If you live in San Diego and you’ve been interested in learning Jiu Jitsu or if you’re visiting San Diego and looking to drop in for a day, this article is for you.
San Diego is considered one of the best places to train BJJ in the USA. In this article we will be exploring Jiu Jitsu gyms in San Diego. Some of these BJJ schools are home to some of the best competitors and competition teams in the world.
Even for a martial art as popular as the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu we can tell you that finding the right place to train, may not be as easy as you might think. Especially in a city like San Diego that has so many great BJJ gym options.
So we decided to make a list of some of the best Jiu Jitsu gyms in San Diego, to help you with your decision.
Our Top Picks for the Best Gyms to Train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in San Diego
Atos Jiu Jitsu Headquarters
Atos Jiu Jitsu Headquarters in San Diego is widely regarded as one of the best gyms to train BJJ in the USA. This is a competition focused gym and has produced some of the best Jiu Jitsu athletes out there. It also has some of the best instructors you can find.
At Atos HQ, you will be exposed to a wide variety of sport as well as self defense techniques. They offer classes for both new and experienced people as well as women’s and kids.
Classes offered at Atos
- Kids (3,5) (5-8) (8-13)
- Kids Advanced
- Women’s only BJJ
- Jiu Jitsu 101
- Beginners
- Fundamentals
- Gi and No Gi
- Advanced
- Competition
Instructors at Atos
- André Galvão
- Angelica Galvão
- Josh Hinger
- Michael Liera Jr
- Luca Barbosa
That’s not even the whole list of instructors, we left out a few. Atos HQ also offers one free trial class for first timers. Drop by if you’re visiting San Diego just be warned the drop in fees are $50 dollars for a session and $60 for a day.
Address: 4810 Mercury Street, San Diego, California 92111
Phone: 858.292.5040
Alliance Jiu Jitsu San Diego
At Alliance Jiu Jitsu in San Diego, you will have access to a world class facility with a community of top class professionals that will aid you in learning BJJ.
This gym is one of the best rated options in San Diego and it has classes for all ages and skill levels. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or a top level competitor there’s something for everyone at this gym. They also offer Muay Thai if you want to work on your striking.
Alliance is run by Johnny Faria a world class competitor and instructor with over 20 years of experience. He along with other top class instructors aim to deliver the best training for their students.
Classes offered at Alliance
- Kids (3-5) (6-8) (9-12)
- Women’s Jiu Jitsu
- Gi and No Gi
- Fundamentals
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Competition
- Muay Thai
Instructors at Alliance
- Johnny Souza
- Piter Frank
- Victor Barreto
- Jena Bishop
- Gabriel Bergami
They offer free intro classes to new students that live in the San Diego area.
Address: 8990 Miramar Road 225, San Diego, CA 92126
Phone: 858.549.1226
University of Jiu Jitsu San Diego
The University of Jiu Jitsu San Diego offers classes in BJJ for adults and kids. Their classes are for both male and female friendly and they have some of the best instructors in the game.
Saulo Ribeiro is the lead instructor here and his brother Alexandre “Xande” Ribeiro, both black belts who are regarded as some of the greatest champions of the BJJ.
Classes offered at University of Jiu Jitsu
- Kids (3-6) (7-10) (11-15)
- Gi and No Gi
- Fundamentals
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Instructors at University of Jiu Jitsu
- Saulo Ribeiro
- Alexandre “Xande” Ribeiro
- Gustavo Dias
- Jeremy Bursky
- Julio Villanueva
Address: 3350 Sports Arena Blvd #H2, San Diego, CA 92110,
Phone: 619.222.5555
10th Planet San Diego Jiu Jitsu
10th Planet San Diego Jiu Jitsu is one of the most popular Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gyms in San Diego.
Along with being only a no-gi gym and they also teach MMA, wrestling, kickboxing, strength and conditioning. If you don’t know the difference between gi and no-gi check out this article we have covering that Here.
The head instructors here are Richie and Geo Martinez, these brothers are also known as Freakazoid and Boogeyman. They’re regarded as a couple of the best 10th planet no-gi competitiors.
Classes offered at 10th Planet San Diego
- 10 Planet No Gi Jiu Jitsu
- Kids striking and no gi grappling
- Wrestling
- MMA
- Strength and Conditioning
- Boxing
- Kickboxing
Instructors at 10th Planet San Diego
- Richie ‘Boogeyman’ Martinez
- Geo “Freakahzoid” Martinez
- UFC fighter Liz Carmouche
- Gabe Tuttle
- Ilima-Lei Macfarlane
Address: 6008 Mission Gorge Road, San Diego, CA 92120
Phone: 619.282.5855
Victory MMA and Fitness
Victory MMA and Fitness has been one of the best spots for training for all sorts of martial arts in San Diego for a number of years now. They’re also one of the best places for you to learn BJJ in SD.
This gym is great for all age ranges, if you’re current or retired military personnel, this gym should be one of the first options on your list as it gives a lot of perks to military personnel.
