Rodrigo Freitas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

My 4 year old has been going here for the past few months. He loves it. Granted he spaces out ½ the class, he has learned to do proper squats, pushups, jumping jacks, and warmups. Also, Rodrigo and his team are excellent coaches and push my son to FOCUS and do proper techniques. Another positive is Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu focuses on grappling and subduing versus attacking (punching, kicking). This has resulted in my kid not getting overly aggressive especially in school. Classes are fun, lots of games for the little ones, and finally it feels like a family atmosphere. Thank god I found this awesome place!

My 8 year old and I both train here. This is a family friendly environment. The owners and staff go out of their way to make everyone feel they are part of a big family.

I have been training under professor Freitas for over 2 years. Prior to this I did 6 months of bjj and MMA training at Werdum combat team in Marina Del Rey.
Professor Freita’s approach to training is centered on the individual student. He has an overall goal in mind for the class as a whole, but never forgets about the attention needed from each individual student. This type of attention and consideration gets passed on to everyone in the school making it an extremely kind and caring environment!
The best part of all is that I have won Gold (white belt) at the Pan American Championship, and Gold (blue belt) at the American National Championship in three different divisions. To say that I have learned a thing or 2 about myself, bjj, and other people would be a huge understatement!

I enrolled the little ones in Rodrigo Freitas’ BJJ class for kids when it was a Gracie dojo and I am very happy. I specifically DID NOT go to a closer Karate school that felt like a belt factory, and chose Freitas because of his extensive Gracie background. (pro tip: the name on the sign changed, but the top-​shelf instruction happily hasn’t!)
I have a martial arts background and i’m happily impressed that they are getting appropriate skills for their age. The boys are twins and have a ton of energy that is being nicely focused at their level with that typical Brazilian kindness and warmth. Your kids will be trained safely by good people here. The boys love it, and now constantly try new holds at home on anybody who will roll on the floor with them. They just got their first stripe on their belts and I am seeing a marked difference in their speed, coordination, teamwork and confidence. This location is very freeway close w/​plenty of parking and also close to Fedex, costco, groceries and anything else I typically need to knock out for evening errands right before or after class. The staff are very polite and caring, always courteous and professional (never pompous jerks or bullies). There’s a lovely picnic table outside with a picture window that allows me to take work calls outside while watching the boys train. I can’t think of anything bad to say! Too bad Unilocal doesn’t allow for 6 stars. ABROGADA, Freitas BJJ!

After 10 years of searching for something that can manage both my Weight and Depression I am glad to say my search is over.
After the very first session I was hooked. BJJ is very addicting specially when you start to see not just results in weight loss and technique but in self esteem as well. Being well into my 30’s my confidence has been boosted like never before since starting BJJ with Professor Digo. It is something that I wish i would have started in my youth but at least I have it now and I do not see my self stopping ever.
My weight when I started was 300lbs and now I’m at 265. BJJ has been a life changer. The team at RFBJJ makes you feel like you are part of something more. Everyone is very friendly and has genuine interest in bettering your self. I highly recommend to start your BJJ journey at RFBJJ sooner than later. You will regret waiting.

Rodrigo Freitas is an outstanding professional and he is always making sure the students are learning and developing the BJJ techniques. The gym is clean and very well organized. Flexible class schedules is also a plus. I really enjoy being part of this family!

My hubby and I would follow Digo anywhere! so gald to be part of his team
5+ years training under Digo! wow!!!
Please trust me when i say you will thank yourself after you’ve joined… its not only training but the way of life… YOU WILL LOVE IT!

Recommended for kids!
My 10 yr old daughter and my 7 yr old son are more than 1 yr into training here. Both kids have a lot of fun with it. There is a student to teacher ratio of about 4:1 so the kids are well supervised and get 1 on 1 attention.

I love the staff here. I thought I would enroll my daughter here for the summer but she loves it so much that I am going to be here for a long time. the training that my daughter receive is world class and she has made a lot of friends there too.
I guess I am a jujitsu dad now and loving it.

Make you sign a contract that essentially comes with a cancellation penalty (makes you pay an additional 2 months after you want to cancel). Very little 1 on 1 guidance in the classes. Occasionally match you up with partners who are a at severe physical disadvantage. Overall not a good experience, will go back to my boxing gym.

