220 NW 8th Ave Suite 40, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA
Welcome! We are a martial arts academy dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for our members! We are committed to offering innovative Brazilian Jiu Jitsu programs tailored to the needs, goals and experience level of each student- adult or child, beginners and advanced practitioners
Very friendly place to train with kind and competent instructors. I definitely enjoy dropping by to see friends and roll when I can.
Posted 11 months ago
Dropped in for a few days while visiting Gainesville and Kon and all the instructors were extremely welcoming and skilled. Great classes, community and culture.
Kon is an OG to the game. An amazing sensei with an outstanding lineage. He really embodies the culture that Marcelo is all about. He also provides top notch instruction in a gym with an exceptional and welcoming culture. Thank you Kon!!
Kon is one of the kindest people you will ever meet in Gainesville. He has established a phenomenal gym with outstanding instructors. The presence of numerous black belts speaks for itself and ensures exposure to a wide variety of different skillsets. It's a truly enriching environment for anyone passionate about BJJ and I highly recommend everyone try it out.
Kon and his teachers are amazing at honing in on techniques. It’s a very friendly and fostering environment with newly upgraded mats and a great space to practice and spar. Absolutely great place to train and learn. Has a bathroom and a water fountain in addition to some great ac. You learn fast if you put in the time and work and Kon is just an outstanding and compassionate teacher/person. Expect the very best.
Love the atmosphere, everyone seems to want to help you succeed and keep going
Awesome place, great people!
Great instructors for kids and a great space! We have gone here for years and would highly recommend. If you have a daughter and are considering, this place is totally girl strong.
Stopped by at an open mat while quickly in town, Kon was quickly responsive via e-mail when I asked if I could drop in, and then invited me back the next day for class. Had some good rolls with some talented grapplers. Everyone was very welcoming and gave me good, safe rolls. Looking forward to visiting again my next trip.
Wonderful, wonderful gym. From the moment I wake up, I’m excited about getting to attend class in the evenings. Respectful, welcoming members starting from the first day you arrive. Instructors are passionate, SAFE, knowledgeable and dedicated to their students. Highly recommend you giving it a shot and trying a class out.
I’ve been training here for almost a year now. The people are awesome and the teaching style is a good mix of technique/drilling, and rolling. Highly recommend!!
Very good instruction, great atmosphere :)
Visiting from out of state, I trained at Marcelo Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy for two weeks. It was an outstanding experience! The community is welcoming and made amazing training partners. The instructors communicated technique well and were great at answering questions. During open mat, there was great intensity but I also felt very safe and respected. The mats and members seemed to value hygiene! If you are considering starting jiu jitsu as a local or just passing through and need a place to train I highly recommend this academy! There is an extraordinary community of women! Photo from the first class I attended :)
The Best Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Gainesville 100%. Super chill environment and Kon Ying is the best coach and human. I love this place!
Very knowledgeable sensei who is also a great teacher (those two things are not the same), and a really nice group of folks to work out with. Everyone is very welcoming and trains safe. If you're looking for a place to start your training, try them out. The advanced folks look like they would be good to train with for more advanced students, I got to see them roll a bit.
Great place to train and Kon is an excellent instructor!
I trained here in grad school, and have since moved to a different state and joined a new gym. I will always look back fondly on my time here. This gym is super welcoming, has a great mix of people (both interested in competition and on-competition), and the kindest instructor ever. If I still lived in the area, I would be training here.
Was in town visiting family, emailed the school prior to confirm scheduling and professor Kon got right back to me. Had a fantastic class while I was there. Everybody was super welcoming, and no crazy ego issues. Professor Kon was funny, articulate, and humble. The class format was easy to follow and ended with some great rolls. You guys rock!
Outstanding! I’m from out of town and stopped in for a vacation roll. The whole crew was super hospitable and the professor Kon showed his Marcelo Garcia lineage in his technical ability, clear instructions and kindness. I will be looking forward to stopping in for a class anytime I’m in town. I highly recommend it.
I have trained at a couple of places in town and this is so far my favorite one. The owner is professional, the mats and building are very clean and other members are very friendly. I love the fact that there is a women's only class on Sundays. It provides a safe and comfortable space for ladies to train and build confidence in their abilities. The school values technique over force, which I feel like should be the essence of Brazilian jujitsu. I only recently started attending classes here and my technique has improved vastly after learning how to slow down and assess my situation. I would love to see this school succeed to be able to provide more classes and move into a building that allows for more mat space.
The instructor, Kon, has belts from training under Renzo Gracie and Marcello Garcia, two of the best in the history of the sport. He teaches in an easy to understand way and takes a personal interest in his students beyond jiu jitsu. Kon knows the highest level of jiu jitsu techniques used to win matches from international tournaments to the UFC but what sets this school apart from the others is the people. I've been to gyms where I felt like everybody was trying to kill/injure me and there was a sort of hostile/egotistical vibe, that is not the case here. Students are always having a good time, keeping it light hearted, laughing, joking around with each other, hugging, and form a sort of family. I feel as if people learn quicker and are willing show up to class more in an environment where they feel comfortable and welcomed, which starts with the relationships and interactions with the people. Whether you're experienced and looking for little tips and tricks to take your game to the next level or you're a brand new day 1 white belt, this is the best choice in Gainesville for training any martial art.
Went here on a trip from out of town and he let me train for free no questions asked. Instruction was clear and was offered in both beginner and advanced contexts. Great atmosphere and people, would definitely train here again. ~Ari
This is a welcoming and friendly group. I love it.
Amazing instructor, great friendly atmosphere! Highly recommend.
Great dojo with very laid back, helpful people =)
I enjoy visiting here when I am in town. The gym is beautiful in all white w/ cool art. The team is welcoming and skilled. Kon is an attentive instructor highly technical and kind
This is the only place I train Jiu-Jitsu at in Gainesville. My in-laws live down here in Florida so whenever we come to visit I'm always looking for a place to workout out. And I'll be honest, BJJ is way more fun then jogging or lifting at the local gym. Thankfully I found Marcelo Garcia Gainesville. Everyone is so nice and welcoming. Kon (owner) does not only a great job of teaching but is also an awesome person who treats everyone like family. If you're looking for realistic self-defense classes in a friendly, ego-free environment, I highly recommend checking this place out.
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