SJJA schools look like professional studios – clean, modern and well-lit – with a layout that creates a welcoming atmosphere for students and their families. Unlike many other martial arts gyms, our members get fit, not hit. That’s because we train Jiu-jitsu safely under Bruno’s coaching methodology that allows students to train their hardest without fear of being hurt.
What is SJJA
Effective Date: September 29, 2026
Founded by BJJ World Champion, Bruno Alves, SJJA is the fastest growing martial arts school in Australia. SJJA has spawned 16 schools across Sydney and Melbourne in less than four years, including SJJA HQ in Crows Nest, one of the biggest martial arts gyms in the country. Thanks to Bruno and our World Champion competition team, SJJA has achieved strong brand recognition worldwide by winning Championship medals around the globe.
Modelled on the training and fitness regime of a professional BJJ athlete, SJJA fuses Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and self-defence with popular group functional fitness under the guidance of Bruno’s elite coaching methodology. With classes catering for all ages and fitness levels, SJJA students learn the world’s most effective martial art while enjoying a full-body workout in a supportive team environment.
Why SJJA is so popular?
Bruno Alves, SJJA Founder
Bruno Almeida Alves is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Zé Radiola from the ZR Team. He has dedicated his life to competing at the highest level, winning multiple World Championships at the middleweight division, including the the European, Pan American, South American and Mundial World Championships.
Bruno Alves
- HEAD COACH & FOUNDER
- BLACK BELT 2ND DEGREE
- WORLD CHAMPION
LINEAGE
In 2011, Bruno moved to Sydney, Australia, with the vision of teaching the best Jiu-jitsu to as many people as possible. In this time Bruno has created the fastest growing martial arts school in Australia, with his own gym in Crows Nest now one of the biggest in the country. Bruno attributes his success on and off the mats to the values he learned over a lifetime of training and competing, and now he has created a martial arts school with his winning mindset at its core
CLEAN AND SAFE
WORLD-CLASS
COACHING
All SJJA coaches attend Bruno’s comprehensive coaching course, where they learn Bruno’s coaching methodology and are provided with comprehensive support material on class management. SJJA coaches are also trained to be fitness motivators, encouraging students to work hard and support one another.
Proud to be SJJA
SJJA prides itself on its inclusive family-friendly culture that welcomes students of all ages, fitness levels and backgrounds, and nurtures them throughout their Jiu-jitsu journey. Whether they wish to lose weight, gain strength, gain confidence, learn self-defence, or prepare for competition, the SJJA team culture motivates students to exceed their goals and constantly set new ones. Just as pressure makes diamonds, our coaches help students to unlock unimaginable strengths in their mind, body and spirit.
Investing in Kids
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is unlike any other sport or martial art available to kids. As well as well as self-defence and healthy living, the SJJA Kids Program is designed to develop our little diamonds into motivated, confident and compassionate adults. With our coaches acting as mentors, we see some amazing transformations as our kids unlock untapped strengths and self-confidence.
In 2018, the SJJA Kids Team surpassed many more established martial arts schools to win the National, State and Pan Pacific Team Championships. This was a huge achievement for such a young club and provides a calling card to all parents who want their children to train Brazilian Jiu-jitsu at the best school in the Pacific!
Success in competitions is only possible with the right training environment. In the SJJA Kids program we put a lot of energy into creating a positive, respectful and disciplined learning space for Kids. The SJJA Kids Creed establishes the attitudes and values we expect from our kids, including a strong work ethic, teamwork, courage, compassion, respect, and anti-bullying. We encourage our kids to take these values wherever they go in life, including school, home and in public.
The SJJA Kids program is an investment in the future of our young athletes, as well as the future of our school. SJJA’s strong membership retention rates among students 3-15 years represents at solid core membership who will grow with the club and, with our support, continue training into their adulthood.
Learning More Than Jiu-Jitsu
As well as the world’s most effective martial art, SJJA students learn values that will benefit other parts of their life, from home to work to socialising. Just as pressure makes diamonds, our coaches help students to unlock unimaginable strength so that they can think like a champion on and off the mats.
SJJA values include:
- Persevering through adversity
- Taking chances and seizing opportunities
- Facing fears and staying calm under pressure
- Using your brain over brute force
- Working hard and never giving up
- Unlocking untapped strength in your mind, body and spirit
- Embracing a healthy lifestyle and sleeping well
Market Leader in Martial Arts Innovation
By integrating two of the most innovative and surging trends in the fitness and martial arts industries – Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and group functional fitness – Bruno has created a highly functional team training program that’s proved extremely popular. Within just two years, SJJA’s membership numbers have exploded as Australians flock to our state-of-the-art gyms across Sydney and Melbourne to learn the world’s most effective martial art while enjoying a full-body workout in a supportive team environment.
OUR SYMBOL
Just as pressure makes diamonds, Bruno believes that facing challenges head-on can unlock unimaginable strength in our mind, body and spirit. The SJJA symbol comprises of three arrows coming together to form a diamond. Each arrow faces inwards to represent the pressure that will unlock the untapped strength in our students.