American Jiu Jitsu

I’ve been training with American Jiu Jitsu for almost 20 years, the last 5 or 6 at this location, and I have both my children training there. The poor reviews are shocking to me, it has not been my experience at all. Many of the adult students have been training there for many years and often have their kids there as well.
If you want to learn no nonsense self defense in a safe environment, then you should check out AJJ. O’Sensei Joe is a straight forward person, he teaches this because he loves his art and he is an excellent teacher. I can also say that many of the other instructors maintain the same high quality of instruction.

I had to write this review due to all the lies I’ve been told by both the owner Joe and the useless woman at the front desk, Virginia, I brought both my children here for several months and was on a auto renewal plan. I paid almost $ 300 a month for the two kids. You can go to two 30 minute sessions per week and you can make up missed classes. Sounds good but the problem is the place is constantly closing. They close for any excuse and don’t notify anyone. More than once I showed up with my kids in their uniforms ready to practice to find a locked storefront and several other parents approaching with their children. We’d all just look at each other and shrug our shoulders. The make up sessions just accumulate and you can never use them.
After my one son was turned off to the place by one of the teachers Billy who had ridiculed him in front of the class I continued to bring my other child. However he too wanted to stop going 2 months later when for the second time he took a belt test and was promoted to a higher belt only to be told that they didn’t have that belt. That was two times that he had graduated to a higher belt and they didn’t have it so twice he was given another one of the lower belt. They certainly knew how to take my money for the belt test but couldn’t even supply the correct belt. I had to leave the test with a disappointed crying 4 year old.
I informed the woman at the front desk Virginia that I wanted to put the membership on hold and she told me that she’d take care of that. She also had assured me multiple times in the past that if my credit card was ever charged in error they’d just credit my credit card. Well LIE, LIE, LIE! They charged my credit card for the month I put it on hold and I have been trying to get my money back for two months! I have been lied to repeatedly by Virginia who has promised me on three separate occasions that she’d take care of it «as soon as we get off the phone.» She never did. I also spoke with Joe the owner on multiple occasions who told me that I had to discuss it with Virginia. He claimed to know nothing about it. He said the same to my husband. Tonight when I called to follow up on my refund I was told that“Joe would speak with me.” Of course he would not speak to me tonight or probably tomorrow either. Virginia did not know when he’d get to me. He is not refunding my money.
So Virginia who told me multiple times she’d take care of my refund is a liar and Joe is a thief. My credit card was charged in error and they will not refund my money.
I have never posted a negative review before but I feel they are such a dirty, fraudulent business I had to post this.