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Gracie Barra Richmond is the world’s most trusted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School for students of all ages. Schedule your first class free at Gracie Barra today!
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Reviews from Jiu-Jitsu Blog members who have trained at Gracie Barra Richmond. Member recommendations raise an academy's Jiu-Jitsu Blog Score.
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Did a trial class here and it was a great experience. I highly reccomend training here, the quality of teaching was excellent and the gym has welcoming atmosphere and friendly culture.
We love training at this gym! Professor Bernardo is an excellent teacher and I love the way he chains all the movements adding details to make it complex for upper belts but also easy enough for newer students. The atmosphere is so friendly and welcoming! Would absolutely recommend to anyone who wants to try jiujitsu!
We chose Gracie Barra Richmond for the 2025 summer camp and again for the spring camp 2026, and honestly, it became the only place we fully trust with our child. Every time we send our kid there, we know he is in safe, caring, and GOOD hands.
What really stands out is how the team treats everyone like family. Gabi, Pamella, coach Bernardo, coach Louis, Sarah and the whole team are welcoming, attentive, and genuinely care about the kids, not just their safety, but their happiness too.
The camp itself is also a great mix of fun and structure. The kids get to enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities, stay active, learn new self defence skills, and have a great time with friends. There’s always something engaging going on, so the kids come home excited and full of stories.
For us, Gracie Barra isn’t just a camp, it’s a safe, positive community that we keep coming back to.
This isn’t just a review 👌👌. I’m sharing my experience because I understand how parents feel during school breaks, and I want others to have the same peace of mind I do when I go to work, knowing my child is receiving the best possible care.
My two kids (7 and 10) started BJJ at Gracie Barra Richmond just 3 months ago. They are also part of their after school care program. I would highly recommend them to anyone. They foster a very positive and welcoming environment. In the short time we have been there my shy son was also encouraged to compete in a tournament and he did so proudly. The coaches were on the sidelines cheering him on. Not only do they provide physical coaching but also mental coaching. The other children and their parents are also so friendly. The students are always happy and the coaches are very dedicated to this sport. Pamella and Gabi are extremely organized and understanding, Coaches Bernardo and Luis are the perfect combination of disciplined and fun. I'm so glad we found Gracie Barra Richmond. Just wish we had found them sooner!
Our family comes from Shanghai to spend every summer in Vancouver, and this year we were fortunate to find Gracie Barra – specifically the Richmond location. I took private Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lessons with Professor Bernardo while my kids joined his group classes. Bernardo is not only highly knowledgeable but also incredibly patient and passionate about teaching. He has a special talent for working with children—using creative animal analogies that helped my kids easily grasp complex movements. The gym itself is clean, safe, and welcoming, creating the perfect environment for both beginners and experienced grapplers. Over the 6 weeks, we saw real progress and, more importantly, had a lot of fun. If you're looking for a top-notch BJJ gym for yourself or your children, I highly recommend training with Professor Bernardo. We'll definitely be returning next summer!
If you want to train jiu jitsu in the Richmond area you have to stop by and train with Bernardo at GB Richmond. The gym has a very friendly and welcoming vibe filled with students at all levels. Can't recommend it enough.
I’ve been training Jiujitsu for around 4 years so I’ve experienced several gyms and many coaches. I must say that GB Richmond is one of my favourite gyms ever (it is worth the 50min traffic commute from UBC).
1) The mats are SO CLEAN! You can tell the staff value hygiene as there are menstrual products, hair ties, makeup wipes, q-tips, all of that in the bathroom for us girls (so thoughtful)!
2) Every gym has a specific culture and this gym is the most friendly, safe, welcoming place! I had some pretty great rolls with training partners that challenge me and help me grow.
3) Bernardo is AWESOME 😎 The professor there is so kind, adaptive, attentive, and professional! Bernardo cares so much about his students and you can tell that he’s trained them well 💪🏻
My bestfriend Maddie & I will absolutely come to train more at this gym because we learned so much during the GB1 today!
I am writing to provide a professional reference for GB Richmond under the ownership of Professor Bernardo.
