The instruction is clear, technical, and the coaches actually take time to correct your form and answer questions. Whether you're a beginner or more advanced, there's definitely value to be had. The culture is friendly and competitive without being toxic--people roll hard but respectfully. Mat etiquette is solid, and the higher belts are approachable and willing to help. Only reason it's not 5 stars is consistency--some classes can vary depending on who's teaching, and the warm-ups can feel a bit rushed or skipped entirely on certain days. Also wish there were a few more no-gi classes during the week. That said, if you're serious about improving and want a positive training environment, this place is definitely worth checking out. read more

This school is amazing. You feel the positive vibes from the second you enter the training facility! Victor is engaged, kind and so wonderful with all the kids, no matter their experience level or abilities. Our son LOVES class and we have noticed a significant boost in his confidence, attitude and focus. We are so grateful to have found these coaches, professors and studio! read more

Gracie Barra - Class - Self-defense Classes Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

These guys are the BEST! I recently decided to try out Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the first time in my life. In my late 40's this was getting out of my comfort zone. I was offered a free no obligation class to experience BJJ. The people involved with Gracie Barra Scottsdale made each step so enjoyable. My initial call was with Coach "Devo" Frank, who got me booked for the class. Coach Devo was also the person that welcomed me and got me setup with the proper equipment. From there, I was welcomed by the men and women that are students in the classes. They all made me feel welcomed and I was excited to experience this. The Professors Victor and Navian are so incredible and very patient. The respect and warmth they project is evident with the students, as they shine these traits right back to the Professors. I had so much fun training the first night that I enrolled right there on the spot and have been feeding this newly found love 3-4 nights per week. To say that I am hooked is a gross understatement. I really like the challenges that I am facing daily in the class. The fellow students are so welcoming and easy to train with. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the gym always is very clean and they have the proper cleaning to ensure student safety. I highly recommend Gracie Barra Scottsdale to all my friends and family! They have a great facility, plenty of parking and a staff second to none! read more

Gracie Barra - Self-defense Classes Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Would not recommend. My son discovered this gym after being invited to one of anti bully classes, and boy were the super eager and friendly that day ( we decided to move forward with a membership ) therefore that was the impression I had of this place. Friendly helpful staff. My son has been there since aug2024, and none of the professors/ coaches have taken the time to learn my son's name. Since then with the exception of some vacations, he was going twice a week, but as of recently, with new professors again for the Wednesday/Thursday juniors class, it is losing it value to my son and myself and feeling like it's not worth it. It's seems tight knit, but it is very much feeling like not a place for us. I also took the time to ask about my son attending a different gym over the summer in Utah, and basically there is nothing to entice parents, we would need to cancel our membership at this location and start a new one with all the new fees in Utah for the three month of summer and then resign up here when he returns with all the associated fees also . Again, wouldn't recommend. read more

I have been training with professor Bernardo at Gracie Barra Scottsdale for only 2 months. With his instruction, as well as attending the group classes, I have learned so much in a short time. I feel like I learn something new each week. All of the professors as well as the more advanced students were supportive and patient with this newbie. I can't believe i waiting this long to begin. read more

Beware!!!!!! Do not trust Gracie Barra. We asked to place our membership on hold, completed the forms they requested and have been charged not once, not twice, but 3 additional charges! After each payment we've reached out asking for a refund and they say they were going to process it but they haven't and we are sitting here several weeks later. I've never dealt with a company who can't follow through on customer financial requests like this. It's incredibly disappointing and will tell everyone to choose a different gym because of how careless they are with customer financial information. read more

So great for kids to learn focus and discipline and how to deal with bully's. Coaches are amazing with the kids. So patient!!

