the real deal elite knowledge, elite standards, and a genuine passion for making every student better. The coaches and professors across the board are phenomenal: technical, patient, and deeply invested in your growth on and off the mats. If you want real BJJ, clean technique, intelligent training, and an environment that pushes you to improve every single day, this is it. Kaizen offers some of the best technical Jiu-Jitsu in South Pasadena, and honestly, one of the best schools in all of LA. read more

Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen - Inspiration - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - South Pasadena, California

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Just changed locations! Still in South Pasadena with the same great staff & coaches. Coach Brian teaches the 4 year class and is so great with the kids. There's ample parking out back & new paint job outside with the same familiar clean black & white design. Inside has nice lighting and is surprisingly very cool on a hot day. Excited to see what changes come with this location compared to the last one. read more

Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen - Interior - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - South Pasadena, California

This review is coming from someone who belongs to another school, but had the opportunity to visit for a few weeks because of a temporary closure (at my school). I've visited quite a few schools in the past, but this school definitely stands out. The instruction is top notch, the students are very technical and passionate about their craft, and the environment is ego-free and pleasant. It all trickles down from the solid leadership of professors Edwin and Jason. They are exemplary examples of people who not only excel at jiu jitsu, but at life. It is very apparent that they both care deeply about their students both on and off the mat. The core group of students that I trained with here are very technical and fundamentally sound. I learned a lot during my short time here. I definitely recommend anyone in the area interested in learning bjj to check this school out. read more

Jiujitsu Kaizen has been such a blessing for our family. It started with our son, then my husband joined, and finally me. The coaches are patient, encouraging, and really focus on discipline and respect. We've seen so much growth not just in skills but in confidence and character. It's more than just training--it's a community we're grateful to be part of. We definitely love learning from Coach Edwin, Coach Jason, and Coach David. read more

What can I say except that you NEED to come here for BJJ! I've been coming to Jiujitsu Kaizen since it opened a couple months ago! Back story: I've been looking for a BJJ gym for over 2 years. I've never felt right at others that I've tried. It was either dirty, I didn't feel respected by the guys, and I was always afraid of getting hurt. I'm a Physical Therapist. I treat people that have injuries from martial arts, BJJ, etc. You name it, I've seen it ;). I've always looked for the right gym for me and this is it! I've been hesitant to start, but I have SO many friends that do BJJ. I was waiting for Jujitsu Kaizen to open up and let me tell you I'M HOOKED!! Pros: -Clean: This place is CLEAN. The mats are cleaned between EVERY CLASS. Let me tell you that THIS IS BIG. No impetigo for me (google it I dare you lol). I'm a germaphobe. I work in health care lol. You are only allowed to walk barefoot on the mats - I appreciate this so much. -I Feel Safe: As a girl in her 30's, I feel so safe. I feel respected by the professors and the other guys that are there. I never once felt like I was being pummeled or smashed. I have not found any creepies which is a big deal to me. Everyone has been incredibly respectful. Note: If you are a girl and wanting to start BJJ, I recommend starting off with the gi classes (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and then Tuesday Thursday do the women's self defense class! Make some new friends yay! -Professors: I cannot say enough about how important it is to have good professors. Professor Edwin and Professor Jason care about their students so much. They are so encouraging, SO GOOD AT EXPLAINING, and really patient. They will push you where you need it to help you grow. Also side note: I'm getting so strong!! and improving so much every class!! -Culture: My confidence is skyrocketing! It has EVERYTHING to do with the professors and the entire vibe of the gym! When you have people that only want to compete with you all the time, that is the best way to not make friends. The culture at Jiujitsu Kaizen is incredibly uplifting and everyone wants each other to succeed. It's a safe place to roll because people aren't trying to be spazzy (no spazzy white belts! haha). When you treat your rolling partner like a friend, brother, sister, you won't get hurt. You will only get better. Also this place is GREAT for kids!! Start them young! Heck, just sign up you and your kids. You can do a class at the same time. Look at the schedule on the website! -GREAT PARKING!: Need I say more? I've done so many different type of gyms (traditional, bougie, CrossFit, hapkido, etc). If I need to look for parking, it's already a HUGE barrier for me - I normally end up phasing out. That's why I never got into cross fit even though it was only half a mile from my place smh. At Jiujitsu Kaizen, there is so much parking here! When you running late, just park and walk in haha. No need to stress about parking. ;) -Shower: Always a plus to have at any gym! -Bathroom for the ladies: This is not always an option at other gyms. It's nice and clean! -Lockers: If you are worried about ur stuff, ur stuff is safe. But if you want to lock things up, there are lockers. Just bring a lock and you can use them :). Oh also random fact, there is a nice water fountain with a water bottle station! -Gorgeous Location: I want to go to that twinkle light restaurant so bad. When I'm rolling, sometimes I'll look up at the twinkle lights in South Pas. It's a really nice vibe! Ay yah. I wrote so much lol. Anyways long story short: I was waiting for a gym just like this to open up! Give it a try! BJJ is SO FUN!! read more

