Unit A/17-23 Totara Road, Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland 0610, New Zealand
Tsukami (掴み) verb [Japanese] To grip, catch, grasp, hold, seize, capture. To lay one's hands on.
Reviews from Jiu-Jitsu Blog members who have trained at Tsukami Jiu Jitsu. Member recommendations raise an academy's Jiu-Jitsu Blog Score.
Fantastic place with great instructors and great people. Excellent for kids and adults alike.
The head coach John is one of the highest level black belts in New Zealand. The overall culture of the club is really cool too super laid back and welcoming
I cannot recommend this gym enough. My son has been learning BJJ here for almost a year. Excellent teaching and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
Fantastic gym and culture. Awesome trainers, game changer for building kids confidence
My 11- and 14‑year‑old kids attend jiu jitsu classes at Tsukami and absolutely love it. The head instructor, John, and the whole coaching team are patient, encouraging, and really know how to connect with kids and teens. My children are not only having fun, but also learning valuable lifelong skills like confidence, discipline, and resilience. I’m very grateful to have found such a positive, supportive club.
Training at Tsukami has been a completely different experience compared to the other BJJ gyms my son and I have tried across Auckland. The culture stands out immediately. John’s passion for Jiu Jitsu, both as an art and a sport, is obvious in every class. What sets Tsukami apart is the way things are taught. It’s not just techniques thrown together, everything has purpose. You learn the “why” behind movements, the counters, and when to actually use them. Rather than a random, disconnected curriculum, the teaching is structured, system-based, and clearly built around modern grappling that works in practice. There’s no ego in the room either, just a genuine love for the sport and a commitment to passing that knowledge on. I’d recommend Tsukami to anyone, at any level.
My son has been enjoying jujitsu now for a few months. He’s becoming more coordinated. His strength is definitely improved and he’s really enjoying the classes. Thanks so much team great work.
Tsukami has provided my son with the confidence on and off the mat. Since starting at Tsukami my 7 year old has grown in confidence, improved in his courage to tackle on the rugby league field and has learnt really good social skills working with other year levels. The coaches are outstanding and teach at a very high level that is mana enhancing. Highly recommend.
If you’re looking for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in West Auckland, Tsukami in Te Atatū is hands down the best gym in the area. As a new gym in Te Atatū, Tsukami has already built an incredibly welcoming and supportive atmosphere. From day one, you feel like part of the team. The community is friendly, respectful, and genuinely encouraging — whether you’re stepping onto the mats for the first time or you’ve been training for years. Professor John, who runs the gym, is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about BJJ. His instruction is clear, technical, and detailed, but also easy to understand. He does a great job of breaking techniques down so beginners can grasp the fundamentals, while still offering high-level insights and refinements that challenge more experienced belts. The culture at Tsukami strikes the perfect balance between serious training and a positive, ego-free environment. People train hard, but everyone looks out for each other. I highly recommend Tsukami to anyone in West Auckland — whether you’re completely new to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or a higher belt looking for quality training and a great team. It’s an outstanding addition to the local community.
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