San Diego is blessed to have so many great Jiu Jitsu schools in its vicinity. Not only is it plentiful but the quality of the schools are of the highest caliber too. Whether you are looking to win medals or let off some steam off of work, there’s something for everybody here.
Here is a carefully curated list of the best Jiu Jitsu gyms that San Diego has to offer.
Atos Jiu Jitsu
Atos in San Diego is undoubtedly one of the best Jiu Jitsu gyms in the world when it comes to producing champions of the sport.
Not only do you have a legend of the sport, Andre Galvao, leading the school and instructing, he also has a battalion of world class instructors helping him teach classes and taking his students to the next level.
The mat space is huge to accommodate for the many student, competitors and visitors that come in daily.
If you are looking to really push your Jiu Jitsu and get on the podium, this is probably the best place to do so in San Diego.
4810 Mercury St, San Diego, CA 92111
Legion Jiu Jitsu
Legion Jiu Jitsu is the new kid on the block. It has only been around for a few year but it has made its mark in the San Diego Jiu Jitsu community.
It’s led by the one and only Keenan Cornelius, a world champion of the sport and all-around good guy.
Keenan’s knowledge and understanding of Jiu Jitsu is vast and comprehensive and that really shows in his instruction, which is crystal clear.
Ther are plenty of classes throughout the day, great instructors, large mat space and great training partners. Legion is a very solid choice.
7550 Miramar Rd #330, San Diego, CA 92126
Victory MMA
Victory MMA is a 2-story compound for everything martial arts. It has everything MMA, boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai and of course Jiu Jitsu.
The Jiu Jitsu program is led by the legendary MMA fighter and Jiu Jitsu competitor Dean Lister, who’s foot locks have reverberated throughout the Jiu Jitsu community.
Dean is an excellent instructor and if you ever seen one of his videos, you know his attention to detail is second to none.
The gym is massive with areas dedicated to striking and Jiu Jitsu. And it’s probably the cheapest option of all the gyms listed.
Plus, on any given day you might find co-owner Jocko Willink on the mats. Get after it!
3666 Midway Dr, San Diego, CA 92110
10th Planet San Diego
If you are looking for something unconventional and some outside of the box thinking, 10th Planet San Diego is the gym for you. 10th Planet has always done things differently and its gym culture, style and vibe is pretty representative of that.
Richie Martinez leads the pack in San Diego and he is an excellent competitor, instructor and human and that’s most evident in the number of people that show up everyday. The classes here are packed, luckily there is enough mat space to accommodate everybody.
6008 Mission Gorge Rd, San Diego, CA 92120
The Arena
The Arena is another gym that is dedicated to everything martial arts. Much like Victory MMA, The Arena is huge, 27,000 square feet huge and there is something for everybody.
Whether you are looking to improve your striking, wrestling or Jiu Jitsu, The Arena is a super solid choice.
The Jiu Jitsu program is led by phenom Baret Yoshida, who is super knowledgable and friendly. Watch out for that crucifix!
3350 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
Alliance Jiu Jisu
Alliance is a well known affiliation in the sport and is known for producing top level talent and Alliance in San Diego is no exception.
Led by 4x time no-gi world champion, Johnny Faria, Alliance SD is a top notch school that cultivates that competitive fire in its students.
The gym is clean, the vibe is friendly, the mat space is large and they have a section with weights and training equipment to help supplement your Jiu Jitsu.
8990 Miramar Rd Ste 225, San Diego, CA 92126
Clark Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Clark Gracie is a member of the legendary Gracie family, the founders of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and his gym is doing an excellent job of passing down his families knowledge and legacy.
His gym is great for anyone, beginners or advance, young or old. The vibe is friendly and welcoming and the mat space is large and clean. You can’t go wrong training here.
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