I just started going to this BJJ club last week, but I can already tell it’s top notch having been a member somewhere else for 6 months, and having done some free trial classes at a number of other places. First of all, the instruction is excellent because there is a set curriculum that cycles. Students will work on the same series of moves for several days, only after many, many repetitions moving on. Second, the flow of class is good and fast paced. Most importantly, the instruction is great because Rodrigo Freitas teaches all of the classes himself, and he and another high level student constantly walk around when students are performing the moves and give helpful, simple pointers to improve them if needed. Rodrigo is very friendly and high energy, and explains the moves well and in simple, understandable terms.
There are fundamentals classes and advanced classes, with even the fundamentals classes having sparring two days a week. Flexibility classes are offered 2 days a week, and the only day no BJJ classes are offered are on Sundays, yet even then there is a 2 hr. open mat session. Classes don’t get too crowded either. None of the classes I’ve been in have been over 12 students. Lastly, when entering the dojo the receptionist Michelle is very friendly and helpful, and helps answer any questions you may have about membership or prices. Speaking of prices, I’ve found that they are a little bit lower than average. I definitely recommend this place for the instruction and overall friendliness.

I started my jiu jitsu journey here over two years ago and I have spent time at other schools as well. I can say without a doubt that GBMB is a top notch school for all levels. I had no grappling experience whatsoever when I started, but Professor Digo was diligent in teaching me the foundations of the art. Many schools launch into whatever they’re teaching that day, which could be a super advanced technique, and leave little time for explanation. Sink or swim, basically. That is not the way things are done at Gracie Barra schools, and most especially here.
At GBMB, there is an amazing focus on the fundamentals class unlike I’ve seen anywhere else. Even the most advanced guys in the school are always being encouraged to attend that class, and that is a great thing to see in a sport where higher belts tend to generally have little involvement with the lower belts. There is a unique culture of giving back to the more inexperienced members and a badge of honor for completing both the advanced and fundamentals classes in the same night. Professor Digo and Eddy ensure all of the students are well-​taught, and it shows in our competition success. Even if you never choose to compete, the school really creates a team atmosphere and pushes everyone in the room towards success.
In particular, the kids program is tremendous and I highly recommend anyone with children interested in martial arts to come check it out. While I have no kids of my own, I have seen how much fun, excitement, and energy these kids bring every single time they step on the mat. Everyone has a smile on their face and the training is impressive. Professor Digo has an obvious talent for teaching children and his enthusiasm is contagious.

A little over two years ago, my wife and I decided to enroll our children in Brazilian jiu-​jitsu («BJJ») and we have not been disappointed. We chose BJJ because we thought it might be a practical martial art that would ultimately give our children a skill set to physically defend themselves. Two key components of training in BJJ are specific training (working on a technique with your partner resisting your attempts) and sparring. The physical nature of BJJ training provides a tremendous feedback loop to how you are actually progressing as you are constantly matched up against appropriate opponents.
We chose Gracie Barra Manhattan Beach after auditing a number of classes across various BJJ studios because of Professor Rodrigo («Digo») Freitas’ interaction with the children. He keeps the classes fun for the children and he is incredibly patient. He once told me that to keep a child’s long-​term interest in this (or any) sport, it needs to stay fun for them and I whole-​heartedly agree. So in between the animal races at the beginning of class and a class-​ending game, Professor Digo is running a structured BJJ curriculum for the children that is fun and engaging.
As an involved parent watching my children’s development in BJJ, I am amazed at how much they have progressed. My son started competing a little over a year ago and the improvement in his technique from tournament to tournament has been remarkable. Professor Digo and Coaches Henrique and Ian are all national-​caliber competitors themselves and have all helped hone my son’s technique and style.
I have even joined my children and have been practicing BJJ for almost 18 months. I was physically fit before I started but BJJ training has taken my fitness to a new level. I have dropped 10 pounds. I have competed at the biggest BJJ tournaments in the senior brackets and medalled under the guidance of Professor Digo and Coaches.
As a parent, gym rat, and aspiring senior-​level competitor, I think I can say with a high degree of certainty that Gracie Barra Manhattan Beach has a great Professor and Coaches, a great staff, and great classmates and teammates and I would recommend this school if you have any interest or aspirations in BJJ.