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This gym has a welcoming, family-friendly vibe with a strong sense of community. The mat space is much bigger than most BJJ gyms, which makes training way more comfortable. Edwin and Jason are great instructors who genuinely care about your progress. They give regular, thoughtful feedback and stay engaged with each student. I've made real progress since joining because of their support. There's a wide variety of gi and no-gi classes to fit any schedule, and the weekend open mats are always full of friendly, helpful people--including visitors from other gyms. The kids' program is also top-notch. The coaches are great with the kids, and you can see they're having fun while learning real skills. Highly recommend if you're looking for solid instruction and a positive place to train. read more

We've had such a great experience! The coaches are skilled, patient, and amazing with kids. Both kids have grown in confidence, focus, and discipline while having fun each class. This confidence has carried over into their school life and into other extracurricular activities they are involved in. The school has a welcoming, supportive vibe, and I love that they are picking up great values along with jiu-jitsu. Highly recommend! read more

I was brand new to BJJ when I joined Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen and feel like I lucked out by stumbling across this place. The instruction is thorough, the environment is safe and respectful, and facilities are spacious and clean. I appreciate that special emphasis is placed on helping each other learn techniques and getting comfortable in new positions. Each class builds off the previous which has helped a novice hobbyist like myself start to build a map of this demanding and complex sport. Both the physical and mental workout are top-notch. Excited to enroll my daughter when she's old enough. Highly recommend. read more

I had been threatening to join a Brazilian jiu-jitsu gym for a few years now but never really pulled the trigger until my 17 year old daughter asked me if we could join one. We did Kaizen's 5 day free trial period and enjoyed it so much that we decided to join. Coach Edwin and Jason are awesome and are really cultivating a friendly and safe place to train. I was mainly worried before because I'm 56 and my back and knees are not so good anymore. So they make sure to teach all the students how to do the moves safely to avoid injuries. There are times when my back's in pain and I would just take it easy. Coach Edwin and the other students are very understanding and accommodating. They have quite a few classes throughout the week so it works out really well for my daughter's schedule. We usually go after school and before her basketball practice at night. And we also go to open mats on Saturdays where we get to practice what we learned in the week. My daughter has been having a lot of fun training with me and it's a great father-daughter bonding experience for us. They have gi and nogi classes from beginners to advance as well as self-defense classes. They also have classes for small children. The gym is huge so there's plenty of space to roll without hitting somebody else. Aside from the amazing and approachable black belt professors, my daughter and I love the welcoming environment so we felt at home immediately. read more

Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen is a gem. Both of my kids, ages 4 and 5.5 attend on a regular basis, and love it. The coaches do a wonderful job with this age group and it is such a supportive and friendly place for kids and parents alike. Extra bonus points for cleanliness! read more

Ive trained at several other schools throughout my BJJ journey and this is the first one that I feel I can truly call home. The level of instruction is incredible, the culture they have created is the best I've seen and the other students are great training partners. It is safe, clean and loads of fun. No matter what happens throughout the workday and life, when I leave Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen after training, I have a huge smile on my face. Because of the close quarters nature of BJJ, it can be intimidating walking into a new gym but Coach Edwin and Coach Jason make you feel welcomed and take great care of each and every student. 5 stars all day long. See you on the mats! read more

What can I say? Both Coach Jason and Coach Edwin are awesome! They're very patient with the kids. The coaches provide very thorough instructions which really help the kids understand what and why they're doing it. Both my kids really enjoy their class. Looking forward to trying their women self defense class! read more

Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - South Pasadena, California

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Amazing space. Super clean. All classes are taught by Professors Edwin and Jason. Not only is the instruction detailed that comes with decades of experience but the care and progress for each individual student is very rare. Each student knows where they're at in their own journey because of the feedback of our professors. We all know our path forward and it is clear for each of us. No ambiguity when it comes to promotions. The vibes are super positive and everyone shares the same desire to refine their techniques. read more

I took my 7 year old son for the free trial. He really enjoyed it so we signed up for membership. He is really excited to come everyday. Even though its a group class, the coaches are very attentive and give each student as much individual attention as possible, demonstrating the proper techniques. They really meet the kids where they are at. I highly recommend this place if you or your kids are interested in learning BJJ. read more

