A new martial arts school in the Sunset aims to teach self-defense to adults and kids in the neighborhood.
Sunset Jiu Jitsu opened softly at 1580 Noriega St. over the weekend with a celebration that included a free one-hour class, pizza, and a Chinese lion dance, instructor Renan Silva told us. The first official class was this morning at 6:30am.
The school replaces ChampsForce Martial Arts Enrichment Academy, which offered instruction in Chen Tai Chi, Yang Tai Chi and Southern Shaolin Kung Fu, in addition to kickboxing and boot camps. To ready the space, Silva installed padded walls and mats, gave it a new coat of paint, and added new exterior signage.
Prior to opening Sunset Jiu Jitsu, Silva taught at Ralph Gracie San Francisco and Fight and Fitness. Through Gracie, Silva earned a black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, an offshoot that combines aspects of judo with techniques developed by Geo Omori, a Japanese martial arts teacher who emigrated to Brazil.
Silva already has three Yelp reviews for his new studio. He focuses on adult training, but will also offer two children’s courses: one for ages five to eight and another for ages nine to thirteen.
The studio’s website is still under development, but once it’s up and running students can sign up online. Until then, people are welcome to swing by to sign up or call 628-256-3422.
