SBG NorCal Jiu Jitsu & Mixed Martial Arts - Berkeley, California

Pirashanth K.

Great clean club. Quality instructions. Great vibe and energy in the members. This club cares about your health and future and makes it a priority. Make sure to visit them as they are a gem!

Kyle C.

I love SBG NorCal! As a longtime member, I've had the pleasure of being raised in this gym surrounded by it’s community. And the biggest strength that this gym has is that community. It’s not a one-stop service where folks come to get a workout in and leave, but it’s a space that people of all different backgrounds come to connect with the community just as much as they want to train. Our head coaches Alan and Lily have also been working hard to give back to the community beyond our gym - with free workshops open to non-members as well as other community events. If you’re looking for a fun, safe environment to train and you’re interested in joining a Bay Area gym that nurtures its community reach out and try us out as a guest. We offer 10 free days to anyone that wants to check us out and see what our community is about!

Chet L.

I reached out to SBG NorCal to see if I could do a drop in as I was visiting the area and Coach Kyle welcomed me with open arms. He was very clear about the expectation and even sent me a calendar invite for the day I was visiting! The visit was as expected (Foundations class + Integration class afterwards) and everyone was very welcoming! Coach Jose led the class through fundamental drills while Professor Kirk showed the class how to flow roll. Definitely recommend this gym for a group of athletes that train seriously and has a great balance of technique and intensity! Please check them out!

Jose M.

Been here for the last 7 years and it’s been awesome ! Such a great environment to be a part of. From coaches to training partners everybody is awesome to train with !

Shan W.

Every gym should be like this; all-family friendly, clean, high energy, cool space makes you want to move in, SAFE, good parking. Full disclosure, growing up in the area I have known some of the staff forty years and completely trust them with my kids and health. I don't know if there is a another place like it. After a break of a couple years for other kids sports we are back. Many of the same staff and students! Is there a better measure for how solid it is?

Michael O.

PROS: Very beginner friendly, Jiu Jitsu class is very friendly. 10 DAY FREE TRIAL to see if you like it. (This is really awesome even though I didn’t like it.)

CONS: Limited class schedule, high cost, they make you start in the intro class even if you’re experienced, the Jiu Jitsu class doesn’t have much live wrestling.

WHOLE STORY:

I’ve trained in Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing for over a decade with a couple breaks. I’m just returning from one of those breaks (9 months) so I’m not in my finest form but I’m still pretty capable.

I’m interested in the integration kickboxing class but after the fundamentals class which was very introductory drills I’m told by the coach that I’m not ready. To the surprise of the others I trained with in the intro class who were staying for the integrations class, I was told by the coach I couldn’t stay for the class. I didn’t get a good workout and a fundamentals class is absolutely not what I’m looking for which I communicated to the coach to no avail.

Again, I’m not that good but I’ve had several exhibitions and won my one amateur fight by unanimous decision (at some rinky dink community venue, again, I’m not anything special) so I think I could hang in the integrations class. Did the coach think I’d get hurt or couldn’t keep up? What would be the harm in me staying for the class to see if I liked it?

This is in addition to high prices for a limited schedule.

SUMMARY:

If you want to begin training in Jiu Jitsu and you don’t have much experience then this place might be just right for you. Otherwise, I’d keep looking, especially if you’ve got a bit more experience. BUT they do offer a 10 DAY FREE TRIAL so there’s no harm in checking it out for yourself.

I’d also ask for their full schedule and prices at your earliest convenience. It was a red flag for me that neither of these are posted on their website.

UPDATE: I just signed up at Pacific Ring Sports which has a wider class variety and schedule for a notably lower rate. Dropping my review down to 1 star.

Cindy A.

Everyone was so friendly, environment was great and learned a lot 🙂

Cathi B.

Great atmosphere and coaches. Everyone on staff is friendly and wants to help you improve. It's all about getting better by that one percent and pushing yourself. The coaches and staff know everyone's names which makes it feel more like home.-