Top Gyms in St. Catharines, Canada

I can't recommend SBG Niagara highly enough! Coach Rich Beaupit is one of the most passionate martial artists I know. His commitment to his students is evident in everything that he does.

Great walls with good setters. Also has good variety of exercise equipment and two tensions walls. Rarely too busy.

Awesome staff, music, tidiness.
They have practice running starts and dynos which some gyms don’t provide.
So far I’ve had a great time coming here.

Rock walls get rearranged every week like the Hamilton location so sometimes they have a lot of good setups and sometimes they only have a few good for beginners. When I was there they only had I think two beginners ones, but that's okay. Was fun.
Friendly staff.

Gravity offered great route setting. As an intermediate climber they had a variety of levels for beginner to advanced climbers. Staff were super kind and helpful. Prices are average for a bouldering gym.

Awsome climbing gym, the staff is nice and helpful. Cute gym up top and 2 tension boards.

Fun and creative setting, great atmosphere, super clean. Great pricing too! Seriously wish I lived closer this would be a great gym to frequent. Also tension boards are worth checking out!! Had a lot of fun I’ll definitely be back when I’m in the area.

I joined SBG Niagara 8 months ago & I am so thankful I did. When you read “Niagara Region’s most beginner friendly Martial Arts Classes”, or “One Tribe, One Vibe” it really is, the atmosphere Coach Rich & his fellow Coaches, the people who train there bring is truly what is advertised & is what makes SBG Niagara the best Martial Arts School. Coach Rich is a person I respect & admire, he is genuine, honest & truly wants what is best for his students. The other coaches are real, helpful, & full of techniques. The members there are super friendly & bring a judgement-free zone. Everyone loves seeing each other succeed. The way SBG teaches martial arts not only as a sport and exercise but as self defence is really what Coach focuses on & it has truly changed my life. It has made me grow mentally and physically. I feel more confident in myself and my ability has grown and will continue to grow.

SBG Niagara will change your life for the better, 10/10 recommend!

Great climbing facility, I always try to go when I visit St. Catharines. It’s way bigger than my home gym so I really appreciate how spaced out a lot of the climbs are able to be here. Pricing is very reasonable too.
I find the setting really fun, especially the use of volumes, but sometimes it’s hard to break into the g4 range because a lot of it is set far apart requiring dynos right off the start if you’re short.
My main complaint would be lack of down climbs here. Most routes only have 1 at the very top, and since the routes are spaced apart there aren’t many other holds to come down on other than the ones you used to get up. Jumping from the top is hard on my knees and climbing down on holds from tougher routes when I’m already tired is sketchy.
It would also be nice if it was open later on weekends!

My name is Tom and I have been training at SBG for 8 months now. My son started at sbg before me he was being bullied. His confidence and his situational awareness improved with in months of training, this was enough to stop the bullying. I fell in love with the friendly coaches and the infectious learning environment so i had to try it out. You will learn so much more then the most efficient way to choke out an attacker!

My son and I Love SBG!

Tom Comrie

Great facility and great pricing! The building design flows very nicely. Welcomed by some great staff. It’s very spacious and clean. The climbs work off a G system vs a V system but to me they seemed to overlap in the same levels of difficult. There is no clutter on the walls which makes it very easy to have multiple people do climbs at the same time, it is also aesthetically pleasing. I will be returning and getting a punch card to regularly visit. Happy to find this gem!!

Two years ago I was researching a mixed martial arts gym in the Niagara area for my son. After meeting coach Rich I ended my search for a gym. Since then he has been a strong mentor and a positive role model for my son. Jiu Jitsu is a great workout but it also provides confidence, self-discipline and many other life skills. It is true SBG is the "most beginner friendly" classes in the Niagara area.

After a two months of watching my son, I decided to give it a try. It does not matter your skill level or your age. Coach Rich and the other coaches provide a great atmosphere and environment to learn in. The attention to detail on the techniques amazes me and always learning something new every class. I would strongly recommend SBG to anyone looking to improve there life.

Coach Rich is quite easily the most patient and understanding instructor. His ideology and methodology combined with support from the other coaches in addition to the inclusive atmosphere altogether make SBG Niagara the best martial arts school in the region.

My son has been training at SBG Niagara for almost 5 years. The fitness aspect is great - but i would have to say the boost to his self-esteem, confidence, and life perspective is even more impressive. Coach Rich (and his team) are all fabulous. SO happy we found SBG Niagara!

Rich Beaupit's coaching abilities were apparent the first time I walked into Straight Blast Gym of Niagara and saw him run a kid's class. The students were laughing, playful, but not reckless. They listened carefully to instruction and acted respectfully with their partners. They also had a lot of fun. To my mind, these are important markers for a quality gym.

Straight Blast Gym of Niagara is a safe environment open to people from all walks of life. You don't need to be a super-athlete. You just need to be willing to learn. That's the starting point. The goal then is one of group learning, rather than a mechanism of enforced hierarchy.

This sets Coach Rich's gym apart from so many others. Here, community means more than notoriety. And the seriousness of training is not trumped but ego, but predicated on the idea that we can help each other be better - both on the mats and out in the real world.

My three boys have been training at SBG Niagara for more than 3 years now. They started as absolute beginners and have grown immensely both as martial artists but more importantly as young men. Rich Beaupit is a gifted coach and an even better human being. His classes focus on fundamental principles as well as vital life skills in a fun and engaging environment. He has a genuine passion for his work which rubs off on his students. My kids love coming to the gym and have bonded with the community that is SBG. I wouldn't dream of having my kids anywhere else.