Is Six Blades (Rocha Jiu-Jitsu) in Oakland legitimate?

I did a few jiu-jitsu practices in college and want to find a place to do it now that I've graduated. So I'm searching for gyms in Oakland.

Six Blades was immediately the top of my list because it's in walking distance of where I live. I just did my free trial class today and loved it. But some of their business practices seem suspicious, so I want to make sure it's legit before I commit.

Here are the red flags:

  • When I reached out in advance to ask about the pricing, he told me the instructors would explain it to me during a trial class.
  • I go to my trial class and learn that I have to commit to a membership plan before I leave. The plans are in 4-, 6-, and 12-month increments. The 4 month plan is $199 per month. There's a $180 initiation fee and a $300 fee to cancel a plan. Payment is via Venmo or Zelle. The instructor assures me that other gyms in Oakland have similar pricing. There is also an option to do $180/month for 3 months if you pay $540 upfront in an envelope of hard cash.
  • I ended up enjoying the class, so I decided at the end to commit to a membership plan. (Disclaimer: I am a gullible person. I was also high on endorphins.) I figured the 3-month one was the best option for me. That's when I learned that it was, like, literal cash.
  • The instructor strongly encouraged me to go to an ATM right then and there. I was honestly open to doing that and the only reason I didn't is because the nearest ATM wasn't really in walking distance. Again, gullible.

Now I'm home, the endorphins have worn off, and I've realized that this is really shady. Their setup ensures that I cannot make an informed decision: I have to commit and pay within the same hour that I know what the options are. There's also the pressure of having to do that in the presence of the instructor.

I'm also panicking because I told the instructor that I would show up with the envelope of cash for practice tomorrow. I even wrote the date on the liability form that I signed. And, like an idiot, I didn't read the form closely enough to see whether I'm legally beholden to the membership plan that I impulsively agreed to.

I really want to trust Six Blades. My parents are suggesting I just ghost them. But I want to give them a chance and hear from others about their experience, since I am a complete noob.

  • Is their pricing plan actually reasonable relative to other gyms in Oakland?
  • Should I take a leap of blind faith and pay up? Or should I forget them and go to another gym in Oakland?
  • Or is this common practice among BJJ gyms?

Update: I don't know how I didn't find this before, but their website says $150/mo. (Possibly it was down, because I scoured their internet for their schedule and pricing a few weeks ago.) So what gives?

Update 2: It seems that BJJ memberships do tend to be around $200/mo in Oakland. I.e. 10th Planet and Pacific Rings Sports. Slightly lower for longer plans. Which would make Six Blades' price pretty reasonable.

FINAL UPDATE:

Results: Based on the responses, it seems that:

  • Eduardo Rocha is very legitimate but Six Blades' sales tactics are coercive. These high-pressure tactics are prevalent but not typical among BJJ gyms.
  • The rate itself is reasonable, but the sign-up fee, cancellation fee, and long-term commitment are not.
  • Good East Bay alternatives are Island City BJJ in Alameda, 10th Planet in Oakland Chinatown, and Ralph Gracie in Berkeley.

Decision: I am going to do as my parents and many respondents suggest and ghost Six Blades. (If anyone at Rocha Six Blades sees this, I'm sorry and I hope you understand why I disappeared!) I'll try 10th Planet, Island City, and Ralph Gracie next, in that order.

Thank you thank you thank you everyone