Information about institute of combat

N St 820
95521, Arcata
+1 707-388-1094

Opening hours

  • Monday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Thursday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Friday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 – 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Our comment from FitFit United States about institute of combat:

Welcome to the Institute of Combat, located in Arcata, United States. This gym is a premier destination for those seeking to enhance their martial arts skills and overall fitness, offering a variety of disciplines including wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and self-defense training.

Many users have praised the close-knit community, highlighting the welcoming atmosphere and the exceptional coaching staff. Notable mentions include:

  • Expert instructors like Cass Bell and Juan, who provide personalized attention and foster a supportive environment.
  • A vibrant community of athletes of all skill levels, making it an ideal place for both beginners and seasoned practitioners.
  • Facilities that are well-maintained and conducive to training in various martial arts disciplines.
  • Opportunities for kids to develop their skills and compete successfully in wrestling, supported by dedicated coaches.

Feedback has emphasized how training at the Institute of Combat has positively impacted lives, building confidence and physical fitness across all age groups. Many report feeling safe, motivated, and eager to return for classes, often wishing they could attend even more frequently.

While the overwhelming consensus is positive, a few users have expressed concerns about management issues and pricing; however, these voices seem to stem from isolated cases. Overall, the Institute of Combat stands out as a reputable and life-changing place to train.

Whether you're looking to improve your self-defense skills, participate in competitive sports, or simply get fit, Institute of Combat offers an outstanding experience that will meet your needs.

institute of combat: Opinions

4.7/5 (45 Opinions)
Top Rated Gym
Isaiah Bell 1 year ago

Fantastic experience: I started wrestling when I was 4 with my brother Cass Bell but sadly I did stop for a while until my freshman year of high school when Cass then got me to come back and I noticed how close it was to Arcata high school. I have loved going straight from school to the gym to train and get better. I also love the summer time as they are open basically everyday and with not having to worry about school it provides a great opportunity to get better. This gym has allowed me to rise to the next level and improve on my skill and get stronger and healthier.

Coylelol 1 year ago

Fantastic experience: Best gym in all of Humboldt it really strengthened me mentally and physically and I recommend everyone gets into institute of combat and gives it a shot.

Alma Orellana 1 year ago

Fantastic experience: This gym is amazing for my children. I have tried other gyms in eureka and mckinleyville, and they do not compare. Having professional fighters help my kids and also get on the Matt and roll with them is amazing. My kids have been there for two years and already got third and second in the state of California at wreslting.

Margaret Hague 1 year ago

Fantastic experience: I have been going here for almost one year now and I love it. I am 46 years old and this is the first time in my life trying any type of martial arts. I was nervous about walking through the door of a place called "Institute of Combat" but as soon as I walked in everybody was so welcoming, helpful and patient. I instantly became addicted to no gi jiu jitsu. I push my self as hard as I want, there is no pressure. My coach, Cass Bell, trains me, along with everyone else, with professional, personal attention and focus. Cass structures the classes so you build and connect moves. He shows you how to apply the moves when an opportunity presents itself. This style really works for me. I am learning new skills, building strength and shedding a lot of weight. I know I can protect myself if I ever get attacked which is a great feeling to have in life. All the coaches there are amazing: Cass, Anthony, Joey, Gabe & Izzy. Everyone that goes there are quick to give friendly advice and help you along the way. I have made a lot of friends here. I hope to start competing...yes at my age. I also do the kicking and striking classes. What a workout! They're a lot of fun too. I do a combination of at least 4 classes a week and wish I could do more! This is a great gym for any age person!

Benjamin George 1 year ago

Fantastic experience: Fantastic spot. Great people who are very welcoming to anyone who walks in. Got me in the best shape of my life.

Sonya Muse 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: It is a really nice gym and training place for all kinds of martial arts! I definitely recommend this place if you leave in this area!

