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Valor Jiu Jitsu

5 ★★★★★ 18 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Pasadena, California

BJJ gym Free trial Beginners welcome Kids & teens Competition team

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
  • 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
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule thevalorjiujitsu.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone (626) 345-5348

Hours

Monday 6 AM–7:30 PM
Tuesday 9 AM–7:30 PM
Wednesday 6 AM–7:30 PM
Thursday 9 AM–7:30 PM
Friday 9 AM–3 PM
Saturday 9 AM–2 PM
Sunday Closed

Hours shift for holidays, seminars, and open-gym times — worth a quick check before a special trip.

The classes they run

BJJ classes on the schedule at Valor Jiu Jitsu, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🧒 Kids BJJ 3 mentions

“My daughter and I came in so she can try out Jiu-Jitsu for the first time she fell in love within 10 min.”

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🏆 Competition Team

“Highly recommend for hobbyists and/or competitors.”

All gyms that run competition team →

🔓 Open Mat 4 mentions

“I've gone to the open mats a few times, and the gym owners are extremely welcoming.”

All gyms that run open mat →

🛡️ Self-Defense 2 mentions

All gyms that run self-defense →

🌱 Beginners 7 mentions

“Dave and Jando provide excellent instruction and are always patient, kind, and professional, with classes being beginner friendly and open to all skill levels.”

All gyms that run beginners →

What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 18 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 4 mentions

“Dave and Jando provide excellent instruction and are always patient, kind, and professional, with classes being beginner friendly and open to all skill levels.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 12 mentions

“Dave and Jando provide excellent instruction and are always patient, kind, and professional, with classes being beginner friendly and open to all skill levels.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 17 mentions

“Dave and Jando provide excellent instruction and are always patient, kind, and professional, with classes being beginner friendly and open to all skill levels.”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 3 mentions

“Great teaching and solid techniques friendly accepting environment, clean studio lots of classes Professor David “Tofu” and Coach Hondo are top-notch”

great workout & conditioning 2 mentions

“Valor is a great place to train jiu-jitsu and improve athletic conditioning amongst some of the most knowledgable and gregarious practitioners in the Pasadena area.”

🧼 clean, well-kept mats 7 mentions

“Great teaching and solid techniques friendly accepting environment, clean studio lots of classes Professor David “Tofu” and Coach Hondo are top-notch”

From the reviews

My daughter and I came in so she can try out Jiu-Jitsu for the first time she fell in love within 10 min. Coach David, Coach Jando and Coach Jason are great with kids. We signed up right after the class. Amazing place.

★★★★★ — Christopher, Sep 2024

I stopped by Valor Jiujitsu to take a free trial class. The gym was clean, well organized, and I appreciated the small touches like extra hair ties and hair dryer in the women’s locker room. The instructors, Professor David and Coach Jando, were both welcoming. Warm-ups, drills, and sparring kicked my butt!

★★★★★ — Marnie, Jun 2024

The Instructors David and Jando are very good at explaining and imparting knowledge. It’s very easy to understand the content of course. It’s female friendly studio. Besides, The studio is super clean and well- organized.

★★★★★ — Jinghu, May 2025

Valor is a brand new beautiful and clean BJJ academy right in the heart of Pasadena. The owners are amazing and super down to earth guys and couldn't be better instructors. Check them out and say whatup to Tofu and Jando for me!

★★★★★ — Greg, Aug 2024

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 18 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at Valor Jiu Jitsu

Valor 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.

Check beginner classes on their site

Your first BJJ class at Valor 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.

BJJ is a contact sport. Ease in, tap early and often, listen to your coaches, and if you have any injuries or health concerns, mention them before class and check with a doctor if you're unsure.

Where to find Valor Jiu Jitsu

36 S Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA91101

Get directions

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and member reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.