Alliance Jiu Jitsu of Madison
711 Rethke Ave Suite 2, Madison, WI 53714, USA
Start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Madison with us! Come visit our brand new, state of the art facility and get a free trial lesson!
711 Rethke Ave Suite 2, Madison, WI 53714, USA
Start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Madison with us! Come visit our brand new, state of the art facility and get a free trial lesson!
Great facility, culture, and coaches. Instruction of BJJ is phenomenal. Individual concepts are presented in class ending with a flow drill allowing students the opportunity to further practice and understand positioning. Very happy to have the opportunity to call Twisted fitness home. My only complaint is I didn’t find Alliance sooner. One simply cannot walk into this facility without wanting to be apart of it. Simply breath taking.
Best BJJ school in Madison! The passion Mark and Sonya has for the art is infectious, and it creates a welcoming environment for anyone wanting to give it a try. I started with them 4 years ago and wouldn't ever consider going anywhere else. All of the instructors they have are world class (literally), and the other people attending classes are some of the nicest you'll ever meet. If you're on the fence about trying out BJJ, here's your reason to do so and make sure you do it at Alliance Madison!
Having trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu for ~10 years, I have no reservations in recommending this academy. Professors Mark and Sonya have built a safe and wholesome environment that is welcoming for both newcomers and veterans to the sport. The instruction, the quality and cleanliness of the facility, and the community at this academy are a testament to their efforts and commitment to the place and its members.
Felt at home here immediately. Great instructors. Great camaraderie. Great facility.
If you are interested in jiu-jitsu but are unsure or even intimated...DON'T BE. Alliance Jiu Jitsu of Madison is an excellent place to learn the art of jiu-jitsu in an excellent environment that is inviting, friendly, safe and empowering. The instructors are top-notch and engaging, and along with the students they create a welcoming atmosphere that motivates you to learn and have fun. Jiu jitsu is a challenging martial art that will push you physically and mentally, but the coaches and students at Alliance create an environment that helps you succeed. I was visiting from out of town and I felt instantly welcomed and as part of the family. From this point forward, I will definitely train at Alliance Jiu Jitsu of Madison. Thanks again...OSS!
Started as a newbie in Jujistu foundations classes after an intro lesson with Coach Mike. Everyone is very welcoming and knowledgeable. I Can't wait to get back on the mats. The whole Twisted Fitness facility is clean and the variety of equipment and classes is unmatched. It's a friendly place where you can work out in peace or with fellow fitness enthusiasts.
I stopped in to train at this gym because I was in Madison at a work conference. I train at the Alliance gym in Hudson, WI. Mark and Sonya were extremely welcoming. The students were welcoming. The rolls were fun and competitive. I hope they will have me back when I make it to Madison.
Alliance Madison run by Mark Plavcan and Sonya Plavcan are the place for you who are looking to learn Jiu Jitsu at the highest level of understanding that is possible, both of them have great knowledge of the art, and they have not just done well in competitions, but also as an instructors. Alliance Madison is the place to go!
Alliance Madison has one of best facilities in the sport. Sonya is a multiple time black belt master world’s champion and both her and Mark are pioneers in BJJ. One of the longest standing Alliance Affiliated academies. This gym is the real deal.
I have known Mark for over a decade. He is not only a top notch BJJ practitioner he is an excellent instructor. The Alliance system has proven to be the top in the sport, consistently turning out some of the best athletes our sport has every seen. The best part is that it is accessible to all. Anybody can start BJJ and reach their full potential with the Alliance Methodology. I highly recommend anyone in the Madison area check out Alliance. I know you will be in great hands.
Amazing facility and even better, amazing people!!! Mark and Sonya are so welcoming, whether a first time student or a life long BJJ practitioner. It's truly an amazing group of people. They have several VERY high level black belts who teach classes and are always willing to help. They care about quality and they also have a very solid, regimented curriculum. Side note, I've read the one negative review that was left here. I was there the day that person visited and attending class. I have to say that what the rest of us witnessed was not as described. Many of us saw Mark shake that man's hand and welcome him, while explaining the policy. He was friendly but probably seemed rushed as this was causing class to start late and they like to run things on time and be professional. In my opinion you'll never please some people unless you make them feel/treat them special. The one thing I love about this place more than anything is the fact that they don't do that. Everyone is treated equal, they don't make exceptions, and everyone is expected to put in the work. This is why they have so many champions coming out of the gym and why is never train anywhere else. Also as a business owner myself, I'd never assume I know how much someone profits off of things or what their bills are. Most of the big teams have uniform requirements now anyway. But I do know Alliance Madison charges less than retail and if it's me, I'd rather buy my uniform from a place I want to support than some unknown GI company. I guess everyone has their own view of events, but in talking with the rest of the team we were shocked to see that review as those of us who witnessed it did not see anything of the sort. A lot of us trained with that guys son and enjoyed training with him. It's sad that if he really wants to be a champion, there is no better place in the area to train than this, but I digress.
