Modern Combatives

I’ve made a Unilocal account for the purposes of reviewing this awful place. Ridiculous sketchy sales practices. Refuse to give out any sort of pricing information over the phone. I explained that I was a student (and out of town so I couldn’t come in for the pushy sales pitch) so price matters, and he said that if price was my only concern, they weren’t the gym for me. I explained that trust was important to me and so they weren’t the place, he continued to be condescending and ridiculous. Avoid at all costs.

I just ended a one hour intro session with Nick and he was awesome. I have been kickboxing at a gym for awhile and wanted to learn more technique. He taught me so much in just an hour. He was professional and easy to follow/​understand. I’m not sure I’m going to go this route, but if I was interested more in martial arts, etc. this would be the perfect fit. Great variety of classes and very clean/​professional.

Wow! It took you a year and a half to respond to my review! Why respond at all at that point? The purpose of paying a mat fee for coming a few times a month was only because I was in Berkeley for that time not that I was only training a few times a month which you were well informed. It was unreasonable to pay $ 150 a month when I was only in Berkeley a 2 or 3 times a month. There were many other MMA gyms I was training at on nights I was not in Berkeley throughout the Bay Area. Not exactly sure what the SBG gym in Oregon has to do with your gym in Berkeley, member or not those instructors are not at your gym. You have numerous bad reviews so you must be doing something wrong. Unfortunately you put profits before people judging by the reviews and it cost you.

Dealing with the owner, Alan Pagle, was one of the most erratic, frustrating experiences of my life. If the gym ever goes out of business he could easily get a job at Comcast or American Airlines. Save yourself the headache and find another gym.

If Landmark and Scientology got together to offer a BJJ class, it might feel something like this.
Before they will tell you how much it costs (!), before they will discuss schedule, before they will let you observe a class (which was underway as I walked in), meet other students, or have any interaction at all, you must fill out a form giving them all your personal info, and YOU MUST TAKE A FREE PRIVATE CLASS! (I had planned to — just woke up more tired than expected, because, you know, I have a job and a life. I didn’t know the class was REQUIRED.)
In «fairness,» this isn’t a review of the training, just of their sales practices. I’ve tried out 20+ gyms thanks to ClassPass — some of which I continue pay extra to visit. Not a single one is as aggressive as these guys. The other Unilocal reviews about sketchy billing practices make a lot more sense now.
Gotta have trust before I can train somewhere, especially something as physically demanding as BJJ. This place does not inspire trust.

I am reviewing the kids’ Jiu Jitsu and adult fitness classes. I love this place. The owners are caring and responsive and they have created a welcoming environment for both newcomers and fitness fanatics. The kid’s classes are fun and rigorous. When my son earned his first belt, I knew he really earned it. The instructors do a great job in creating a supportive atmosphere where they emphasize respect and sportsmanship. I was a little dubious about joining at first, since I found the payment plan and sign up deal a little opaque. But I am glad that I went ahead. I have been with the gym for over two years and it feels like a second home now. I also love that I can watch my son’s class while I work out since they both take place at the same time in the loft-​like open floorspace.
Thank you ModCom, we are a happier, stronger family with your influence.

All around good experience.

I’ve trained at several different gyms in the bay area (boxing at Cal and Kings, Kickboxing at Kung fu Studio in Alameda) and wanted to try Kickboxing around Berkeley so I checked this place out.
First, they give you a free private lesson off the bat, which is awesome. However, in that lesson they teach somewhat strange, unconventional techniques.
To block punches the trainer told me to not move the hips at all, and only move the hands. The standard technique for blocking, i.e. absorbing the force with the opposite glove by rolling with the punch, he seemed adamant to discredit.
The second thing that came up was much stranger: they taught the hook as a straight punch. Instead of seeing the hook as a rotation and shift towards the back leg, the trainer wanted you to step outside with the lead foot, then throw a straight punch while pivoting. Essentially it was a cross in the opposite stance. Very odd.
However, they did seem to have a competition class as well as sparring so you’ll learn what works for you one way or another. But I can’t recommend this place for people when their «fundamentals» are vastly different from any other way Ive come across of teaching both boxing and kickboxing.

