I've been a practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Jessica Cherman (Brown Belt) & Danilo Cherman (4th…read moreDegree Black Belt) for about 4 years now. Jess founded the Women's only Class. We (the original group of women) all started knowing absolutely nothing about Jiu Jitsu to now being 3 stripe Blue Belts. We've all come a long way & we have Jess & Danilo to thank. Men & women also train together & everyone is very respectful towards each other. It's really been an incredible experience. The members are all really great people with different levels of experience. Many of the members compete in IBJJF Championships, Pan Am's & World's Competitions, very often medaling. They offer BJJ, MMA, No-Gi, Drills, & Kid's Classes. The gym is great with a very large mat area to train. They also have a weight area with a treadmill. If you have any interest in trying BJJ, call or stop in & give it a try. Check out their Facebook page & www.jitsuacademy.com

From the owner: We specialize in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA.read more

Been training here for three years and so far I'm very satisfied with the level of instruction and…read morefull schedule of classes available. I started with BJJ, but soon added Krav Maga and Muay Thai. Every now and then I'll do MMA for fun. This gym feels like a second home and it honestly keeps getting better. On top of having an even balance of gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, no gi, and striking classes, they've recently added judo and fitness classes. The overall environment is very chill and welcoming to everyone. It's definitely not a roided out tap out bro gym. Also, unlike some gyms I've attended, there's no prejudice against other BJJ lineages. Cross training with other BJJ gyms is welcomed and encouraged, as are visiting BJJ practitioners from anywhere. Since signing up three years ago, I've never had any billing or payment issues. I'm suspicious of reviewers who say they have. I've attended and paid for a number of martial arts and fitness type gyms and the policies at Soulcraft are the same ones you'll find at most other well run gyms. In my experience, they've actually been very reasonable. When an injury forced me to stop training for a month, I explained my situation and was not charged for a month. My main reason for writing this review was to share updated photos of the gym facilities. The photos on yelp were pretty old and the gym has changed a lot since then.

Came in to try a class with my friend and we loved it! The place is inviting and the staff is…read moregreat. The class was a lot of fun, a great workout and the instructor was awesome. I will definitely be back to try more classes.

I started coming here about 2 years ago on a good friends recommendation. Fabio,the instructor…read morethere, welcomed me as if I was family and after all this time that's exactly how I feel. The thing I love the most about this gym is the fact that it is a Carlson Gracie jiu jitsu team. For those who don't know, Carlson had a no nonsense policy. This meant the jiu jitsu he taught was MMA oriented and specifically design to finish fights as quick as possible. This is a great style for anyone who is looking to train for MMA or just learn efficient self defense. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn a discipline or just get in shape with a purpose. As long as I can move that's where I will continue to spend my free time and improve my jiu jitsu skills!

I made numerous attempts to get information via email and phone about classes for both myself and…read moremy son. No one ever made the effort to respond. The teaching here might be great (I don't know) but their customer service leaves something to be desired.

I started out in the fit smart program and have to say this was one of the best decisions I made! I…read morehave met so many great people here and the coaches are amazing. If you have a chance to try a class or join one of the challenges you won't be disappointed! I upgraded to the full membership at the end of the challenge, it's been a great experience and I love the workouts!

This place is such a scam. There fit smart program is a scam of taking money from people. Never…read moredoing that ever again. Did not go one day to the program, tried to cancel and they refuse to cancel the membership. Now they are taking 75$ a month from a person who tried to cancel the membership 3 days after I signed the contract.

I have been going to Boa for over a year now with my daughter, and my son joined us a few months…read moreago. What a great instructor. Dan Cassella is an amazing coach/professor, whether it's the kids class, teens, or adults. We started going after my daughter was getting bullied and the confidence it has given her is amazing. Always clean, 1:1 time every class, and accessible for everyone; my son is on the spectrum and he's blossomed under their instruction. Would recommend to anyone looking for strength, self defense, fitness, and deepening that mind body connection.

I joined for the free class. I knew I was going to be going back and committed. Since then (albeit…read more2.5 weeks), I'm sleeping better, noticing my body is starting to change, and I just feel GREAT! Professor Joseph is incredibly knowledgeable and makes class serious, but also laid back. He makes sure to check on every student. Whether there be 2 or 20 in the class. That's the sign of a good professor. I'm doing the cardio kickboxing class, and I'm hooked! I highly recommend GFV to everyone

Just started here and was a bit concerned about being new. I am admittedly fat and very out of…read moreshape and was concerned about being the floundering whale flopping on the floor getting laughed at. Everyone from beginner to the very experienced at this place is very helpful and very friendly. They understand being new is hard and they help in any way they can. I did take a few one on one lessons and then jumped into classes. It's a blast but far from easy. Expect to be a little sore and achy as you will use muscles you had no idea you had. Flexibility is important so plan on getting there a little early to stretch out before class. I've had ACL replacement, hand reconstruction from a severe shattering, and have a hip replacement and I'm 47 years old. If I can get out there and flop around anyone can.

