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July 2023 by jbalanay
Love this gym and their staff. Best decision I’ve made for my kids and myself to do for life.
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May 2023 by Stephen Takashima
Very kind and welcoming. Thanks for the training!
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May 2023 by Daniel Wilson
A place where you will not only learn, but also a place where you will want to learn
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December 2022 by Enrique Rivas
Great place. My son loves it.
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September 2022 by Gary D.
Every member is treated like family. All aspects of training and the business is ran by the owner. No gym politics at all. Kids classes are age oriented and upper belts very involved for quality instruction in small groups. Affiliate of street sports juijitsu
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January 2022 by Aaron K.
So there I was, dripping sweat from every pore on my face and puffing like a steam engine on an old-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!
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May 2020 by Matthew C.
Coach Paul and the rest of the team at mountain are first class. Coach Paul is highly knowledgable in the art and a fine practitioner of it as well. He'll take the time to explain things, and he explains them well. Very thorough instruction, both in class and one on one. Holes in your game will be noted and addressed. Good mix of young and old, male and female, competitive and hobbyist. Friends all. No egos, just solid BJJ. Very clean academy. Been training here since 2017 and recommend it to everyone.
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February 2020 by David M.
I started my Jiu Jitsu Journey last year at the age of 47. It has been an absolutely amazing experience. I wish I didn't wait so long! My initial reasoning to start was to just find something active to do and to lose a little bit of weight, but it has become so much more. Jiu Jitsu really challenges your mind and body in different ways. I guess they call it "Human Chess" for a reason. My first six months were done at another gym in Pasadena. I still had fun over there, but there is just something different about the way that Coach Paul teaches his classes. At the other gym, you would usually be taught a random technique each day. With the amount of things you can learn in Jiu Jitsu, it is difficult to retain all of that information. Coach Paul goes about it a different way. It is very evident on the amount of thought he puts into his classes about what he is going to teach and how he teaches it. For instance, the last couple months were dedicated to a specific position. He would go over all the intricacies of that position, such as counters or what to do if your opponent responds a certain way. Last month we did Half Guard and this month we're working on Side Mount. I've found that this has helped me retain a lot more information and thus progress much faster. Everyone at the gym is always eager to help. There are no egos at this gym. If you want to roll or just drill something in particular, there is always someone available. Another amazing aspect of this gym is the kid's class. I have twin boys that are taking the kid's class right now. They also started with me at the other gym. When I first told them I was planning to switch gyms, they didn't want to. They became comfortable with their old gym and the friends they made there. Change is hard for everyone, especially kids. I told them to just try one class to see how they liked it. After their first class, they were already comfortable. Coach Paul has a unique ability to keep the class fun and competitive at the same time. My kids have tried everything from basketball and soccer to piano and coding. Jiu Jitsu is the only thing that they have stuck with and really enjoy. If you've thought about trying Jiu Jitsu, just give it a try!
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October 2019 by Joshua
Awesome place!!! The professor here is very knowledgeable, relaxed, and provides a great atmosphere where everyone IS family. You can’t find a better group of individuals anywhere and that’s because the professor leads by example.
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September 2019 by Joshua J.
Awesome professor, awesome atmosphere, and awesome family. If you want to get better and build great friendships this is your place. I've rolled many places and finally found a home.
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September 2019 by Kathleen Burns
Great staff. Clean. Equipment always properly maintained. Weights always put away. And man th more reasons why I love training here.
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March 2019 by Howard C.
I started jiu jitsu at 40. Everybody told me that I was crazy. But is it very challenging and fun and a great workout. This academy really stresses safety and a team environment which is great for learning. I don't think I would get the same experience at another place. Solid!
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February 2019 by Eddy C.
Jiu Jitsu has become a lifestyle. When I started, I thought twice/week would be an incredible commitment. Now it feels strange if I don't roll five days per week. Not only is the jiu jitsu instruction top notch but it feels invigorating to improve my fitness while making new friends. Over the years, I have tried going to the gym (not really fun), playing basketball (knees don't hold up), and biking (too solitary). Jiu Jitsu fits a unique intersection of being an effective martial art, being able to go almost full bore without significantly hurting yourself, and being integrated into a cool community of folks.
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January 2019 by Ali Maher
A great place ,with a great hospitable environment. Everyone over here makes you feel that you belong to this place from your first day on the mats as if you were training there for years.Coach Paul is really great and friendly as well as all his students welcoming you to the Mountain jiujitsu family
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January 2019 by Geoffrey C.
I've been training at Mountain BJJ for ~3 months after a layoff of many years, and I'm thankful I landed here. Here's why: GREAT instruction by Coach Paul. I've trained at a handful of other schools, and this is the best I've experienced hands down. You are getting a very carefully curated lesson plan every week, and I especially appreciate the detailed focus on setups and transitions, rather than just showing static positions and techniques. Teaching aside, culture is what seals the deal here. Friendly people, respectful training/learning environment. There's a good vibe, and I've felt welcome from day one. Folks are here to learn, not beat up on one another, and are generous with their time to help you improve. The space itself is clean and functional. Plenty of mat space, cubbies in front, and a changing room in back. Zero complaints. Give it a try!
