1037 Terra Nova Blvd, Pacifica, CA 94044
Reviews from Jiu-Jitsu Blog members who have trained at Cave Academy. Member recommendations raise an academy's Jiu-Jitsu Blog Score.
Superb BJJ instruction from Mike Murrell and Frank Nunez. Update 3/19/2024: Nothing has changed. Everything is still awesome.
Cave is rare. So many souls not only just practice Jiu-Jitsu here, but also cultivate respect, care, and resilience. Regardless of your background—whether you're a small business owner, a school principal, a tech manager, or a recent retiree—once you step onto the mat, you become part of US. As someone on the smaller side, I appreciate how the instructors tailor their teachings to fit my needs. Even during off-peak times, such as right before a holiday, they provide dedicated attention and refinement as if the entire class were present. As a beginner, I appreciate how training partners have a huge heart when they practice with me, and guide me through each step into their world. I love Cave.
I have Been training here for 8 months, my 6 yr-old for 1.5 year and my 4 yr-old for 1 yr. I love this place, the instructors and the community. Kids classes: This is a great place for kids. both my kids have always been excited to come here. Mike has created a phenomenal environment for kids to be safe and learn how to control and move their bodies. There is a big emphasis on anti bullying and how to defend and avoid getting hurt. Mike does a terrific job at teaching kids discipline and respect. Rules are few, simple and firm which creates a very solid and clear framework for the kids. Adult classes: It took me 1 class to get hooked (and get heel hooked =) ) and understand this place is great. The instructors (Mike, Papa Frankie, Hunter, George, Yoshi, Daniel) are all great welcoming humans who really love to teach. It's also a safe and inclusive place for women. There is so much knowledge at this dojo. Nobody brings their ego into it. The community is welcoming and there is a genuine desire to help each other getting better at this. All the upper belts that come here have been super supportive and offered help all the times. This is a top quality gym, with a very inclusive, easy-going environment.
Cave is truly a phenomenal facility. There are many world class black belts teaching, it's friendly to the hobbyist or competitor, everyone is very welcoming, and it's CLEAN. The space is well laid out, and there are ample amenities: a dry sauna, showers, an ice bath, even laundry facilities. It's an absolute pleasure to train here.
The cave is a hidden gem in Pacifica. Truly one of the best BJJ gyms in the bay area. Head instructors Mike and Papa Frank are extremely talented at not just BJJ but also teaching and explaining techniques. The owner has put a lot of hard work in to make sure the gym in a great environment for everyone to feel comfortable and welcomed, and encourages other gyms to come in for the free open mat every Friday. Mike is also a great mentor to the kids classes which happen right before the adult classes. Would highly recommend taking a trial class here so you can see for yourself.
Cave Academy is an amazing choice for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Mike and Frank, the coaches, are great people and fantastic instructors. The community vibe is awesome – everyone is friendly and supportive. The training setup is top-notch, clean, and well-equipped. For killer coaching, cool people, and a great BJJ scene, Cave Academy is the spot! Highly recommend! 🥋👊
Great gym. Great facilities. Ample parking. Members have access to amazing instructors in gi and no-gi. Showers, sauna, and weight room in the back. The Friday night and Saturday morning open mats are great too. Good vibes all around.
tl;dr: top-notch school, top-notch instruction, top-notch business. Go here, send your kids here, feel great about your choices. All the 5-star ratings don't lie -- it's a 5-star school. My daughter's been going for 6 months and she loves it. Properly-taught bjj does all the things martial arts are supposed to do for kids -- spur self-development, teach emotional self-regulation, get the crazy out. Mike teaches proper technique, emphasizes safety and good pedagogy, and makes sure the kids are engaged. His business practices are top-notch -- you can pay month-to-month, you don't have to buy his uniforms, you can freeze your membership, you can switch membership levels quickly. The pricing is transparent and beyond reasonable, and the family discount is remarkably generous. The guest instructors are always top-notch as well. For adult classes -- this is a school people drive to from all over because of the quality of Mike's instruction and the depth of his technique. He regularly travels to train with the world's best instructors. There are perks, like weights, a sauna, an ice dunk, etc. The community's amazing. Friendships form on the mats and in the parents' gallery. Oh yeah -- there's a parents' gallery to watch the kids grapple.
