Both instructors that have helped me, Chuy and Manny have both helped me in jiu jitsu so much, I…read morehave learned so much from them and the best thing is that they actually teach you stuff that could help you in the real world. Remember that Jiu jitsu isn't used to start fights, but to end them.

This is an amazing place to learn fundamental jiu jitsu. Chuy is a high level, cerebral instructor…read morewhose real strength is seeing what's needed to level up your jiu jitsu. Our 4yr old son started learning BJJ from Chuy and his love for grappling has grown since. They're truly the best of friends - and it's important to build this relationship with your Professor. At this age, it's far more important that the kids develop a love for learning - and the short live rolls keep the kids engaged and motivated to get better. And developing a pretty complex back-taking technique and rear naked choke submission at this age is pretty remarkable! Our 8-yr old son who has been a BJJ competitor for almost two years loves working with both Chuy and his son Robert as well as all the other coaches at LJJA. They've helped him to fuse and evolve his grappling with his wrestling - something that is challenging to integrate especially at this age because of the two conflicting rule sets. His level-up since working with Chuy has been pretty awesome to see! When we cross train at other gyms, very often he is asked where he trains - and we say come down and visit LJJA! Truly proud of what Chuy and the team at LJJA are building! The city of Lincoln is very lucky to have this gem - I look forward to seeing them become one of the pillars of the community in the years to come!

We loved going here in 2024-2025 for my then 5yo. Coach Darren is great, easy to talk to but I…read moreagree to one review he needs assistant coaches especially for the smaller kids class. Planning to go back here if there's a drop in fees since charter funds were halted last year due to stricter state rules. I'll visit again. Ty coach!

Update: Darren did reach out and his sincerity was felt. I…read morecan tell coach Darren is a great coach but doesn't have enough of him to go around. I hope he finds another coach as passionate as him who can help assist him in his class so it can shine to its brightest. ----------------- We wanted our daughter (6 years old) to start doing a self defense class and was recommended jujitsu. We were trying places out that were under our charter. We called this place and left a message as it says to do. Coach Darren called us back a couple days later and was very kind and accommodating. We came into his class and he was kind enough to loan us a pink GI :). Upon starting the class it was similar as the last one we tried out the week prior ( my daughter loved the last class we tried out at Cassio Jujitsu in Carmichael but we found out they do not accept our school funds so we tried this place). There was probably 14 kids in this class maybe a few more. There was only 1 Darren. They began to do drills like "knee to the gut" which my daughter was paired with a similarly sized kid but much more advanced and I watched as they were supposed to be only doing 6 to each other but my daughters pal did 19 I counted. My daughter had a brave face but I would see she was uncomfortable. I should have stood up and said something because that's my job and I will next time something like this happens. Darren was to busy to be sure the new kids in his class where being treated properly. She was complaining of her belly pain and they moved on to shoving each other down. He didn't explain how to properly fall before he paired my daughter with a boy similar size but he pushed her so hard in the stomach. She began to cry and pushed him back. Coach finally took noticed and told her to go get water and calm down. She drank one drink and puked in my hands. I can tell he is an excellent coach and I understand this might be the nature of martial arts but the other place did a much better job and had two coaches to keep an eye on each child match to be sure each child knew what was being taught. I felt like she was met with a sink or swim coach. I felt like his class was to big for him to properly monitor the class. And I fell dropped as he never checked in on us or even helped us understand how to help my daughter to either learn the techniques or help us know what we should have done. I hope when he reads this and when anyone reads this it is to understand my situation and not to say anything bad on Darrin. The other parents in that class seemed to really love that class and love Darrin's approach. I can tell coach Darrin is a great coach but I do think he dropped the ball with our kid and unfortunately she is terrified to ever go back.

My daughter has been going here for a couple of years and loves it! The teachers are great! My…read moredaughters confidence has improved so much! I highly recommend this school!

Went here for most of my life. Taught me everything from self control to discipline. Great family…read more Once a black belt always a black belt.

We couldn't be more grateful for the incredible experience our family has had with Chad. Both my…read moredaughter and my husband have trained with Chad, and their growth physically, mentally, and emotionally has been remarkable. From day one, Chad went above and beyond as a teacher. His patience, dedication, and ability to connect with students of all ages truly sets him apart. For my daughter, he created an encouraging and fun environment that built confidence, discipline, and respect; skills that have carried over into school and everyday life. For my husband, the instruction was equally powerful: challenging, empowering, and always tailored to his goals. My husband earned his black belt under Chad in 2012. Chad makes a personal investment in each of his students. He always offers positive praise, celebrates progress, and offers encouragement. It's clear that teaching is not just a job for Chad, it's his passion and calling. We're so thankful to have found such an outstanding instructor and role model. Highly recommended for anyone looking to grow through martial arts, no matter their age or experience level.

Chad Shepherd is a very friendly and knowledgeable teacher and looking forward to watching his new…read moreacademy grow for years to come!

Great private lesson with Chris. He quickly diagnosed my main issue with my compact carry pistol…read more The price was also very reasonable.

Chris is an awesome instructor! His initial CCW class was very informative and extremely fun. I…read morewill be taking many more classes with Chris and would recommend him to anyone!

I've trained BJJ for a handful of years and found my way back to the mat here at Primal Grounds. I…read morereally enjoy this gym. This is the first gym I've seen that focuses on no-gi training. That was really appealing to me. I've taken their BJJ classes as well as the kickboxing classes. Andre and Dom run the gym. They're both very welcoming. Andre is one of the most friendly people I've met. Coach Dom teaches the BJJ classes, and he's really encouraging. You can definitely learn a lot from him. Coach Luka does the kickboxing classes and he does not play with the workouts. They are tough but he's a really motivating coach and easy to learn from. You'll walk away feeling really accomplished! Overall, this is a great place to train BJJ, kickboxing, or even just weight training/ circuit classes. Whether you have trained before, or you're new to the mat, you'd have fun here.

I visited this excellently laid out and maintained facility. They teach all ages and are…read morereasonably priced. They also have separate restrooms that are very clean. There's plenty of free parking in and outside a garage. The entrance is behind that Main Street.

Wonderful environment focused on discipline in the studio and at home. Positive and uplifting…read moreenvironment. Fun activities. The young people teaching are amazing young people and athletes and are an amazing reflection on the studio. Chief Master Jaime commands respect and could not be better with the kids. Would highly recommend.

Evolution Martial Arts Management and Leadership Teams are excellent and my son looks forward to…read morehis classes every week. I'm impressed with all the technique and values my son has learned and I'm so proud that he enjoys and is a part of this great martial arts facility.

The teachers here are PHENOMENAL. They all are patient and positive. They focus on teaching the…read moreindividual from the inside out. So while we learn our kicks, punches, etc. we are also learning about trustworthiness, respect, perseverance, etc. We've seen such a transformation with our son. We ended up doing this as a family and each class is something to look forward to. Lessons are fun since they include a variety of activities and no class looks the same. I've recommended this place to everyone I know. They also work phenomenally with those with unique learning needs.

LFTKD is amazing. The instructors are all extremely qualified, caring, and knowledgeable. Not only…read moredid my child learned how to do forms properly, she also learns how to be a good person. The instructors go out of their way to make us feel welcome. We cannot ask for more. Our child has attended another dojan before and that was nothing like LFTKD. The instructors here are seriously talented.