Their contract is really unfair. They have a comprehensive liability contract, which is typical for sports, but then they have a section where they own rights to use your name, your image, photos of you, your personal information, represent you in any way they like, forever, for any reason they like. Many places have pretty extreme contracts, but theirs is over the top. I hope they read this and reconsider. read more

Kuleana Jiu-Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

I have been going to Kuleana since February and wild highly recommend joining this gym. It has the largest mat space in the bay, largest women's bjj group in the bay, and great instructors all around. I have been a part of other gyms, but have never felt safer and more technical while still getting a good workout since joining here. read more

I started BJJ at Kuleana as a man in my forties with zero martial arts experience. This is my review a year in. The coaches: Justin and Darren are not just talented BJJ practitioners, but also great coaches. They'll take time to work with everyone on their techniques, provide explanations, and are genuinely invested in helping everyone improve. The place: Spotlessly clean. Huge mat space, so there's never a need to stop and move around other folks, letting you focus on your practice. Very comfortable space. The workout: I thought I was on shape when I started. BJJ workouts are epic. You wanna get in shape? You'll get in shape. The vibe: Super welcoming of all levels, ages, genders. All the other students have been immensely supportive. Everyone at Kuleana is rooting for you to get better, and they'll show it. No weird rules to follow. The whole place is set up to be as welcoming as possible. read more

Very amazing space for training jiujitsu. They have such a great mat space, so there's room to drill take downs or work ground game. The professors are super nice and welcoming. When I came here for an open mat everyone gave me a chill vibe. You'll find hobbyists and competitors here, and you can experience different paces of rolling. They also offer Muay Thai, so you can work on different areas of fighting. Very strong scheduled to accommodate various scheduling needs. Definitely check this place out if you're looking to train. read more

Kuleana Jiu-Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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I wanted to wait a few weeks to write this review, just so I can paint a better picture of this training facility and teaching style. Now that I have attended a handful of classes here is my insight. Acutally, before I give you my insight, let me start by telling you a little bit about my own personal skill level and abilities. I'm pushing close to 50 years of age, I have no formal background in any physical sport, I have two left feet and the memory of goldfish. I work in tech and for the last decade i have rotted away at my desk, sitting down most of the day and only getting up for lunch and random things. As I approached my bday in June, I knew something had to change and searched for a nearby gym. I was hesitant about joining, especially since I hadn't even prepared or conditioned, but I jumped right in. Their website has a ton of info, class schedule, cost, etiquitte and what to expect as new student. Once you sign the waiver, you just need to show up and they have a ton of loaner GI's (uniform) that you can borrow, just remember to wear sandals or slides. The instructors will help you tie the belt and will really take you under their wing. This is a judgement free zone and aside from the very patient instructors the students are just as welcoming. Both instructors are highly skilled and the level of detail and knowledge they share with the students is worth more than gold. They demonstrate techniques that seem complex, but they explain it in such a fine detail that a child can learn it. I don't have any aspirations to compete, i'm just an average middle aged guy trying to get in shape and learn a new skill, BUT if you want to compete, this place is it! You can train morning, noon and night here if you want and really hone in your skills. Whether you want to become the best in this sport or just get fit, this is the right place and so glad i found it. Try one class, I can almost guarantee you will be hooked. read more

Honestly, the best gym in the bay. Super huge mat compared to gyms locally and nationally. ofc it's not like super competitive or anything, but there's a real sense of family & warmth here unlike others i've been too. Machine & Brandon have brought my game up to 11. As a white belt with limited time irl, it's hard to conceptualize techniques & put them into practice. Like watching is one thing, but then when drilling & trying it out, I can't grasp the idea or execution. That was before I entered Kuleana. Watching Justin go in-depth and asking questions, and then rolling with Brandon helped me so much with the nuances I was missing for so long. Only problem is I can't go as often as I do! Recommended! read more

Love the vibe here. Ive been at different gyms that were too traditional old school strict or too "culty", and the vibe here is more calm and modern. Modern as in inviting and I was treated like an adult. The instructor is very knowledgeable and he even covered cutting edge stuff Im trying to learn like leg locks and "youtube" moves :D Was a no brainer to try them out, they have open mat days. read more

