The Jiu Jitsu community is small- regardless of where it is located. Here in San Diego, where our…read morecommunity is considered to be the pinnacle of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu outside of Brazil itself, the community is even smaller- in such a close knit community, word spreads quickly that a new gym has arrived. Welcome Chula Vista Jiu Jitsu Club to the scene. No strangers to the mat, the owners and head instructors are well known, and respected in the San Diego/SoCal Jiu Jitsu world. Professors Jorge and Ron are well known, well respected, and very capable instructors and practitioners. Their skill and their humble good nature is evident in this gym. From the moment you walk in, you are greeted with a deep sense of being welcome and positive energy. Jits is a lot about "vibes" - how we sense the intentions of others in the roll and either counter it, or use it- that good vibe echos in this gym. It is clean, it is peaceful, the mats are top quality, there is plenty of mat space, and the people you find here training, are what make an academy awesome. Everyone there was humble and welcoming, eager to roll and to share knowledge. As a purple belt from another school, it is not always this easy to walk in, train, and be made to feel like a member of the family. Technique wise, a solid warm up followed by insightful technique that though basic, was legit and functional. Rolls were situational man-in-the-middle one after another. You get to roll with everyone and you get to work the technique of the day. Excellent approach to drilling and rolls. Highly recommend this location if you are looking for a place to train that keeps it old school, low key, and good energy. Great place, great people.

Fun family environment, keeping Jiu Jitsu fun and at the same time functional. Jiu Jitsu is a…read moreproven self defense thar gives a smaller person a chance to defend themselves against a bigger person. Keeping Jiu Jitsu respectable, and making it fun at the same time is important and that is what is offered at Chula Vista Jiu Jitsu Club.

BEST GYM EVER!! I came here with no past of BJJ. I have come to love the sport!…read moreThe professors are incredible, patient, and talented. The woman's class rocks!!

The woman who teaches the homeschool class (forgot name, but has like red hair) she came late…read moreseveral times, GI undone, and she spoke extremely rude to kids. Took my child out of there ASAP.

World class instructor. Great vibes. Can't go wrong here! PJ is me of the best instructors and…read morecompetitors in the world.

I thought this place was suppose to help build a child's confidence and not crush it and their…read morefeelings. This place is disrespectful and absolutely disgusting. Uneducated and uninformed lead instructors singled out a child publicly for a little red spot on kiddo and send them home. I'd like to point out that the instructor isn't a medical professional/practitioner nor are they medically qualified to diagnose a child and worse suggest medication to resolve something that hasn't been medically diagnosed. Overstepping boundaries with children are a no-no in my book. If this business has to address medical concerns. Have medical staff. That way HIPAA is not violated. Which is where I will also be reporting this incident. Lastly this didn't happen to my child but the child it did happen to was extremely embarrassed and discouraged from returning. I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else's child so I'm speaking up. GET MEDICAL STAFF IF YOU WANT TO MAKE MEDICAL DEMANDS!!

I would give this gym 10 stars If I could! Apex was our second home for over a year but…read moreunfortunately we had to relocate to NorCal and we will never a find a gym like this one ever again. They are very family- oriented, top notch coaches & everyone is so friendly, from owners, to coaches, teammates and fellow parents too! My entire family of 5 all trained Jiu Jitsu here & we made the most out of it! My kids trained 5 days a week & I did the noon class which also ran 5 days a week + you get to train at their newly opened location in National City at no additional cost! You can't beat that! My two boys jiu jitsu game has improved so much compared to their prior gym that they became confident enough to compete in tournaments, which they did several of. Thank you Apex! Thank you Professor Tim, coach Sofia, coach Paulinho, coach Eli & of course coach Dru for all that you have done for me and my family. We will be forever grateful to you all.

I would highly recommend Apex to anyone looking for a great place to train their kids in BJJ. Our 2…read moreboys, 6 and 3-years old, did a trial here and had a blast! They also provided us with loaner gi's (martial arts uniform). Tamara who runs the place always answered any questions we had, and was very helpful. The instructors here also very good with the kids. Like other Yelpers mentioned, there is a family feel here. Everyone gets to know each other. Good atmosphere!

