This review is long overdue! My entire family trains at this gym. BJJ has truly transformed us for…read morethe better. My kids have gained so many valuable life skills both on and off the mat -- confidence, strength, resilience, and discipline. This gym has become like a second home for us. We absolutely love all the coaches here; it's evident how much they care about the growth and development of each student. They maintain a great balance of structure and fun -- firm enough to keep the kids focused, yet encouraging and engaging so they continue to enjoy the sport. This gym is perfect for the whole family -- kids and adults alike. If you're a woman who's ever felt intimidated or never imagined yourself doing martial arts, this is the place for you. The coaches and community make it so comfortable and welcoming that I was able to ease into BJJ with confidence.

Our son began training here in 2021, during the pandemic, and I was deeply impressed by the…read moreprecautions and safety measures implemented to protect both the children and adults. This academy is, without a doubt, one of the most beginner-friendly places to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, whether for kids or adults. The coaches are not only highly skilled professionals but also teach with genuine passion and dedication. They truly care about the growth of students, both on and off the mat. The environment is welcoming and family -oriented, fostering a strong sense of community and team spirit. Additionally, the ample parking and comfortable seating for waiting parents are much appreciated. As parents, we wholeheartedly endorse this academy and are grateful to be part of its community.

Under new ownership and now named El Monte Jiu Jitsu, the team here is still Checkmat affiliated…read more Head Professor Gabriel leads the team and brings in some of the best people to teach. The skill and support you gain from here is priceless.

Dropped in recently and was really impressed at how clean the facilities were and even more…read moreimpressed by the large mat space. A great academy that caters to children and adults alike, professors Jair and Marat are extremely hands-on, very patient, and extremely technical. I got super lucky... The night I dropped in, professor Leo Vieira was teaching! World class instruction from a BJJ legend!!! Highly recommend Checkmat if you're in the area.

My son was really excited for Ji Jitsu I called he attended a class and he liked it and then i kept…read morereaching out. I called and texted and nothing back.

Excellent training facility- clean environment! Coach Josh creates a safe atmosphere for all…read morestudents to learn in. The owner Josh also recently renovated the space and it looks fantastic. Classes are daily on weekdays at 6pm and Saturday at 10am. Follow @jiujitsuteamamerica for more events and updates. He also offers classes for kids too. It's a great place for kids to learn the fundamentals of BJJ and self defense.

My 6 year old has been coming here for a few months and it's been a great experience. We checked…read moreout a few other spots nearby for some time and found the attention from the coaches here were more suitable. The place is a bit small, but works out well. Plenty of parking in the back. The coaches really make this place great - my kid looks up to them, they are patience, but stern and they do an excellent job teaching the kids.

After driving past this location numerous times for years, November 2025 (better late than never as…read morethey say) was when I finally decided to reach out to the Logic IG account and get the free trial lesson booked. They provide a clean Gi for the trial lesson (just show up 10 mins before the practice starts) and off I went to link up with the rest of the group. The first 15 mins or so are dedicated for warm-up/stretching, thereafter the next 25-30 mins are to learn and practice several techniques, and the rest of the hour is to do live rolls/sparring. I was physically exhausted by the end of the trial class (I still get exhausted to this day), but felt great psychologically. There was no pressure to enroll, however it was a no-brainer for me. I want to take a moment to discuss the overall environment at Logic. Yes, I was the "new one" but felt welcomed and the folks I was practicing with genuinely wanted to make sure I was doing the techniques correctly. Everyone was (and still are) very patient. When I'd mess up a step, they'd say to not worry and try it again. They mentioned they went through the same process I was going through when they started. Professor Thiago is also open to questions and provides constructive feedback to ensure you succeed. He goes around and has a knack to notice where his presence is needed to support us. The second part of my review has to do with the kid courses. When I took my daughter for her trial lesson, the same structure that the adults go through they also experience. The exception is there are more coaches present to ensure the kids are focused when they practice, provide feedback and hands-on support (if necessary), encourage them, and most importantly keep them safe. The latter being a big positive since kids sometimes forget to tap, so the coach will tap for them and then reset. I echo the passage on a previous review with regards to Professor Thiago and all the instructors/coaches with the kids. They're enjoying themselves out there while teaching our young ones. It's infectious in a positive way. At the end of their lesson, they have the kids play a game as a reward for the hard work they put in. If you're a parent and are a bit hesitant on having your kid pick up BJJ, you can rest assured that you can trust the folks at Logic. Just give the trial lesson a try and see/experience it. Lastly, in addition to learning self-defense, you'll notice your body changing. When you're sparring you get both cardio and strength training. That's the cherry on top. I highly recommend this place.

