2050 E Ireland Rd, South Bend, IN 46614, USA
Looking for a safe place to train? Appreciate high level instruction? Want classes that accommodate kids, women, beginners, and advanced practitioners? GJJ SB checks off ALL the boxes and more! Love & Leverage
Posted 1 year agoGreat place for community and Jiu-Jitsu! John and Thomas are masters at the art and welcome all. They offer a 10 day no risk trial which offers any person access to classes before committing. Definitely check this place out, you won’t regret it!
Posted 1 year ago
Great place to learn with great people.
Absolutely great for self defense! I love the instructors that are fun and nice.
Very fortunate to have found this place, the culture is welcoming and the instructors are super knowledgeable and friendly. 10/10 would recommend
Very positive environment. Everyone is super humble, helpful and welcoming to any newcomers. Great place for anyone no matter your Jiu Jitsu experience.
Love this gym! Started at a woman empowered seminar with my mom and have grown to love this gym, the people, and the values practiced!
My first day was 9/13/2021. I was 257 pounds, and I could hardly move my own body, let alone practice a Martial Art..... safe to say I was wrong. I was welcomed with open arms and embraced by the community they had built/continue to cultivate. Within my 10 day free trial, it was clear to me that I not only wanted this in my life, but I needed it! So, I pulled the trigger. Bought a year, 20 private lessons, and 2 Gi's. Best decision I ever made! It literally changed the course of my life. Thomas, John, Sandon, Brandon, Hannah, Sarah, Blake, the other John (fair warning LOTS of Johns), and literally dozens of other people have, not only taught me a ridiculous amount of Jiu-jitsu, but have inadvertently and unintentionally made me a better person. If you have ever thought about learning how to defend yourself...... I can think of no better place to start. Love and Leverage. P.s. I've been holding a solid 195lbs for about 6 months now, if you were curious.
Great quality of instruction, but I'm too tall for one size of Gi and too skinny for the next. :(
My favorite place to be! The coaches are fantastic to work with. Knowledgeable, patient and caring. My son has taken classes since a young age, I myself take classes and now my father in law is taking classes. On and off the mats we love Gracie jiujitsu South Bend.
I have enjoyed my time at Gracie South Bend. I have been here almost a year and feel like this is part of my extended family. I have made some great friendships and learned a lot about jujitsu and how to protect myself. The atmosphere is welcoming to all who are wanting to learn. There is no need to feel intimated here. I have not regretted one day that I have spent here. If you are contemplating joining, please do! I will be waiting. And don't forget to say hello when you see me:)
Two is always better than one! Having twin black belts under the same roof is like having unlimited knowledge of the Jiu-jits. Some of the best and down to earth guys i’ve ever met! Highly recommend it!
A family culture away from home. Very friendly and talented people in the area. Perfect for all ages to do together with your family as well.
Best place in the area to train. Not only do you get instruction from world class black belts like John and Thomas. But also get high level wrestling classes with Brandon and Sandon. If you want a fun, safe, competitive atmosphere to train there really is no other place like it.
Ive been competed in combat sports my whole life and been coached by many world class instructors and can say John and Thomas are two of the greatest instructors/coaches I have ever encountered. Even more important is the culture they have developed in their gym! Its not just training partners and instructors. . . . Its family! 10 out of 10 rating!!!
Amazing atmosphere amazing men teaching. I highly recommend to all!!
I was very uncertain about joining at first, but everyone was very welcoming and an open arms to all beginners and learning jujutsu. Thomas, John, Hannah, and Sarah were great the first I met them and I couldn’t be happier about joining their facility and learning jujutsu. I recommend joining them if you are interested in jujutsu
My whole family loves Gracie Jiu-Jitsu South Bend! Going to class is something we all enjoy. The people are all SO welcoming, and the space is clean and well-kept. My kids are learning how to be bully proof and their self-confidence has gone up so much. The Women Empowered program has helped me to feel safer, and has shown me that I can do more than I ever thought. Enrolling my family is been the best decision I've made in a long time.
Our teenage daughter has been training here for the past 9+ months. She came in terrified and now doesn't want to leave the mat. The instruction is top notch- students are encouraged, supported, and guided to continue improving by helping to share their knowledge with newer students. Even better is the community! Students develop camaraderie, grow together, laugh, and have each other's backs. Questions are always welcome and learning is always prioritized above ego. I cannot say enough good things about our experiences here or all the wonderful qualities those experiences have wrought in our daughter and will continue to.
