(801) 463-1727
TESTIMONIALS
BIMA has been great for my 5 year old son. They do a wonderful job of requiring respect and discipline while also making it fun and learning a lot of skills. The instructors are professional, knowledgeable, and great with kids. I would recommend BIMA without any hesitation to any family.
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Mary Beth Osoro
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Master Will is amazing! His patience is in itself a learning lesson for his young pupils. I have an 8-year-old and an 11-year-old attending his classes. Besides balance and martial maneuvers Master Will teaches life lessons of respect and honor. To be mindful of the lesson but not bestow harm to your fellow classmates.
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Cathy Jeffs
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I initially started at Bernales institute in 2009, and after some time off, I have been training here 3-5 times/week since 2013. The instruction is of the highest level, and a big emphasis is put on technique and real world application, both for combat sports and self defense situations. A great sense of community is fostered here and no type of person is excluded from having a great training experience. If you have ever considered trying martial arts for yourself or your kids I can’t recommend BIMA highly enough.
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Luke Smith
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My daughter has ADHD-C, which manifests in different ways than typical ADHD. She is, uncoachable. I didn’t have high hopes for jiu-jitzu being any different. I was wrong. I don’t know what it is about the crew, but my daughter is thriving. Crew Will, the founder, spends individual time with each kid. The rest of the crew do the same. This has been the best thing for my daughter. She is so happy. They teach values that every kid should learn, but many do not. If I could give BIMA six stars, I would!
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Susan Ford
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I had the pleasure the last handful of months while doing contract work in SLC to attend classes at BIMA. What a fantastic experience! The instructors are all top notch, nice big facility, multiple class times, and several class offerings that are not offered in many places. Kali, silat, and capoeira are particularly hard to find where I come from, so this was a real treat. If you're into martial arts at all, BIMA will have some that are right for you, go check it out!
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Nathan Webster
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I absolutely love this martial arts school. We had just moved from Washington in 2016, and my son was having some trouble in school. He was in 3rd grade and just a little socially awkward and uncoordinated in comparison to kids his age. I had no idea where to begin in my search, but I noticed a summer special for a youth program at Bernales Martial Arts. I didn’t know if this would help my son, and yes, the first class for him was a challenge and he seemed to have trouble getting the moves. We stuck with it that summer, and I must say the improvement was unbelievable. He grew into this confident and coordinated kid, and I finally felt he was matched with other kids his age. We have stayed with Bernales this entire time, and even through the pandemic. They moved classes outside to Liberty Park, and the moves that required close contact were no longer practiced, but they began doing other cool things like memorized movements with sticks and such as well as Muay Thai. He is now in 10th grade and will most definitely continue until he leaves for college. He has since moved from youth to adult classes, and it has been such a wonderful and close knit community throughout his entire time there. Will, Carla, and the other instructors are wonderful people that truly care about each individual. I just can’t stress what a great place it’s been for my son. As I mentioned, he was socially awkward and didn’t have many friends. He is now in debate, mock trial, swim team, and he is a very social and outgoing kid. We are so impressed with how far he has come, and I attribute much of this to the studio. I will probably cry when he has his last class because they have become a second family for him.​
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Amy Lee
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Bernales Institute of Martial Arts is a place for every person interested in Martial Arts. The kids program is outstanding and each child and adolescent will learn life skills that will enable them to be happier, more confident, stronger, and better people. They teach many different styles of Fighting and Self Defense and have the highest certifications bringing in many of the best trainers in the world. No matter what your desire is they have created an environment that can accommodate you. If you want to be a professional fighter, get in better shape, learn self defense, or if it is a spiritual journey this is the place for you. Will Bernales and his staff really care. Go in and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
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Spencer Larkin
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Incredible place to train! Professor Will is a wealth of martial arts knowledge. Everyone is respectful of their training partners and generally awesome people to train with.
Mike Berry
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I have been so impressed with and grateful for Bernales. Will, Carla, and all the teachers seen so very concerned with the kids, paying attention to the kids and their mental state, trying to help with any issues that impact their ability to learn, giving appropriate attention to individual kids during class time, and being very encouraging. Our kids are learning quickly, as are we. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
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Derek Staffanson
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I moved to Utah from Pittsburgh about a year and a half ago. I have been in martial arts for 50 years this year (excluding the plague year) and have several levels of instructorship in various martial arts. I’ve trained and instructed all over America and Europe. I was extremely pleased to find such a solid core of high level martial arts being instructed by a top tier instructor such as Master Will Bernales. I can honestly say that I have never trained with a better or more knowledgeable person. It is evident that he has dedicated his life to the pursuit of his arts and being a teacher of them.
Joe Cosentino
The staff is so great at this place. My 5 kids absolutely love learning here. And I love it because Will and his staff hold the kids to a high standard.
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Beyond amazing! This is by far the best martial arts school in Utah. One of my fellow classmates literally drives 232 miles one way to attend this school. That is how above the rest this school is. There are no overly aggressive fighters here, and there is a sense of brotherhood and friendship. Everyone is extremely friendly and approachable. The learning atmosphere is also very safe. I am learning faster here than I have at any other school. Absolutely 100% worth it.
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Phillip Thurston
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This is the best MMA gym in salt lake county. I've gone to literally all the good ones & none compare to Bernales Institute. I've even gone to spar/roll with ppl at other MMA gyms & won. They were surprised how good I was in the amount of time I've been doing this & I believe it's because of this gym. Besides the training aspect, the environment & love the trainers & students share is amazing. Its literally like we're all a bunch of friends training together. Will the main instructor is the best in ANY gym in ANY martial arts. Front desk & other instructors are amazing as well.
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I recommend this school for anyone seeking a strong, effective, well-rounded foundation in self-defense. In addition to offering an array of martial arts styles that have each stood the test of time, this school has a safe, welcoming atmosphere. These factors are the signs of a truly good martial arts school. It's vital to train in conditions that grant real martial ability, yet equally vital to develop a calm frame of mind that remains centered. My experience at Bernales Institute of Martial Arts today showed me that this school is very much worth training in, even if you live a good distance away.
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འཇམ་པལ ནོརབུ
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Bernales Institute is an awesome gym to learn martial arts. The instructors are extremely patient, friendly and talented. The other students offer helpful insights to help improve technique and the environment is very comfortable even for beginners. I feel no judgement from advanced students either which I was always worried about. Instead they show a sincere desire to help me improve. Would definitely recommend to anybody interested in learning martial arts.
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Prestige Productions
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We love Will and all of the other instructors. They love what they do and genuinely care about each student in the class. BIMA has a great atmosphere - positive, encouraging, and respectful. My son has learned so much by attending for the past 2 1/2 years - in addition to martial arts techniques, he is learning character, discipline, confidence, and hard work. He looks forward to every class and we are so happy he has the chance to attend!
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Kris
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We love Bernales Institute for our 11 year old daughter's MMA class. Will is a wonderful instructor and you can tell he loves what he does! I would recommend BIMA to children and adults alike for a great martial arts experience!
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Bella Lonardo
It's been a couple of years since my son has trained at BIMA but those 3 years have had such an impact on his life. We will forever be grateful to Will and his staff for instilling a strong sense of confidence and self reliance which has carried over into all aspects of his life! I highly recommend BIMA to any parent looking to bring the best out in their child!
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Jason Garza
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Loved my experience with this gym! I so wish I lived closer so that I could continue to go. But I can't. The instructors know their stuff and the atmosphere is inviting, friendly, and motivational.
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Samantha Stephenson
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