We continue to have an amazing experience with our kids' jiu jitsu program. The staff is incredibly…read morefriendly, attentive, and truly great with the kids. We've seen so much growth in our child--not just in skill, but in confidence and discipline as well. Highly recommend to any parent looking for a supportive and positive environment!

Before joining Silanoe, I had tried out 3 other gyms and while those other gyms were good, Silanoe…read morereally stood out because EVERYONE here is super awesome. From the office manager to all the different coaches and even to the other students, everyone cares about your learning. First off, the coaches - I can't say enough good things about the coaches here. When I had tried the other gyms, their coaches would throw out terminology as if everyone automatically knew what they were talking about. And then they would proceed to show the moves and simply tell you what to do. The coaches at Silanoe take the time to explain the terminology as well as WHY you should do each move the way they're taught so that you're not only learning the moves, you're also understanding them. They are also extremely patient so I never feel hesitant to ask questions. Next up we have the office manager. I always feel welcomed when I walk into the office because I'm always greeted with a lovely smile and all my questions are always answered with that same smile. When I have questions and am not on location, I simply send an email and I'd get a response almost immediately. I truly feel taken care of. Then there's the other students, which makes up a large part of the overall experience. All of the students here are friendly and very approachable and nobody here has an ego. The students treat each other with much respect and nobody is out to prove anything. We are all here for each others' learning and we have fun. Finally, there's professor Gino himself. Professor Gino is the nicest and most down to earth instructor you'll ever meet. You can tell he truly cares about the students and community he has built. From the moment I stepped foot on his mat, I felt very welcomed and never once felt intimidated. I did not get such a feeling from some of the other gyms I tried. Silanoe is awesome!!

Great training center. Very knowledgeable instructors. The facilities are well kept and clean…read morewhich is very important for any jujitsu gym. I recommend them very highly!

From the owner: 1. Jiu-Jitsu is often likened to a game of human chess. If you don’t like to work out at a gym…read morebecause you get bored, you’re not alone. 2. The folks at GB El Monte make our school what it is, and you too will soon be one of us. You’ll be impressed by how committed each and every team member is to your learning. 3. As a student of Gracie Barra El Monte, you know up front what is expected of you and have a clear understanding of what to expect from your instructors and training partners. 4. When you join Gracie Barra El Monte, you are not just getting classes. You become part of a community united by the ideals of the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle. 5. You don’t come to class just to learn how to fight. You also work hard toward mastering the underlying principles that allow you to succeed on the mats. . 6. You can train all over the world 7. Gracie Barra El Monte is an Environment for the Whole Family. Gracie Barra maintains a training environment that is welcoming for the whole family: men, women, and children. 8. You will train in germ-free facilities 9. You couldn’t find a safer environment Student safety is our instructors’ primary goal. CPR-trained personnel on duty during every class. 10. Our team of instructors are trained in the teaching philosophy and methods of Master Carlos Gracie Jr. the founder of Gracie Barra. A legacy of over 30 years of teaching experience is at your service, so you don’t have to worry: you and your family are in great hands at Gracie Barra El Monte .

ZR Arcadia is a great place to train. Professor Lucas is one of the nicest guys you'll meet. He…read morewelcomed me with open arms when I started. I can tell you my Jiu Jitsu has reached a new level training at ZR. There is so much talent in this gym and everyone is very nice and respectful. I would definitely recommend ZR if you're looking to get into BJj or just need a new gym.

