Troubling experience at Gracie Barra Santo Amaro
On 15-October-2025, I experienced a serious incident in front of the Gracie Barra Santo Amaro unit (Rua Adolfo Pinheiro, 1100 – Santo Amaro, São Paulo, Brazil) that raised concerns about conduct inconsistent with the values that Gracie Barra and jiu-jitsu represent.I was standing about 5 meters away from the academy entrance, on a public sidewalk, waiting for a ride-hailing car. I had briefly lit a cigarette when the head instructor suddenly stopped his class, went outside wearing a kimono with the Gracie Barra logo, and demanded that I put it out. Although I was in a public area, I complied and extinguished it.Despite that, he continued shouting, acting aggressively, and ordering me to leave the area, claiming that the public sidewalk was “his private property.” He then came closer and struck my chest with his hand in an intimidating way, shouting, “Leave my property! Do not cross this line!”The entire situation unfolded in front of students, reception staff, and pedestrians. I felt publicly humiliated, disrespected, and intimidated — not only by the aggression itself but by the fact that it happened so openly by someone that should be example of self-control and respect. What should have been a safe and respectful environment became the opposite: a scene of hostility. I was fully aware that any reaction could have made the situation worse. So, I chose to stay calm, but the sense of exposure and helplessness stayed with me.I want to make clear that this review is not intended to discredit Gracie Barra or its members. It is to call attention to a serious contradiction in the behavior of one person — the Head Instructor — whose actions contradict the very principles that the academy stands for.True jiu-jitsu is not measured by physical dominance, but by emotional balance, respect, and accountability. When those values are broken in public, they not only harm an individual but also undermine the trust and legacy that thousands of dedicated instructors and students have built over decades.
Bernardo
Life changing experience son joined…
Life changing experience son joined here and has been nothing but a welcoming environment for him all staff are very helpful and have gone to great lengths to encourage the improvements of skills and training for him. Highly recommend Gracie bara neepsend Sheffield. 👌🏼Such a pleasant and beautiful bunch of people. 🙏🏼
Shaz Kay
Went for a free taster got robbed
Went for a free taster. Got hooked into signing up. Then went back give the kit got a refund and they never said anything but then I was roped into a 12 month contract at £80
Consumer
Cult behaviour
Expensive gis, and you can only wear their uniforms to train. Cross training with other gyms are frowned upon. Gracie Barra Wollongong for example is cultish, and the management unwelcoming. Attendance based promotion. Avoid.
Rcreate Aus
They're racketeers
They're racketeers. Carlos Gracie Jr extorted me for $2,000 and then had his abusers stalk me for a decade. I lost hundreds of thousands to this man. Hopefully they face a RICO in the near future. The abuse started a decade ago and is ongoing.
Earnest Wuncler
Thnkyou!fantasticreally helped me out.
Thnkyou!fantasticreally helped me out.
Rebecca Miller
Terrible .There are many things wrong with this…
There are many things wrong with this awful place!First thing to know is if you ever have the misfortune to sign up to these morons ,you will be locked into a contract with the most evil debt collection company I’ve seen called simply collect. You will have no choice to keep paying 75£ a month no matter if you can pay or not .all to become a walking advert for the G Barra cult And learn very little , just don’t do it !
Sean
Gracie Barra - don’t respond to cancellation requests
We signed up to Gracie Barra - classes were fine. However we need to cancel the membership due to changes in schedule, we are now unable to get there. They don’t answer the phone or return messages. We called in excess of 7 times between 11th October and 13th November & left messages, we wrote an official complaint letter to HQ with no response. They continue to debit our bank account. We are going to literally have to show up there and demand a refund/cancellation! Very poor for an organisation that appears so professional in the classes!
Katie Dawson
Contract Violations and Illegitimate Charges
I signed up for jiu jitsu around October of 2021. The classes were fine. I'm writing this review because earlier this month, December 9 2022, Gracie Barra sent an email informing members of an increase to the monthly price for 2023. This was a significant increase of $15/month. I contacted Gracie Barra to let them know I was not in agreement with this new price. They informed me that according to the contract, they can update the membership with one month's notice and included an excerpt from the contract. It very clearly states Membership fees and models are subject to change upon 30 DAYS ADVANCE NOTICE. I pointed this out and informed them that they're in violation of the contract. Their math skills are quite concerning, as well as the blatant lack of awareness or concern to keep their end of the contract.All of this to say - Gracie Barra failed to provide the required notice. They are aware of their violation, but did not apologize to me. They only offered that I could continue at my current rate. I have no idea if they have come clean to other members whose contracts would have been violated as well due to this, so I want to post publicly to raise awareness.I have also put my membership on hold in the past, and I have to constantly watch my credit card payments, as they incorrectly charge for the membership, even when it's on hold and it's in writing.I have lost trust in the way Gracie Barra conducts their business. I have no interest in being part of a gym that violates their end of the agreement, and one where I have to constantly check for illegitimate charges. I have very serious concerns of the ethics with which they operate.
Angelica Quiring
This place is honestly
This place is honestly, a life changing experience. All for the better! The people, the environment it's just great! They're not just some people fighting, its a family and you feel right at home right when you walk in the door. I highly recommend this place to anyone! Especially anyone dealing with bullying or abuse this would be the perfect place to go!
Leeann Louis
