Carley Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy

I’m a girly-​girl who sports heels and follows/​flaunts all the latest fashions and trends. Being raised with three older (and naturally-​protective) brothers in the safety-​suburbia of San Diego, I was more concerned with breaking a nail than having to defend myself. While I consider SF relatively safe, it’s nice to know there is a place where a girl can learn an art to protecting herself.
I’ve practiced with Grand Master Carley Gracie for a few months now; and, what I like about his teachings is… well, let’s face it… he’s the best. He brings a wealth of experience to the art (his dad created Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu) and he is able to read and anticipate the best pairings among his students. People of all skill-​levels take his classes, and I think with a less-​skilled instructor, that level of diversity could be intimidating. But, I feel really comfortable, at my basic skill level, with taking his class. An added plus: he has a Red belt and is the only Grand Master (to my limited knowledge) still actively teaching this art.
While I am faaaaar away from mastering the skill myself, I’m having fun learning to throw people (I’m, like, a buck twenty-​five) over my shoulder. It’s also a great exercise and has won me a few bonus points at work (yeh, I practice Jiu-​Jitsu, cuz’ I’m cool like that). The best bonus, however, is the fact that I’ve gained confidence in protecting myself from potential threats (let’s face it, heels can only take you so far).

Grand Master Carley Gracie teaches and inspires Gracie Jiu Jitsu with detailed precision. He is one of the strongest contributors to the global growth of Jiu Jitsu. The stories of his journey to share his first-​hand knowledge of Jiu Jitsu to the world have left a mark of excellence with the ever expanding interest in Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu (AKA: Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu).
He learned Jiu Jitsu directly from his father Carlos Gracie, who founded the first Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy in 1925. Carlos Gracie is seen as the founder and creator of Modern Jiu Jitsu (Gracie/​Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) and the patriarch of the Gracie Family.
Grand Master Carley Gracie recognized his father’s brilliance in creating Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu. The quest to share the brilliance of Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu with the world inspired Grand Master Carley Gracie to leave Brazil and establish his new home in the USA where he opened the first Gracie/​Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy.
The Father of Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu in the United States actively continues train his students on a regular basis at the Carley Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu Academy as well as conduct Jiu Jitsu Red Belt Seminars. He is also the only known active practitioner of Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu who has 0 degrees of knowledge separation direct training from the founder and creator of Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu.
The origin of the Gracie Family traces back to Scotland, United Kingdom; the genius of Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu was established in Brazil by his father; and the global expansion of Gracie/​Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu has been anchored in the USA thanks to Grand Master Carley Gracie.

There has not been a review for Carley’s Academy in sometime so I figured I would leave an updated review for those looking to join Jiu-​Jitsu.
I joined Carley’s a couple of months ago and although I have not been able to go as much as I would like, I have enjoyed my time. The class is relatively laid back and focus heavily on technique, which is exactly what I was looking for as a beginner.
The location listed above IS correct, although the Gracie name does not appear on the building. If you are looking to join, classes are MWF on the second floor and typically start around 6:30−7 (it is not uncommon to stay until 8:30−9).
I highly recommend Carley’s and I am happy I made the decision to join.

I started practicing jiu jitsu with master Carley since 1999 till 2002. Now I am back to the academy again, and it’s the same atmosphere. The most welcoming academy I have ever been.
He is the true master and instructor of jiu jitsu. He not only teaches competition style of jiu jitsu, but also self defense for street fighting situation.
I am so glad that he is still teaching the way he did back in 2000.

Great place to train. Family type atmosphere, newcomers are very welcome, and everybody is great about sharing knowledge. Carley is patient with beginners, can help your game if you’re more advanced, and advocates mastering the fundamentals.
re: the previous post about someone getting a door slammed in their face– I think that person might have been at a different academy? a) that’s not the vibe at this school, and b) there literally is no door to slam (the two mat space areas are either upstairs with no door or in the back of the studio where again, there is no door).

I’ve been training with Carley for years, and couldn’t recommend Carley or the academy any higher. Carley is a fantastic teacher with incredible technique. Whether you’re just starting or advanced, you’ll definitely improve with Carley.
As far as Jonathan’s unwelcoming experience in his review below, I agree with Martin, this was a fluke, and most definitely not from any of Carley’s students. Carley and the academy welcome everyone. In fact the academy is by far the most welcoming and friendly Brazillian jiu jitsu academy I know of. Check out Aaron’s review just below Jonathan’s for a more typical experience.