While I've only been here a couple weeks so far, I am very pleased with Professor Lucas Rocha and…read morehis school. There are many BJJ schools in the neighborhood (actually about 4 on the surrounding blocks). I have tried at least one other school in the area, as well as 3 or 4 more in the SGV but not nearby, and this one impresses me so far. First off, the space is a good size and clean, plus there is ample parking between the street and the free lot in back. The price is decent and the amount of classes offered is good. But what makes a school is the instructor(s). A lot of the places I have tried taking my young son have blue belts or at best purple belts teaching the kids. Some schools do not want to pay a black or brown belt to teach kids. And the curriculum suffers at those schools. Since I've been here, either Professor Rocha or another black belt have taught the children's classes. I cannot tell you how important I feel it is to have a black or at least brown belt teaching your class. In many of the kids classes here, the sizes are also quite manageable. Professor Rocha has split the kids into two groups (Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday - there is also a no Gi Friday class, a combined group class on Saturday morning, and a competition class on Saturdays) so the classes are not over full one day and empty the next. That is smart. So far the classes are about 10 to 12 kids per class. The last few places I tried out had upwards of 25 to 30 kids and with just one or two instructors for the entire class. That was too many. Here you have 10-12 kids and at least two instructors (a black and brown belt) and as many as four instructors (I've seen Professor Rocha teach along with 2 brown belts and a blue belt). With so many instructors, no kid is left behind or falling through the cracks. If a new kid needs special instruction or attention to learn what is going on, one instructor can focus on that new kid (as they did with my son), without the other kids suffering. I also appreciate the teaching style here. Some places let the kids goof around. Not here. Professor Lucas is young and has fun with the kids, but he also will make sure no one is zoning out or goofing off. That is important. Martial Arts should always include self-discipline. I also like that Professor Rocha is the nephew of Ze Radiola (ZR), who is a legend in BJJ. This is one serious place. That his own nephew is the head instructor is fantastic. These are champion builders. You can tell the training is traditional and old school in a good way. Some schools will be teaching brand new students how to do inversions and wild competition stuff that won't work in a real street fight. Here, so far everything I've seen has been practical and wonderfully explained. Simple sweeps done right. Effective take downs. And, happily he works on the core training which any BJJ practitioner needs. Some kid schools don't do this enough, but you need to build your core to lose weight and get faster and stronger. Professor Rochas doesn't neglect any of this. All in all, so far I am very happy. I think this is a very strong school and worth checking out. The adult classes I've seen following the kids classes seem very good, as well. I hope to train here myself one day soon. Highly recommended. At least come in and try a free class or two. You'll probably find yourself hooked, like me.

I have been practicing jiujitsu for almost 10 years. A friend invited me to join her for a noon…read moreclass at mountain. Paul greeted and spent a little time getting to know me before class. Everyone who came in, introduced themselves to me. Such a friendly and inviting environment. Professor Paul's teaching is a clear indication of his deep experience. Complex movements in jiujitsu, when in the hands of a great coach, are delivered with simple language so all levels can learn. That's exactly what I saw. He was very clear, concise and watchful as we practiced. Love it!! After the lesson was open sparing and that was tremendously fun. Everyone was challenging, but showed excitement and sportsmanship during and after the rolls. The culture here is great. All together, I was very happy walking back to my workspace after class. And I look forward to returning for more learning! Thank you for the very warm welcome and for the teaching. Kids, adults, noon and evening classes. If you're in Arcadia, check this place out!

So there I was, dripping sweat from every pore on my face and puffing like a steam engine on an…read moreold-time freight train hauling a load up a steep grade on the Sonora Pass. In a more unrestrained (and less truthful) story, I'd say this scene took place at the apogee of a multi-hour training session, matching wits and physical acumen with opponents of progressively higher rank. In reality the only opponent I was facing was holding a turtle position beneath me, as I spun from side to side across his back. My internal dialog was persistent repetition of a simple mantra: "Just don't quit". I was a blue belt at the time, and that was my first day after a long break in training. Finally in a position to get back on the mat, I did my research and put together a list of jiu jitsu schools to visit. At the top of the list was a little school on First Ave. in Arcadia with basically no social media presence. I went to a noon class, came back for the rest of the week, and never made it to any of the other schools. That was five years ago. It was a Yelp review that brought me in the door to Mountain so after training here for a few months, I left a review of my own. Then I brought in a friend. Then a few more. Now, some of those friends have brought in other friends, the mat has filled with different colors of belts, and it seems like time to update my review. After all, I read Yelp reviews. If I see one from almost half a decade ago, I think, "Fantastic that the business was great back then, but how is it now?" At Mountain BJJ the answer is "Even better". BJJ has exploded over the years and there are lots of great places to train. Downtown Arcadia alone has three excellent academies. Why choose Mountain? Good question. Some good answers: - Because you value detailed, precise instruction. - Because you believe in building a strong base of the fundamentals and practicing until you do them right every time. - Because you've always been curious to try BJJ and you want a school that values mentoring and retaining its new students. - Because you've got enough years to remember when Royce Gracie was the biggest name in MMA and now you've got a life and a career, and you want to train hard with an equal emphasis on not getting hurt. - Because you want to train around other people who feel the same way. It's a long road. You could use a skilled teacher and dedicated training partners to help you along the way. That's exactly what you'll find at Mountain BJJ. See you on the mat!

