March 30 - April 4, 2026
with Jean Jacques Machado
At the Grappler’s Retreat training sanctuary, on the redwood coast of deep Northern California.
16 spots max
SOLD OUT - Let us know if you’d like to be placed on the waitlist:
Private Rooms, Gourmet Meals, and an absolutely Epic Location!
from $2,850 all-inclusive
The Grappler’s Retreat is a Jiu Jitsu Training Sanctuary, built in the woods on a secluded stretch of the rugged Northern California coast. We take pride in offering an incredible retreat experience, centered around:
Small-group training: 16 spots max per retreat, so the learning environment is personal and deep. With Jean Jacques and the Grappler’s Retreat crew, there will be a little over 20 of us.
A relaxed retreat vibe, where older grapplers and hobbyists are most welcome.
Total comfort and incredible retreat amenities: private bedrooms for all, world-class dojo with the best mats, luxury hot tub sitting amongst the redwoods, massive outdoor cedar sauna, clubhouse with unbelievable wilderness views.
Gathering together for gourmet chef-prepared meals (3 meals per day, prepared onsite by our very own chefs).
Restorative yoga every evening in the dojo (optional, non-training spouses are welcome).
Jean Jacques Machado with Rickson Gracie.
Roger Gracie is also a regular at the retreat and loves a good game of chess! We’re so grateful that he helped introduce us to Jean Jacques.
Roger Gracie discusses why the small-group learning environment at Grappler’s Retreat is so special:
With Jean Jacques and the Grappler’s Retreat crew, there will be a little over 20 of us. This isn’t a huge training camp. Expect a relaxed vibe and a world-class Jiu Jitsu learning experience.
The retreat clubhouse at sunrise.
The retreat hot tub is incredible for recovery.
An Overview of the Grappler’s Retreat Experience:
Twice-daily small-group training sessions led by Jean Jaques Machado. 16 sign-ups max, so the learning environment and level of connection is personal and deep. Hobbyists and older grapplers are most welcome.
Private bedrooms… so you can check out any time you need to relax in your own personal private space and recharge on your own (no bunkhouses or “group cabins” here). High speed WiFi is in your bedroom and throughout the property.
The dojo, the clubhouse, the guest lodge, and all the amenities have been purposefully built within the Grappler’s Retreat training sanctuary… and everything will be taken care of for you during your stay.
On a couple of the days, we’ll head out on a gentle coastal hike, a trek to the waterfall, or to the epic Big River estuary — but you’re always welcome to stay put at the forested retreat compound if you’d rather relax on your own between training sessions.
We’ll have a fire roaring in the club house, a massive hot tub sitting amongst the redwoods, and an outdoor cedar sauna to loosen up the muscles and get us ready for the next day’s training sessions.
Evenings are chill: pour yourself a drink and dive into stories with the rest of the crew around the bonfire.
And we’ll be treated to three gourmet chef-prepared meals each day. Get ready for an incredible experience.
Scroll to bottom of the page for detailed schedule, travel logistics, and pricing.
The Grappler’s Retreat is a remote Training Sanctuary, built in the woods on a secluded stretch of the rugged Northern California coast. The Retreat is surrounded by thousands of acres of redwood wilderness, and situated only a mile up the hill from the crashing waves of the Pacific ocean. The area is sparsely developed. The nature is epic.
Come train, relax, and enjoy the vacation of a lifetime on this isolated stretch of northern California’s redwood coast.
click the Video below for a glimpse of what it’s like to spend a week at the Grappler’s Retreat:
Meet the Instructor:
Jean Jacques Machado
Black Belt under Master Carlos Gracie Jr and 8th Degree Coral (Red/Black) Belt Awarded by Rickson Gracie
One of the pioneers of the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and one of its greatest champions, Jean Jacques Machado is one of five brothers of the world-renown Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu family.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Machado began his Jiu-Jitsu training more than fifty years ago. He was awarded his Black Belt at 18 years old by Carlos Gracie Jr. and dominated the competitive arena of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in his native country, capturing every major title and competition award from 1982 through 1992.
In 1992, he arrived in the United States to continue his competitive success. Dominating the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene both in the United States and in international competition, Machado gained worldwide recognition in 1999 with his performance at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Submission Wrestling Championships. In 2011 Jean Jacques was awarded his Coral Belt (7th degree Red/Black) by none other than legendary master Rickson Gracie.
In August of 2024 Jean Jacques joined a small but very prestigious group of athletes as he was inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments in submission grappling. In October of 2024, just two months later he was inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame for a second time as Instructor of the Year.
On March 29, 2025 Jean Jacques was awarded his 8th Degree Coral Belt by Master Rickson Gracie. He continues to actively teach full time at his academy in Woodland Hills, CA.
We’ll be honored to have Jay Zeballos, one of Jean Jacques top black belts, joining this retreat too.
Jean Jacques Machado making history at ADCC!
