Review of Pacific Wave Jiu-jitsu (reposted from Yelp)

Highly recommend this martial arts dojo! My first class I was super nervous but I felt that Lori and Chris (sensei) and the other students did an excellent job to help make me feel completely comfortable and welcome. They create a very positive atmosphere and cater to a wide range of people of all ages, sex and size. It's a great combination of learning and also getting a good physical workout too. Definitely check it out if your interested!

Review of Pacific Wave Jiu-jitsu (reposted from Yelp)

I am an RCMP officer and when I relocated to the greater Vancouver area I was looking for a martial art that offered an excellent workout as well as effective and practical self defence skills.  I tried a number of disciplines including BJJ and Krav Maga, but in the end, I choose Pacific Wave Jiu-Jitsu.  I found it to be the most realistic self defence training that incorporated gross motor skills most likely to be retained in a real life situation, as well as "jiu-jitsu circle", which is the closest thing to real combat I've ever experienced where you are required to use your training as well as improvisation to fend off multiple attackers. 

I was saddened when I was required to relocate once again for work and had to give up training here.  I've since taken up martial arts training again (Aikido), but I look back on my time at this dojo as probably the best in my career as a martial artis

Review of Pacific Wave Jiu-jitsu (reposted from Yelp)

Are you looking for a dojo that has great spirit, no macho-competitiveness, and teaches you techniques you can apply in real-life immediately? Then this is the place to try out!

It's been over a year since I've been learning PWJJ and it has definitely got me hooked. Like the previous reviewer, I was completely new to the world of martial arts and wasn't quite sure what to expect. The great thing about PWJJ is that you can try two classes for free to see whether it's a good fit for you.

Can-Ryu JJ is a practical system of self-defense that is based off of the more traditional forms of Japanese Jiujitsu. The curriculum includes strikes, take-downs, hold-escapes, ground defense, throws, locks, and defense in social situations. You start off by learning techniques involving gross motor skills which allows you use them easily if you're ever stuck in a difficult/dangerous situation. The belt-system isn't a money-grab like with some of the "McDojos". You have to really know the skills and demonstrate your ability to perform them.

Besides great instructors, I believe the atmosphere is the best feature of PWJJ. Everyone is very welcoming; we're all here to learn as well as have fun. We mix and match the grades so everyone gets a chance to work with those with more/less experience. The higher grades are always open to help with a technique and when practicing with a lower grade you get the opportunity to review some of the stuff you've done in the past. Additionally, the teaching environment isn't super strict like some very traditional dojos; we are welcome to chat and make comments (in moderation).

Proper technique is heavily emphasized in the instruction of Can-Ryu JJ by the two sensei. It's not about being able to throw someone using muscle strength - you learn how to throw/take-down/escape from a person of any size or shape through proper technique. As well as being very skilled, the two sensei at the dojo are fantastic at teaching and maintain a very down-to-earth attitude. It is very easy to approach them with questions or even just small talk about whatever. They are also very tech-savy!

Review of Pacific Wave Jiu-jitsu (reposted from Yelp)

I started going to class as a student at Pacific Wave JJ two months ago, after seeing a review of another dojo written on Yelp by the school's sensei. She was kind enough (and savvy enough ;-) ) to point me to her own instructional programme after asking me some questions about what I was after.

Unlike most martial arts outfits, this school concentrates on one discipline -- Can-Ryu Jiu-Jitsu, which is developed and taught for practical, real-world self-defense. It's not a place where there are fifteen different styles to choose from (and therefore no direction, which IMO leads to student dropoff), nor is it a "Belt Clearinghouse." You can't buy grades here. Training at Pacific Wave JJ is not really for children and it's definitely not for egotists; the students and instructors are all after the same goals and we get there in the same rowboat.

As a first-time (completely green) martial artist my only exposure to training was watching an unhealthy number of kung fu movies, so I was not sure what to expect from "the real deal." There are two things that I think will be very pertinent to one's decision to start training in the martial arts at Pacific Wave JJ; since it's a relatively serious undertaking (financially, time-wise, and mentally) these are key factors in my continuing enjoyment of my studies.

First, the dojo is very welcoming to everyone. The "no macho attitude" approach is an ideal training environment because while we are each of us competitive, we do not learn at the expense of others; it's a very collaborative classroom environment with a wide cross section of people at all skill levels. I'm the lowest of the low in terms of my 'ranking,' yet everyone works together to practice and learn. Learning (and skill, growth) never comes at the expense of another student's ego or sense of accomplishment and that, in the usually-highly-charged world of martial arts, is rare and valuable to new students. You don't have to prove yourself to anyone but... yourself!

Second, the curriculum (Can-Ryu JJ) is particularly suitable for study by the new martial artist. Without getting into "Which style is better" debates which are all-pervasive, I can suggest that in Can-Ryu the student learns techniques and skills that are of immediate use in the real world, outside the dojo walls. The style is highly linked to social situations and it's immediately applicable to the types of conflict one might encounter on the street. It's very closely associated with the martial arts taught to police and correctional officers and the techniques see use in the real world, in the bars and neighborhoods you walk through, every single day. As such it's an extremely practical curriculum that doesn't teach you how to fight in an octagon (though we study such techniques due to the popularity and prevalence of Gracie) or against a specific opponent of your style.

Finally, a word on the instructors: Both sensei at the dojo are lifelong enthusiasts and have an open attitude to training. Though the dojo focuses on Can-Ryu Jiu-Jitsu many of the training sessions incorporate elements from other martial arts. This love of learning and of training is passed through to the students and is key to student retention. One feels as though one is part of a continual learning process and as a result it simply doesn't get boring.

One last thing: The school is very female-friendly; it is not about testosterone. It's great to see a good mix of people in classes because it helps us all learn and we are better for it!

Lori O'Connell Sensei is the one! I learned how to be punched, squeezed and smashed in a smooth and instructive way. She taught us to defend ourselves, inspiring confidence by building on our experience one step at a time. Lori Sensei has a great quality: patience. When I had classes with her, I started as a white belt and slowly my colleagues and I achieved outstanding results. She carefully corrected my stances and helped me learn how to punch and protect myself. She has my trust and my gratitude.

I was really nervous about training in a martial art for the first time, but the learning environment Lori Sensei created made me feel really comfortable and safe. She ensured my success by pushing enough to challenge me, but never more than I was ready for. Jiu-jitsu was a great experience!

Lori Sensei's natural talent and easy manner is such that even the difficult techniques made sense and seemed less complicated. The class was so fluid, relaxed, and enjoyable, I was actually surprised when it came time to test, at how far I'd progressed as a martial artist under her expert leadership.