Incredible instructors that are genuinely awesome people. They make you feel welcome the second you walk through the door. The facility is clean. The courses are structured and detailed in a way that makes it easy and safe to learn practical self defense. If you already have experience in BJJ, these guys will take you to the next level! So many good things to say about this place I could write a book!
Honestly was extremely scared to try any type of combat or self-defense course but Gracie Jiu-Jitsu made not only learning the moves extremely easy for a beginner like me but they took the time to make sure that not only was I practicing correctly but I was also keeping myself And my training partner safe at the exact same time. Any person of any size can benefit from the lessons that this Academy teaches and honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had learning hand-to-hand combat And even put some of my Navy training to Shame. I Will definitely be coming here almost every day from now on and encourage anyone that wants to defend themselves against any type of foe to try this course out especially if you’re on the edge or scared about trying something new like this because like I said they’re extremely welcoming and super supportive of new learners and help you every step of the way. Can’t wait to be back tomorrow for another lesson
Best jiu jitsu school in the area. The atmosphere is so welcoming and friendly. The instructors are there to teach, but also encourage and keep you motivated. Highly recommend for anyone and everyone.
Best Jiu Jitsu gym and instructors in the area! They care about their students, very welcoming, and an amazing atmosphere
This is such a fantastic jiu jitsu academy. The vibe is so welcoming and the instructors are some of the finest you will find. Their style of self defense jiu jitsu is so different from the sport jiu jitsu world and is much needed in today’s society. If you or your family is looking for a place to train I cannot recommend them enough.
Best school in the South Bend area! Great teachers, partners and vibe!
McGuin brothers have impeccable character and families.
My husband and daughter attend classes here. They have the most welcoming atmosphere. There's an obvious but not overwhelming effort made to put new comers at ease, which is really appreciated. The vibe is relaxed, the training easy to understand and the people super welcoming. If you are looking for a juijitzu home, I highly recommend Gracie Jiu Jitsu, South Bend!
Great group of people, good instructors and good training partners.
Best place to learn Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Twins and black belts John & Thomas are great at explaining techniques and are patience and encouraging. You can try for 10 days for free. Which helps in making your decision. Try it you won’t regret it.
I started my jiu-jitsu journey with zero experience and to be honest I was very nervous to even walk in the door and I’m so glad I did. Thomas and John are very focused on teaching proper techniques, how to execute them safely, and teaching them in a way that everyone can understand. Their leadership has created an atmosphere of positivity within the students they’ve taught where at the end of the day everyone helps each other get better. Any time I have questions about events or buying private lessons via email I’m always met with a helpful response. Upon my journey I decided to purchase private lessons with Daniel to focus on areas I was passionate to work on and it was worth every penny. Daniel clearly loves what he does as he’s always smiling, he focuses on the details, when your not quite getting something he’s doesn’t just move on he patiently works with you to help you understand what you’re doing every step of the way. I can go on and on about this place but in short it’s positive people helping people be their best selves. I wish I would have started this years ago.
Phenomenal place to train with an atmosphere that is conducive for all skill levels. Everyone is welcomed like family with a smile and open arms! 100% recommend!
I only wish I had found this gym, these owners, and these coaches sooner. Truly a great place for beginners to learn. It is great for kids and adults and I cannot say enough great things about this place. If you are looking for a place to train and learn or are on the fence, try the 10 day trial and see for yourself.
My kids have been a part of the Academy for a couple of years. It is a great family oriented place to be a part of and teaches skills that will help a child navigate problems they may encounter. Also if your an adult wanting to try it out or somebody who is looking for some serious BJJ training you can find that on their mats too. Good Luck!
I've been routinely training here for about 9 months so far and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. The comradery, the lessons, and cleanliness are all top notch. John and Thomas are incredible professors with razor sharp attention to detail and I'm so grateful to learn from them. The students are equally respectful and welcoming.
The Entire McGuin family and staff are high quality people. They make you feel like family and their passion for the art of JiuJitsu is evident. Not only is their instruction awesome, but the community they have built alone.... is worth it. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND! (I drove regularly from Saginaw MI to attend this school, luckily for me - they opened a new location just 2.5 hours away from my house!)
I had the pleasure of doing a drop in class with the McGuin brothers and absolutely loved it. The brothers' are extremely knowledgeable and use easy to understand instructions in class. They, as well as their students, made me feel like part of their family the moment I walked into the school. I would absolutely recommend training here.
Very professional and friendly a great place to learn and grow
These guys are amazing. The whole crew is so kind and welcoming. I've had all 3 of my kids there for years and have been taking lessons and attending classes myself. Definitely worth the time and money as a family investment. Update: gym culture is important and it's fantastic here. Full of respect and generosity for everyone, regardless where they're at on their journey, size, gender, or beliefs. Everyone is welcome. Not just from the twins and family, but from other students too.
