ALLIANCE BJJ SF Bay — Local services in San Francisco

I trained at Alliance BJJ on Bush Street for a year, attending up to six classes per week, so I feel I got to experience the gym thoroughly and well enough to write a fully formed review. The free intro session was positive - the instructor was knowledgeable, patient and encouraging, which led me to pull the trigger and join the gym and purchase an Alliance gi (which is required to train there).

Initially, the instruction and environment were welcoming. However, over time, my relationship with one of the instructors deteriorated. During some of the classes, this instructor made comments toward me that I found offensive and demeaning, leaving me embarrassed in front of others. I also noticed that I was not the only one experiencing such behavior and that it wasn't an isolated incident. As a result, I made the decision to terminate my membership. Despite providing feedback to management, I did not have confidence that the situation would improve.

Besides this personal experience I had, here are two things I observed about Alliance that I wish I knew before committing:

1. Alliance has been in business for several years, and during my time there I noticed the classes often consisted of mostly white belts and very little blue belts — which is understandable given a world pandemic and they may have lost clients; but an observation I’ve made at other gyms I’ve trained at that have been open for a shorter amount of years is that they have students from a wide range of levels, from white to even black.

2. I observed relatively low retention of women at Alliance. As a woman myself I was particularly observant of this and I found it to be a red flag given that other gyms I’ve been to (again, that have been open for less amount of years) have plenty of women and offer women’s-only classes due to the amount of women that join.

As a complete beginner to BJJ at the time, I didn't realize the value in sampling different gyms before committing long-term. My experience at Alliance started positively but turned negative due to my issues with one instructor's conduct towards me.

While positive reviews can be encouraging, it's important to bear in mind that they may not accurately reflect every individual's experience. I would caution against putting too much weight...

I have been training at Alliance SF for about a year now, and I can confidently say that it has been an incredible experience. The instructors are knowledgeable, approachable, and dedicated to helping students improve their skills. The atmosphere at the gym is welcoming and inclusive, making it a great place for both beginners and experienced practitioners to train.

I have seen significant progress in my BJJ techniques and overall fitness since joining the gym. The classes are well-structured, challenging, and fun, providing a great balance of technique drilling, sparring, and conditioning. The camaraderie among the students creates a supportive and motivating environment that encourages growth and learning.

I appreciate the emphasis on technique, discipline, and respect that the gym instills in its students. The facilities are clean and well-maintained, and the staff is always friendly and helpful. I highly recommend Alliance to anyone looking to start their BJJ journey or continue their training at a top-notch facility.

Thank you to the instructors at Alliance for creating such a positive and enriching training environment. I look forward to continuing my BJJ journey at this...

My time at Alliance BJJ San Francisco was short but a very memorable one.

I’ve spent a few years in different martial arts and dabbled in grappling before deciding to finally focus on jiu-jitsu exclusively. I tried out in different academies before eventually trying out at Alliance BJJ San Francisco.

From the beginning of my trial class, I could tell that Alliance BJJ San Francisco was different. The instructors, Victor and Lucio, were very structual and cohesive in teaching the gentle art of jiu-jitsu. Every instructions were clear — every micromovements and details were explained in a very organized detailed, but simple breakdown.

The culture of the gym was also something that I feel another thing a lot of places may have overlooked, but was very well cultivated by Victor and Lucio. Everyone was friendly and respectful. Whether your goals were just to get in shape, to have fun or even as serious as to compete, we were a solid team. And nobody was excluded from anything.

I eventually had to leave because I had to move back to my country. I sure hope one day I can revisit Alliance BJJ San Francisco and see...