Stephanie Muse 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: It is a really nice gym and training place for all kinds of martial arts! I definitely recommend this place if you leave in this area!

institute of combat

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David Kirlin 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: I love institute of combat I feel Juan is an excellent instructor and everyone I have trained with there has been super cool and friendly. Been training there now since 2016 with no plans on quitting

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Sara Groban 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: I did my first trial class today and it was incredible. I already learned SO much. The lead instructor Juan was super helpful and patient with me. He gave me a lot of focus and time. The facility was clean and the people in the class were friendly. I will definitely be coming back.

institute of combat

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ian wang 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: Came for a casual walk in! Excellent and detailed instruction from Juan. Great vibes from the students and a well structured class and really nice facilities. Will be coming back next time I come to Humboldt.

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Diego Lasala Marcos 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: Excelente!

institute of combat

Thank you!!

Austin 29 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: This place has a great atmosphere amazing coaching and even greater people

institute of combat

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S. Alexander 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: I ❤️ IOC!

institute of combat

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Roy Demayo 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: Awesome gym.

institute of combat

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Raven Mae 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: I’m honored to go to institute of combat. Training here definitely changed my life. They are safe, clean, and follow covid regulations. For sure the best place to train in Humboldt county and surrounding areas. I also highly recommend 21 grams gym in the same building. The cool thing about the classes at IOC is that all skill levels are welcome. The coaches here at IOC are helpful and want to see their students learn and grow.

sheree spencer 3 years ago

Fantastic experience: These people are great! They made my granddaughter feel so welcomed, that she wants to keep going back even though she is sore from such a good workout. She loves it. The one on one is a huge bonus. The area is well lit and music is inspiring and makes you want to move, it's a wonderful place. Makes getting in shape fun. Thank you.

institute of combat

Thanks!!

Raven 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: I’m honored to go to institute of combat. Training here definitely changed my life. They are safe, clean, and follow covid regulations. For sure the best place to train in Humboldt county and surrounding areas. I also highly recommend 21 grams gym in the same building. The cool thing about the classes at IOC is that all skill levels are welcome. The coaches here at IOC are helpful and want to see their students learn and grow.

institute of combat

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David Denny 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: Very awesome gym! Great coach’s and competitors great place to learn self defense, but not only that they have very good strength training equipment! Traveler or a local I would highly recommend this gym

institute of combat

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T Townsend 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: US ARMY RECRUITER EUREKA - IOC gave us an amazing class in striking, moving and put us through a great workout... Tyson Miller is amazing! The environment, the space, the instructors are what a real gym should look like! Good luck Tyson on your next fight!!! US Army Eureka!!!

institute of combat

Thanks! It was great having you all in the gym!! Thanks for your service!!!

Bryan Holt 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: the program Cass Bell runs for these kids is amazing in so many different ways and the kids all listen and respect him as a coach very well... What he does and how he does it is beyond me ...We started with him last year and it has helped my “wild child” Taylor not just physically but mentally it has helped him in school and other areas of his life tremendously and for that I want to say Thankyou for all you do for this community...

Joshua Korenstein 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: Just started here and am already loving the classes, the instructors really help me through all the new techniques and make me want to keep showing up everyday

institute of combat

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Mr. Paradise 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: We are incredibly honored to join the Institute Of Combat family, welcomed by Cass Bell and the whole crew. What a true blessing this is! Training with the best of the best, all around great people here at the Institute Of Combat. A welcoming atmosphere with all the essential tools and support needed for strengthening the mind body and spirit. And let’s not forget the outstanding levels of professionalism and courtesy expressed here at 21 Grams Gym. Thank you all so much for everything you do! Health is wealth.

institute of combat

Thanks!!