I have been learning Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu in Carley Gracie’s academy for 4 years. Carley’s academy is an amazing hidden gem of San Francisco which I highly recommend.
1) The instruction is world-​class. Carley is incredibly technical and always explains the logic and physics behind each move. In addition, several extremely skilled people frequent the academy and help teach. Importantly with this sport, everyone is looking out for each other’s safety, which is priority number one.
2) The group of people is really amazing and includes some of the kindest and most interesting people I know. There’s a real sense of camaraderie: everyone knows everyone by name and greets with hearty handshakes. There are no jerks trying to build their ego or just «kick someone’s ass». Everyone is there to learn and wants to help others learn. I have had a number of great friendships come from this academy.
3) Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu is a great skill to learn and a great workout for both the body and the mind. As demonstrated by vale tudo fights, Jiu-​Jitsu is possibly the most effective martial art you can learn. In Carley’s academy I have learned how to use leverage to compensate for my light weight. The sparring second half of class is always an incredible workout, everyone gets totally wiped out. Contrary to appearances, Jiu-​Jitsu involves quite a lot of thinking (very similar to chess). And if you’ve had a rough day, there’s nothing like struggling for your life at the hands of a 300lb guy to put things into perspective :)
RE: Jonathan U.‘s bad experience. I really doubt the people who treated him rudely were from Carley’s academy. Multiple schools use this building, and Carley’s classes are usually upstairs, out of immediate view. In my four years here I have seen dozens of people come in off the street to check it out and they are always welcomed very kindly.

I have been involved in martial arts for over 20 years. I have trained in ground and stand up fighting with some of the best teachers in the world.
Carley Gracie is a true master. His knowledge of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is amazing. If you ask him any question in regards to fighting, he will have the answer.
What also stands out about him is his enthusiasm for teaching. Whether he is teaching a brand new beginner or one of his more advanced students, it is very clear that he really cares and wants you to understand what he is showing.
For someone who has accomplished so much, he is very very modest.
All in all, on a scale of 1 to 10, I give training at his academy an 11.

Carley Gracie is a king among men. The guy is such a sweetheart that it makes you forget all about the fact that you’re learning how to kick people’s asses. I’ve been to a few jiu-​jitsu academies and this one was by far the best. My experience with the other academies were mainly getting my ass kicked. The students there seemed to be more interested in building up their own egos by destroying the new students rather than fostering an atmosphere of teamwork and collective improvement.
It all comes back to the instructor. The instructor sets the tone for the academy and, in Carley’s case, the tone is one of respect and altruism — you help the new guys out and don’t push anyone past their limit. The Carley Gracie academy is great for beginners but also offers plenty of challenge for advanced students. I’ve seen some of the most talented jiu-​jitsu guys here and they always do well at tournaments.
Another thing worth noting is that Carley Gracie is one of the highest ranked BJJ practitioners on the planet — an 9^th degree black belt AKA red belt. According to his bio, he has a lifetime undefeated record even counting private family matches against other Gracies. I believe it too. It just goes to show you that some of the baddest dudes on the planet can also be some of the nicest.

I get bored just going to the gym and need something extra to motivate me. I also miss playing physical sports (rugby etc) and wanted to find something that would keep me motivated and break me out of my desk job existence.
I started learning Jiu Jitsu about 3 months ago. I used to take Krav maga classes before I moved to San Francisco, and was looking for a change of pace, and between watching too much UFC and wanting to try a grappling/​groundfighting martial art, ended up settling on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
I really like BJJ for a couple of reasons (i) it is quite a practical self defence as most fights end up on the floor (ii) it is safe to spar at full throttle because there are no punches and you can always tap out if you are feeling uncomfortable (iii) its quite cerebral — about move and counter move, and rewards technique over strength and size
One of the great things about training here is that you are getting directly taught by Carley Gracie; not by another instructor. He has an amazing history withint the sport of Jiu Jitsu, and within Vale Tudo, but he is teaches even new whitebelts like me with patience. He often takes things back to basics and explains the principles and the physics behind different moves. He is a great technician and focuses on technique, but not blindly, always explaining the «why» as well as the «how».
I was expecting a pretty thuggish crowd in the class based on what I’ve seen of UFC on TV, but that hasn’t been the case at all. Its a mix of students, lawyers, developers, naturalists and others who are respectful of each other, committed to each others safety and to teaching each other. Most of the students are whitebelts so there is a good community of beginners to learn with and from.
Classes typically start with stretches and a short warm up. Then Carley will take us through a particular area (escaping the guard for example, or escaping from a headlock when on the ground), showing the basic escape and many variations. We practice on each other, taking turns. Finally we finish up with sparring, with each person «rolling» with other students for one to two minutes each; people sitting out as they need to take breaks. I find this the most rewarding part of the whole class — you start to put into practice what you learn. Its pretty intimidating the first time you go, but you quickly realize that its very safe and incredibly energizing. And tiring — a great workout also!