I’ve been training at Modern Combatives for a bit over a month in BJJ and Kickboxing. The instruction is high quality and everything runs smoothly. Quality students and instructors, everything is well-​organized as they evaluate each student and provide them a progression to higher level classes. When I went to sign up one of the coaches gave me a quick run-​through/​evaluation ranging from striking to grappling and ground work. The techniques were all easy to grasp and highly functional. No alpha male BS, it was made clear everyone is there to learn. My one tiny criticism is that I’d like the class schedule to be posted online. Other than that, top quality gym.

I want to preface this review by saying that I am only reviewing the Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu (BJJ) classes at Modern Combatives. I have not taken their boxing, kickboxing, or judo classes, so I cannot comment on them. I also want to say that the BJJ classes focus almost exclusively on gi sports jiu-​jitsu. This seems to be the trend towards many BJJ schools, and those looking for the self-​defense or no-​gi aspects might have to search some more.
With those two caveats, I must say that Coach Lily, a black belt under Matt Thornton, is an excellent instructor. She does a great job of breaking down a technique into easily digestible chunks, going over subtle details that make all the difference in the technique failing or succeeding. Being one of the smallest and lightest students, I really appreciate her emphasis on proper positioning, posture, timing, and leverage instead of using strength or brute force. That was the intent of BJJ when it was created, and I’m glad that philosophy hasn’t been lost. Furthermore, Coach Lily shows alternative attacks, counters, or escapes if one technique fails, allowing you to string a combination of moves in succession to keep your opponents guessing.
Classes meet three times per week: Mondays and Wednesday from 7 pm — 8 pm, and Saturdays from 12 noon — 1pm (with open mat following each class). Each week focuses on a specific position (guard, half guard, mount, side control, takedowns, etc.) with the sequence cycling so that students feel comfortable with all aspects of the game. With clean facilities, a fun, family atmosphere, and supportive training partners, I highly recommend the BJJ classes at Modern Combatives.

Been training here for 4 years now and it’s like having a great big family. The family that punches each other stays together :) Great for conditioning, confidence building, serious martial arts training, and competitors. In MMA you can run into some mean people, but ModCom is like a family where everyone is trying to help everyone else get better.

Its only good if you are one of the «chosen» ones and then you get alot of personal attention, as the other reviewer stated. I was criticized for having «terrible» footwork, yet was never instructed on how to execute proper footwork. In other words, Lilly the owner/​trainer criticized me for doing poorly what she never bothered to show me how to do properly lol. I went to Pacific Ring Sports, and within 10 minutes the trainer explained what I was doing improperly with my footwork, which Modcom never bothered to mention after 5 months.
Also, which has likewise been previously stated, the billing is treacherous. They want direct access to your checking account which is invasive, and they charge you extra just to go 4 times per week. Yes… its an extra $ 20/​month to go 4 days versus 3 days per week.

