Waza Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

I've been bringing my daughter here for 4 years. Hands down worth the money. I've seen so much growth and confidence in my child because of the coaches. Not only do they teach jiu jitsu in such a wonderful manner, they often give "life" advice that pairs with the teachings. I give my highest praise possible to Waza.

If you're thinking about training BJJ but aren't sure which local gym to join in the Sacramento/Elk Grove area, then I highly recommend Waza BJJ. It has a great reputation for being one of the best schools in the Sacramento Region, with highly skilled black belt coaches, a dedicated community of great students, a reasonably priced monthly membership, and lineage traced back to Carlos Gracie. In fact, the owner of Waza BJJ, Derek DiManno, trained and received his black belt from Cassio Werneck. He was the third black in the Sacramento Metropolitan area with over 25 years of experience. All of the other black belt coaches are also highly skilled, knowledgeable, and have decades of experience. When deciding on a BJJ gym to join, I factored in the coaches' experience and lineage, as well as reading reviews on Yelp, to choose a gym I could see myself being a member of for at least the next ten years. And I found that gym in Waza.I'm currently a white belt and started training at Waza in 2023 at the age of 40. It's never too late to start. I had never trained in a martial art before, but I've already competed in three tournaments, winning second place at the previous Jiu Jitsu World League in Stockton, California, and I'm nearing my blue belt promotion later this year. Free ClassWaza offers anyone interested in joining the gym an opportunity to take a free class to get a feel for the gym, coaches, and students. You complete the waiver online and show up. They will provide you with the GI to wear for your first class, so you don't need to buy anything. I recommend bringing a water bottle, wearing flip-flops or slides, and wearing compression/rash guard shirts or shorts under the GI. MembershipAfter your first class, you can decide if you want to sign up. Waza provides different membership options. Maybe you want to sign up for a month-to-month, 6-month, or 12-month. Curriculum Waza has a curriculum they follow or that you can use to monitor your progress. Each week, the coaches will teach a different technique. For example, one week could be working on back takes, and the next week, you could work on guard attacks or escaping side control. Class StructureEach class usually starts with a flow or warm-up technique. For example, you could warm up with a partner doing your favorite guard pass, working on armbar setups (not actually submitting your partner), or flowing through several movements. Community/StudentsIn my experience, what makes Waza such a great BJJ gym is the students. Everyone is chill, helpful, and isn't there to hurt you. I haven't come across anyone who was malicious or tried to hurt me intentionally. Trust me. There are gyms out there with toxic environments. After a 5-10-minute warm-up, you learn about 2-3 different techniques. Usually, you learn an offensive and defensive technique. After about thirty minutes of warm-ups and drilling techniques, the class starts the live rolls. Generally, the live rolls are five six-minute rounds. Belt PromotionsIn my experience at Waza, belt promotions are based on progress in technique and skill level, including time or commitment to training regularly. You don't test for belt promotions at Waza, and there is no stripe system, at least for adults. If you're training consistently and getting better at the techniques, you'll eventually get promoted. Schedule Waza offers plenty of classes throughout the day and open mat sessions on the weekends. LocationWaza is located in a strip mall in Laguna West in Elk Grove. There is ample parking in the lot or on the street at the front entrance to the gym, so you'll never have an issue finding parking. Kids ClassesWaza has an incredible kids/youth program led by Coach John and Chris who are two of the nicest guys. The parents love the coaches and safe environment their children get to train at throughout the week. Most of the adults who attend Waza originally attended for their children but also decided to join. Waza really is a wonderful community. HealthThe last thing I'll mention is that BJJ is a full contact martial art, so you will get bumps, bruises, and minor injuries. It's part of the journey and training. But there's lots of health benefits to training BJJ. Aside from learning how to defense yourself, you will lose body fat/weight. Since joining Waza, I'm down about 30 pounds. There are other men and women who've lost body fat and weight by training regularly. I hope my review helps you make an informed decision on choosing Waza. Obviously, the best way to find out if Waza is a great gym for you is to give it a try. And if you happen to join Waza, come say hi to me during one of the classes. Good luck!

