Check out a heart warning review from one of our students who trained with us for 2 years and has finished University and moved to England. This is our 129th 5 x STAR Google Review.
If you’re interested at all in starting or improving your BJJ or learning kickboxing, Alliance Kelowna is the place to go. For context, I started there in March 2022 and trained consistently with Alliance until recently moving out of Kelowna.
From the moment I walked through the doors - despite knowing no one and having no previous martial arts/combat sports experience - I felt so welcomed and a part of the team there. Gym owners Sean and Melissa are some of the friendliest and most generous people I know - from when I first started, they helped me with anything I needed and were always encouraging of all questions. The culture at the gym is fantastic - everyone is friendly, respectful, and wants to help each other out. There is an atmosphere of encouragement so that everyone feels both motivated to try their best but also can take it at their own pace and within their personal comfort zone. I would highly recommend this gym for women wanting to train in particular - this is a very safe place for you!
All BJJ instructors I’ve had at Alliance (including Jimmy, Kristian, and Kody, and Kleber) are incredibly patient and also incredibly knowledgeable. The current coach, Kleber Brito, is a fourth degree black belt; he not only is very technically skilled but is an excellent teacher. He does a fantastic job of breaking down complex techniques into steps for beginners to understand, often adding extra detail for those more experienced, so that everyone can come away from class having learned something new. Kleber is always happy to roll with his students and always makes it a great learning experience for all levels.
I’d recommend this gym to everyone, regardless of experience. The high quality of instruction and wide variety of training partners at all belt levels helps create a great learning environment for anyone looking to compete, demonstrated by the many kids and adults bringing back metals from local competitions. I competed in BJJ twice under Alliance Kelowna at local BC Absolute competitions and felt very supported in the weeks leading up to them, with coaches and all training partners (especially higher belts) going out of their way to help me improve, discuss a game plan, and allow me to refine specific techniques.
My experience kickboxing with Alliance has also been phenomenal. My coach, Paul, has been an excellent teacher and mentor since I started. Similar to my BJJ experience, Paul was so patient and made me feel so comfortable and supported each class I took. He does a great job of teaching a class of mixed experience levels, such that you’ll learn something new regardless of skill level. There is the option (but no obligation) to live spar Wednesdays for the last ~15 mins at the end of class which really challenged me to improve in a safe and supportive environment. As with BJJ, there is a huge culture of respect and encouragement in these classes. In addition to these classes, Paul also has gone out of his way to support me when I inquired about sparring in boxing at a different gym to supplement my training. He volunteered time one-on-one with me to make sure I felt comfortable and prepared for boxing, which ultimately resulted in a fantastic and rewarding experience for me.
It’s also worth noting that the gym itself is very clean, and I’ve never heard of anyone getting any sort of infections from dirty mats (which I’ve heard horror stories about at other gyms!).
Overall, I can’t say enough good things about Alliance Kelowna. It was very bittersweet leaving this gym and the wonderful people who train there, but I hope this review will be the final step of encouragement for someone to take that scary first step and try out a free class! For someone with no prior experience - like me when I started - I would HIGHLY recommend giving Alliance Kelowna a shot. You won’t regret it!
Kate Arpin