I have been training at Modern Combatives for several years and I seriously love this place. I tried to do a review a while back and I think Unilocal filtered it or something so this is long overdue.
There are many reasons people train in fitness and martial arts-​for fun, to get in shape, self confidence, competition, self defense. This place covers all those bases and manages to do it in a nurturing environment that’s actually fun. And the fact that the instructors/​owners enjoy what they do comes through in the experience. As a result, despite having trained all over the bay area, this is the place I recommend 100% of the time when someone tells me they want to a) learn to defend themselves, b) get in shape, c) try something fun and challenging (do I really need to say all of the above?).
If you are looking for martial arts, I have been training in martial arts since 1994 and been exposed to many styles and approaches to training and this place has the right idea. This is a less formal approach then what is referred to as «traditional martial arts», this does not mean they are not serious about the training, it means the focus is on drilling and experiencing a technique. You spend some time training the technique with little or no resistance and progress from there. However, if you like doing the same thing every day and getting a new belt every 6 months for memorizing set routines, then this is probably not the place for you. If you want to learn how to be an unbeatable super secret ninja in 6 months, sorry they are not here to stroke your ego.
No disrespect to any of the styles of martial arts out there, I respect the fact that there is a place for different approaches. Just be aware that this gym is not like that.
For martial artists who, like me, come in with some previous experience and think they know how to wrestle and kickbox, this can be a humbling experience to see how unskilled you are as a fighter compared to students who embrace this «alive» approach to combatives. And the great thing is, they teach a variety of classes so you aren’t comfortable with the bumps and bruises of kickboxing or mma style training, there is always judo and brazilian jiu jitsu as well as the fitness. So you can train and have fun and be competitive and not have to worry about the striking aspects. Whichever classes you end up taking the one thing you can count on is a great workout and a lot of fun.
So now the downside to the approach to this training-​you have to manage your fitness, train to your ability level and watch out for overtraining. This is no different than a crossfit gym or even megagyms like 24 hour. I am in my 30’s now and early on in my training here I was like a kid in a candy store-​I wanted kickboxing, wrestling, judo, jiujitsu, sparring, everything on the menu.
Unless you are an athlete who already keeps themselves in peak shape, you need to watch your level of training or else the wear and tear, (also in my case I had some existing conditions), will add up if you train as much as I did. It took a while but I got smart, now my focus is on the fitness classes and I supplement with the «fun stuff». On that note I recommend everyone show up for the Monday and Wednesday fitness classes, you will learn a lot about fitness and become a better athlete. The coach Alan Pagle has helped me through this process and is extremely knowledgeable about rehabilitiation training as well as conditioning and functional strength. If you’re in your 20’s or younger, then hey-​go ahead and have fun and train your head off :)
P. S. For those that are specifically looking for self defense classes, be aware that there is not any one class on the list that is specifically «self-​defense». That confused me a bit at first. I recommend you do what I did, call or visit the gym and have them explain their approach to self-​defense and go down to the gym and watch how they train and decide for yourself. There are occasionally focused sessions on self defense topics, and there have been women’s self-​defense courses off and on. You may be able to call and ask about private lessons for that kind of instruction, as the coaches are more than qualified.
P. P. S. The new gym on San Pablo Ave. is awesome. No more fighting over room to stretch out or hit the bag after classes. Why would you want to go to a megagym and wait in line to work out with this place right here?

I have been bringing my son here for four years, since he was three. He graduated from Baby Dinos, to Dinos and is still loving his time at MODCOM. The structure, discipline and play have been essential to his growth, both physically and emotionally. The coordination and strength he’s gained through his training has really helped his self-​confidence and abilities in other sports.
Really grateful for Alan and Lillie’s love and dedication to the sport and their students.

I have never trained at ModCom but I particpated in a no-​gi grappliing scrimmage here and it was by far the best tournament/​scrimmage I have competed in. Paid $ 35 and rolled with five different guys. I could have rolled with more people but started to get hungry! I really enjoyed it and if I did not live so far I would definately try this place out based soley on the people who were running the scrimmage.
The gym is a great size and has a cage and what seems to be a regulation size boxing ring. All in I had a great time and hope they have other events soon. Keep up the good work ModCom!

3 years ago ModCom reintroduced me to the martial arts. I decided to try it out on a whim, and was instantly hooked by the challenging and supportive atmosphere, the practicality of the technique.
Their methods are highly intuitive. Techniques are always performed with a live opponent, meaning one understands the practical application of it immediately. But fear not — ModCommers are some of the most relaxed, down-​to-​earth, civilized gym-​goers I’ve met. You don’t have to worry about being manhandled by a wannabe cagefighter with something to prove. In short, it’s totally safe.
The gym stresses the fundamentals of all combat sports — movement and timing. Not many gyms can get these concepts across as intiutively as ModCom.
Anyone interested in beginning or continuing their journey in the martial arts would benefit from their program.