I love Legacy in Pasadena! They offer a wide variety of classes at different times throughout the…read moreday, which makes it easy to attend even with a busy schedule. The 6 a.m. morning classes taught by Adam and Konstantin are fantastic. Both coaches are attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, and it's clear they truly know what they're doing. Their energy makes me excited to come back every time, and the entire community makes you feel welcome and included.

I have taken their sound bath classes and it was really an awakening experience. They have amazing…read morecoaches and plenty of easy schedules to follow. LOVE this place!

I took 4 years of martial arts when I was a teenager and my son (age 14 and now with 7 years…read moreexperience) is a black belt in karate. When we started looking in this area for what will become his new dojo, we were open to starting over in a new style, so we read all the reviews and websites for all the local instructors and then visited the advanced classes of the 9 within our acceptable travel distance. Both of us being experienced and knowing the path to black belt can take many years, we committed to really finding the right instructor/school for him by training with the 4 of those 9 that we liked best. SK Taekwondo was the fourth of the four we've tried and where we've ended up staying. Due to Covid, we waited over a year to try this place because they weren't allowing parents to watch while Covid was in full swing. We've been here for over 10 months now and it was definitely worth the wait. After a couple months of my son training here, my wife even signed up! SK Taekwondo is 5 stars all the way and I have so many good things to say about it. When we first started reviewing martial arts schools in the area, our intuition said SK would be the place we'd end up at because the classes looked like they were super fun and the training facility was huge and beautiful. It had great parking and a large area with seating for parents to watch. The little kids' classes were especially fun to watch with a dedication to both fun and discipline that was clear in both the joy of the students while training and the speed and enthusiasm they all demonstrated with lining up, doing drills and exercises, enthusiastically answering "yes sir!" as they did, etc. The school also has systems in place to support their younger students in getting good grades and being responsible and respectful at home. For the adult classes, which start at age 13, the same level of discipline and fun are encouraged. Every class consists of a warmup and stretching followed by technique training. Almost all exercises are partner exercises, so my son got to know other students quickly and there is a real sense of community. The instructors are all very knowledgeable and absolutely wonderful people, kind and supporting, friendly and welcoming to both students and parents like me who are just watching, and clearly dedicated to the sport. Instructors rotate and the classes are quite different each time, which our whole family enjoys. In the 10+ months we've been training, I can say that not a single class has been the same as any other. The foundational skills are included in everything and forms are usually 5-10 minutes at the end. The rest is really varied but always interesting and a great workout. Equipment like kicking pads, agility ladders, cones, etc. are used frequently and this makes the classes even more fun and diverse. They play music during the warmups and drills and that adds to the fun and energy of the environment too. Fridays are dedicated to sparring, testing is every couple months, and they have a "Black Belt Club" option where you can pay up front for unlimited classes until you get your black belt. This is the best price and what my son and wife both ended up doing. Estimated time to achieve black belt is 2.5 to 3 years if you are dedicated and attend class at least a couple times a week. This place is absolutely amazing and I could not recommend it higher. If you are looking for you or your child, come in and watch or try the actual class you/they will be in. Take advantage of whatever intro offer SK is offering at the time and experience it for yourself. If you do, I'm confident you'll be as happy and impressed as we have been!

Use to be a good place but now is a Babysitting place after being sold to different owner…read more Lack of staff, poor communications, low quality of teaching any instruction. If you are looking for more serious training technique for your kids go somewhere else.