Alliance Jiu-Jitsu - Kelowna - Kelowna, British Columbia

Anthony C.

I've been a member at this gym for a few years now, and it's been an awesome experience. Kleber Brito’s instruction is next-level, he's incredibly knowledgeable, detail-oriented, and great at explaining things in a way that really clicks. I feel fortunate to be learning from someone with his experience, and it’s made a big difference in progressing my jiu jitsu game. Sean, the co-owner, does an amazing job of creating a welcoming and friendly environment. For newcomers to the sport, that makes a huge difference. Jiu Jitsu can be really intimidating at first, but the culture at this gym is supportive, humble, and inclusive. Whether you're just starting out or have been training for years, this place has something to offer. I would highly recommend Alliance Kelowna to anyone interested in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

evan G.

I have trained at Alliance in Kelowna for 2 years, I can only say good things.

Sean has cultivated an excellent culture here. You will be welcomed and you will be pushed to succeed.

Professor Kleber is a world class instructor his technical knowledge is unquestionable. That knowledge and passion for his student’s success will undoubtedly lead your progression in Jiu-Jitsu to its highest potential.

Come for the Jiu-Jitsu stay for the people or vice versa you cannot go wrong here.

Also big shout outs to Coach Jake who runs the Monday morning class and Professor Kristian another wellspring of knowledge.

Hunter N. S.

Amazing gym. I trained at alliance Kelowna for 2 years while studying at uni. Started without any experience and it quickly became my second home. The ethos and teaching staff are all top notch.

Darby B.

So I have been very lucky these past few weeks.

As some of you know, I help teach at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Kelowna every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I love my time with the kids, helping them find the discipline, love and fun of this sport.

I am extremely lucky and blessed to have been ask to cover for professor Sean McHugh as he Recovers from his knee replacement surgery. During these weeks, I have been covering all 6 days of kids classes. I have met some extraordinary young lady's and gentlemen. They have listened and worked so hard at everything I have planned to teach them.

I have had the honor and privilege of awarding the students that have been working hard and are ready to advance to the next level. They all show up, everyday and do there best. As a coach, that is all I can ask for and they give it there all.

There are a few students out there who surprise you even more. I have one of those students and have been helping coach him since he started. This young man was shy and quiet when he first started. And I can blame him. It is scary starting something new. But he showed up, everyday and worked hard. It was slow at times, being new to the sport and not sure of himself. But he did his best.

Then he asked his parents to compete at a local tournament. We were surprised and excited at this step he wanted to take. We helped him prepare in class and we have always been there in his corner at the matches. He went out there and did his best. Left everything on the mats that he had. He has now done 3 or 4 competitions and watching him grow has been so special. He goes out, fights his heart out. After the matches, when we congratulate him and give him coaching for his next match we get "yes". Just yes. Then next match, everything we ask him to do, he changes it. Again leaving everything on the mats.

Extremely proud and honored that I got to give him his first belt.

Keep up the work everyone and thank you parents for supporting your kids so some of us coaches can watch them grow.

I am even more blessed in this aspect though. I have 4 of my kids training at alliance as well. I have watch my 3 daughter's grow in confidence, power, self esteem and awareness. I have watch my son learn to control his strength, help outs and still kick ass. I also know that they will be safe in today's world. They we be able to defend and take care of themselves.

Thank you to the Alliance family and team members. Thank you parents. Thank you students.

Col B.

I had high hopes when I joined Alliance Kelowna. There are many things that Sean, Melissa, and Professor Kleber do well. I initially felt welcomed and supported, and it’s clear they care about their craft and the community. The training is technically strong, and the environment is passionate.

However, my experience revealed that inclusion here is more about appearance than practice. When I brought forward a clear and respectful boundary around how I was treated in class, the response I received was not one of accountability or support. Instead, my request was consistently avoided through vague, deflective communication.

Inclusion isn’t about saying the right things—it’s about how you respond when someone brings forward a concern. Avoiding a clear request isn’t inclusion, it’s dismissal. That pattern made it difficult for me to trust that my needs would be respected moving forward.

I ultimately left to stay aligned with my values around respect, safety, and inclusion in training spaces. I hope the culture here continues to grow in its understanding of what inclusion really means.

B. A.

My daughter (24) has been training at Alliance for over a year and can’t say enough about how great it is (she does jujitsu and kickboxing there). I decided to give a kickboxing class a try (I’m a 52 year old woman - complete beginner) and would give a 10 star rating if I could. From the moment I stepped in the door and met Sean and his team, I felt 100% comfortable and accepted. This has to be the least intimidating gym I’ve ever been in, and the culture they foster is one of learning at your own pace with encouragement and support. Although the class was multi-levelled, I was encouraged to go at my own pace and was positively supported throughout the entire class (not feeling comfortable with the end of class sparring I chose to watch and felt like it was completely acceptable to do as much/as little I felt comfortable with doing). Would highly recommend this for anyone - from beginner to advanced (watched black belts train and understand they have high level coaches).

Jessica D.

I recently started training here after my child began lessons a few months ago. It’s a very genuinely welcoming atmosphere not found in many gyms, let alone contact sport facilities predominantly attended by men. Being a middle-aged woman starting a new sport after an embarrassingly long time away, I was hesitant. After hanging around and feeling things out while my child attended their own sessions, I quickly noticed what a great energy this gym has and how supportive everyone is with one another. Sean and Melissa are both such lovely people and you can tell they’ve worked hard to foster an inclusive community and space.

I took advantage of the private intro sessions offered with Professor Kleber and I cannot recommend them enough! Kleber has an incredible ability to make learning this art accessible and enjoyable, no matter your age or experience level.

It was recommended by some other students to try the private sessions so I would get a comprehensive understanding of the basics to feel more at ease in class. I’m so glad I did! Kleber's supportive and patient teaching style made a world of difference. He broke down the basics so that I could get comfortable and learn how to execute a movement in order for me to fully participate in classes as a new student.

When it comes to working with my child, both Professor Sean and Kleber have been equally outstanding in both class and private sessions. They create a fun, engaging environment that keeps my child interested while teaching them valuable life skills such as discipline, focus, and resilience.

Sarah K.

Being new to Kelowna and martial arts, I was welcomed by Alliance to try a class and book private lessons with Professor Kleber. I found the 1-on-1 training was such a great intro into the sport. I learned so much! I am beyond thankful for the support, guidance and friendly environment Alliance has!