Charles Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy of San Francisco

My son has been a student at the Charles Gracie SF location (on Taraval) for a little over a year. We met with financial struggles, so after his one year contract was up, we had to cancel. Mattheus knew how much our son enjoyed attending class, so he called me personally, and offered to allow our son to return to school on a one year scholarship! How amazing is that?! Soon our family was back on our feet financially and we were again able to pay for our son’s tuition, so my husband wanted to «pay it forward» and asked Mattheus to offer the scholarship to another deserving family.
I can’t tell you how humbled and touched and grateful I was that Mattheus would go out of his way for one student! I am grateful to Charles Gracie for allowing Mattheus to do so, and to everyone who made contributions to this scholarship! Mattheus does not look at his students as mere clients who are bringing in money. He sees them as family and we are lucky to be a part of it.

My sons (ages 7 and 9) go to this school. It is excellent. They were at 2 other martial arts studios before this one, and this is by far the one they (and we) like best. The instructor Matheus is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who is great with the kids, stern but supportive. What the kids love the most is that the really get to wrestle around: they get their energy out and get to try out the moves, not a lot of just standing around stiff in various postures, which really bored them at other places they’d been to. It’s a small studio so everyone know each other and is very friendly.

Time for an update. It’s been about a year and a half since I first reviewed Charles Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu on Taraval Street, and I’m happy to report that I’m still going, and I still love the school. I’ve lost about 15 pounds since I started, and I’m far more healthy than I’ve been in years… Stronger too!
Our instructor is Matheus Colhado. He took over teaching at the San Francisco academy a little over a year ago, and he’s really good. He keeps the classes organized and focused, but still manages to make it fun for everyone. His descriptions and demonstrations of new moves are very clear and easy to follow. Like everything though, some moves are harder to pick up than others. When we hit one of those, he slows down and lets the class work a bit longer them. He’s always moving around the mat and watching what’s going on with everyone, and helping out where needed. I really like his hands-​on style. It feels like the class is always getting his complete attention.
I’m 45 now, and I’m not doing this because I want to become a prize fighter or anything like that. I just want to learn, stay active, stay in shape, and have fun. Charles Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu does all that and more. I still highly recommend it after nearly three years on the mat.

Everyone is friendly and the classes are fun for sure but BEWARE signing the agreement. It is apparently non-​cancellable. Not for medical, injury, or changes to your financial situation. You will still be paying for classes you cannot attend. And it’s not cheap.

I have trained at 5 different martial arts academies over the last 10 years in search of the right style and training for me. Charles Gracie SF is by far the best I’ve been to. They have the best combination of classic martial arts tradition, international credibility and practical real-​life and MMA fighting skills.
The instructors and students are great people, welcoming, friendly and good at what they do.

Great place for a beginner! Jamel Ramiro is the instructor and makes sure to walk you through the basics on your first class and you never feel out of place. The staff and other class members are welcoming and help you through the process. Now i’ve been going for 8 months and it’s one of the best workouts ever! Love it and definitely recommend checking it out!

Training with Cristiano in San Mateo. He’s exactly what one should expect from a black belt: technical, thorough, clearly an expert, and clearly loves what he does. What one does not expect is how funny this guy is; he uses humor to build an interchange with the students. These are great classes, and if you are newer to jiu jitsu, I would recommend this school over others in the area as Cristiano focuses on foundational movements and instruction.

I have been a student at Charles Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu since 2003. This is the best school (San Francisco & Daly City) to train Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu in the nation. It’s like my second home and family. The BJJ instruction here is top notch. This academy has produced several BJJ and MMA champions. Also, they have a great kids program. Email me if you have any questions. WARNING: This martial art is very addicting. Professors & Black Belt Instructors: Charles Gracie, Cristiano Xavier & Clint Gerona.

Updated review 5÷3÷13:
If you’re in the Sunset area and are looking for a great place to train with friendly people, be sure to check out Charles Gracie SF. Matheus Colhado who is the head instructor, is a Brazilian and a black belt under Charles Gracie. Matheus initially taught at one of Charles other schools in Modesto but moved to take over the SF school a couple of years ago. His specialty is in modern jiu jitsu but he also has a strong background in the classical techniques.
We have guys in our class that actively compete in all the local tourneys. There’s a good spread of purple belts, blue belts, and white belts. We have a diverse range of people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. Unlike many other camps, we are not a bunch of thugs and all have day jobs to go back to yet we like to push as hard as anybody else.
Parents if you are considering a place for your kids to learn martial arts, do not let this review intimidate you. Matheus is great with kids and he does a great job of instilling discipline in them. Just come by and check out a class and you will see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
The plus side to this school is that we are right along the Taraval corridor, so you can take the L Taraval here if you rely heavily on public transit.