Steel City Martial Arts

I trained at scma from ages 10 to 22, and the experience was nothing short of transformative. The family-like environment and welcoming culture made it a place I looked forward to every day. Mr. Chris and Santino are truly exceptional instructors. All instructors have an amazing way of breaking down complex techniques into digestible, practical lessons. their attention to detail and genuine care for each student’s growth set him apart as a leader in the gym. Santino is incredibly knowledgeable, always pushing you to be the best version of yourself both on and off the mats. He creates a positive, high-energy atmosphere that makes each class feel exciting and rewarding. What I appreciate most is the emphasis on respect, discipline, and community. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced competitor, the culture at scma fosters growth, respect, and teamwork. It's a place where you feel encouraged, not just to succeed in jiu-jitsu, but to improve as a person. I have made lifelong friends here and am beyond grateful for the impact this gym has had on my life. Highly recommend to anyone looking for top-tier BJJ instruction in Pittsburgh – you'll leave better than you came, both on and off the mats!

I've had the best experience... Instructors are great and incredibly welcoming, friendly atmosphere, no jerks on the mat, just people who love to train!

Steel City Martial Arts is our home away from home and we love it. My husband, son, daughter and I all train Brazilian Jiujitsu. Our women’s jiujitsu program is amazing and growing rapidly. There is no more fun and entertaining way to workout than our women’s kickboxing class.

Been training here for 6 years. This academy has more accredited BJJ black belts teaching than any other school in the region. This school also does belt testing for BJJ instead of just handing belts out. This leads to the students being vastly more experienced and skilled at every belt level than other academies in the region. This school also has a much more mature, and family oriented crowd than most of the others around Pittsburgh. Bottom line, there is no better place in this region to train BJJ.

Amazing gym. It’s family oriented, and clean, as well as, highly competitive. Great place to train as a female, great training partners and instructors. The quality is very apparent when competing but just as helpful if you don’t compete. Hard to find the best of both worlds, or somewhere where you don’t just roll 24/7. Highly recommended, especially as a female.