This is a great gym in many respects: 1. The people are super down-to-earth and friendly. 2. The instructors are knowledgeable and care. - Mike, the owner and head instructor, is deeply invested in staying up to date on modern no gi sport jiu jitsu techniques being implemented at the highest level of bjj competition and sharing this knowledge with his students. Frankie, who runs many of the gi classes and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, doesn’t just teach old school, American-lock-from-mount jiu jitsu (which I am sure he can), and teaches modes of playing open guard and passing that you will see in high-level gi competitions. Frankie is also makes it a point to go around the room helping people during his classes. While many gym owners these days focus almost solely on getting people through the door and making money with little thought given to whether or not they are doing a decent job as jiu jitsu teachers/coaches, Mike in particular is very passionate about making sure he delivers a quality product/service by studying the sport and making his students better. He also travels with his dedicated students/competitors when they compete out-of-state and even out-of-country, something very few gym owners are willing to do these days. 3. The gym is immaculate and features showers. 4. The gym regularly hosts big names in the jiu jitsu community to expose students to high-level technique. The Cave has hosted people like Craig Jones over the years. 5. People don’t roll like spastic crazies and are controlled and efficient training partners. Some of the biggest indicators that a gym might be a less-than-desirable place to train are if the students shake like chihuahuas, are hyperventilating while they roll, and are hitting you with stray knees and elbows on a regular basis during live rounds. These are not the case at The Cave. I have visited and trained at a lot of gyms over the years and can honestly say that the Cave’s students from lower belt to upper belt were much more controlled than the majority of people I have trained with at other gyms. 6. The Cave is successful in bjj competition. The gym has several female competitors that have been successful at the IBJJF majors tournaments, and one of the senior students at the gym, Mikey, has found success in professional submission-only tournaments. If you live in Pacifica or the Bay Area in general, check this place out.
The whole family trained here before we moved out of the area. Mike and Papa Frank are amazing with all levels. The community is fantastic, good vibes all around. Definitely recommend.
I love the community of Cave Academy. It feels like a tight knit family. Absolutely warm and positive vibe here. The facility is spacious, clean and nice. I felt right at home as a beginner.
Doesn't get much better than this. Straight forward and definitely beginner friendly too. A place for all ages and ranks!!!
Amazing instruction. Great, relaxed atmosphere
Cave Academy is absolutely favorite sports class for my both sons 6 and 8. Its nearby our home and we take them to Cave Academy twice a week. They learn to roll, jump, wrestle. All kids going there very fond of Sensei Mike and they are really enjoying time spent with him and his associates. School make children stronger and also help to release their excess energy. Cave Academy is also very clean and very well ventilated. Parents can seat and watch practice or they can drop off kids and pick them up later. Our friends daughter also goes there. Great place! Five stars!
Amazing team !! Great coaches I call this home !!
A great place to learn Jiu Jitsu at all levels wether you are just trying it out for the first time or looking to compete. The instruction is stellar. Mike is truly an intellectual and is able to explain techniques clearly and concisely in a manner that helps students absorb material and learn small yet essential details. The people in the gym are all kind welcoming folk. It is obvious upon stepping in that it’s one big family and they’re always looking to grow it. I highly recommend trying out a class!
Awesome place, very positive atmosphere. Papa Frankie and Mike are the best 👍
Although I've only been coming to The Cave Academy for a few months, I feel like I've been really accelerating in my BJJ learning. Sensei Mike is super technical and clear with his instruction (in particular I love the logical sequences and chaining of moves), and Papa Frank is inspirational and gets me fired up every time. Looking forward to learning a lot with this crew!