There’s a ton of combat sports veterans and top tier instructors, so you know you’re going to get excellent instruction.
At Vitory MMA you can train with BJJ stars Dean Lister and Jeff Glover. You can also catch motivational YouTube star and ex-navy seal Jocko Willink training here.
Classes offered at Victory MMA
- Gi and No Gi BJJ
- Womens BJJ
- Boxing
- Muay Thai
- Kick Boxing
- MMA
- Cross Fit
- Fitness Bootcamps
Instructors at Victory MMA and Fitness
- Dean “The Boogieman” Lister
- Jeff “The Pipelayer” Glover
- Adam Mazin
- Greg McIntyre
- Tony Palafox
Address: 3666 Midway Drive, San Diego CA 92110
Phone: 619.223.5581
Legion American Jiu Jitsu San Diego Headquarters
Keenan Cornelius caused a stir when he left Atos and started Legion “American” Jiu Jitsu Academy. If you’re in SD you should check it out.
This BJJ gym is also a great choice for beginners who are trying to get an understanding of the art. It’s also a great destination for the experienced practitioners to get better at what they do and train with one of the best competitors in the world.
They have great instructors, led by their head instructor, Keenan Cornelius, who is widely respected as one of the leading voices in AJJ in America today.
Classes offered at Legion American Jiu Jitsu
- Gi and No Gi
- Beginner
- Intermediate-Advanced
- Judo
- Night Moves from 9-10pm
Instructors at Legion American Jiu Jitsu
- Keenan Cornelius
- Andris Brunovskis
- Scott Boehler
- Justin Flores (Judo)
- Jonathan Fennell
Legion AJJ offers a free intro class to new students.
Address: 7550 Miramar Road 330, San Diego, CA92126
Phone: 858.888.1815
San Diego Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts
San Diego BJJ and MMA Academy is one of the biggest and best rated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training schools you can find in San Diego.
This school was founded to offer training in all forms of martial arts to people of all genders and all ages. So regardless of your age, gender or level of expertise, there is always something for you here.
Apart from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, other martial arts you can learn here include, Muay Thai, kickboxing, MMA, boxing, wrestling, judo and a lot more.
This academy is also a no-gi gym. The lead instructor at this academy is Paulo Fernando, who is one of the most respected names in the art today.
Classes offered at San Diego BJJ and MMA
- Kids (3-12)(12-16)
- Beginners
- Fundamentals
- Gi and No Gi
- Advanced (Brown and Black)
- Judo
- Muay Thai
- Boxing
Instructors at San Diego BJJ and MMA
- Paulo Fernando
- Walter Dean (9th dan judo red belt)
- Adam Schmaltz
- Jesse Davis
- Joe Palumbo
Address: 684 Rancheros Dr San Marcos, CA 92069
Phone: 760.752.1445
Clark Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy
Clark Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy is one of the most trusted academies for learning the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in San Diego.
This academy offers courses for beginners and experienced practitioners. They help in giving you the training required to be a top class BJJ artist.
This gym has great atmosphere with respected and accommodating teachers who are always available to help you improve.
The head instructor here is Professor Clark Gracie, a black belt and a world class competitor who just happens to be the grandson of the founder of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Address: 1162 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: 619.220.4810
Barum Jiu Jitsu San Diego
If you are looking for a great BJJ gym in San Diego, Barum Jiu Jitsu gym should be one of the options you should consider.
This gym has a very accommodating environment and world class facilities that would enable you to learn self defense through the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
It also boasts of top level instructors and a very flexible training schedule to favor your demands, and it does all of this at a very reasonable price.
Classes offered at Barum Academy
- Kids
- Women’s Jiu Jitsu
- Gi and No Gi
- Fundamentals
- Adult
Instructors at Barum Academy
- Alfredo Barum is the lead instructor and this is a Carlson Gracie affiliate
You’ll have to inquire about a trial class.
Address: 4903 Morena Blvd 1202 San Diego CA 92117
Phone: 858.361.6989.
99 Jiu Jitsu Headquarters San Diego
The 99 Jiu Jitsu Headquarters San Diego offers an all round training in martial arts for both male and female and it is a great choice for you to learn the art of Jiu Jitsu.
At 99 HQ, you can learn BJJ, boxing, Muay Thai, MMA and other martial arts as well. There are classes for both adults and kids, and they offer free classes for new members.
This gym has an environment that is great for learning, and they also have some of the best instructors in the game.
Classes offered at 99 HQ
- Kids (1.5-3)
- Gi and No Gi
- All Levels
- Advanced
- Wrestling
- Boxing
- MMA
Instructors at 99 HQ
- Eduardo Telles Moriera, a former world and European champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the head instructor here.
Address: 4425 Convoy Street 210, San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: 858.276.0290
Have fun and train safe
Learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu isn’t just useful for self defense, but it also offers a lot of other great benefits like aiding awareness, ensuring concentration and improving the overall confidence of the artist.
If you are in San Diego, check out any of the gyms/schools listed above to learn the beautiful art of BJJ.