BJJ Near Inglewood, CA — Why Kaizen Academy in Venice Is Worth the Trip
Inglewood residents looking for quality BJJ instruction are 20 minutes from Kaizen Academy in Venice, CA — one of the Westside's most welcoming and well-structured academies.
Inglewood is experiencing significant growth and development, but quality Brazilian Jiu Jitsu options nearby remain limited. Kaizen Academy in Venice, CA is accessible from Inglewood in 18–25 minutes and offers one of the highest quality BJJ programs on the entire Westside. This post covers directions, what Inglewood residents can expect, and how to book a free first class.
Inglewood doesn't look like it did five years ago. SoFi Stadium, the Intuit Dome, new restaurants, new residents, new energy on nearly every corner. The fitness culture is growing right alongside all of it — and for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specifically, Kaizen Academy in Venice is one of the most accessible quality options, usually 18–25 minutes out.
Getting there from Inglewood
From Manchester Blvd / central Inglewood: Manchester west toward the marina (it becomes Maxella), then Lincoln Blvd north. 18–22 minutes.
From Century Blvd / near SoFi: Sepulveda north to Lincoln, or a quick hop on the 405 to the Lincoln exit. 20–25.
From Prairie Ave / East Inglewood: west on Century or Imperial to Sepulveda, north to Lincoln. 20–24.
A gym that grows the way a skill grows
There's something fitting about training BJJ while you watch your own neighborhood level up — it's the same principle on a personal scale. Progress in jiu jitsu isn't one leap; it's small, compounding gains, class after class, until the thing that used to bury you becomes easy. That's literally what "kaizen" means: continuous improvement. It's the whole idea the gym is built around.
What makes that compounding actually happen here:
- Every class taught by Andrew Menard himself — black belt, nine-plus years teaching — not a rotating cast of assistants.
- Classes capped at 15, so you're a student getting coached, not a face in a packed room.
- A beginner curriculum that assumes zero background and builds from there.
For the whole family
Our kids program (ages 3–13) is one of the more thoughtfully structured on the Westside — worth the drive on its own if you've got kids who need an outlet.
Start with a free class
2014 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291 · (424) 299-1563. First one's free.