Gracie Barra Manhattan Beach (GBMB) has been the perfect place for me. I had been interested in taking martial arts for years, and I don’t think I could have picked a better place to dive in. Everyone is very welcoming and made me feel comfortable right off the bat.
The entire staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and Professor Digo is awesome. Not only is he well established in his BJJ career, but he is as humble as they come. He treats everyone with the same amount of respect… from little kids to seasoned vets. He is a great teacher that is very detail oriented. I have learned so much there, and the only thing I regret is not starting sooner.
GBMB can be what you want it to be. If you want to train to compete at the highest levels, you can do that there. However, if you want to just get in shape and learn some self defense, you can do that also. They also offer flexibility and conditioning classes from time to time as well. You can pretty much get the whole family involved. There are families there that have the kids, husband, and wife all training throughout the week.

I have trained at varies academies throughout the yrs. I stopped training for 2 yrs due to injuries and outside factors. I checked out a few academies in the area, including my old one; where they wanted me to start over since they don’t recognized the rank I earned there since they implemented a new curriculum.
Gracie Barra let me keep my rank and informed me I could train at any Gracie Barra school. I liked that. Professor Digo is an excellent instructor. Very detailed oriented and stresses fundamentals. Everyone there is friendly and helpful. I have been to a few academies where there are some meatheads who spaz during sparring. Haven’t experienced that yet here.
I plan on getting my blackbelt here and representing Gracie Barra.

My fiancé and I are loving this place so far. He’s been going for about a month and I love to come watch him practice. Digo is very nice and friendly. He always says hi to me when I’m there. He seems to be very informative and helpful to the students. The other Brazilian guys are very friendly as well.

My husband and I searched for a jiujitsu studio that offered a great children’s program and we definitely found it. Digo is awesome with the kids. My kids love it!!!

Gracie Barra Manhattan Beach (GB MB) has been a life changer for myself. I have been training at GB MB for roughly 6 months and in that short time there has already been a significant healthy shift in my life both physically and mentally.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a great form of self defense which has proven its effectiveness time and time again in multiple MMA events. BJJ is also a really fun way of exercising as well. I have lost 12lbs and have become a lot stronger and leaner in my short time with GB MB. Doing BJJ at GB MB has also inspired me to be very conscious of what I eat and how I exercise when I am not at the school. Seeing the results of my healthy transformation has definitely improved my self confidence and quality of life which has helps me to enjoy life a lot more.
The staff at GB MB are the backbone of the school that makes learning BJJ very enjoyable. Professor Digo is a very positive instructor that is very knowledgeable and experience with BJJ who is very open to share his knowledge. Digo is also a decorated and active competitor that has won several BJJ contest since I have been attending GB MB. Eddy, the school’s manager, is very friendly and is willing to go that extra mile to make sure you experience at GB MB is more enjoyable.
Gracie Barra is a very organized world wide entity that has a community of dedicated and passionate BJJ practitioners globally; GB MB is a direct reflection of this entity. All the students at GB MB are friendly and are open to share their knowledge of BJJ which improves everyone’s BJJ experience.
I give two enthusiastic thumbs up to GB MB! You should come by and take the free class to quench your curiosity of the school and BJJ.
–Post Script–
I don’t work at Gracie Barra. This is my genuine review of the school.

I’ve been training at Gracie Barra Manhattan Beach for over four months. I tried a few places in the South Bay but liked it here best. Digo, the head instructor (professor), is a great teacher. He’s very nice and approachable. He stresses technique, safety, and fun. The students are a good group, too. Everyone is friendly and helpful. If you’re looking to learn martial arts or just trying to find a great work out this is a good place to go.

4 Stars
Gotta find a new place to train out here, so I’m checking out some of the BJJ schools close to me. I came in on a weekend, and since the head instructor was away at a tournament w/​a lot of the team, Eddy had come up from OC to teach class, and he is a great instructor and grappler.
Went over some throws and submissions and drilled. When class was done, it was time for an open mat and I had a chance to roll for a little while. I needed the fix because I was having withdrawals, and it started my weekend off right. Still have a few different schools to check out, but hopefully I’ll be able to come back here again at least once or twice more before making my final decision…