Santa Maria Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Great group of humble guys. Chris is the real deal and I've learned a ton in the last 6 months

I honestly had high hopes for this facility based on previous reviews. The instructors seemed nice on the phone and were more than willing to get me into a class. However, I was highly disappointed when I arrived. First and foremost the amenities were not as advertised and the facilities were pretty filthy. I actually ended up contracting ringworm in multiple spots just days later. It also smelled terrible, like rancid sweat. Apart from that, the customer service was terrible in person. Staff was rude and I was made to feel incompetent and embarrassed for my beginner status. Would not recommend, save your money!

Chris and the rest of the staff at Santa Maria Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are amazing! This is a family friendly environment where respect for one another comes first. Chris does a great job of teaching Jiu Jitsu in a way that applies not only on the mats, but in real life self defense scenarios as well. There are classes for all, kids, women, beginners, and advanced. The schedule is great as well! Early morning, morning, and night classes make it very convenient for training on a daily basis. I would recommend the SMBJJ family to anyone interested in learning the fine art of Jiu Jitsu!

If you want a fantastic, family oriented establishment this is the place for you. I started training here a year ago and it has been the best thing in my life. The facility is clean, the Instructors care about our well being and everyone welcomes you with open arms. You get the fundamental as well as a juijitsu family! I love the love Chris and his family have for veterans, fire, and law enforcement! I’ve trained throughout the Santa Maria but this gym is the absolute best! Thank you for all you do!

Good environment, family oriented, and accommodating to all levels of BJJ practitioners. The owner has personally gone above and beyond and shown me a great deal of kindness since I started coming here. Great place where a whole family could get involved with martial arts and reap the benefits. 💯 …

Today was my first day!Had my first lesson I can't tell you enough how thankful I am for finding this place! I highly recommend for anyone of all ages to sign up!! Chris the instructor teaches very well super knowledgeable guy😄 …

Had a great experience with these guys! I’m from out of town and wanted to keep up with my training while on vacation in this area. They were so welcoming and the coaching was really great. Humble vibes here. Thank you Chris and Mario for the good work! I’ll be back :)

I’ve never been an “active” person. I did a lot of hiking when I was in the Scouts, but I haven’t seen the under-side of 200 pounds since I was in high school. One day, I found myself at age 35, greatly overweight, taking blood pressure medication, struggling with mental health problems associated with these issues, and facing down the prospect of having to start cholesterol medication. Fortunately, I found Santa Maria Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (SMBJJ). I can truly say that thanks to the owner and primary instructor, Marine veteran Chris Ruiz, I have my life back. I have been going to SMBJJ for about three months now, and I am feeling the best I have in 15+ years. It may not seem like much, but I was actually able to climb a flight of stairs last week without getting winded!Before starting at SMBJJ, I knew I needed to get active. But I hated the idea of being a number at some corporate gym club where they didn’t care if I went or not—just as long as I kept paying membership fees. I hated the idea of being “the fat guy” in a spinning class full of gym rats, getting yelled at by a 20-something semi-pro athlete with the metabolism of a humming bird. I hated the idea of dealing with “bros” who hog the machines, never wipe down the equipment, and let out primal grunting noises every time they do a “sick rep.” But most of all, I hated the idea of being surrounded by people who weren’t like me—people who don’t understand my struggle—and trying to push through the shame of my weight problems while trying to save myself from a lifetime of chronic health issues.Then I found SMBJJ. Everyone was super-friendly and amazingly supportive. Within two classes, most students knew me by name. It wasn’t long before I realized that *they* were my accountability system. They would notice when I wasn’t around and would ask if I was alright. They would offer to lend a hand if I needed it and would encourage me to come back in a loving, supportive way. And because it’s such a tight-knit group, they encourage everyone to do their best. If someone is struggling, they offer encouragement, provide helpful instruction to better one’s technique, and identify ways to work on their own fitness in the class setting without creating a sense that everyone is waiting on you.The class sizes are perfectly sized (anywhere from 5 to 30) so that everyone gets some personal instruction from one of the several expert instructors. A major priority is learning technique and form so as to make sure everyone develops the right skills and avoids injury. The instructors are great at being patient but firm; allowing students the room to learn and build confidence while always testing the students’ limits and pushing them to eliminate “I can’t” from their vocabulary.SMBJJ offers several different classes including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA Fitness/Kickboxing, Judo, and self-defense for all ages and genders. As part of the martial-arts focus of the gym, there is always a theme of building self-confidence, humility, and respect. Students will learn to avoid confrontation but be prepared “just in case”. They will understand that they have the tools to defend themselves but only to use them when they must. In short, SMBJJ isn’t just a gym—it’s a character builder. If I had kids of my own, I would definitely have them enrolled if just for the life skills.I can’t recommend SMBJJ enough. It manages to provide the personal attention and accountability that corporate chains can’t without breaking the bank like a personal trainer would. It helps me stay active in a fun and engaging way while building my confidence in a supportive, low-stress environment. The instructors know the right ways to push their students to find their “inner strength” and reach their highest potential. SMBJJ has saved my life.

This is a great place to learn a new set of skills or sharpen the ones you already have. The camaraderie here is one of the best I’ve seen and it’s also a family friendly environment. I been training here for almost 2 years now and Chris has been there for many of us ranging from ages 4 to 50 plus, he’s helped some of us learn the importance of nutrition, obedience, self-respect, respect for others, build self-confidence, leadership skills and the importance of the word family.My boys Angelo, age 7 and Nicolas, age 5 also been training here for the past 2 years and I’ve watched them learn most of these important life lessons. I see them now interacting with other kids with a strong sense of self confidence and not shy away like they once did. My oldest son Angelo shared a story with me about how there was a kid at school picking on him, when this kid tried to take my son down to the ground he used his training to stop the situation from escalating by immobilizing him until the teacher arrived. Then he explained to the teacher, I didn’t want to hurt him but I stopped him from hurting me.Chris has hosted multiple events for the community such as demonstrating self-defense at the Children’s Discovery Museum. Having kids demo at the Santa Maria family day at the park. Hosting women’s only Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes on Saturday mornings. A Christmas tree filled with paper shaped doves that had kid’s names and what they have asked for. An opportunity for us students to put a smile on these kids faces by selecting a dove and bringing the gift they asked for. This was a program to benefit local children being assisted by Casa Pacifica during Christmas.He has been there for people that were spiraling down and losing control but guided them back on track. I personally know this because at one of my lowest moments he was there to talk me through it and remind me that no matter what happens in life, we will be faced with obstacles that at times makes the strongest of us come to a breaking point and no matter what happens we are not alone, never give up!

Its the type of place you come and you are welcomed and encouraged by everyone. Truly family atmosphere with great classes to choose from. My daughter has been attending the kids class for the past year and loves every minute of it. She’s kept in great shape and has awesome social skills because of it. My boyfriend started not long ago and has already lost 20lbs and gotten in great shape. I can’t wait till I’m out there on the mats with them!