Best gym in Madison hands down. Friendly, welcoming and great for beginners and advanced bjj players. It's the best part of my week.
I've been training with Mark and Sonya since before they joined Alliance. They are great people who care about there students. It's not about the money for them, it's about the art of Jiujitsu and building a community around it. It's about life skills, self defense, and a great competition team. They are true martial artists. As long as I'm still capable of doing Jiujitsu, I'll be at this Gym.
The best BJJ in Madison! Mark does a great job explaining everything. As my first time doing BJJ this year I could not thank them enough for getting me into this martial art.
Whether you’re an experienced and accomplished competitor or a brand new white belt just trying out something new, you will be welcomed with open arms by the Alliance Madison team. The community at this gym is such a rare find, and to have that exist in a place with some of the best competitors in the world is exceptional. As a woman new to this environment I was nervous to give BJJ a try, but Mark and Sonya have created such an amazing team where I know I can train with anybody at Alliance and have a good experience. I truly can’t speak highly enough of my time with Alliance Madison.
This place is phenomenal!!! I've trained BJJ for years and have been to schools all over the country. Hands down some of the best instruction of seen. The instructors and owners are super cool. They treat everyone equally, whether they are a high level competitor (of which they have many, check their resume!) Or just a guy like me who loves to train. The level of respect the teammates have for each other is apparent from the first time you set foot on the mats. Facility is beautiful and clean!!! If you are a competitor, this is definitely your spot, but if you aren't, they still treat you like part of the team!
I don't have an extensive martial arts history, but had always wanted to get into something. While BJJ was initially intimidating to me, the Alliance of Madison gym quickly put me at ease. I feel welcome and safe here, but also challenged. I've grown so much under the tutelage of these phenomenal professors and encouragement of my wonderful classmates. It really feels like a team and a family. I love how the training begins with safety and fundamentals and allows you to advance at your own pace. I've been a white belt for almost two years while most of the folks who started with me rocketed to blue much faster. You absolutely earn your stripes and are never made to feel inferior for where you are in your learning journey. Everything I've learned on the mat has made me more confident in my every day life.
Legit competition & self-defense BJJ program. Multiple black belts involved in coaching, solid fundamentals program, and a deeply encouraging & nurturing culture. I previously worked at a BJJ/MMA gym on the West Coast and have a good sense of the red & green flags. The gym is clean, the coaches aren't salespeople, and the lineage for the instructors is rock solid. Best program in town for sure.
The best of the best!
As a Woman, I feel this is the best a place in the Madison Area for women to train BJJ. Everyone is warmly welcomed and it is a safe and fun environment!
Hands down best Jiu-jitsu in the area! Awesome facility filled with the coolest people ever. Definitely recommend!
Best bjj gym in Madison hands down
What an amazing place. One of the best facilities in the country, friendliest members and extremely high quality instruction. If you are local-wouldn’t train elsewhere and if you are visiting-they will love having you.
Have always wanted to get into Jiu-jitsu for the longest time and couldnt have found a better place. They make sure you are ready before moving you further and work with you every step of the way. There is a reason why the Alliance team is number one. Mark and Sonya are very kind and very knowledgeable professors. Sonya herself being literally the best in her bracket in the world. You couldnt ask for better people to get you started and to push you to become better. Definitely check this place out.
Really enjoy the BJJ class and the fundamental class goes at a pace that feels perfect!
This gym is exactly what I was looking for when trying to find a Jiujitsu gym in the Madison area! Everyone is respectful and fun to be around. The instruction is incredible and the training philosophy is very safe and team oriented. Everyone looks out for one another. A good fit for all intensity levels and classes that accommodate all skill levels.
THE premier BJJ Gym in the madison area. A great place to start or continue your jiu jitsu journey. I enjoy the instructions and has a great atmosphere. No egos and everyone is welcoming.
Absolutely amazing experience. Awesome community; friendly, intelligent, and helpful staff; and an all around great place to learn Jiu Jitsu.
Ever since joining team, it has been a wonderful learning experience. The Coach's really take the time to work thru all your questions and really break down each step. All the students are also great to get to know and good to work with. Everyone there is willing and eager learn.
