In my almost 20years of doing jiu jitsu, I have never met anybody who has such love and passion for…read morethis martial art. Edgar is an amazing teacher and loves to show what he loves. He has the ability to teach beginners and advanced students. The location is always clean.

I am a sucker for clean gyms, and this place gets top points for clean facilities…read more Other pros: - big mat space, plenty of room to roll - attentive head coach - laid back atmosphere - good sparring partner variety - drop-ins welcome This should be on top of the list of chicago bjj gyms to train at for any new or old members

Great and very welcoming gym! Dropped in on a random Friday and they made me feel very welcomed…read morequickly! Extremely talented folks over here

Genuinely can't say enough good things. The teachers are really encouraging, and the environment is…read morewelcoming and fun- I came in with zero experience, and have never felt out of place or uncomfortable. There's a great sense of camaraderie between the students, who have all been more than willing to help out my unskilled self during partner drills. The classes are definitely challenging while being incredibly enjoyable and satisfying. I've always hated traditional gyms and had to drag myself to go, and for the first time ever, as soon as I leave I can't wait to come back! I'd recommend CMMA to anyone looking for practical self defense skills, a new physical activity, or even just an awesome community to be part of. I'm so happy I found this place!

After training here for a couple of months, I received amazing training for Muay Thai and Brazilian…read morejiu-jitsu from instructors that have a lot of experience, and they make it safe for beginners to join so that the fundamentals of new students are strong.

This a great gym, and the experience has been amazing. Clean facilities, knowledgeable…read moreinstructors, wonderful community, and the owner is incredible. Classes for kids and adults makes it easy for the entire family to reach their fitness goals. Our daughter came here to become a faster athlete and it has been amazing watching her succeed on her journey. Her instructors are willing to meet her where she's at and help her achieve her athletic goals. We are so happy to be a part of the POW! family and look forward to many more years of fitness and fun.

We sent our very reserved son to their summer camp this year and he Loved it and keeps wanting to…read morego back! He is speaking so much more as his confidence has soared. As parents, we loved the structure, the ratio of staff to kids, and that the children were held accountable for their actions. The size of the space was great so that all the kids were able to be watched at all times. All of the staff were solid and sweet. We wish they had an after school program too!