BJJ, Jiu-Jitsu, or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most effective grappling martial arts in the world along with Judo, Wrestling, Sambo, Shuai Jiao, and many others. What makes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu particularly effective is that it’s a system of ground fighting. The system can be described in 4 parts as a general heuristic according to Professor John Danaher who is a black belt under the legendary Renzo Gracie:

1. Take your opponent to the ground.
2. Pass their legs.
3. Establish a controlling pin.
4. Apply a submission hold.

It is a simple system, but the application and variations are both complex and endless. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was originally marketed as a way for a smaller and weaker individual to defeat a larger and stronger individual. While that is still true and self-defense is an important aspect of BJJ, we focus not only on self-defense but also the sporting aspect. Competent students at just blue belt level are more than capable of defending themselves in a hand-to-hand combat or street fight situation. We always recommend doing everything in your power to avoid actual street altercations and you should only fight if absolutely necessary. Truthfully, street fights are fairly uncommon and we don’t spend a massive amount of time training to fight “untrained” individuals in unlikely situations. One of our goals is to be competitive with world-class jiu-jitsu competitors and practitioners. Most of our time is spent in the gym training and competing with our teammates who are skilled jiu-jitsu practitioners. Constant improvement and healthy competition both in the gym and at sanctioned competitions is what makes jiu-jitsu fun and engaging.

We offer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes for Adults, Teens and for kids starting at the age of 4 years old. Classes for adults run from 1-2 hours depending on how much live training you would like to do. Classes for kids run 50-55 minutes. No previous martial arts or athletic experience is necessary.

We have nothing against cardio kickboxing and we think group classes where everyone is doing the same thing can be a great workout. But we teach you real fighting here and getting a great workout is a byproduct of learning how to strike efficiently. Yes, we do spar and have sparring days but almost ALL of our members start with little to no striking experience. We build you up slowly.

Kickboxing, like the sweet science of boxing, is the art of hitting and not getting hit. Throwing your fist at someone’s face may seem simple enough, but finding the most effective/efficient ways to do so while also avoiding getting hit is a developed and honed skill. In kickboxing you learn the various techniques to punch, kick, elbow, and knee an opponent. You also will learn how to block, parry, evade, and defend these attacks.

There are two ways of looking at kickboxing, one is for self-defense purposes, and the other is for competitive, in ring, ambitions. In our classes you will learn to protect yourself in a street altercation, and if you ever become interested in trying an amateur fight, you would have the basic skills to dip your toes in that as well. The techniques learned tend to be applicable for both but with just small differences. For example in competitive fighting you will throw a leg kick to an opponent’s thigh, while for self-defense your target would be an assailant’s knee or groin area.

Our classes focus on the minute details of offensive strikes, strategic defense, footwork, and conditioning. We emphasize efficiency. If you can throw a great punch but quickly become fatigued, you’re bound to lose any fight. Kickboxing builds coordination, flexibility, conditioning, and much more. It is a great full body workout with an emphasis on the core. A friendly yet competitive team environment will ensure you have a fun time while also learning valuable skills.

We offer MMA training for those who are looking to compete in mixed martial arts or if you just want to be a complete martial artist. Coach Ben has worked with athletes in the UFC as a jiu-jitsu coach, strength and conditioning coach, and weight cut specialist. He has also worked with the UFC Performance Institute. Our MMA/Pro Training is mostly done in the mornings and are invite-only. We do occasionally open up MMA classes to all members and provide workshops/camps. Our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kickboxing classes tie into MMA holistically and we have amongst us students and coaches who are experienced in Judo, Muay Thai, Boxing, Wrestling, and Sambo. Coach Ben has cornered many fighters both amateur and pro.

At our academy, we greatly value live training and having our technique apply to Mixed Martial Arts. Coach Ben is heavily involved in the world of sport jiu-jitsu and MMA at the highest levels. Whether you’re a young fighter looking to eventually make it to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) or a fan of the sport looking to better understand what you’re watching on the television, we help you. If we can’t, you can guarantee that we have the tools and the network to put you in touch with someone who can. We value openness in training and often cross-train at other academies in the area. We are good friends with many local gyms including the ones listed below:

• Cosmic Training Center
• Mountain Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• 10th Planet Pasadena
• Fight Academy
• Common Ground BJJ
• Silanoe Martial Arts
• San Gabriel Judo Dojo

There have been many instances where we have sent our students to cross-train at other academies for their own good. We won’t stand in the way of you getting to your potential and once you’re part of the team, you’re always a part of the team.

Jiu-Jitsu is like any other sport or activity: your progress is a consequence of how hard and how smart you work. Group classes are the best proven way to teach Jiu-Jitsu, since the diversity of training partners creates more and different challenges allowing a student to improve more quickly. However, private classes are definitely an essential complement that no serious Jiu-Jitsu student should do without.

The individual attention and approach that a 30 or 60-minute session with one of our instructors provides can and does lead to significant improvement in a student’s Jiu-Jitsu game flow.

It is highly recommended that all students take at least one private lesson per month to review techniques and address specific challenges in his or her Jiu-Jitsu game flow.

• Get individual attention
• Speed up your learning
• Sparring and going through situations with your instructor
• Make up missed classes
• Better understanding of building your foundation of Jiu-Jitsu
• Setting goals and working towards them for sports / self-defense or MMA