I'm giving 5 stars because of what you get for the price and because I honestly think people looking into BJJ should check out the gym. For a more in depth review just keep reading. But if you're on the fence, just come check it out for yourself. The pros: 1. Open mat is open. I am making this the first bullet because even if you don't want to become a member but you want to train, come to open mat. Variety helps everyone. I am amazed at how most schools in the valley only offer open mat for their members. In Sacramento, open mat is a time to welcome non-members and other schools and train and learn from a bigger pool. I thought this was a common practice in BJJ but apparently not. I truly appreciate that Gilbert happily welcomes anyone wanting to stop in and roll. (Though personally, I am a strong believe in donating a couple bucks to the gym as a thank you for hosting.) 2. No cliques (see 6). Most every other gym I have trained at with MMA fighters has the fighter clique. Black Flag (BF) was welcoming and inclusive from the first day. 3. No egos. Most gyms will have some people with something to prove. These people will go hard, muscle submissions, and hurt their training partners. I have not experienced this here. Gilbert does a good job of explaining to every new comer and visitor that we are here to train with each other and not here to hurt each other. 4. Great job embracing no-gi and leg locks. I have trained at many schools with old-school instructors (Gracie gyms and Paragon in CA). These were great gyms but there is no denying they were gi focused and the leg lock game was negligible. Rolling at BF for a month improved my lower body awareness and no-gi game more than training at these old-school gyms for six times the amount. 5. Receptive instruction and supportive environment. If I want to work on something, I can request it and either that day or later that week we will go over it. Even in a one on one environment every higher belt in the gym is happy to give feedback and answer questions. 6. Class dismissal. I really like the tradition of thanking every person for showing up before leaving. This does not occur in many schools, especially larger big-name ones, and I think it should. Truthfully, I cannot train without my partner and my partner cannot train without me. It forces me to acknowledge the role everyone plays in my advancement. It forces everyone to interact with the whole class and in my opinion prevents cliques and promotes a welcoming environment. Also, it makes me more aware of my sparring biases. By interacting with and thanking the people I neglected that session, I realize I need to spar with them the next time. 7. The water. Honestly people, it's really nice to have cold filtered water. People should pitch in a buck or so a month to off set the water costs. Most schools I trained at, I used to refill my bottle in the bathroom sink. The cons: The main con is academy size and number of upper belts (purple and above). Though it is growing and regularly there are 20-30 person classes, it is a small school and a young school. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next ten years. read more

I have been training at Blackflag since the end of July and could not be happier with the staff or training they are providing. All the coaches are very friendly and knowledgeable. They do an awesome job teaching and encouraging. They push you to be better but work you within your abilities, skills, and fitness levels. I am a larger guy who was once athletic. I am far from that now, but they are working with me to help learn the basics of BJJ. They are also helping me tailor my skills to take advantage of my wrestling and football background from my past. I really enjoy the environment Blackflag has to over, and the value you receive for the price you pay is second to none IMO. They call themselves a team, and it is true. Everybody is looking to get better, but not at the expense of others. They want to help each other be better and have an open and inviting environment to learn. My son has been begging me to let him go to class with me, and once he is old enough I fully intend to have him start training too. Keep up the great work. read more

Stopped by the Black Flag Open Mat this Friday while I was in town visiting family and had a really really good time! On my way over I was a little nervous about what it would be like, but I was quickly greeted when I walked in and found everyone at the gym to be warm and friendly. All of the guys I rolled with were awesome - every roll was safe and controlled but also fun, and I got some good feedback on tweaks to make to improve my game. Most people (if not everyone) at the open mat was rolling nogi, and there was a pretty big range of experience levels. The gym itself was also nice! The mats and bathroom were clean, and parking was super easy. Thanks for the good time, Black Flag! I'll be back the next time I'm in town :) read more

I had never heard of jiu jitsu until about 9 months ago when my son and I stumbled across Black Flag, purely by chance. We had been going through a rough time in our life and my son needed an outlet and something that was just his. He totally fell in love with the sport and I have watched my little boy completely transform and become more disciplined, more confidant and develop leadership skills. The training in the gym is second to none! I feel honored to be a small part of the family that has been created here and look forward to watching my son grow and develop under the amazing instruction for many years to come. I Highly recommend you come in and check it out! read more

I take the Brutal Barb classes here on Saturdays and just completed class #6. I love the fact that anyone, regardless of strength, is able to successfully defend themselves against an attacker. It is also really nice to have the opportunity to go to a safe place to practice the self-defense techniques that are learned in class. Barbara and Gilbert are great to work with, and I always look forward to my Saturday mornings! There is a welcoming atmosphere in this studio, and I would (and have) recommend this studio to anyone. The kids that come to class right after ours, look so excited and happy to be there! I can understand why. read more

his place is great! I had never done a martial art before and this place was an ideal location to start. As a woman this place is accepting and welcoming the second you walk in the door. There is always someone willing to talk to you and provide that little extra help we all need the first few months of training. The instructors are amazing as well we learn so much and our skills tend to advance quickly whether you are focusing on fundamentals or improving your skills to the next level. All the participants work well together and the team environment here is something I have not seen in many other places. read more

I have been taking a women's self defense class here and it is really good. I like that the class is ongoing to you have a chance to practice the defense moves you learn and commit them to memory. The space is set up well and the location is convenient. I would recommend taking classes here and especially the self defense class as that is the only one I've tried. It meets Saturday mornings and can be found on meet-up under "Women's Self Defense Meetup". read more

i have Been here since april and i defintely recommend this martial arts school! Especially the Catch wrestling classes(my fav class) and the Schedule is also very flexible for anybody since its open 7 days a week and theres morning and night classes,which is perfect for folks like me who work alot and cant make it everyday/to certain classes. Finally the instructors are very chill and very detailed in explaining/teaching techniques during class read more

Black flag jiu jitsu is an amazing place I was sitting around my home doing much of nothing and since I've started jiu jitsu I've been able to sleep better I'm more confident and as a plus I've lost some weight They offer a free week for adults and kids it's also a very family oriented place come in for chill vibes and to learn twist some people up read more

I've been attending here for a year now. I've stopped in several other academies and Black Flag is where i am proud to call home. Coaching staff is very professional, polite, and will treat you like family. Gym is always clean and other students are friendly and eager to help. Would give more stars if i could. read more

My children have been involved for over a year now. They have learned self esteem and discipline. The instructors are amazing and really take their time with the children. They teach several martial arts and self defense methods for children and adults. I strongly recommend this place. read more

I began training at Black Flag in April of 2017 and loved it from the very first day. My kids began in November of 2017 and they LOVE going to their classes! The vibe is always great in adult classes and kids classes are always amazing! I highly recommend checking out Black Flag. read more

Great place for my grandson to learn some discipline, self-respect and endurance. All the coaches are dedicated to encouraging the students to become a better version of themselves and I couldn't be happier that my grandson is getting the benefits from this place. read more

I was A lost Jiu Jitsu soul, coach Gilbert Olivas took me into his School &/altered my Skills to make me even better at the Art of Jiu Jitsu. If you're a true Grappler look no Further. Get Your A** in here. read more

So impressed with the place! Took our boys there to check it out and signed them up right then and there. Great instructors and such a good vibe! read more