Jiu jitsu has been a challenge for me, but the instructors at McGuin have been extremely supportive. They are so good at breaking down complex moves into a series of step-by-step actions. Also there is a great community of students who are always willing to help.
I live and train in Denver but was in South Bend for the month visiting family and couldn't have asked for a better school to keep my skills sharp. John and Thomas do an amazing job fostering a mutually respectful, positive and constructive environment to learn self defense through bjj. They are very friendly and I felt immediately welcomed. I get the sense that they try to make every one who comes there feel that way and try to build people up to give them confidence, not only in they're ability to defend themselves, but confidence in themselves as a person. Everyone that I trained with there seems to carry the same positive attitude when it comes to training and are trying to make you better as well as themselves. Techniques are taught simply and effectively with plenty of drilling and oversight from instructors and higher belts to ensure confidence in your understanding of the techniques. To be honest, I kind of wish my regular academy had a similar style. I was mostly there to get some good sparring so I wasn't a normal student but as far as I could tell they keep have a foundational curriculum that tracks techniques taught to students and tests on these, giving regulars a tangible idea of they're progress, which I really like. I don't know when I will be back in South Bend, but I think it's safe to say that the next time I am, I will be getting my rolls at McGuin!
Best place to train! Most of all a great, welcoming environment.
Awesome people! The coaches really care about their students. My girls love it.
Great atmosphere, awesome coaches, clean facility. All around great experience.
The best place for adults and kids to study the art of jiu-jitsu in the purest form.
Excelente, grandioso lugar!! Volveré sin pensarlo dos veces! 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
The best decision I made was signing up at McGuin Jiu Jitsu! If you are looking to join a Jiu Jitsu academy, this is the place!!!
Amazing academy with an even better culture! John and Thomas are amazing instructors that teach Gracie Jiu jitsu geared towards self defense. Great group of guys and gals in the adult class, Everyone is very welcoming and eager to give you any tips and tricks. Whether you are brand new to Jiu jitsu, ex wrestler looking for no Gi or higher belt. This academy offers it all. Cant say enough about how great the culture and instruction is! If you are curious about trying out jiu jitsu for yourself or getting a child involved then come check out McGuin’s I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!
I can't say that I've trained there before, but I saw the viral video of them outting a BJJ fraud claiming to be a purple belt, and instead of taking an aggressive approach with it, they were kind to him after owning him a few times on the mat and actually offered him to actually train there and earn a real belt instead of going around being a punk fraud all his life. Most gyms and dojos I've been in would beat him up pretty good and scolded him pretty hard before even thinking about offering him to train and learn the real thing. That shows a lot of character.
Have 7 kids doing private classes . Kids Love the instructors John and Hannah!
1 class was all it took to get me hooked. welcoming and knowledgeable people!
Everyone at McGuin Jiu-Jitsu is great. Thomas and John are personable and very passionate about teaching. The sincerity of their care for their students is evident in everything they do. They also teach the original self defense form of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu which is exactly what I was looking for.
Amazing coaches; knowledgeable, personable and kind. They have a great culture here.
Both brothers Thomas and John are very talented and the classes they teach are exceptional for all ages!
Instructors here are a wellspring of knowledge; friendly, and welcoming to newcomers. Within the first 2 classes I knew that this is where I wanted to begin my training. You get the philosophy & the technical aspects of jiu-jitsu. I highly recommend.
Thomas and John are technical, creative, and empathetic teachers that meet the student where they are at. I’ve been to a few different jujitsu schools over the years and I have found that the McGuin brothers are the first and best instructors to make an anxiety free experience that encourages and reinforces your progress. I believe I’ve found my home to embrace the jujitsu philosophy and lifestyle journey and I’m happy to do it with some of the nicest guys in the game.
John and Thomas do an amazing job at providing classic Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Walked in with no previous bjj knowledge and they welcomed me with open arms and a free 7 days. Definitely need to check it out if you’re interested.
Best place around to learn Jiu-Jitsu! Very knowledgable staff, kind and positive environment. Clean mats and great camaraderie! I have never left this gym without feeling great, learning a lot and feeling like family! Highly recommended! Free week trial if interested in checking out this wonderful place! Definitely a home away from home!!!!
The staff and instructors are amazing, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. It's impossible to have a bad time here. The McGuins are exceptionally talented teachers, our kids are crazy about them. They've really invested into each of them and it shows.
Wish they had opportunity for aduts who don't care about buying or wearing a GI. Just want to train and learn. Not join a pajama cult
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