Overall an amazing Brazilian jiujitsu academy for all ages. Professor Dustin and Professor Matt…read morehave created such a welcoming and family oriented environment. The 5:30 am class has been invaluable for me to continue my own BJJ training journey. Also, the patience and care the coaches take for all the kids classes is great. They have a good balance of pushing the kids and making classes fun. My 10 year old daughter was nervous starting but they integrated her in patiently, slowly, and very well. Now she loves going to every class.

I can't say enough great things about this Jiu Jitsu studio! From the moment we walked in, we were…read morewelcomed into this amazing community, and it's been nothing but an amazing experience since then. The coaches here are absolutely top-notch and THE BEST mentors for our kids. They take the time to teach the techniques, but more importantly, they instill life lessons that go beyond the mat. My kids are learning how to work hard, stay disciplined, and most importantly, build character. It's a perfect blend of teaching them to be both physically and mentally strong, and I love that they are being taught the value of grit, persistence, and respect. As a parent, it's such a joy to see my three daughters thrive in this environment. The balance of having both boys and girls in the classes really benefits them. They get to see other girls excelling and are inspired by them, but are also challenged by the boys in a way that pushes them to grow. The girls here are tough, strong, supportive, fun, & kind...and we hope to continue building an incredible sense of camaraderie and friendship that makes training even more fun. Watching my daughters gain confidence, improve their skills, and make last friendships has been one of the most rewarding experiences. This isn't just about Jiu Jitsu, it's about shaping the kids into well-rounded, productive individuals who are prepared to take on life's challenges with a positive mindset. I'm so grateful for the coaches, the family-oriented atmosphere, and the incredible community they've created. If you're looking for a place where your child can learn self-defense, stay active, and develop life skills while having a blast, this is the place to be!

As the name implies, strong base has a solid foundation of technique and family…read more I am a brown belt and moved to the chula vista area and have tried many other academies, but had a difficult time settling in somewhere. Strong base had all the qualities that I was looking for, clean enviornment, solid students to challenge your game, and great instruction. The instructor David is very friendly and generous. He has a solid game and is open to exploring new ideas and technique. This is not a big warehouse academy, and in my experience I have always been able to sharpen and improve my game more at a place where I could get more attention and have a consistent set of training partners. The academy mats are white and very sanitary. The academy has a pristine white and wood aesthetic look. The academy does not have morning classes, so if you're a 9 to 5 guy this will probably suit your schedule best. Also if you're a Spanish speaker, David is able to give great instruction in both languages. I'm very grateful that this just up the street for me. Thanks guys! Please drop in and visit, support your local martial arts.

From the owner: We specialize in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and we offer regular classes for men, women, teens and kids…read more Our studio has a spring-loaded floor, which makes it a safe and comfortable place to train.

This is a 2 part review for myself and my 6 year old daughter. Joe has been our coach for about 3…read moremonths now. As a person Joe is friendly, present to everyone in his gym, and most importantly he's genuine. As a coach you can see his decades of experience in BJJ in action on the mat. He is extremely detailed in technique, sees all the counters, and treats it like a chess game. Joe's classes are well thought out as the drillng are connected through multiple days. If you're a newbie, looking to move gyms (like I did), or seasoned in search for upper belts to spar with - choose Kainga. For my daughter it was rough leaving her first coach and all the little friends. She gets challenged with Joe though in fitness, discipline, and accountability that I want her to get out of a self defense class. Joe has displayed patience in her original push back to participate. He listened to my input to help her feel comfortable which I appreciate as a parent. Adult members regularly assist on the mat to provide extra support in lessons and assure the kids train safely. She now looks forward to going to class, has fun, and learns the applicable basics she can apply if she's ever bullied at school. The gym and its members provide a great environment. Competitive rolls or you can communicate to take it easy. Egos are left at the door and all upper belts enjoy offering tips. Regularly members hang out after class is done, strenghtening the gym comradery. Mats are cleaned throughout the day. For your budget - monthly fees are fair, no registration fee/ in house gi requirement, and the quality/ amount of classes available make it worth what you pay. This gym is definitely NOT A MONEY GRAB and all about learning, competition, and a safe environment.

