Waza Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

I've been captivated by Brazilian jiu jitsu, a martial art that embodies self-defense and focus, for quite some time. Three years ago, I took the courageous leap and tried a few free trial sessions at WAZA, which led me to discover not only a dojo, but also a supportive community that feels like family. Now, at 56, my goal is to maintain an active, fit, and mobile lifestyle, and I've found that WAZA empowers me to achieve that while allowing me to relish the thrill of rolling. What I appreciate most about WAZA is that the coaches tailor their approach to each individual's unique goals and needs, ensuring a safe and empowering experience. I attend the morning class that starts at 6:30 and have been training with Professor/Coach Sean Wright, who has indeed taught me a lot about this gentle art. WAZA moved to a more spacious new location at 2525 West Taron Court about a year ago, where we now have even more room to grow and enjoy top-notch amenities. If you are someone interested in learning more about jiu jitsu and would like to take a free class, I recommend visiting the WAZA website to learn more about it; they have adults', kids', and women's classes. I hope to see you guys and have a fun and exhilarating roll someday. Elbert C. 12/04/2025

Amazing gym! From day one, everyone made me feel like part of the team. The instructors create a positive, respectful environment where beginners and advanced students can all learn together. Great people, great training, and a great place to grow in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Waza has been a life changer for our son. As someone with a pretty extensive martial arts background, it was difficult to find a school that I felt comfortable entrusting my son’s training to. From the moment we walked in we were greeted with a warm and welcoming environment. Smiles replaced ego and our son was invited to train with the group immediately and was placed with a higher level student who helped him feel comfortable and wasn’t there to tie him in knots on his first day. Fast forward 14 months later and he is still loving his training, improving beyond where I thought he would be in a year. We have seen changes not only in his martial arts abilities but in his confidence, self discipline, and his attitude towards difficult tasks. The intangible things he has learned has helped him off the mats as well in other sports, school and at home. The coaching here is second to none; serious but fun. You can tell that this isn’t a McDojo that wants to take your money and doesn’t care the product they put out. Jiujitsu is physical chess and the coaches are out there making sure that each student performs to the best of their abilities.

Waza BJJ is truly a wonderful place! I highly recommend it to any family looking for a great martial arts school-whether for their children, themselves, or the whole family. When my son first started, he was timid and had virtually no pain tolerance (honestly, it was in the negatives-LOL). Over the years, I've watched him grow stronger, both physically and mentally. The kids in the class support one another and show respect, which is a reflection of the incredible coaching staff. The coaches know every child by name, recognize their unique strengths, and meet them at their individual skill level-never treating them like just a number. I've also built meaningful connections with other families here, and it warms my heart ❤️ every time I see the younger kids-they are absolutely adorable and bring so much joy while my son trains. Coach John, in particular, infuses powerful life lessons, weaving martial arts principles into everyday values such as perseverance, inner confidence, self improvement, and success without comparison. I love this place! I only wish I had found this place sooner. Don't let it be a late start for you-come join us at Waza BJJ!

I came to Waza to learn Jiu Jitsu, but I received more than I could have ever imagined. I was 37 years old when I walked into Waza and I had zero grappling experience. I’ve been wanting to learn BJJ for many years, but always felt so inadequate when watching the sport online or during MMA events. The last straw for me was my son being born. I knew I wanted him to train BJJ and I wanted to be the example and show him that if Dad can do it, he could too. My baby boy was my “why”. I am forever grateful for how welcoming Waza was to me. I used to think if I walked into a Jiu Jitsu school without any knowledge of how to “fight”, I’d just get beaten up and bullied until I either quit or became a bully myself. I have never been so wrong in my life. I remember in the early days I would constantly hear my training partners talking to each other saying things like, “hey, it’s his first week, go light, no subs, just show him how to move”. I quickly learned two things, first, I wasn’t made of glass, and second, no one made fun of me and no one took advantage of me for not knowing how to roll. In fact, everyone took time and made it a point to help make me a better grappler. It’s not just a few good people and some bad apples, everyone has the utmost respect for each other and we all want each other to improve. The culture that Waza has built is unbelievable and I am proud to be a part of it. My journey has been nothing short of incredible. I came in with no grappling experience and a long history of back pain. With amazing instruction and great training partners, my back is stronger than ever and pain free. I never thought in a million years I’d be competing in anything at my age, let alone a combat sport, but the skills and confidence I’ve obtained from training here at Waza pushed me to compete and I’ve never been more proud of myself. I’m now two years in and achieved a Bronze Medal in competition and my Blue Belt. Great new habits, self confidence, and getting in the best shape of my life are some of the byproducts of learning Jiu Jitsu that I’ve received. I had no idea that by training BJJ I’d end up making new lifelong friends. Again, something I was not expecting to do as I get ready to turn 40. As I mentioned before, the community and the environment at Waza is amazing, but I now have friends that I talk to on a daily basis. I have been helped and I have given help in almost all areas of life, not just on the mats. I haven’t really ever experienced this type of bond and friendship anywhere else. I can honestly say my life is better because of Waza and my training partners who are now my friends. If you are looking for a school with a strong pedigree, high level competitors and historical lineage, Waza Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is that as well. Derek DiManno is the head instructor and owner and was the first American to receive a Black Belt from World Champion Cassio Werneck, the man who is responsible for bringing Jiu Jitsu to the Sacramento Area. When it comes to learning the art of Jiu Jitsu, we have the most incredible instructors and we are SPOILED because we get access to them on a daily basis. Athletes at Waza range from the everyday person looking to learn a new skill and get exercise, to high level competitors, all the way to IBJJF World Champions. Whether you want to simply learn a new skill or take your jiu jitsu to the next level, you can do so here at Waza. I can’t wait for my son to start training here at Waza. They also happen to have an amazing kids program with great instructors as well. If it isn’t obvious by now, I highly recommend Waza Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I hope to see you on the mats soon!