MAJOR RED FLAGS - Very disappointed in how this gym is run. I was visiting family in Scottsdale so the week before I flew out I began trying to call this gym to see if I could drop in for a class. Multiple calls across several days went to voicemail and when I entered my information on the site to request more info I never heard back (this is not a big deal in and of itself, but it's relevant to the story). So I get into town and head to the gym for a class. I arrive at the gym, explain my situation, and ask if I could participate in that afternoon's class. The man at the desk asked if I was a Gracie Barra member (I'm not), to which I said no and told him the name of the person I train under, to which he only replies "never heard of him." Oddly dismissive attitude, but whatever. He then explains that drop-ins are supposed to schedule a visit ahead of time (refer back to my pre-arrival attempts) and that it's difficult to just have people show up. But he then goes on to tell me that if I wanted to train then a black belt has to work with me first to clear me to train with the class. Ok, fair enough. Then he tells me that it's a $50 drop in fee...PLUS $120 for the black belt's time! For those keeping track at home, that's $170 US Dollars to drop in to a single class! I told him thanks anyway and left. So I've been training for over 10 years, have trained at gyms across the country and internationally and have never seen such a horrendous drop-in policy. $50 by itself is pretty high (as reference, you can train in NYC with Marcelo Garcia, one of the greatest jiu jitsu players ever, for $40/day) but to add $120 for the "black belt's time"? The only explanation I can think of is greed or he was trying to keep me from rolling without telling me "no" flat out, which comes off to me as cowardly and a poor way to run a gym. This incident paints a picture of a gym I would be wary of joining - hope this helps any prospective students. Important note, this seems to be one bad apple and does not reflect all Gracie Barra gyms. I've trained in Mexico and Ontario affiliates and they were both welcoming gyms that honored the true spirit of martial arts. read more

The staff is really friendly. I took a trial class and the instruction was great. I learned a few new thinGs and had a great roll! It was so much fun and I highly recommend checking this place out! read more

Came and trained at this GB location while on vacation with my family in Phoenix. It is a large facility and very clean. Professor Victor's instruction is clear and he is able to break down drills and specific moves easily. Would definitely recommend coming by if you are part of the GB family or interested in trying out BJJ. read more

Amazing all around. Perfect for family, fighters, beginners and those just looking for a cardio work out. Spent a year training here 3-4 times a week and always was challenged but never overly. Jujitsu self defense is an amazing art and would recommend to 5 year olds and 75 year olds!! I have both my daughters training here (12 and 15) as well as myself and my fiancé and we all love it! None of us had ever had any Martial Arts experience before but we are all now hooked. Professor, coaches and all the students treat us all as family since day one. If your thinking about MMA or any Gym memberships Check this gym out before signing up anywhere else. read more

I can't say enough how appreciative I am of this class for my son. The instructors there are legit and more importantly, they make such an effort to work with each student and push them to do their best. I am always so impressed with their ability to give each student the attention they need to participate and stay on track. Their energy and enthusiasm is remarkable and is always a consistent. The schedule is so flexible and works great for my family. Thank you so much for everyone at this location for top shelf lessons. read more

When you first start here they make the kids feel special. But, DONT SIGN THE CONTRACT ITS A TRAP. My son loved it the first few months everyone was nice. We moved I canceled our membership I had to pay 2-3 months worth of membership before they would let me cancel. Unless you know 100% you kid will go religiously don't make my mistake and sign that contract. read more

I've been coming to GB Scottsdale now for roughly 2 weeks and and I'm officially hooked. Everyone, professors and students alike, are incredibly helpful and welcoming. There is a real sense of community at Gracie Barra. Come in, and get after it. read more