I've been attending the academy for a couple of years and have had a great experience not only with…read morethe owners, but with members who are friendly and highly supportive. There are a variety of classes offered throughout the week and also private lessons. I've been taking privates that have 2 black belt instructors for an hour - absolutely the best way to augment the regular class learning. Anyone interested in Jiu-Jitsu and/or self defense should definitely give this school strong consideration.

I've been a student of martial arts for over 4 decades and have practiced and received senior belts…read morewithin several traditional styles (e.g., Tae Kwon Doe, Kung Fu, etc..). Without question, I have found Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (e.g., BJJ), to be both the most effective for self-defense and most rewarding from a physical and mental health point of view. I have been studying BJJ now for nearly 9 years, with all of that time at the Royce Gracie Academy of Glastonbury. For those of you looking at starting BJJ or finding a new school to train at, I can not provide a stronger recommendation than this school. I say this based on the following 3 criteria: Quality of the Curriculum Some of the primary tenants of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are: 1. Most fights go to the ground and that's where most traditional stand-up martial arts don't adequately train or prepare their students for. 2. Using proper technique, it is very possible for a smaller, less athletic, less strong Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, to protect and defend themselves against a much larger, stronger, and more athletic aggressor who doesn't know BJJ. Learning those techniques to the extent that you can rely on them in a difficult and life-threatening situation, takes years of coaching and practice. Royce Gracie, the son of the late Helio Gracie and founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has spent decades now perfecting the training curriculum that allows "any person" at "any age", the opportunity to gain this knowledge safely and sustainably. This instruction has now be codified with certification requirements in place to ensure schools have properly trained instructors/coaches. The Royce Gracie Academy of Glastonbury has that certification level and it makes all the difference. Quality of the Instructors Combined, the 4 blackbelts instructor/coaches bring over 80 years of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu experience with all of them having received their black belts from Royce Gracie himself. And for those not familiar with Royce, just look him up on youtube.... He's the GOAT and one of the reasons MMA/UFC exists today. Having 4 black belts support the student population is a luxury that has to be experienced. Every student, at every level, can engage with our instructors. Our instructors take a very focused approach to ensuring that each student is guided based on their own personal capabilities, health, and training goals and intent . Vibe within the School The Royce Gracie Academy of Glastonbury is a self-defense-focused BJJ school. We train to be able to avoid altercations and to be able to have an effective plan of defense in the event avoidance is not possible. As a consequence of the curriculum and instructors above, you should expect a highly collaborative, respectful and safe vibe w/in the school. This school is ideal for children, young adults, male/females of all ages, body types, health status, etc... This school and the students w/in it meet every new person wherever they are starting from. You will not find an environment where newbies are used by experienced students as training dummies. On the contrary, it's an expectation in our school that the more senior you are, the more time you give to your less experienced student peers to help them grow and improve. What else can I say other than, to come to the school and talk to our black belt owners Kate and Rick and try some complimentary classes. You can see for yourself if my feedback is accurate. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I highly recommend trying jiu jitsu - and find a place where you feel safe and you find your jiu…read morejitsu "family" - that place for me is Gracie Sports USA BJJ. I started back in 2006 in the original location with Marcio Stambowsky - the master at Gracie Sports. Marcio is an excellent friend and mentor who immediately makes you feel welcome. Professor Deborah, Marcio's daughter also teaches at the academy and brings many years of knowledge and experience. All the teachers there are amazing and the kids program is phenomenal as well. Whenever we are early for class - we watch the little kids roll and fight with the same techniques as the adults - it's great to see the quality of the education! Marcio is an 8th degree coral belt and one of the "Famous Five" black belts under Rolls Gracie. His knowledge is vast and deeply layered; it takes time to see that - but it's worth putting in the time! You can only get better! There are two locations - Norwalk across from Costco, and Fairfield near the shops downtown. Jiu Jitsu really helped me get out of my stagnant routine and "off the couch". I don't know if I would even be here today - I was 300 pounds and constantly had internal pains and health issues. I dropped 60 pounds since then and compete between 238-255. I'm still going strong at brown belt and it's my favorite thing to do - we all need something that is for "us" and sometimes you can share that with family members. I see a few couples train together and even have the kids enrolled. Jiu jitsu is awesome - and Gracie Sports USA is the awesomest! Give it a try - join today!

I went onto Yelp to put in my 2 cents and cannot believe there aren't 100's of awesome reviews for…read morethis place. These folks are as good as it gets! They are all rock stars in their own right and our family is so incredibly excited to have stumbled into this gem of a BJJ studio. Our son is a 11 y/o hockey player. He has always been looking for his second sport only this time it found him. My husband brought our kid in for a sampler lesson and oh-my-god it was love at first take-down. Instant addiction. This is THE place to be. Every single instructor is so on top of everything. They are awesome possum people who are gentle, informative, interactive, FUN, and everything you could ever want for your kid all rolled into one. I honestly cannot say enough good things about these folks. You can tell they are a family - and they humbly welcome you in. I wish I could give more than 5 stars. And I also wish we had found them sooner!