South Pasadena hosts a focused Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community with three notable gyms. Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen and GROUNDWORKS Jiu Jitsu Academy both maintain perfect 5.0-star ratings from 37 and 9 reviews respectively, reflecting strong local support. Kim's Hapkido Karate Studio also contributes to the scene with a solid 4.4-star rating across 12 reviews.
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South Pasadena, CA
Jiu-Jitsu Kaizen is an academy situated at 900 Fair Oaks Ave in South Pasadena, California. Established in 2024 by founders Coach Edwin Co and Coach Jason Lau, the school serves the San Gabriel Valley community through martial arts instruction centered on patience, humility, resilience, and steady personal improvement. Instruction is provided by Coach Edwin Co, a third-degree black belt under Rubens Cobrinha Charles Maciel with more than 22 years of grappling experience. Training emphasizes foundational positions, guard transitions, problem solving, and tactical submission mechanics in a structured team environment. The school conducts classes across morning, afternoon, and evening hours for all experience levels. Program options encompass youth training, seasonal summer camps, adult gi and no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, mixed martial arts sessions, and individualized private training.
South Pasadena, CA
GROUNDWORKS Jiu Jitsu Academy delivers grappling and self-defense education at 1938 Huntington Drive in South Pasadena, California. Founded in 2022 by head instructor Rich, the academy focuses on conceptual grappling mechanics, positional awareness, and personal growth for youth and adult students. Head instructor Rich is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Eric Ramey of 10th Planet Thousand Oaks and a Marine Corps veteran who served two combat deployments. His athletic background includes high school scholastic wrestling, coaching youth wrestling with Beat the Streets Los Angeles, and completing a degree in transportation design at the ArtCenter College of Design. Coaching at the academy utilizes a constraints-led training framework, incorporating task-based games and conceptual problem-solving rather than rote technique drilling. Adult coursework spans beginner introductory classes and grappling fundamentals. Youth martial arts programming is organized by age into eMotions for ages 3.5 to 5, Grappling Fundamentals for ages 5 to 9, and the Main Body program for ages 9 and older.
South Pasadena, CA
Kim's Hapkido Karate Studio provides traditional Korean martial arts and self-defense education at 725 Fair Oaks Ave in South Pasadena, California. The school preserves the legacy and technical system established by the late Grandmaster Dr. Chong S. Kim, who founded the Jang Mu Kwan Organization in 1960 before bringing the discipline to the United States in 1973. Grandmaster Kim earned widespread acclaim for his lifelong contributions, including selection as Instructor of the Year by Black Belt Magazine in 2001. The curriculum is built on the core tenets of Jang Mu Won Hapkido, emphasizing the harmony of mind and body, circular movement, and the fluid redirection of an attacker's energy. Training programs serve students across all developmental stages, starting with Little Dragons for toddlers and Junior Hapki for young children. Older youth and adult practitioners study practical self-defense, joint manipulation, pressure points, and traditional weapons training. Classes emphasize mental focus, physical coordination, and non-violent conflict resolution within a disciplined training environment. South Pasadena residents and families can visit the Fair Oaks Avenue facility to meet certified instructors, observe training classes, and schedule an introductory lesson.