Would not recommend this business. We started off with our daughter when she was just shy of 6 years old. She attended for a little over a year and while it started off well things seemed to deteriorate over time. The instructors were very nice (Diego and Victor) and always made us feel at home. They did have a front desk attendant also who was always there to greet us. Diego and the front desk attendant Vincent ended up leaving and the people that replaced them did not ever introduce themselves to us. As time went by we noticed they continually paired our daughter with the younger kids. The class was 3-6 and she was on the older side but they said they liked how she taught them and was nice with them. A sentiment that was nice if it was occasionally used but paying $176 a month we would hope that she could get taught herself... at least the majority of the time. We eventually asked if she could move up and they agreed she was ready. We were not aware the next class involved "chokes" and she was paired with a very advanced girl. The instructors did not warn our daughter about chokes and how to tap out ahead of time so she was choked and unable to communicate when she was in trouble. The instructor to child ratio also was a problem because they did not see when she was in trouble and myself and the girl who performed the choke were the only ones to notice. She was fairly traumatized by that and we decided to give her a break. When we went to cancel they directed us to an online billing. We had already not been there for a couple months and they billed us a "stay" every month so we had to be charged while our account was on hold because of the yearly contract. When we signed up they communicated with us that the contract for kids was lenient and they understood kids changed their minds so they would not be strict and we wouldn't have to worry. They clearly did not mean that and billed a monthly fee anyway. We decided to cancel. They didn't seem to care about our daughter or ask where she was. We canceled 1-2 days late of their "30 day notice policy" So we had to pay for a month that we weren't going to be there. I attempted to dispute this with the bank but they proceeded to fight it. They care more about the money. Be very careful when they tell you otherwise. We are very disappointed in our experience and will let everyone know about it. They ripped off our family read more

Professional, respectful world-class instruction best describes the entire staff a Gracie Barra Scottsdale. You gain BJJ knowledge within a family type atmosphere that impacts every facet of your life. My only regret, wish I had started down this martial art journey at Gracie Barra 20 years ago... read more

Old or young, looking to learn self defense or become the next UFC champion, a fit athlete or just starting a healthy path - this place is for you. Professors Diogo, Flavio and other instructors employ only positive reinforcement and one-on-one tailoring of the structured and most superior instruction/methods found through Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Come in, bring a friend or your spouse and kids - it will become a life changing positive habit. read more

It saddens me to leave this review. My son has trained at the school for almost two years. We were very happy with the teaching and have directed many many families towards this facility. Eventually, my son's primary sport, lacrosse, has taken over most of his free time, and he had to stop his training. I contacted the school, and was offered to freeze the account in January 2018. By that time we were well outside of our one year contract, and were paying on a monthly basis. I agreed, and the account was frozen. Looking through my credit card in October of 2019, I have realized that I have been charged for the prior of FOURTEEN months a monthly fee of $176. As it turns out, frozen accounts get automatically reactivated 6 month later. I have not received any warning prior to reactivation. I contacted Gracie Barra and was informed by the school's representative, Che, that my 14 month tuition payment could not be reimbursed. I requested this matter to be forwarded to professors Dave and Flavio, the owners of the school. I was then reimbursed 2 months of tuition, and given 12 months tuition credit. Considering that neither my son nor anybody else in the family would be able to use it, that credit is rather meaningless. Thus, I ended up being charged over $2,000 for the training that has never happened. As I mentioned in the beginning, up until this unfortunate interaction, I held the school in the greatest of respect. I never would have thought that I would find myself in this situation. For a corporation like Gracie Barra, with schools sprouting all across the valley and nation wide, this $2000 would have not made or broken them. My son never received the training for the 12 months we were charged, never took somebody else's spot, the school has never allocated any additional resources that needed to be compensated. He was clearly absent, and his attendance card, if ever checked, would have shown that. The right thing to do would have been compensating me fully, or at least for 12 months. This company, in my opinion, has not live up to the "respect, honor, commitment" that they preach to their young students... IAV. read more

