Home › California › San Leandro › San Lorenzo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
San Lorenzo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 147 Google reviews · BJJ gym in San Leandro, 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
- Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
- 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
- No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
- Open mat open-mat rolling sessions for members to practice live — always optional and at your own pace
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Website & schedule sanlorenzobjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
The classes they run
“Manny teaches the basics but also keeps up with the Evolution of jiu jitsu.”
“Me and my daughter are from Virginia and visited this academy, we both enjoyed the classes, trainings.”
“He teaches a lot of no-gi and techniques that are less traditional like heel hooks, etc.”
“This doesn’t mean that the students don’t roll hard, but there’s less emphasis on podium placing.”
“Moreover, his passion for teaching and his humility has also been demonstrated by offering to teach me techniques at open mat when I wasn’t even one of his students.”
“When I started, I had no experience at all and Manny ( instructor) and other students were very welcoming and helpful.”
What members say
“Manny is such a great instructor and will really take the time to help you learn the techniques, no matter what level you are.”
“Started training here in the beginning of May and ever since I walked through that door I felt welcomed and felt like I was apart of the family.”
“Started training here in the beginning of May and ever since I walked through that door I felt welcomed and felt like I was apart of the family.”
“The attention to detail in every class is impressive, and Professor Manny stands out with his clear instruction, patience, and genuine care for each student.”
“SLZBJJ is more of a hobbyist gym, rather than some gyms that are heavily competition focused.”
“we connect and come to find out Manny is not affiliated with any school so I was kinda hesitant to come being that my mind was set on Caio.”
From the reviews
So I been doing Jiu jitsu for already 5 plus years now except during the time covid hit. I took off the entire 2020 and early 2021. I was giving the ok to start training at end of 2021 so I was in search of a new school . I went on Yelp and found this place.
I love training at San Lorenzo BJJ. The mats are clean and training partners are friendly. Manny teaches high level technique with game-changing details that I'm able to implement in rolls instantly. He cares about making an impact to the community, his students, and creating a healthy environment at all costs.
San Lorenzo BJJ (SLZBJJ) is a very warm and welcoming jiu jitsu school. The students are very respectful to each other and guests. They make sure to acknowledge everyone who comes through the door, which can be a huge relief when you’re doing drop ins or trial classes because you instantly feel like you belong there.
I’ve know Manny the owner since we were both white belts. Manny is one of most well mannered and respectful person I’ve meet when it come to teaching and running a jiu jitsu gym. I had a chance to come visit him for his open mat on Sunday and was amazed of how welcoming he was.
New to BJJ? Start at San Lorenzo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
San Lorenzo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym, going by their listing and members’ reviews. 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 San Lorenzo Brazilian 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. 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.
More BJJ gyms near San Leandro
ENDVR JIU JITSU
5 ★★★★★ 20 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
510 Renegade MMA - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Kids BJJ
4.9 ★★★★★ 14 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Hierba Mala Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 37 reviews