This review is for my experience with this business back in 2023. Gym was overcrowded with too many…read morekids and the staff only cared about the "best performing" kids. My kiddo could easily tell. It is not rocket science. Staff was rude when my card payment didn't go through due to it being reported lost and me not recalling it was specifically this card that was on file with Kainga Jiu Jitsu. This was after paying on time for several months, so there was no need for the nasty and aggressive attitudes. They claim to be about family, but what they really mean is money and those they perceive as valuable to their gym. Lame experience, lame attitudes, and lame business structure. I do not recommend this place at all. There are plenty of other jiu jitsu places in and around Chula Vista and San Diego that offer a better service at a lower cost without the supposed "family" model.

Have had the best experience training here for the last 4 months great vibes great times 100/10!!read more

The best jiu jitsu in the southbay! I'll start off by saying Jiu jitsu is not for everyone so…read moreplease understand that first when you read the other negative reviews here. My son started training here first when he was 7. He loved it so much I eventually started training here and became addicted to the art. I don't think many people understand that this is the best training you'll find in the South Bay. The coach will push you, your kids or both and yes at times it's not easy but if you want easy then you should probably go somewhere else. If you're looking for something to help with your health, fitness, stress, anxiety or whatever it might be that your dealing with give this a try and you might find that it's what you've been needing in your life. Everyone here is like a big family because the coach does a great job bringing everyone together and everyone is chill and welcoming.

We recently signed up our son for Gracie South Bay Jiu Jitsu and we are very satisfied with them!…read moreThey are family oriented, friendly , informative and most importantly EXPERTS who have mastered their craft. All the other parents are very friendly as well and very supportive to all. So... if you are wanting to sign up yourself or your child, this is the place to go and learn from Champions.

Our boy's attended GSB for about a year and towards the end of our stay in San Diego our daughter…read morewho was 6yo also attended a few classes, but unfortunately we had to move due to military orders. I would absolutely recommend GSB for future kids/teens especially for beginners. Our boy's were definitely hesitant at first but in time they boosted their confidence on the mat. At GSB they were taught MORE discipline, respect, good sportsmanship, being somewhat independent and of course proper jiu-jitsu training. One of the things we loved about GSB is that, it's a family friendly, caring and kind environment. My husband and I truly felt that our kids were getting the attention they needed as individuals when it came down to training and sometimes getting hurt on the mat and as a parent that is one of the most important things, is to see that your child is well taken care of with trusting coaches/professor. We hope to come back to SD and have our kids retrained by the best! Thank you Professor Leticia and all the coach at GSB!

My 9-year-old son and I have been training at AKA for a little over a year, and it has been an…read moreoutstanding experience for both of us. The striking and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu programs are excellent, with knowledgeable coaches who emphasize not only technical skills but also discipline, respect, and strong values. The kids' classes provide a great balance of structure and fun, creating an environment where children can develop confidence while genuinely enjoying the learning process. For those interested in competition, AKA also has a highly competitive BJJ team that offers exceptional training and support. Whether your goal is self-defense, fitness, or competition, I highly recommend AKA. We are grateful to be part of such a welcoming and professional academy.

I was previously at another big name jujitsu school in the area. Then I found out the legendary AKA…read morewhich is well known around the world opened up in San Diego/ Chula Vista. I wasn't happy at my old gym because I was being charged too much for my kids to only attend few classes per week in just Jujitsu. At AKA, besides it is the worlds famous gym, the prices were much lower and my kids could attend as many classes they want in Jujitsu, MMA, Muay Thai, Taekwondo and Boxing . I was referred by my friend whose child is top ranked in Jujitsu. I found out that AKA has the #1 kids Jujitsu in San Diego. Since my kids has been coming here for over a year they have excelled dramatically and have been winning gold medals in Jujitsu Competitions. Thanks to AKA famous Coach T. for your dedication, hard work and expertise in helping my kids succeed. Overall my kids confidence has improved tremendously and they both have become more focused and dedicated.