The professors and coaches at Gracie Barra Scottsdale are serious professionals and I am so grateful that I found this place. The facility is clean, with huge mats and classes are available during the day, nights and weekends. The curriculum is wide ranging and designed to give you a very good base to start from and grow into the advanced ranks. The competition teams are lighting it up in AZ and these guys are all very welcoming and friendly. I started Jiu-Jitsu later in life and initially found myself at a place in town where I was being taught advanced moves right out of the gate (De La Riva /Omoplata) and rolling on the mats with 50 other blue, purple and brown belts on day one. It made no sense and I ended up getting two broken ribs just 8 weeks in. After I healed I took my time and looked at several Jiu Jitsu academies before making the decision to join the Gracie Barra family. I could not of made a better choice. It is tough at first because it takes time to get in shape but in no time you lose weight, increase mobility, gain stamina and make some amazing friends while learning how to choke each other out. The school is not as cheap as some of the lesser schools in town but you get what you pay for, and if I wanted I could train twice a day every day in Jiu Jitsu and even take Barra Fit classes 4 times a week. The academy is always bringing in high ranking GB black belts to give us special classes and in the 6 months I have been here I have been fortunate enough to meet and train under some of the best in the world. Also, once you sign up you are able to train at ANY other location in the world (approx 700) or at any of the 7 locations here in the state. If you have ever wanted to give Jiu Jitsu a try or are just looking for a great schoolbcome on out and roll with us. Professor Diogo Ferriera is a great mentor, tough as they come, sucessful and is a talented teacher as is Professor Flavio Almeida and several of the other GB leaders here in AZ. The students are all very welcoming and we really try to help each other out through the learning process as we fall in love with this "gentle art"! read more

I love the school! The instructors are awesome and always willing to help. It's a great workout and everyone is friendly and nice. Going to the practice always makes my day! read more

From the moment we walked in the doors we could feel the energy in the building. There is a sense of family and team among everyone there. We were there for our 10 year old son to take an intro class to see if it would be a good fit for him. After 10 minutes he was asking us to sign him up. 3 months later, at 40 years old, I was a student as well. The coaches and professors are world class, professional, and truly care about their students and the community. My son has never been happier. He has made some great friends, learned valuable life skills, and has found a passion in Jiu-Jitsu that he has not shown in other sports/activities. They have a strong focus on how to deal with bullying, building the kids self-esteem and self-worth, all while teaching discipline and respect. I have lost nearly 30 pounds in 3 months since I started training. Our family joining the Gracie Barra family is one of the best decisions we've ever made. read more

Professor Diogo has been a great influence on my life and is a great addition to the Scottsdale area. He has an amazing teaching ability and cares about an individual's growth, both within jiu jitsu, as well as their life outside the school. His passion for teaching jiu jitsu to all age and skill levels is unmatched. read more

This is the worst gym I've ever been to, and I've grown up in the gym business. These guys only care about your money and nothing more. When I joined I later had to cancel with them because I had to meet with my National Guard unit and I didn't know what kind of schedule I'd have. They seemed understanding and said it wasn't a problem. At this time I would have rated this gym very good, because I had fun with no issues. I even told them I'd probably start back up here after I know what schedule looked like. So I stop going after my month expired because I cancelled(even on my attendance sheet it said it was my last and only month.) I later check my bank statement and they charged me again, okay no big deal probably a mistake. I call them, no answer. Okay that's fine I'll email them explaining the mistake. I'll give them a few days to get back to me max. Hear nothing from them. Call them again, no answer. Call them again they finally answered. I explain the situation with guy that answers and he says "Oh yeah i got your email but I forgot to call you.". At this point I'm a little rubbed wrong with they're crap customer service. Then after that he tells me no I haven't cancelled and I'm going to have to pay another two months worth. He tells me I must have misunderstood him (he speaks broken English so he must have misunderstood me when I cancelled with him a month prior to this). He won't help me out at all, just says I have to pay more. Thank god I have Navy Federal for a bank because I call them after this and they let me know these guys shouldn't be changing me. They repay me for what the gym took and put a dispute on the gym, they also put a stop payment on the gym. Well sure and behold I get charged by them AGAIN and I call my bank asking why did this happen? Turns out this gym is manually putting my card information in to get past the stop payment. I ask what I can do. They say to email them so I have proof i contacted them in case they try to lie. So I email these dirt bags and guess what once again nothing but they email me the SCHEDULE FOR THE CLASSES. Once again my bank is helping me, thank goodness. Not veteran friendly. read more