Train here, you'll love it. I recently dropped into Kuleana together with a bunch of friends, all having trained jiu jitsu before (some white belts, some blue belts). We've been trying out and deciding between gyms in the area for a while, but after having trained just once with instructors Darren and Justin, it feels like that search is over. --Vibe-- As another reviewer wrote: I love the vibe here. I've tried out several different gyms with several different instructors, and there's nothing like Kuleana. Everyone here is friendly and welcoming from the get-go; they're a super open community, and having trained at gyms where people are more closed off, strict, and "culty" (more common in jiu jitsu than you'd think), that's really important. From the moment you get on the mats, people are friendly and you're treated and respected like an adult in an environment where everyone's there to learn. --Instruction-- Few instructors have the ability to explain techniques as clearly and intuitively as Derren. I dropped in for an advanced nogi class having trained primarily gi, and pretty much never even having done a leg lock. Within one hour, Derren taught the class various different submissions from different positions I'd never seen, guards I hadn't learned yet, but at no point did I feel lost or overwhelmed. He explained techniques in a way that made sense, bringing in the mechanics of the different joints to both show you how to do it correctly and how to not unintentionally hurt your partner in the process. He walks around afterwards to help correct your form and mistakes during drilling, and you're free at any point to ask questions if something isn't clear. The content itself is also interesting and unique, I genuinely see myself learning A LOT here. --Intensity-- The first thing I noticed was that there was no traditional warm up, the second thing I noticed was that none was needed. I've trained at gyms that left me physically devastated by the end, I've trained at gyms where I haven't even broken a sweat after a two hour class. Kuleana's strikes a perfect middle where the warm up is more technical, you start off by drilling techniques, takedowns, pummeling, trying to take the double-underhand; the focus on training skills that also happen to warm you up, as opposed to just a workout for its own sake. Don't get me wrong though, by the end of the two-hour class, I was drenched in sweat because the whole time through you're either drilling and learning in real time, doing situational/positional training with resistance, or fully rolling (which they give ample time for, something I really missed in other gyms I've trained at). I woke up sore the next day, that's a thumbs up from me! --Competitive, or Hobbyist?-- Having been on both ends of training jiu jitsu as a hobbyist and also going hard, training 10+ times a week for competition, I immediately noticed that Kuleana strikes a balance where it really feels like they're made for both. I have a friend who's just starting BJJ as a hobby, and another who's been training for years and wants to compete within a month. Both had an awesome time! Also, even the competitive people aren't out to kill or hurt you, which is very refreshing. --Growth-- So Kuleana is a pretty new gym (apparently they opened less than a year ago!), but you wouldn't know it from training there. They have plenty of white belts, blue belts, purple belts, brown belts, and even black belts. Plenty of women who train there too. The gym itself has more students than other, more established gyms I'm familiar with in the area, and there's a reason for that. I learned that instructors Derren and Justin were already experienced, well known instructors at a Ralph Gracie gym before starting their own. That reputation brought with it plenty of students, and the gym's been growing so fast that they're ALREADY going to be moving to an even bigger, nicer location less than a year after having been founded. As gym owners, they're also both super friendly, welcoming, and helpful! All in all, a wonderful experience I'd highly recommend. read more

I've known most professors at Kuleana for 8 years from the Ralph Gracie Mountain View days and joined them in June after they moved to Sunnyvale. Walking into the dojo, from the seven-day-a-week schedule, the mugshots of members lined up on the wall, the clean spacious mat and locker rooms, one can feel the daily dedication these people give to the art and the community. We train takedowns regularly and have wrestling and judo classes. Sparring starts from standing. It's very important as for me, jiu-jitsu is first for self-defense. A weekly theme is announced ahead, classes are highly structured, a large portion is allotted to positional sparring, all help to retain knowledge. Everyone is nice and respectful. After joining, I train more often than before. I highly recommend Kuleana as a safe and friendly environment to learn jiu-jitsu. read more

Great instruction, family vibes, and both competitive and casual levels of training. Caters to all. A blossoming kids program. I found my forever gym. read more

The best Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy. I've been training under Darren and Machine for some years now, and they are truly amazing people and coaches.  They've created this family vibe in the academy where there is hard work and respect among the teachers and students. There are GI, no GI, wrestling, judo, competition prep, fundamentals and advanced classes, along with Muay Thai and kids classes. You can really build yourself up as an all-around athlete at Kuleana. We compete, potluck, train and grow together. Happy to be here. read more

Since joining Kuleana Jiu-Jitsu in October 2023, my passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Submission Grappling has re-ignited. Lesson modules are well organized. Professors Darren Ogasawara and Justin Holder teach with superb articulation and provide individual live feedback. Most importantly, Safety is #1, and the cadres and students do an amazing job ensuring that. Kuleana offers Wrestling and Judo to supplement their students' grappling game. Open Mats (no fees )are a must-come experience for all affiliate and non-affiliate grapplers! read more