My wife and I had the pleasure of training at GB Richmond and experienced a remarkable journey under the guidance of Professor Bernardo.
Initially, upon returning to BJJ after a period of absence, we were welcomed by Professor Bernardo, who provided invaluable support during our transition back into the sport.
Despite initial struggles, Professor Bernardo’s encouragement and dedication played a crucial role in our decision to persevere, leading to a newfound enjoyment in our training sessions.
The dedication to enhancing the training environment was reflected in the organized, engaging, and safe sessions we participated in.
Despite concerns about safety, Professor Bernardo's attentiveness and emphasis on student well-being ensured a secure training environment for all participants, including my wife who greatly benefited from his care.
Regrettably, due to work commitments, we were unable to continue training at GB Richmond.
However, I can attest to the convenience of the location, ample parking facilities, and the exceptional camaraderie amongst fellow practitioners. Professor Bernardo embodies warmth, dedication, and organization, with Professor Bernardo's infectious smile greeting all students, fostering a welcoming environment for everyone.
In conclusion, I have full confidence that any individual training at Gracie Barra Richmond under the expert guidance of Professor Bernardo will experience the same level of exceptional coaching, care, and support that we received.
Professor Bernardo and Coach Junior are building one of the best BJJ schools in Richmond.
My 4 year old daughter and I joined GB Central Richmond this March and the experience has been great.
Previously my daughter was in a different martial arts school for 6 months and although the initial experience and impact was positive, the sales tactics, spamming texts and overall experience declined greatly.
Pre-pandemic I was at a different bjj school myself and based on me and my daughter's collective experiences, here is what makes GB Central Richmond stand out from the other martial arts gyms in Richmond:
1. Quality of instruction and classes
a. Professor and Coach focus on the fundamentals to build a strong bjj base, they have strong attention to detail and provide constructive critique on each student's individual progression and performance.
b. They teach bjj from a self-defense and a sport perspective, differentiating what to focus on depending on the situation.
c. The instruction is consistent and the coaches are teaching the solid bjj fundamentals. (At the previous martial arts school, the teachers were mostly pre-teen, teen or young adults with ratios where each student wasn't getting consistent teaching or attention).
d. Both Professor and Coach are active competitors, they teach applicable techniques and lead the competition team by example.
e. Gracie Barra curriculum- as is the case with most franchises, there are proven systems in place to ensure consistency and effective teaching. This is no exception here- the curriculum and instruction is put together very well to help develop skill, technique and muscle memory.
f. One thing that Coach Junior explained to me that I didn’t get from my daughter's last martial art school is that everything they teach the kids classes has a purpose- for instance, although it might seem like your kid is doing animal races back and forth the mat- the intent behind that is to develop muscle memory- because the purpose movements they're practicing translates directly into the same body mechanics used in bjj.
g. Both Professor and Coach are very professional- they are incredibly good with kids, they’re able to get kids to open up and pay attention to learning bjj. They're always able to put a smile on my daughter's face and make learning fun for her. (They're also patient with adults in the adult classes too!)
2. Clean, Updated, Amazing facility
a. The facility is huge. They have a large, clean and newly updated mat area, two separate washrooms and two separate change rooms!
b. The last martial arts facility my daughter was at, there were no change rooms and the washrooms were disgusting and filthy. Helping my daughter change into her uniform after daycare in a cramped, dirty bathroom is a very unpleasant experience. A way better difference here at GB Central Richmond.
c. Everything here is clean and organized. Dust and other debris are cleared off the mats with a leaf blower and the mats are consistently disinfected and sanitized. I see the school being vacuumed constantly.
d. Lastly, Professor and Coach emphasize proper hygiene and not having anyone be barefoot off of the mats.
Overall- it’s been an awesome experience thus far for our family, and will be for years to come!
I had an incredible experience at this place today. The women's self-defense class under the new management was amazing. The instructors were knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was welcoming. I highly recommend this establishment and will definitely be back for more classes. Top-notch service and a truly positive experience!