The Jiu Jitsu Experience will be absolutely incredible, but there’s so much more :)
You’ll be visiting one of the most beautiful places in North America, experiencing nature at its purest, and resting from the stresses of your daily routine. You’ll be surrounded by incredible people at a once in a lifetime gathering, yet you’ll have the sanctuary of your own private comfortable space at the Retreat.
It’s a different world out here. Come join us.
Gourmet Dining - this isn’t just a Training Camp, it’s a proper Vacation
Your Own Private Bedroom (no shared bunk-houses)
Roger Gracie discusses the Grappler’s Retreat experience, and what makes it different from some of the larger BJJ camps he’s instructed at:
Schedule:
Arrive Monday March 30 any time between 3:30pm and 9:30pm... check into your room and make yourself at home! Explore the grounds of the retreat, enjoy a soak in the hot tub, get some sun on the deck, chill with a book in the club house, have a beer around the bonfire, and get to know the rest of the crew as you settle in for an incredible week of training and relaxing in paradise.
Twice daily training sessions Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Plus, between training sessions, we keep the dojo open during the day for anyone interested in spending some extra time on the mat for stretching, drilling, or sparring.
Restorative yoga every evening in the dojo (optional, non-training spouses are welcome)
In addition to all the dojo sessions, we’ll mix it up on some of the days and head down the hill for a coastal hike or a trek to the waterfall (the scenery is absolutely epic on the Mendocino coast)
Every morning we’ll have coffee brewing in the clubhouse, with fresh breakfasts “made to order”. We prepare delicious lunches every day after the first training session, and we gather together for dinner feasts in the evenings… with bonfires most nights.
Depart Saturday April 4th by 12pm after having a gourmet breakfast and taking your time to chill out at the retreat and say your goodbyes…
Where: Mendocino, Northern California at the Grappler’s Retreat Training Compound (about 1-mile from the town of Mendocino)
Getting to the Retreat:
click here for details and travel tips: www.grapplersretreat.com/travel
The sunsets on the coast are incredible.
Pricing
From $2,850 all-inclusive
discounted booking options available for couples (massively discounted for non-training spouses)
Your Booking Includes:
Your own private, modern bedroom… comfortably furnished with fresh beddings, in-room heat, and high-speed wi-fi.
Our own private sanctuary for the week: there will be no one else here except for our small group. The forested retreat compound features: a huge luxury hot tub and outdoor cedar sauna nestled in the woods, a spacious clubhouse, newly built dojo, hillside terraces with awesome wilderness views, private luxurious outdoor and indoor showers with epic views of the surrounding redwood forest, etc. The property is magical… you’re gonna love it here :)
Arrival dinner followed by three chef-prepared meals per day (we use only the best ingredients and have tapped into some incredible cooking talent), plus a constant spread of fresh-baked homemade pastries and snacks, and unlimited coconut waters, juices, sodas, coffees, teas, etc. We’ll keep you very well fed and comfortable. And for those who enjoy wine, Mendocino produces some of the world’s best Pinot Noir.
Twice daily training sessions (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) led by Jean Jacques Machado. We cap our registration at 16, so you can expect some deep learning and hands-on coaching. The learning environment is extremely personal, and infinitely better than that of a packed seminar or large training camp.
Restorative yoga is offered every evening in the dojo (optional) to help you recover from the day’s training.
Aside from the costs of lodging, fresh gourmet meals, and bringing in world-class instructors who give their best — look forward to us organizing a couple amazing hikes throughout the week, and expect some heartfelt connection and storytelling around the bonfire after our nightly dinners. Rest assured that our approach is easy and flexible to the needs of everyone who joins us. We fully put our hearts into every camp, and we’ve been blessed by so many new friends as a result.
*Discounts available for both ‘non-training’ and ‘training’ spouses. Click “book now” button to see all pricing options.
Epic Training Camp Location: the Rugged Mendocino Coast
The sunsets on the Mendocino coast are incredible.
Nestled in the woods only a mile from the coast, the Grappler’s Retreat training sanctuary is incredible, and features a beautiful outdoor cedar sauna and a massive luxury hot tub—both sitting among towering redwoods with epic views of the surrounding wilderness.
With our newly built Dojo, clubhouse, and guest cottage, the sprawling forested compound offers modern luxury combined with raw Pacific Northwest wilderness. If you’re looking to get away from the city and experience nature, you’ll love it here… the setting is absolutely awesome!
About a mile walk from The Retreat, you find yourself in the historic village of Mendocino, built in the mid-1800s on a rugged coastal headland overlooking the Pacific. The cliffs surrounding the village remain undeveloped, covered in wildflowers, and offer an awesome vista from which to view the sunset.
Today, this historically preserved village is a traveler’s outpost, scattered with unique restaurants and cafes, vibrant coffee shops, pubs and roadhouse taverns, and a very well-stocked local grocer and butcher. Mendocino offers everything you’ll need to ensure a comfortable experience on this remote stretch of the northern California coast.
Mendocino Village
…about a mile from the Grappler’s Retreat
Roger Gracie, along with Stuart Cooper and Nic Gregoriades, visiting the retreat, May 2022.