AYE-1 DV 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: Let me tell you how awesome this place really is! Quick response on Messenger when i requested info about the gym. So i showed up for a Muay Thai class. Met Coach John, liked him immediately! I was showed around and felt real comfortable, like I could spend the whole day in there training, giving a F about the rest of the world. Gyms like this are my goto happy place! Coach John is a Muay Thai Master, I was very impressed with the class structure! I had a blast training here!

institute of combat

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Kyle Millot 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: Excellent place with the most available training and equipment targeted for fighting sports i’ve seen under one roof along with excellent coaches/trainers especially the Owner John being a friendly and welcoming highly experienced Trainer/Coach

institute of combat

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Thomas Harbin 4 years ago

Fantastic experience: Went in while in town, awesome experience! Super friendly, and was nothing but enjoyable!

institute of combat

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Bryan J Holt 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: the program Cass Bell runs for these kids is amazing in so many different ways and the kids all listen and respect him as a coach very well... What he does and how he does it is beyond me ...We started with him last year and it has helped my “wild child” Taylor not just physically but mentally it has helped him in school and other areas of his life tremendously and for that I want to say Thankyou for all you do for this community...

institute of combat

Thanks!!

Smith Purdum 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: Institute of Combat is a gold standard for jiu-jitsu knowledge, and for overall vibe. I felt safe, and learned a lot. Very kind, knowledgeable coaching, and overall cool people. Great gym.

Reggie Lee 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: A lot of people are great at what they do; only a few of them can pass their knowledge to other people, and fewer still can pass their knowledge onto children. Institute Of Combat was not the first place i called on behalf of my 8 year old daughter. Having been an airplane and helicopter flight instructor, i know what teaching should look like. Having spent a few years learning Muay Thai kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, and Judo, I know what kind of club my daughter needed to flourish. I chose IOC initially because of Juan, who answered the phone, answered every question i had so professionally; I had quite a few questions. God bless you. My daughter is staying with IOC because of Cass. It took 10 minutes of watching him interact and engage these kids that i knew this was the positive, structured atmosphere that was going to keep my daughter wanting to come back week after week. She loves it. Cass is a natural when it comes to instructing/teaching. That's where the sentence above comes into play; even fewer still can pass their knowledge onto children. All in all, a great crew. From Cass's crew, to Juans crew, all the participants, students, whatever we want to call them, everyone has been so dang kind and generous. We are really blessed to be apart of it.

institute of combat

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MR Pope 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: It more of a family

institute of combat

Exactly how we feel!

j.michael Genova 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: IOC is one hell of a dynamic atmosphere!!! I walked through the doors the first time not knowing what to expect.. an extension of welcomeness, engagement, light heartedness and above all amazing coaching is what I encountered. Being apart of a club like this is life altering! It has changed the way I operate as a human being. I look forward to years of training here.The athletes that train here are humble, even though they dont need to be-Every coach is amazing, every one of them! Cant say enough great things about this place, if you want grow as an athlete and a person-COME CHECK IT OUT!

institute of combat

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Brian Ouellette 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: Great place to train. Been coming here for years. Great wrestling program for kids and IOC trains Humboldts first pro MMA fighter. As for Tristan and Riley who left 1 star reviews Tristan was booted after assaulting a female and Riley has never even attended. Come check the gym out for yourself.

institute of combat

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Bryan Stevens 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: Cass Bell and his staff do an amazing job working with our son in strength training and wrestling I recommend Institute of Combat to everyone who ls looking for help with wrestling or to get better and get into shape!

institute of combat

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Dylan Spooner 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: I never thought I would be able to train martial arts until I stepped into Institute of Combat. Everyone is so welcoming and helpful; it is a place that will always hold a place in my heart. You should definitely come here and train!!!

institute of combat

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Chris Rogers 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: The Coaches and team are great. There is a wealth of knowledge at the gym and there is an emphasis on technique. There is sparring and rolling after most classes and the sparring partners know how to control their moves so both partners learn.