Great place to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from World Champions and Black Belts. Welcoming to every age/experience level. Higher Belts all jump into the Fundamentals classes to teach and partner with the less experienced participants. The culture is one of humility and sharing. The coaching and teaching ability is as impressive as anything I’ve been around.
Awesome instructors and a very welcoming dojo. Eager to continue training here
very clean space. staff is like family as soon as you walk in the door. dedicated and focus driven mentors. i couldn't have asked for a better place to learn and grow with Beautiful like minded people.
Great learning environment and excellent instructors makes Alliance Jiu Jistu of Madison the best BJJ gym in the area.
Tried Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai here on a whim a couple of years ago and got obsessed. What a great way to work out while always feeling like you’re learning and growing. The people here are so friendly, caring, and quickly become like family. I would highly recommend checking it out to anyone!
When I first moved to Madison I was looking for a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym to make me a better competitor. What I found was a group of people that I consider my closest friends and family. I heard about Alliance Jiu Jitsu of Madison being the "competitor gym" in Wisconsin and that they were rough, tough, mean, and every other stereotype you might think of as a competitor. When I got there, I realized that was all made up. They welcomed me with open arms and invited me to try out their Fundamentals class. I was sold on the level instruction in that class alone. It was on either my second or third week there, that when classes ended it was raining. Mark and Sonya, saw me walking to the bus stop and offered me a ride home. This school isn't a competitor gym (granted we have some extremely accomplished athletes), it's a place for great people to gather. I've always believed; if you surround yourself with great people it's only natural you become one. We all build each other up with the goal of being better than who we were yesterday. Whether you're the newest person who hasn't figured out how to tie your belt to the most accomplished competitor, you have a place here.
When I moved here, Alliance Jiu Jitsu was recommended to me as the best place to train BJJ in the Madison area. Two years later I am proud be part of the Alliance team. They deserve their reputation for a welcoming environment and for training effective/competitive Jiu Jitsu. Absolutely the place to come if you're looking for great training and people.
Excellent instruction with top notch coaches. The best BJJ school in Madison hands down. Beautiful and clean facilities.
Been training here for a couple years now, and so glad I tried it out. Mark and Sonya have built an amazing institution and into it poured their heart and soul. The classes are fun, challenging, and well-taught with easy adaptations for different styles and body types. Focusing on refined technique, the curriculum stays up to date with happenings in the Jiu-Jitsu world and is aimed at making highly-skilled and effective practitioners. The instructors do a great job pushing students to their limits but in a way that's supportive and very invested in student growth. Wherever you're starting at age or health-wise, there are things you can do and learn, and the instructors will help get you there. The community is wonderful! I've met so many amazing people with varied backgrounds and made some great friends - everyone is very welcoming and friendly! There's a real sense of camaraderie training together, and rolling is a lot of fun and quite invigorating - it will definitely get you in better shape. Everyone works hard to get better and push one other in an encouraging and safe way. The gym vibe is very chill, and the people are nice but will put you to work! It's palpable how passionate Mark and Sonya are about sharing their love of Jiu-Jitsu with others. The new facility they built is a remarkable achievement - a beautiful home for the gym. Insane amounts of mat space, great facilities, and so much available in terms of state of the art training equipment, weights, and other activities; all geared around building people up to be stronger, healthier, and more effective in their performance. All this (and a coffee shop) under one roof is a fulfillment of their dream to have a custom-designed space bringing together all the elements possible to maximize people's potential. If you've ever been curious about BJJ, come check it out!
I do not think you will find better instruction nor finer people with whom to train in the greater Dane County area! It is truly a joy to train at Alliance Jiu Jitsu of Madison!
Wonderful jiu jitsu gym with great training partners and coaches! It was amazing moving to Madison and having such a welcoming experience at a new gym! Lots of other women to train with as well ! Highly recommend to anyone interested in learning jiu jitsu
Awesome Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy! Great instructors, training partners and welcoming environment. Huge mat space in a brand new facility. Plenty of parking, locker rooms and convenient location. Check it out!
I tried out several gyms/Bjj schools in Madison before making the decision to sign with Alliance of Madison. In my honest opinion the level of Jiu-Jitsu taught here is above and beyond any of the other places I tried in the area. What really sold me though was the positive and welcoming atmosphere. No big egos or people trying to show each other up, just friendly folks enjoying what they’re doing and working hard. If you’re new to the sport, have kids that want to give it a try, or if you’re a long time practitioner looking to medal at Worlds, I would Highly recommend this place.
