We tried a couple of different gyms for my son as a next step after doing Kidstrong for a couple of…read moreyears. From the moment we walked through the door we have been nothing but impressed with the coaches, professors, and really everyone at Alliance San Marcos. For the kids, they do an absolutely mind bogglingly amazing job of meeting each child where they are and never holding any one of them to an expectation that is too high for that individual. The skill, knowledge, patience, and sheer situational awareness to be able to do that with a full classroom full of 3-5 year olds doing something as complex as jiu jitsu is astounding. Coach Nick was Sage's first instructor at Alliance and a favorite of mine - his passion and patience are visible in everything he does. Everyone does an incredible job of breaking the skills down in a fun and digestible way for the kids and they are clearly learning and retaining! I ended up joining the fun as well and as a 37 year old out of shape dude I gotta admit I was in my head before my first time on the mat wondering "WTF am I thinking starting something like this at this stage of my life?" But the crew and the members are SO welcoming and remind me every day that we all started at zero. The community is amazing and the culture is friendly and supportive no matter your skill level. If you're like I was and thinking you cant possibly.... trust me, this is the place to put those doubts to rest!

BJJ is more than a martial art. It is a lifestyle. It is a community. As they say, "It takes a…read morevillage." Alliance Jiu Jitsu San Marcos is that village where you will have and get the best guidance as you go through this journey. Whether you want to train and learn one of the best martial arts developed, compete in tournaments at the highest level, attain mental balance while at the same time improving and maintaining healthy goals. Have your children and teens learn discipline and become more confident while at the same time having fun in a positive and supportive environment. This academy has everything covered that you could ask for. Professor Vini has built a brand-new academy that is safe, clean, and supportive. Do not be afraid. The hardest part is taking that first step. If you have the slightest interest in starting, you should come in, watch a class, and talk to Professor Vini. I can guarantee that you will see his passion for the art and the success of his student's individual goals. I hope to see you on the mat!

Came to the Saturday free women class today. I have never done Jiu Jitsu and at my age I was a…read morelittle scared however all the ladies were super friendly and took it easy on me. I took a beginners class didn't realize technic is important in dominating your opponent. I really enjoyed the class. The staff were super friendly. A nice way to learn with all the ladies.

I was able to drop in on the Monday 6:30 AM gi class. I reached out via the contact from on the…read morePrism Jiu Jitsu website and received a reply in a very timely manner about my request to drop-in. When I arrived, I was greeted by Professor Nick and the other students and filled out the waiver form. Professor Nick taught class; warm-ups, instruction, positional sparring, live rounds, then a cooldown. Everyone was extremely welcoming and very tough on the mats! The academy seems very family oriented and I was very stoked to be able to share the mats with the Prism Jiu-Jitsu academy! Thank you for opening your doors and welcoming me! I would love to come by again if I'm ever in the area.

My 10 year old son had his first boxing class and was very nervous about it but after the class he…read morecame out with more confidence and now wants more!

I've been meaning to leave a review for a long time. Sergio is an awesome caring coach that loves…read morewhat he does. I brought my son when he was in middle school and he went for a few years and learned a lot from the coaches. He had fun. He found many mentors, made new friends that he is still friends with. My son just turned 18. I really feel that they helped him develop into a well rounded young man, taught him skills like dedication, ethic, hard work, discipline and more. I always recommend friends and family.

This academy is the best. From the beginning they treated my kids and I like family and made us…read morefeel so safe and welcome when we were looking for a new place to train. Everyone is amazing and the teaching is so detailed and has helped us grow in our skill tremendously. The professor really cares that we learn and grow and takes the time to help each person improve. My kids and I have really enjoyed learning from Professor Brandon and his team. So thankful we found this hidden gem!

TL;DR: This is not your local McDojo neither is it your YMCA…read moreand definitely, not Jiu-jitsu light but what you'll learn and received at Walensky Jiu Jitsu is solid, foundation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu while having fun in a great learning environment, with high level partners and an enthusiastic, technically brilliant coach. ________________________________________________________________________________ Read on to dive into my detailed, long overdue review.;) I feel incredibly lucky that we have friends who recommended Walensky Jiu Jitsu to us back in 2021. My husband and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Walensky Jiu Jitsu! You see, on the day we took a free class at Walensky Jiu Jitsu, we had just renewed our membership at our town's biggest BJJ school the day before but Brandon left a big impression on us that day that we signed up at the end of class. My journey in learning jiu jitsu started at 48 y.o. I have 2 left feet and no previous martial arts training. I started slow and steady. If you are like me, who likes to set goals, challenges and milestones to improve one's health and mental wellness, well, read on.... Here were/are my pain points learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my solutions ;) Lack flexibility - do jiu jitsu Lack cardio - do jits. Lack motivation - do jits. Lack the strength - do some jiu jitsu I suck at this - do more... jiu jitsu. Need a challenge - do jiu jitsu. Not athletic - do jiu jitsu. I need a stress reliever. - How about some jiu jitsu? Although all of the above feels like a big mountain to climb sometimes, I show up every day and because of the quality and high level atmosphere at Walensky Jiu Jitsu, the day to day self- mind fuck battle of "Should I go today? I'm too tired, I'm not in the mood," just fades away and I'm always glad I came to train. The School Atmosphere: There's this line from a theme song from an old TV show that perfectly describes Walensky Jiu Jitsu - "Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name..." SO TRUE! ....and they're always glad you came..... " VERY TRUE! It's very friendly and welcoming. Very family oriented with supportive, high level and caring, careful partners. No drama, no bullies or "spazzy" partners here. My husband and I found our second family here. We came for jiu-jitsu and we ended up making and having friends for life. The School Philosophy: The level of instruction is world class! Brandon believes in mastery of the fundamentals of jiu-jitsu. His clear, simple, fun and easy to follow instructions makes learning jiu-jitsu a breeze. You can trust that you'll be flowing like water a la Bruce Lee soon. Guaranteed, you'll get daily structured, progressive, purposeful and mindful training. No fancy moves - just effective, tried and true battle tested techniques. Well rounded and grounded in Gracie BJJ teachings. For those into progeny and Brandon's lineage and connection to the Gracies. Click on this link. https://www.gracieallegiance.com/san-diego-ca-usa Coach Brandon: Brandon is technically brilliant. He is an active competitor and several times IBJJF Champion. His enthusiasm and dedication to the practice is infectious! Learning the game with someone who has the passion, commitment and most importantly, a cavernous knowledge of Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu makes all the difference in the world. Every time I go on the mat, I know that I'm in good, safe hands and received personal instruction. Brandon takes the time to get to know you and your kids and is always concerned with your/their development inside and outside the gym. He is very hands on. He pushes and challenges you to be better. We're coming up on our two year anniversary at Walensky Jiu Jitsu and we couldn't be more happier with our decision. Did I mention how much we LOVE coming to class every day? ;) So if you are looking for a family oriented gym, with good atmosphere and camaraderie and will give you a solid, tried and true BJJ foundation, fun yet challenging, and make friends for life kind of place, then Walensky Jiu Jitsu is for you and your family.

