The ASDA is a welcoming, friendly, family oriented, and professional school. The class sizes are…read moregreat for individual work on form and techniques as well as whole group activities. The instructors are all knowledgeable, patient, and take the time to work with each student. The family atmosphere is welcoming; respect and self discipline are taught and encouraged. A great community to be a part of!

Wayne is a very funny and pleasant person to be around with. He's an excellent teacher.read more

Wayne was an amazing instructor, my first. So chill, yet so knowledgeable. Just a great guy to be…read morearound. RIP Wayne

I've been training at GB for just over two 1/2 years now, and it's truly been a life-changing…read morejourney. From day one, the staff made me feel welcome, and the community here is incredibly supportive. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, there's always someone willing to help you improve. When I started, I was diabetic and dependent on both metformin and insulin. Within eight months of consistent training and lifestyle changes through Jiu-Jitsu, I was completely off all medications. That alone speaks volumes about the impact this place has had on my health and well-being. What makes it even better is that this academy is now a part of our whole family's life. My wife trains here, along with our 8-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter. The boost in their confidence, discipline, and personal growth has been incredible to witness. If you're looking for a place to transform your health, build real confidence, and grow as a person--and even as a family--Gracie Barra is it. Highly recommend.

My daughters started BJJ here in January and I could not be more impressed. The coaches are…read morefantastic - they are kind, clear and so personable with kids. They remember their names, intentionally connect and provide incredible instruction. These guys know their stuff and communicate it into teaching so well. My girls have come so far with BJJ in just a few months and Gracie's is their favorite place to be (we go almost every day!). They learn so much every single class and have gained a ton of confidence and strength in themselves. I have several friends (adults) who attend classes here too and love it. Trying it for myself next week. I cannot recommend this gym and the coaches enough!

I've taken cardio-kickboxing and yoga classes with Minorsan. More recently, my daughters (age 12 &…read more17) took the Teen Self Defense Workshop. They learned valuable information and skills to practice in order to keep safe, have situational awareness and protect themselves. Ms. Clara helps the girls feel more self-confidence, how to prepare & respond to physical attacks and even bullies at school. I love the positivity and support Ms Clara contributes to her students as well as the Santa Cruz community. She has been an inspiration in my health and fitness journey, as well as Fempowerment!

I started with Minorsan last June with my teen kid and we've been going twice a week except for…read morewhen we've been sick or out of town. (and we are both bummed about it!) With the New Year, we will be adding on the self defense class that we are very excited for. Clara and Team are amazingly supportive for me - early 50s and overweight still from the pandemic lifestyle - and my teen. And then there is the amazing community of everyone else in the class!

Women: take this class! It was half information: how to avoid confrontation, what to do if you…read morecan't avoid it, situational awareness, and tools you can use to protect yourself. The other half was learning and practicing moves to defend yourself. Rebecca and her assistant were super professional but also really friendly and accessible. We were all newbies and some of us (me) were really clueless and nervous, but they were so patient and efficient and clear with their instructions I felt really safe and supported. We all got to practice our moves with a dummy (Dave!) and with the teachers, and they made sure we got them right before we moved on. I left the class feeling confident, like I was more prepared and capable to handle threatening situations. I couldn't recommend this class more! Thank you so much to Rebecca and her assistant (whose name I somehow forgot again, I'm so sorry! You are so cool and amazing!) I was so impressed and inspired, I hope to see you all again at a future class.

Rebecca is a wonderful, knowledgeable, and passionate instructor! I took the Urban Self-defense…read morecourse and learned a variety of helpful tips. The best part is that Rebecca goes over different self-defense methods so that you can figure out what feels the best for you. I have always been one to be proactive rather than reactive, so this class helped me overcome some fears. I hope I will never have to used the skills that Rebecca showed me, but I'm glad I know them for when the situation arises.

Exceptionally good training . I have trained in various styles in different cities over my adult…read morelife and can confidently say that this is the best overall training that I have found Effective and reality-based but without the edge some places have

I've been training here for 6 years and I still look forward to each class. Ive done martial arts…read moremy whole life (Karate, Boxing, BJJ) and none of them are like Urban Combat. This place is focused on real life and how those arts come together with actual common sense for dealing with potential situations. The classes include fun workouts, lessons in various martial arts / weapons, and film study on real situations. Brian is an amazing teacher - hes not lecturing from the sidelines, he is right there with you showing you how its done. If you are interested in learning actual self defense strategies separate from traditional martial arts - this is your place. Its a bay area hidden gem! Note - this place is in the Karate studio (parking in the back).

My sister and I signed up for Jay's class and we are so glad we did! He is passionate about what he…read moredoes and provides great instruction. Definitely recommend!

Fantastic mother/daughter self defense course. Jay was absolutely the perfect coach to help make…read morewomen of all ages feel like this is approachable and necessary. I was so impressed with how much information we gained in such a short amount of time. We will be taking this course a few times in the future to make sure the skills stick. Highly recommend!

This is an incredibly exceptional place. We were pleasantly surprised with Sensei John's unique…read moreapproach and continue to be very happy with what he provides to our son. A lot of the emphasis is on body movement and awareness. That means a lot of tumbling and agility exercises mixed in with self defense and karate. There's usually a competition for each session. The variety of the competitions - sumo, rope swing, dodgeball, freeze, belt grab, etc - is an example of how well rounded the entire program is. One of the truly great things about Elite is that kids are taught to instruct other kids. Every kid that stays long enough eventually becomes a sensei. Our six year old son started teaching about six months in. We love this! What better way to teach kids leadership, confidence, respect, social skills and more. All of this is to the credit of the great sensei that runs Elite. Sensei John is calm, upbeat, unflappable and definitely one of a kind. He talks to children with enthusiasm and treats them like more than "just a kid". As such, he gets the attention of his students without a loud voice or strong commands. The kids all want to do well for him and for themselves. It should be noted that if you're looking for a tough, strict and very regimented karate environment, this might not be the place for you. Your child will learn a lot at Elite but it's not going to be through military-style training you see at other schools. I could go on and on and on. Our son loves this place. We have the highest amount of respect for Sensei John. You must check it out for yourself!

My neighbor found this awesome place for his som. I have been able to attend several of the classes…read moreand promotions. It is actually an after school program. The instructor picks them up and helps with homework etc... Then teaches.