From what I understand, Waza BJJ is 1 of the 2 original Bjj academy's here in Elk Grove. I joined in September of 2021 and it was one of the best decisions I've made in life. Jiujitsu, in and of itself, is the perfect outlet for the everyday stressors of life. But mind you, this is NOT fight club. More so, it is a place where people go to help each other get better.Speaking of helping each other, I want to talk about the Vibe of this Academy: nothing but open and welcoming arms. There are no "gate keepers", you'll be met with a smile, if it's your first time here, and you'll continue to be greeted the same way every time you show up. When respect is given, respect is earned. It is truly humbling to learn the broad strokes, and the intricacies of the "Ground Game." And you'll love every step of the way. You'll be shown the ropes by our cadre of coaches, lead by Derek DiManno (owner and head coach). You'll have plenty of training partners to choose from. And please don't hesitate to ask questions, or to ask for a roll, or to drill a sequence or technique, or to "go light" or flow roll, and don't hesitate to respectfully decline either. No shade will be thrown, just all respect.As for the Little Samurai's, Junior 1's and Junior 2's; these classes provide a safe, fun, and challenging environment for the kiddos to develop confidence, self respect, and respect for others. It's amazing to see the progression of the little ones, guided by Coach John and Coach Chris.Also, The class schedule of Waza BJJ probably has the most accessible in the Sacramento region. For the kiddos, there is:-A little Samurai class M-Th (two classes on Tu/Th)-A Junior 1s and 2s class M-F (no-gi Friday)For Adults:-0530 OPEN MAT M-F-0630 Class M/W/F-1100 Class (Code 3/First Responders)-1200 Class M-Th (no-gi Thursday)-1200 OPEN MAT Fri-1830 Class M-F (1800 start time on Friday)-1915 Class Fri (Women Only)-1000 OPEN MAT Sat-0900 OPEN MAT SunPlenty of opportunities to make it to class! And this is coming from a busy father of 3.I'm just saying...If you had a choice between taking up Golf as a new hobby, or taking up Jiujitsu....choose Jiujitsu! It's way more fun, and way cheaper lol. And come to Waza!

Since the first day my kids and I started at Waza I always felt welcomed and never felt intimated or pressured. They also run a very well kid's program that's organized in a way kid's from all levels can enjoy. I will be forever thankful for everything the Waza family has taught me show me what I was capable of.

My two kids and I are proud members of the Waza Jiu Jitsu family. Both of my children began their journey at the age of 4, and I've recently joined the team myself about three months ago. Coach Chris is outstanding -- his patience and ability to keep students of all ages laser-focused is remarkable. The team atmosphere is welcoming and supportive, with practitioners at every level eager to help one another grow. The schedule is diverse and convenient, with open mat sessions available Monday through Friday at 5:30 a.m. If you're looking for a safe, encouraging, and skillful Jiu Jitsu school that fosters growth in a positive environment, look no further than Waza.

My daughter has really blossomed at Waza BJJ. She started when she was 4 years old and she is now 8 years old and recently promoted to grey belt. Mr. John and Mr. Chris are fabulous instructors. They know how to motivate and talk to the kids, while teaching them to be disciplined and yet also kind. For anybody interested in martial arts, I highly recommend Waza BJJ! Just go and try a free class and tell them Jax Cheung referred you!

Excellent experience. My son enjoyed the class. Instructors are gracious and very welcoming. We just signed him up for a membership.

Absolutely excellent. Derek, John, and Shilo are fantastic instructors in the evenings. I haven't experienced the rest of the instructors but based on these three, I expect the same.

My daughter love it, she's 6 and destroying the mat now after 6 months. Staff is great with kids, having patience and making it fun while keeping the kids safe. Things happen and they teach the other kids to check in, have some water and make sure they are okay.

I'm 51 and started training jiu-jitsu about 5 months ago. I am having a blast! The instructors are very patient, incredibly helpful and super cool. The Waza community of practitioners feel like family and the upper belts never hesitate to slow things down and give me pointers. I look forward to training everyday and am bummed when I can't make it. BJJ is on my mind 24/7!