Great place to train. I've been at JJKaizen since they opened last fall, and my son started in the winter time. Coach Edwin and Jason are amazing, and they've created a solid training community. I highly recommend this gym. read more

Our 5 year old daughter has been training for over one month now and absolutely loves it. She's attending 5-days a week (Mon - Fri) and it's now a part of her afterschool routine. We can see her progress from week to week, and the best thing is that she thinks "it's fun". We love the people and the Professors who've created a safe and friendly learning environment for the children. read more

Update: my son attends 3-4x/week. He LOVES it and doesn't want to miss a day. I've been looking for the perfect martial art for him, and I think jiu jitsu scratches that itch. The Coaches are phenomenal with the kids -- teaching them self-defense techniques, having fun and keeping a playful spirit, and also how to meditate, sitting quietly with eyes closed. All the kids are getting better at it! The gym has a great family-friendly atmosphere. My son's confidence is also improving, and his personality is really starting to shine. Pro tip: call or text the Kaizen number for more info. Or you can drop by and observe read more

This is the BJJ school you've been looking for! I've been attending for a few months now, and it checks all the boxes: Instructors - Professors Edwin and Jason are qualified and caring instructors who are passionate about helping each student advance in their BJJ journey. They are patient, articulate and make the training both challenging and enjoyable. Facilities - Mats are very clean, as are the changing areas and shower room. I love how the training area gets plenty of fresh air from the open bay doors. Students - All ranks and levels of experience. Everyone is friendly and willing to share a helpful training tip. Vibe: Culture is focused on self-improvement and BJJ growth, not on building ego. Bottom line: If you are looking for a place to continue or begin your BJJ journey, I highly recommend this school. read more

Great all around! High level instruction, family oriented, welcoming atmosphere, and sparkling clean mats!

great environment! my 23 year old daughter is learning to defend herself. High level Black Belt instruction excellent and personable attention to all of the students beautiful facility best facility in the area !! Highly Recommended for all ages and experience read more

I am very grateful for the guidance and feedback professors Edwin and Jason provide during class. Coming from a different gym, I feel like I'm given a private lesson during regular classes. read more

I can't say enough good things about JJ Kaizen. I've been practising jiu jitsu for a couple years and have experienced a handful of different gyms in my time. JJ Kaizen is special. First, the teaching is superb. Both Edwin and Jason are extremely talented teachers. They continue to develop and practise themselves. And they bring that knowledge to the mats. Also, they teach in a way that's both very detail oriented and also conceptually grounded. So you get big picture and small picture. And, prob most important, they really care about the students learning and developing. So, whether it's during the rolls or drilling, they are constantly watching and refining the student's technique. They're super enagaged with the process. Also, they always spend time after class for any questions. And they put the same care and effort to this time, as class time. I can't stress enough how much they are invested in our learning. It's feels like a very personal approach to learning jiu jitsu. You're not just another student in the class...The other thing that I want to highlight about the gym is the general culture. People are truly kind, respectful and cool. And they are technically really really good, due to the teaching...So I would highly recommend, if interested in jiu jitsu. read more

I've been training at Jiujitsu Kaizen since it opened. I originally started training in Brazilian Jiujitsu many years ago, then took a long break due to work. Back then, my classes were taught by a purple or a blue belt and I never saw a black belt. At Jiujitsu Kaizen, the classes are personal. Professors Co and Lau are very patient, approachable, and always seem to teach something new every other week. Occasionally, I roll with them so that I can experience firsthand what it's like to get submitted by a black belt without any effort on their part and maximal effort on my part. The culture of the studio is very relaxed and consists primarily of locals who come to learn and get some exercise. This is a great place for people starting or continuing their journey with Brazilian Jiujitsu. read more

My son has been training with Sensei Jason for years now. Had to take a brief pause when high school started but went back and loves the new facility and working with Sensei Edwin too. Initially he was planning to go 2, maybe 3 times per week but loves it so much goes like 5-6 or more per week. Can't say enough good things about both the quality of the physical training but also the caliber of the people providing that training. I know Jason to be a devoted father and skilled Physical Therapist, I couldn't ask for a safer or better place for my son to learn this art from. Thank you Kaizen! read more

I have trained at multiple BJJ gyms, but I feel like I have indeed found a home here at Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen. Edwin and Jason have truly created a culture of respect and friendship that they model in their interactions with their students. Everyone who trains here takes care of one another and pushes each other to achieve their goals. There is a great family atmosphere where everyone looks out for the kids and families that attend. I highly recommend coming to check it out if you are looking for a good group of people to train with, a place for your kids to learn self-defense, and if you want to be part of a community of caring individuals. read more