What a great gym! I was in town and decided to come in for a BJJ class. I paid for a day pass but…read moreonly had time for one class - so many class options each day! I wish I had had time to take more classes. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. As a woman, it feels a bit daunting walking into a BJJ class, but I felt at home and at ease almost immediately. The gym is clean; I loved the access to locker rooms and although I didn't use it, loved that they have a sauna available in the women's locker room. The class format was easy to follow and the instructor (Ricky) did a great job explaining the technique and giving feedback as he walked around. Thank you to Lauren for the warm welcome and tour when I arrived, and to all the "regulars" for helping me feel right at home!

I was able to drop-in on the 6 AM and 7 PM Jiu Jitsu classes. I had reached out via Instagram and…read moregot a response quickly. I arrived at the gym, and signed a waiver and paid a drop-in fee. To my surprise, the fee was for a day pass with access to all classes (not a class fee). This gave me the desire to want to come back later that day to get in another class. The morning class was taught by coach Jonathan, there were about 10 people in attendance. Class consisted of warm ups/stretching, techniques, and live rolls. The night class was taught by Coach Geo. As he was greeting everyone he was familiar with, he shook my hand and greeted me as he didn't recognize me (thought that was really cool of someone who is so accomplished within the sport). This was a much larger class with about 40-50 people in attendance. Class consisted of warm-ups, techniques and live rolls. This academy has more than just Jiu-Jitsu for those who like to cross train in other martial arts or strength & conditioning. It was a solid day of training. Thank you for allowing me to drop-in and I would love to return again!

I came here a couple years ago with my son who is autistic and has adhd. We came here because his…read moreregional center program had given this place as an option for my son. We were tolerated at best. They were informative and nice enough to give my son a group lesson. But we definitely didn't feel welcomed or even liked, which is a shame because my son really liked it, we just never felt comfortable enough to return. You might ask.. why wait so long to write this review, well.. I guess it still bothered me.

Excellent place. The coaches, the environment, the vibe, everything about this spot is top notch…read more Jake Mapes is the owner and is one of the most technically advanced coaches I've ever had the honor of trining under. Look him up, he is the real deal. The community that Jake created is unique and nothing short of amazing. If you want to learn jiujitsu, self defense, and get into shape, this is the place.

I've been a student of Marks for many years and hold a purple belt. I've been a martial artist for…read moremost of my life and Marknis amongst be of the best instructors I've ever studied under. He's very mellow and laid back and it reflects in the atmosphere of his place, no attitude and no ego everyone is there to help you get better. Recently he's teamed up with another of his black belt friends Martin Figueroa and combined schools, this makes for more training partners and multiple black belt instructors to help nail down technique specifics. My son is in the kids class (6 years old) and he really enjoys the work out. My son used to be bullied a little bit but now he easily takes down kids bigger than him and handles them on the ground. It gives him self confidence and makes me worry less now that I know he can handle himself against school yard bullies if need be. If you're looking for a place to train or have your kids start training definitely give this place a try, 1st class is free so no risk. Hopefully I'll see you on the mat.

My first BJJ instructor Professor Mark Hopkins is a phenomenal Black belt of the art. He has a…read moreJudo background as well and can adjust his teaching style to any level of student that walks through the door. I started with him while I was in the Marines as a white belt and now through the hard work and dedication years later I'm a brown belt and forever grateful for him helping me. Wait it gets better......Professor Martin Figueroa is also a savage on the mats and has a vast knowledge and understanding of submission grappling for self defense as well as sport jiu jitsu. With these two black belts running this academy is like finding a hidden gem. Go check them out and see for yourself.

My kid had a great experience training for 7 years at this Aikido school. Gallo Sensei is not only…read moreskilled but also very kind and supportive, creating a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone. During her time here, she learned a lot--not just about the physical techniques of Aikido, but also its deeper philosophy. It's been a rewarding journey both physically and mentally. I would definitely recommend this school to anyone interested in Aikido.

Aikido San Marcos is a wonderful place to learn aikido! I started going here with my son about five…read moreyears ago and we trained together in the kids/family class. What a great time we had learning aikido together. It has a family atmosphere and is filled with wonderful people. Sensei Gallo is a great teacher. I have learned so much there and have made some great friends. I highly recommend it.