Relson Gracie – Team Papakolea Jiu-Jitsu

Great people, Awesome instructor, exercise, self defense, and compassion. Is just a few things I get out of training here. Believe me I was a wreck till I started training here. Now I can hold a smile and I love it. Come get some! Aloha! PL

«Man, I’m out of shape. I should probably, maybe hit the gym or something.»
Sound familiar? Whether it’s you or your friend who says it (it was me), we’ve all heard the annoying all-​talk-​no-​action complaint before. I’d run once, get defeated by how out of shape I was, then somehow find an excuse to never run again. A friend of mine recommended training jiu-​jitsu with Professor Kaleo. First class was free, so I thought why not. It’s been a month and I’m so happy I went for it.
I’ve yet to have that, «Ugh, I don’t want to work out today» feeling. Top reason why? Everyone is so encouraging. There’s NO feeling of intimidation at all. I looked like a goof (still do) doing some of the exercises. But as Prof Kaleo put it, there’s no shame because we all had to start from the bottom.
The adult classes start at 7:30pm and last for about two hours. There are three parts to it: warm ups (which is an intense work out in itself), self-​defense drills, and then free rolling to end the night. I joined with the intention of getting in shape, but I leave every day learning something new. You’ll hear this a lot: «Better to know jiu-​jitsu and not need it, than need jiu-​jitsu and not know it at all.» It’s a no lose situation.
This team is tight. They’re very obviously a family and will treat you like one of their own the moment you step on their mat. Good vibes that make you want to come back every time.
Extra info that might help:
— Parking is easy to find. If you can’t find parking right in front of the rec center, there’s more up and down the residential streets.
— Very open air flow which makes it muuuuch easier to work out.
— VERY easy for beginners to get into. Classes are catered to accommodate varying difficulties.
— If after the first class you like it, talk to Professor Kaleo to figure out costs. Prices range according to how often you want to train a month.

Kaleo is the most amazing teacher/​professor/​mentor/​ROLE MODEL for the kids he teaches. I luckily enrolled my son in Kaleo’s classes and he learned SO much… focus, respect, goal setting, positivity, excellence of character IN ADDITION to learning jiu jitsu skills FROM THE BEST! and enjoyed great exercise, and fun. I would not hesitate to highly recommend to anyone, adult or parents – definitely excellent for your children. He has adult classes too for all ability levels… even couch potatoes can excel here lol! His rates are very reasonable and to me a bargain. For what he teaches these kids, he really should charge more. Go TPJJ!

I actually found out about this BJJ academy from Unilocaling what academy’s were around my neighborhood. I read nothing but good reviews about Team Papakolea so it only made sense to give it a try. I called up Professor Kaleo to inquire about the class times and we ended up talking on the phone longer than expected, I felt nothing but good vibes so I decided to check out a class that night.
As I arrived, Professor Kaleo and his students welcomed me with open arms. He also gave me the option of sitting in and observing the class or actually take part in it. So of course I joined in! As we started with warm ups, I found my self puzzled with the moves that they were doing, so Professor Kaleo got on the mats to show me the correct technique while the other students were clapping and encouraging me. That made me feel really good and from just the warm ups alone, I knew that I wanted to belong to this academy. After want ups we partnered up and learned a few techniques from the Professor, then we «rolled». Despite the fact that I got tapped and chocked out, It was a great experience. So great that I went back the next day to sign up and been there since. The students there are very respectful and encouraging of one another, which was a big reflection of Professor Kaleo.
So If you’re looking to learn the true art of BJJ, come down for a free class. I can reassure that you won’t be let down.

I have been training with Team Papakolea under Professor Kaleo Auwae coming up on two years. This unique and inviting training environment makes it an awesome place to learn the gentle art of jiu jitsu. As a female practitioner, safety and comfortability are often major concerns when training any martial art but here at Team Papakolea, there is a very strong feeling of ohana and pono which makes this environment a perfect fit for me or for any other female looking to get into shape, learn basic and effective self-​defense techniques, or to simply learn an art.
Professor Kaleo Auwae is an expert at his craft and has a unique ability to make jiu jitsu accessible to people of any age, gender, skill level, and fitness level. He teaches in a very tangible and applicable manner, making jiu jitsu fun and a realistically attainable skill.
Jiu jitsu has changed my life and I challenge you to find anyone in this world who won’t say the same. Come on down and try it out, your first class is free. The only way to get better at jiu jitsu, is to do jiu jitsu. See you on the mats!

AWESOME experience! I tried out the first free class, knowing NOTHING about jiu-​jitsu and feeling pretty intimidated at first. However, my confidence grew quickly as everyone there is super welcoming and encouraging! A great atmosphere to learn in. Kaleo is a great instructor. I feel like I learned so much in just the first class and got a great workout. As a smaller framed girl, I always wanted to learn some defense techniques. I think this is the place for me to do that, while also gaining strength and flexibility. I left feeling exhausted but loved it! I definitely recommend this place and will be signing up for more classes!

Professor Kaleo is top notch. His demeanor and ability to work with any skill level truly show his love for Jiu Jitsu. We were looking for a school to roll while on vacation. They were extremely welcoming and made it a wonderful experience. I would recommend it to anyone in the area. Normally my boys train 4 – 6 days a week in BJJ, so when we come back to Hawaii, we look forward to calling on Professor Kaleo and Team Papakolea to keep our training schedule up.

My son just started with Master Kaleo a little under a month ago and it has been amazing. Kaleo is an awesome instructor and great with kids. We are still a little fresh to the island, however we feel as if we have been acccepted into an extended family when we are here.

Been training under Master Kaleo for a little over half a year now and it has been one of the greatest things I’ve ever done for myself. The people at this academy are all incredible individuals that sincerely care about each other. When I walk into practice, there is nothing but positive vibes and smiles. Everybody knows each other and if you don’t know somebody, you will be acquainted by the end of the night.
Master Kaleo is a very passionate instructor and is very wise with, not only his teaching of jiu-​jitsu, but also how he presents himself and his academy. I am proud to be a part of this team and represent Papakolea Jiu-​Jitsu because I look up to my instructor and his demeanor. Also, his knowledge of jiu-​jitsu is beyond expansive and I learn something new every time I set foot on the mats. The academy is very clean and the mats on the hills of Papakolea are very spacious. I recommend to anybody, any age, who is looking for a new way to get into shape, or learn self-​defense the Relson Gracie way, or even just curious on what the jiu-​jitsu life is, to come stop by!