On Saturday, October 11, 2014, Gracie Barra Vancouver & Raz Chan Fitness presented Women's…read moreSelf-Defense Seminar as a fundraising event for Battered Women's Support Services. Seventeen women attended and it was excellent!! Much gratitude to Raz Chan, Anica Simon, Max Rathburn, Norm Leung, Andrea, Robert and Carla. It was excellent!!

Before coming to Gracie Barra, I had already been a hardcore MMA fan for years. That said, I'd…read morenever really trained in martial arts before and the few attempts were awful: I tried wrestling in college, but the program at my school consisted of doing around 600 crunches and countless push-ups while rarely actually receiving any instruction on techniques. The judo program I tried was filled with "alphas" who were more intent on putting new guys through the floor more than anything else. As such, you can understand my hesitation about joining a martial arts gym again. It was something I was naturally curious about but, given my prior experiences, extremely nervous. So after doing a LOT of research about all the various schools in the Vancouver and Richmond areas, I settled on Gracie Barra and now, a year later, I cannot imagine having chosen any other gym. One thing that really sets GB apart from other gyms is how beginner friendly their method of instruction is. New students are paired off with more experienced students who are more interested in helping and encouraging more than anything else. If you're not in the best physical shape or have never trained in a martial art, this is hugely beneficial. It'll encourage you to keep going and ensure that you keep getting better, learning all the time. GB emphasizes the "family" aspect, which means that all the students are there to help each other grow, not crush each other to satisfy their egos. Because of this, GB has a really, really positive atmosphere that makes it easy to learn and that'll keep you coming back until suddenly, you realize that you're not the new guy anymore. That's another thing too: Gracie Barra has fantastic people. Whether it's the instructors or your fellow students, these are all people that you'd genuinely want to hang out with. Even if it wasn't at all something you were expecting or looking for when you joined, you WILL end up making friends here, from all walks of life. I cannot overemphasize how huge a boon this is, especially for beginners. The bottom-line is this: if you're really interested in martial arts and want to get in shape, give this place a try. It doesn't matter if you're grossly out of shape or laughably uncoordinated and clumsy; GB WILL make you better without EVER annihilating you or making you feel badly about yourself. If you're nervous about trying a martial arts gym, there is nothing to fear about GB: just great people and great instructors. As for the technical aspects: Gracie Barra's bread and butter is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and there are students and instruction at all belt/skill-levels, with classes divided accordingly. There are also classes for muay thai, boxing, and conditioning. The average Gracie Barra class follows this structure: Warm-up (5-10 minutes genuinely geared to WARMING YOUUP, not making you puke) Technique 1 (usually a takedown, demonstrated, then drilled back and forth with a partner) Technique 2 (something on the ground, either a transition, escape, or submission) Technique 3 (again, something else on the ground, generally a natural extension of technique 2) Sparring So yeah, if you're at all interested in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or curious GO TO GRACIE BARRA! You will not regret it. There is no gym that is more supportive to your growth both as a person and as a martial artist.

Great club! Great coaching! Clean new club. Hands on training with 4th degree black belt instructor…read moreEduardo Cadena. Strongly affiliated with several Infight Jiu-Jitsu clubs around the lower mainland and Brazil. Very positive training atmosphere. Club also has great cardio kickboxing classes, MMA classes and kids classes. There are a wide range of different types of students, some highly competitive tournament players, some just there for health and self defense. Everyone is welcomed. Really can't say enough about how great this club is.

Great cardio kickboxing classes in Burnaby! In the same location where Urban Fitness used to be…read more Classes run Tuesday, Thursday, Saturdays and Sundays. Convenient location and great cardio and fitness work outs. Close to Starbucks!

Best teacher ever. We have known the teacher for years, his work is amazing! He is so patient and…read morejust so good at getting children's attention and breaking complicated skills down to their level. If you knew our kid then and now(or just compare month to month), you would know for sure that miracle happened !

From the owner: Join our classes for adults and kids and join a community. Come and train striking or grappling and…read morelearn the meaning of control and technique. The journey to blackbelt begins with a strong foundation. We build our ninjas from the ground up. Through the practice of Shokotan karate, Brazilian jiu jitsu, and kickboxing, students learn fundamental life skills like stranger danger, focus, growth mindset, and self-defense. Stripe-by-stripe, belt-by-belt, our students cultivate the physical skill and the will to become a blackbelt — on and off the mats. Sign up for a free 1-on-1 today.

My favorite place to train BJJ. The dojo is clean and very inviting. I enjoy training here…read morebecause the instruction is very technical and I feel safe sparing here. This is a Gracie Certified Training Centre which is very helpful because you get to follow a curriculum that is available online. Highly recommend.

What a slice of heaven! Great classes, wonderful people, and top notch all around.read more

Excellent place to learn BJJ. Highest quality coaching, plenty of options in terms of class times…read moreand levels for both gi and nogi. Skill level ranges from beginners with no prior experience to high level competitors at all belt levels and all age groups. A very positive, welcoming atmosphere makes it very easy to train here. I've been training here since 2014 and the gym has been consistently improving each year in some way or another. For more advanced students, it should be an easy choice, Thomas Lisboa is one of the best BJJ coaches out there and you will also have a multitude of accomplished competitors to train with.

Alliance Vancouver is like a second home for my kids and I. There are great Professors and staff…read more Very clean facility and has showers! The overall philosophy at the gym is respectful, welcoming and friendly. Do not hesitate to come by and train.

Wow, where do I start..? I love this place! Awesome facility with wood trimmed walls, high…read moreceilings, and traditional tatami mats over a spring floor. The lounge area provides a nice environment for pre/post training discussions. You could spend all day here cause it doesn't feel like a gym. Central location and nearby free parking, which is always a plus. You get so much value as a member. The instruction is top notch. You quickly develop real practical skills and are challenged in the best of ways. The community is welcoming, supportive and fun to train with. I'd come everyday if I could. Highly recommend!

Don't let the unassuming frontage fool you. Once you enter, it's like Mr Miyagi's dojo inside!…read more The foyer is totally Eastern zen and the expansive dojo has real tatami floors. The owner and main instructor Jesse Blue is ask excellent teacher who instructs JKD, Kali Eskrima and has many male and female students. On Sundays, Adam Chan teaches practical Wing Chun and he is one of the best teachers of martial arts that I've ever met in 25 years. Vancouver is lucky to have such a beautiful martial arts school right in the center of the city!