As an active guy in my 40s with a professional career and a family, Alliance Jiu Jitsu Madison is the perfect fit. The academy combines the technical expertise of a 12 time World Championship team with the flexibility of classes available morning, noon, and throughout the evenings and weekend. The professors are personable and extremely knowledgeable, and the academy has great camaraderie. Also, the gym’s newly constructed facility is clean, professional and, quite frankly, world class. In addition to Jiu Jitsu, the facility offers Muay Thai, Cross Fit and and an expansive selection of weight lifting/conditioning equipment.
Best Jiu Jitsu in Madison with great instructors
This BJJ gym is top notch! Everyone treats you like family and makes you feel welcome! It is my second home away from campus and a place to go to get away. The coaches are phenomenal and make you feel apart of the team and like you matter. Wouldn't want to train anywhere else!
The best BJJ gym in the mid west with outstanding instructors. Now with a brand new gym & huge mat space!
I highly recommend jiu jitsu. I highly recommend this gym. The facility is world class, the instructors are world champions. Everyone is kind and welcoming
Alliance BJJ Madison is the place to go in the Madison are for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The owners, Mark & Sonya Plavcan, run a first class facility and the people that train there take their Jiu Jitsu seriously and are great people to work with.
I started BJJ here one year ago, and it has been one of the most rewarding choices of my life. Mark and Sonya are phenomenal instructors, and I never leave a class without learning something new. Through BJJ, I've become so much more healthier, knowledgeable, confident, and safe, and there's still so much more ahead. I cannot recommend this school enough.
Great academy! Awesome environment to learn and train bjj!
Alliance BJJ Madison is by far the best Jiu Jitsu in Wisconsin. Mark and Sonya have created a fantastic facility with a tremendous program for beginners to competitors. They truly embrace the idea that Jiu Jitsu is for everyone. Whether you are looking to compete or learn effective self defense this is the place to go! This is such a fantastic community, I couldn't recommend it more!
From the seasoned competitor to the brand new student. Alliance has the program for you. I’ve trained BJJ all over and I will swear by the methodology of the Alliance System. Great coaches, world class facility, and welcoming teammates. You can’t go wrong!
Alliance Madison has become my home away from home. Mark and Sonya have created something incredibly special that you won't find at another jujitsu academy in this area. They have a wealth of knowledge that they are eager to share with their students, I am grateful every day for the opportunity to learn and grow from them. But even more importantly they've grown a community that feels like family on and off the mats. If you have been considering trying jiujitsu, I would highly recommend Alliance BJJ as your new home!
I Have been practicing jiujitsu for almost six years now with Alliance of Madison Based out of Twisted Fitness Gym. Now they’ve just opened a brand new state of the art facility with more space to train. Excellent instructors, excellent people. Come join the family.
As someone who has trained jiu jitsu for over 10 years, I can safely say that the Alliance Madison school is the best overall facility I've seen. Mark and Sonya are both very experienced black belts with years of experience teaching top level competitors as well as beginners. The students are all super friendly and helpful. Aside from the great students and staff, they also have a brand new state of the art gym. I can't recommend this place enough!
There are much better Jiu Jitsu gyms in and near Madison. We visited Alliance of Madison BJJ school, and it was one of the worst experiences. My son is looking to attend college at UW Madison in the fall. He’s a high-level wrestler, and has been training bjj for many years. He asked me, his father, wrestling coach, and part-time Jiu Jitsu coach for some help finding a good grappling school in Madison. First red flag is that they wouldn’t let my son try out a class without wearing their gi’s (uniforms). Luckily, they loaned him one, but if he were to sign up, he would need multiple new, expensive gi’s that the school makes big profits from. That right there, should tell someone they are not at the right academy. He’s trained and competed for many years wearing neutral gi’s, so purchasing 2-3 new gi’s would be a racket. The owner and head instructor, Mark, was rude and unwelcoming. He could’ve cared less about meeting Connor. No introduction or handshakes, he just got in my face and said he doesn’t allow viewing of class. He told me I wasn’t worth getting his gym shut down, because I was in the corner watching my son and helping him make a decision. We are not new to this sport, and I’ve been to countless gyms around the country. This is the first gym that I’ve been asked to leave and not watch my son. Alliance of Madison allows one free class to decide if you like it. This free class was the time we needed to decide a future for my son’s training and competition. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be a part of helping him. The manner in which I was first approached was appalling and no gym owner should act that way toward a possible new student. He also never followed up with my son after class, and asked him anything about himself, jujitsu, his training, where he’s from, or anything…… As someone who has been involved in wrestling, jujitsu, and grappling his entire life, I would highly recommend avoiding Alliance Jiu Jitsu of Madison. There are many other options.
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