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Gracie South Bay Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 51 Google reviews · BJJ gym in National City, California
Affiliated academy — reviews and the gym's own info point to a recognized BJJ lineage or affiliation (think Gracie Barra, 10th Planet, Renzo Gracie, Alliance, Atos or Checkmat). If lineage matters to you, ask which affiliation the academy belongs to and under whom the head instructor earned their black belt.
Plan your first class
- Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
- Kids & youth classes kids and youth BJJ classes — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- Women's classes dedicated women's BJJ classes — a welcoming space to train and start out in
- Private lessons private, one-on-one coaching available — a focused way to start or to work around a busy schedule; ask about availability and rates
- No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule graciesouthbay.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 619-474-0944
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–8 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am–12 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“My children have been training with Gracie Humaita Southbay under Leticia Ribeiro for almost 2 years now.”
“Gracie south bay offer the full jiujitsu experience : a wide range of learning through modern sport jiujitsu, old school jiujitsu and self defense techniques.”
“So far I've had a very pleasant and welcoming experience with Murango, the morning beginners class instructor.”
Other martial arts here
“Fabricio Camoes and Leticia Ribeiro are famous and decorated bjj and mma practitioners who trained directly under the founding family of bjj.”
What members say
“The best family oriented Jiu Jitsu gym in San Diego with professional black belt instructors.”
“So far I've had a very pleasant and welcoming experience with Murango, the morning beginners class instructor.”
“Fabricio Camoes and Leticia Ribeiro are famous and decorated bjj and mma practitioners who trained directly under the founding family of bjj.”
“Good technical breakdown of techniques and training during adult classes.”
“Gracie south bay offer the full jiujitsu experience : a wide range of learning through modern sport jiujitsu, old school jiujitsu and self defense techniques.”
“The training center is clean, organized, the professors and coaches are very kind and motivated!”
From the reviews
Gracie South Bay is a great place to learn Jiu Jitsu. The owner (Leticia Ribeiro) is great and they have excellent classes for both kids and adults. One thing I love is that there are almost 3-5 black belts on the mat teaching the kiddos every single day.
Both Leticia and Morango are great coaches. Leticia is exceptional at coaching kids not forgetting also with the adults. Good technical breakdown of techniques and training during adult classes. Coaches are always patience to answer any questions in the class and after. Good friendly vibes on the mats.
Awesome, family friendly gym with high caliber BJJ instructors + instruction. Highly recommended 🔥👊🏼🥋🙏🏽😎
My children have been training with Gracie Humaita Southbay under Leticia Ribeiro for almost 2 years now. My wife and I are also training. There isn’t a better environment to learn bjj or self defense.
New to BJJ? Start at Gracie South Bay Jiu Jitsu
Gracie South Bay Jiu Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. If you've never rolled or set foot on a mat, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit or flexible to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the intensity to you. Second, you won't be thrown into hard rolling — reputable gyms build fundamentals (positions, escapes, and basic submissions) for weeks, live rolling eases in gradually, and tapping early keeps every roll safe. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out, and leave your ego at the door. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.
Your first BJJ class at Gracie South Bay Jiu Jitsu
Nervous about walking into a BJJ gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling basic positions and escapes with a partner — not hard sparring. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: athletic wear you can move in (or a gi if you have one); you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and a mouthguard if you have one — many gyms lend a loaner gi for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gi (or a rashguard and shorts for no-gi) and a mouthguard. Live rolling eases in gradually, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.
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