I came in from TX on work looking for a legit BJJ school and was welcomed with open arms. I was immediately welcomed when I arrived and everyone had a smile on their face. John Gutta (head instructor & black belt) is an awesome guy who lives the BJJ life style. What to expect: Amazing class structure, critical details, effective techniques, great culture, plenty of partners to roll with (male and female), clean mats, bathrooms and changing room. If you're in the area and looking to learn at a legit academy I'd highly recommend Tipping Point BJJ. For reference: I'm currently a purple belt under Jeff Massina at Revolution Dojo Katy, TX. read more

I was in Cedar Rapids for a training seminar and had the pleasure of being able to squeeze in a training session at Tipping Point. I have nothing but positive things to say about this academy. The students were all welcoming and friendly and the instructor (John) did an excellent job breaking down technique and also explaining why the technique should be used. What I thought was really cool was that the class instruction was based around some things John had noticed from other competitors at a recent competition. He broke down what he was seeing and taught solutions to techniques that were being used. The skill level of the various belts was on par if not higher than many of the academies I have trained at along the west coast. There is a misconception that 'not a lot of jiujitsu gets in and out of middle America' and I can reassure that this is clearly not the case at Tipping Point. These guys are tough! I had a lot of fun training here and will absolutely visit again the next time I'm in town. read more

I came to Cedar for work from California, and I try to train everywhere I go as a way to meet the locals and see how other people do things. I've been to gyms across the world, including New Zealand, Taiwan, and Australia, and across the U.S. Furthermore, I normally train with Checkmat back on the west coast, which anyone in the know recognizes as one of the best powerhouse teams in the world. Tipping Point could rival any gym I've been to, which is a really surprising find in the middle of Iowa. When I came in, the kids instructor was patiently answering questions from the children he was teaching at the end of class. And it wasn't just jiu jitsu related questions, but questions related to anything from discipline to time management to dealing with friends. This was impressive to me. When they were done, I got handed a one page, two signature waiver to sign as a formalism. No mat fee. They just said to give my honest opinion on Yelp, so here it is. When class actually started, I was pleasantly surprised by the detail John puts into instruction. Not only did he go over proper positioning and movement, but he explained the why behind every move, which is rare. I learned multiple new details on how to execute an arm weave pass from half that I feel will definitely help me in the future. Plus, he was citing his sources and giving examples: this is how Lucas Lepri does it. Claudio Calasans does it like this, but I'm not great at it, yet. He's honest. And once people started rolling, he went out of his way to tell people to be careful with smaller training partners. I was the smallest person in the room, and I believe he recognized that and also realized the tendency for people to go hard with visitors to "prove themselves." I feel like he stopped this in its tracks in an effort to keep me safe, which I greatly appreciate. The skill level of the people here was definitely on par with the higher level gyms I've been to. People using a mix of old school and modern guards. Closed guard and counter-berimbolos. Technique was definitely up to date with competition. I was impressed. At the end of it all, I was welcomed back anytime. Great people. read more

Tipping Point has a great family environment!! I am from out of town and they allowed me to train..What a great group of BJJ practitioners.. One of the best instructors that I have had the opportunity to train with! I appreciate everything and allowing the drop in #osss read more

After visiting a couple other gyms while traveling, I can say Tipping Point is by far my favorite gym. Our instructor John is not only a black belt, but is able to teach in a very clear, concise, and engaging manor. He is welcoming and easy to approach. His feedback is always helpful and constructive. Jace is our other instructor, a purple belt, who also does the "business side" of the gym and is the most welcoming, genuinely happiest guy you will ever meet, who will greet you by name with a smile every day. He also teaches fundamentals class in a very clear and helpful manner, breaking things down to the "true" fundamentals. I just started jiu jitsu 2 months ago, after years of being too afraid to do it. I honestly wish I would have started a long time ago, but it is truly never too late. If you are considering trying jiu jitsu, Tipping Point is the place, and the time is now. read more

I stopped in for the Fundamentals class while in town for work. Jayce was extremely helpful; I called him the day before and he enthusiastically invited me to class. The class I attended was taught by John. John was a great instructor and broke down the moves to easily pick 'em up. Good group of people, everyone was really nice. Thanks guys! read more

I dropped in while traveling to Cedar Rapids for a work trip and had an amazing experience. The coaches and students were all so friendly and inviting. And the classes were really great with awesome technique. I'd definitely would recommend this gym to anyone that would be in the area and hope to come back and train. read more

Tipping Point is a great place to learn self-defense and get a great workout in! They talk about how the moves apply both in competition and in real-life self-defense. They are also extremely friendly and helpful for beginners, even those just attending are willing to help you learn. John and Jace were also really great instructors and help you to work on the moves and give you pointers on improving your technique. I highly recommend them! read more

Was traveling to Cedar Rapids for work and stopped in for an evening class. Professor John and his coaches could not have been more welcoming and the entire class made me feel right at home. Great instruction and rolling afterwards! I look forward to visiting again in the future. read more