institute of combat

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Jason Gaspay 5 years ago

Fantastic experience: I started attending their Muay Thai classes at beginning of July up until the end of October. The initial intimidation I had of taking up a fighting sport was quickly dissolved when I found that everyone here was very friendly and eager to teach me. Whether you are trying to learn practical self defense, get in good shape, or train for a competition, this place has it all. There are people of every skill level in here, though you are learning from some of the best; the owner has even groomed two professional fighters (Cass Bell & Tyson Miller) that compete in Bellator. This is the one and only MMA gym that you would ever need to attend in Humboldt County. Sadly I no longer go to this MMA gym because I moved to the Sacramento area and now train at another Muay Thai gym, though the fundamentals I learned at Institute of Combat I'll carry with me every place I train! Every time I visit Humboldt County I am most definitely going to drop in here to train!

institute of combat

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Tristan Espy 6 years ago

Negative experience: Focused more on getting your money than anything else. Very poorly ran operation. Would not recommend...

institute of combat

Was not going to reply but this person keeps reviewing with false accounts so...On April 10th this person Tristan Espy assaulted a female at the gym and was asked to leave. Against policy we gave him a refund for unused time in membership. Later that day he messaged us saying that if we didn’t pay him more money he would start leaving nasty reviews on line. He posted his “nasty” review immediately followed by others from false accounts of people who’s named we have never heard of.

Carley Kathryn 6 years ago

Negative experience: Terrible coaching and structure. Do not recommend.

institute of combat

This person has never been to our gym!Was not going to reply but this person keeps reviewing with false accounts so...On April 10th this person Tristan Espy assaulted a female at the gym and was asked to leave. Against policy we gave him a refund for unused time in membership. Later that day he messaged us saying that if we didn’t pay him more money he would start leaving nasty reviews on line. He posted his “nasty” review immediately followed by others from false accounts of people who’s named we have never heard of.

Riley Santos 6 years ago

Negative experience: Do not go

institute of combat

This person has never been to our gym!Was not going to reply but this person keeps reviewing with false accounts so...On April 10th this person Tristan Espy assaulted a female at the gym and was asked to leave. Against policy we gave him a refund for unused time in membership. Later that day he messaged us saying that if we didn’t pay him more money he would start leaving nasty reviews on line. He posted his “nasty” review immediately followed by others from false accounts of people who’s named we have never heard of.

Jonas Savage 6 years ago

Fantastic experience: Institute of Combat has it all in one place, striking, Jiu Jitsu, and wrestling, or put it all together and train for your MMA goals. Whether it is for self-defense or competition, the coaches at IOC will help you achieve your goals in a clean and friendly world class facility. Come check it out you won’t be disappointed!

institute of combat

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Renata Lopez Romero 6 years ago

Fantastic experience: Everyone is super welcoming and helpful. 10/10 would recommend!

Gabriel Smith 6 years ago

Fantastic experience: These dudes are so bad ass!

institute of combat

So are you!

Holly Miller 6 years ago

Fantastic experience: This is a great place to learn all the styles you want. The people are amazing and have a great attitude. My son found his spot here and would love to train you or family. Check them out!!! Especially if you have a high schooler....Great safe place for them to learn self defense and explore other things available to them!

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Tyson Miller 6 years ago

Fantastic experience: This place changed my life. The coaches have given me an art I’ll study and love for the rest of my life. This is the only place I’ve found to be a world class facility for any and all people on the north coast. The head coach is an incredible wealth of knowledge. He’s trained for most of his life, and with highly credited people relevant at the top of the fight game today! We’re only taught what works, and what the dangers of everything are. If you want to fight as an athlete, learn to defend yourself, or become a legit black belt in Jiu Jitsu one day... this is the only place to train for you on the north coast.

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Danielle Gallaty 7 years ago

Fantastic experience: We love IOC these guys have done a lot for my son. They have worked with all the kids for free style wrestling and with some of the high school kids. They guys go out of their way to make you feel like you matter to them. We love you IOC

Danielle Jewell (DJ Lil Foot) 8 years ago

Fantastic experience: We love IOC these guys have done a lot for my son. They have worked with all the kids for free style wrestling and with some of the high school kids. They guys go out of their way to make you feel like you matter to them. We love you IOC

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