I joined The Cave 2 months ago and couldn't be happier about my decision. I love training here. I had trained jiu jitsu for 6 years at another academy but recently left it due to personal reasons. Choosing a new "home" was a big decision for me. Each person has their own personal criteria for what makes a school the right fit for them. Here's why I decided on the Cave: - Has an excellent nogi curriculum. 7pm Mon-Fri at the Cave is in both nogi and gi. Coach Mike teaches a lot from the Danaher system, which I have been dying to learn. Mike is what you'd call a true "student of the game"...he's constantly studying techniques and is open and willing to adapt if he believes he's found a better way. - Supports competitors. As an active competitor, I've seen Mike at competitions I've watched how Mike coaches his students in competition. I appreciate his calm and direct demeanor. No screaming at his students like a madman (that may work for some students, but it's not really for me). He puts a lot of care into helping his competitors get ready. - Genuinely nice people. No bro/macho vibes. Everyone was always kind and genuinely nice to me when I visited. People came up to me and introduced themselves to me when they saw I was a new face. I really appreciated the warm vibes. It's in Pacifica, which sounds far but it's actually not that bad. Does require a car to get there but good news is there's always parking. Whether you decide this gym is the right one for you or not, I think it's definitely worth checking out. I'm happy to answer any questions about it if anyone has any!
Cave Academy Owner/Coach Mike Murrell trains and competes at the highest level. The quality of instruction from Mike Murrell and Frank Nunez is among the best in the Bay Area. Highly recommended.
As a complete beginner to Jiu Jitsu (and any martial art), I have felt welcomed and encouraged, regardless of my lack of skills and schedule that keeps me out of the gym most days. Mike teaching is always technical, thorough, and tailored to where the class is at. Papa Frank's Skull Island conditioning & fundamentals is exactly what I have needed to get in better shape and start feeling comfortable with the basics. I cannot recommend it more highly.
Best and most underrated jiujitsu instructor in the Bay Area.
This is THE place where our kid fell in love with Jiujitsu, and he had been to four academies in two continents. Sensei Mike is attentive yet tough, respectful yet halarious, a pro at what we pay him to do and goes wayyyy beyond. Worths the ride, three times a week if you can make it!!!
Amazing experience, I love training here with these awesome people.
Had the pleasure on training at the Cave this summer and I have nothing but great memories from my time there. Mike and Papa Frank are true martial artists and gave in depth instruction - it was a great place to work on my grappling technique. I'll definitely be back to train there when I'm in the Bay area. Cheers!
Прекрасный зал, очень толковый тренер по дзюдо, очень сильные дети!!! Всем рекомендую!!!
My son has been in Mike's kids class for over a year now and we love it. Mike is amazing with the kids and the environment of learning, respect and fun, with big kids helping the little kids, is great.
I am so glad to have The Cave in Pacifica. Training in BJJ under Mike Murrell has been my first experience in a martial arts class and from day 1 there was no turning back. Mike is a great instructor who is very aware of his students and how they learn. He makes sure that each person in the class understands the techniques and is willing to help if you need it just to make sure you get it right. I have been training at The Cave on and off for a couple of years now, kids, injuries, work forced me to take time off here or there, but this is a place I will always come back to. Even the other students are wonderful to work with. Everyone learns everybody else’s weaknesses and is cognizant of them when we roll. I really can’t express how grateful I am that all parties involved have created such a great atmosphere to train. Definitely a place to check out if you are looking for a new place to roll, or if you’ve never done anything like this, it’s a great place to get into it. There’s even a kids’ class and it is truly impressive to watch Mike handle all of the kids at once and then see how they progress over time. Martial Arts really do have an impact on the different parts of your life and this goes for the little ones as well
I have been training at The Cave Academy for about 6 months now and I absolutely love it. Mike and Seth are very welcoming instructors and have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to MMA. If you're looking for self defense, competition or just a solid workout, this is the place to go.
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