ModCom is a great place to train, whether you want to compete in MMA, or learn self-​defense, or just get in shape and have fun.
They are unlike any other gym that I’ve ever been to, in that the instructors are not bullies or meat-​heads with inflated egos. Everyone is super nice and supportive. And they have an amazing understanding of the human condition. All the instructors excel in their skills of the craft the teach, but also are well-​trained in being effective coaches.
With the style of training and teaching, Modern Combatives really weeds out the egocentric jerks that are abound in the world of MMA and sports in general.
Warning: If you’re an asshole, you’ll probably get frustrated with this gym. Go flaunt your ego at some other gym that is all about image but lacks substance and heart.
ModCom is a friendly environment for all people. Women, children, teens, seniors, and people with varying degrees of training and experience. Don’t get me wrong — there are plenty of big, strong men at ModCom. In fact, I think these men are manlier than most men you find at the gym, lifting weights as they watch themselves in the mirror. You have to be comfortable with your masculinity to train at ModCom because you WILL get your ass kicked by a girl. When that happens, you can either find humility or run off to some other place that will indulge your machismo fantasy.
Bottom line is that Modern Combatives is a great, friendly, fun place to train in functional Mixed Martial Arts.

Mostly, nice friendly people here with a diverse mix of members in terms of ages/​skill levels. ModCom seems to be invested in the community, they offer social events outside of training to build relationships and offer a great range of disciplines incuding Brazilian jiu jitsu, mui tai and wrestling, perhaps others too.
My criticisms would be that their training seems most suitable for kids or adults who are looking to build confidence, get some exercise or get only an introduction to martial arts. This is not the place for receiving serious or even moderately serious training. Even as a beginner, someone far from hard-​core about this stuff, I had the feeling that training at ModCom would offer slow and unsatisfactory results that would leave me ill-​equipped to handle a real-​world situation. And while they do offer an exciting range of training disciplines, it’s a bit disheartening once you realize that their all taught by the same instructor.
I’ve been to a few BJJ academies now, and can say that ModCom, hands down, offers the least expertise and the worst communication when it comes to instruction. I don’t want to give the impression that the training was bad — it wasn’t, but it’s certainly the worst I’ve encountered in my search. If you’re looking for real BJJ training or want to develop real MMA skills, you’d do much better to go elsewhere.

Love this place! The training is great and the people there from the coaches to the students are just plain good folk. Training at ModCom really changed my life for the better in so many ways.
Check their website for videos if you want to see what the place looks like and learn more about their approach to training.
I think Modcom’s strength is in it’s members and overall environment. Everyone there is really nice and I feel very safe while training, the staff is great at keeping the meatheaded jerks away.
It’s weakness is that they still mainly do gi training (not very modern) and I personally miss the BJJ instructor that started his own Modcom branch in Fremont. The conditioning class is very good by the way and worth the price of membership by itself, which brings me to another strength, tons of different classes are here ranging from KB, to Judo, to wrestling and BJJ etc.
Overall it is a great place to get a solid base for your MMA game. Even if you simply want to be fit and have good self defense skills then this is a great gym for you.
Update, I now live in San Jose and although I am surrounded by some of the biggest gyms in the sport of MMA I would rather be at ModCom, ModCom, I miss you.

If you want to learn BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu), Muay Thai, Boxing, wrestling, clinchwork, or Judo then this is the place. Modcom is the only gym I know that teaches all these skills plus incorporates them for Mixed Martial Arts. This incorporates movement, timing, and appropriate progressive resistance from a training partner in all aspects of the training. This aliveness means that you discover how to make the you learn work skills work in real time. Other gyms will teach these arts but in seperate classes. Modcom has a class that meshes these classes together.
Its also done in an environment conducive to learning not injury. Fun not fear is a healthier way to train. No egos, and many friendly and helpful people. Alan, Lily and Jude who run the place are good down to earth people who look out for you.