I am the Program Director and Owner of Kilian Academy (Owen Sound, Canada), a sister club of Stillness Academy (St Beaufort, Carolina). I have known coach Cesar Clavijo for about 9 years. He is an elegant man with his love for BJJ over-shadowed only by his love for music. Coach Clavijo is a competent brown belt under Roy Dean, jockeying for promotion.Both coach Clavijo and I have been students of Sensei Roy Dean and his philosophical approach to BJJ. Stillness Academy is an embodiment of Coach Clavijos sound interpretation of that philosophy, seeking nothing other than peace and excellence through the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.Stillness Academy offers a philosophically enhance version of Jiu-Jitsu, without sacrificing the arts efficacy.If you seek an academy that offers a life enhancing experience, Stillness Academy should be on top of your list.

My 6 year old daughter was dealing with anxiety due to a lot of changes in her life. We are a military family, and lots of change is inevitable. We wanted to find her a productive outlet for her, one that would not only serve as a place to physically release energy but also one that would nourish her soul--as corny as that sounds. We heard great things about the Stillness Gym from friends, so we signed our daughter up for the 2 Week Trial. From the first class, our daughter LOVED it. After a month, she was THRIVING. It was the perfect outlet: physical exercise, encouraging words from Caesar on facing your fears and overcoming obstacles in life, exercises to build her confidence and self-esteem, learning skills to protect herself, skills to center herself mentally, and socialization with a fantastic group of kids. We noticed a huge difference in her attitude as well after a month--she tackled challenges she had been too afraid to try before (like a kids rock climbing wall). She knows that trying your best is the most important thing, rather than winning. I personally love that the emphasis is on learning skills and building self-esteem vs. an obsession with competition, winning and focusing on physical appearance. The studio has no mirrors, and a childs physical appearance is of no consequence. I just cannot say enough great things about The Stillness Gym. We are so thrilled to have found it, and to have Caesar training our daughter. Thank you.

Even tho I’m the least skilled, Ceasar is always very patient with me in his teachings. And he always reminds me every one has to start somewhere. We sweat a lot but we also have fun in his classes. I’ve only been here since October but I’m better than I was when I started, not as good as I want to be but I’m learning!

I had been hearing a lot about Stillness. I have dabbled in martial art training as a teenager and wrestled a lot. I have been active, working out with weights, running, playing sports, etc... but needed something different. I wanted something would train and discipline me holistically. By that I mean mind, body and spirit. After enrolling my 7 and 13 year old and taking a tour, I felt that Cesar had the approach to training that I was looking for. So, that day, I enrolled myself into training there. Although Im just starting, I cant remember feeling so positive about starting on something. With the vibe that the staff and members exude, I have felt welcomed and am extremely excited to continue.

I have seen Cesar teach, and I have observed him learn arts other than JuJistu. His approach to both teaching and learning is in harmony; it is with committed grace and observation, absolute but also gentle concentration. That is a rare combination in teachers and in students. The true-but- cliche statement among great teachers is that they teach to learn. Cesar is a model of why that is not an empty trope, and the opposite of a dismissal. Ones own learning process feels honored when working with him. The trust the students have in his expertise is undeniable and well-founded, and that power and authority is balanced with his humility and openness.

My six year old son attended Camp Stillness for a week in June and absolutely loved it! Not only did he have fun in a nurturing environment, but I felt comfortable knowing he was being well cared for and safe. He learned about self defense, did yoga, meditations, had water play, did arts and crafts, and much more! Highly recommend this camp!

Awesome place to train! Caesar was very welcoming even let me borrow a gi as I didnt pack one on this vacation. I didnt plan on training since Im only in town for a few days but I found this gym on Facebook and decided to visit. The facility is awesome and the students were very nice and made me feel welcome. Very happy that I had a chance to get some mat time in and would recommend this place to anyone visiting the area or even moving to the area! Thank you Caesar! OSS!

My five year old recently attended his first class at the Stillness Gym, and already I can see a change in his self confidence. Im very impressed with Cesars teaching style with the young children and cant wait for my son to learn more!

There is no where else I would even consider training at in Beaufort - Cesar Clavijo, the owner/teacher of the Stillness Gym is everything I you want in an instructor: calm, poised, knowledgable, motivational, dedicated, skilled, and eager to see students succeed. This is a zero-stress environment, where your training can be as rigorous or as gentle as you’d like. Everyone I’ve encountered on the mat has been incredibly kind and considerate, from beginners to advanced students alike. I can’t imagine exercising/learning/rolling in a better environment.

Im on vacation and am always looking to find a place to train. Im glad I ran across this place, great people, positive attitudes, doing real Jiu-Jitsu. Thank you for the hospitality.

I train BJJ out of town, and I emailed Cesar to see if I could attend an open mat session while I was in Beaufort for vacation. I had a great time rolling with Cesar and his students - the gym is clean, people are friendly, and BJJ instruction is top notch. Any town would be fortunate to have a gym like The Stillness Gym.

Beautiful school! The instructor is under Professor Roy Dean, one of the best.

Angel Ryan‎ to The Stillness GymYesterday at 6:47pm · Beaufort, SC ·Im going to try to get this comment as accurate as I can. Leticia (Brazilian Exchange student) said Wow. That was really fun. I learned how to choke a person two different ways. I liked it better than dance. No body was judging me. Even though in dance I dont believe they are judging but there are all those mirrors. I feel really good about me. Thank you Mum. I told her not to thank me. Thank the Stillness Gym. What they are doing with children and their confidence and self esteem is amazing. So from both of us to the Stillness Gym Thanks so very much. Dont know how we could ever repay you for the job you are doing. Jiu jitsu rocks!

I started jiu-jitsu in the 7th grade, when I thought the only difference between the various martial arts was the type of noodles they consumed (joking).. But 2 years ago I had very little knowledge, experience and interest in this world of self-defense and attack skills. Coming into the gym for my first classes, I was often full of dread and exhaustion from track practice. Little did I know, that not only would I eventually learn how to fight (and submit) people with 5 times my muscle mass, or who were at least twice my size, but I would learn so much more. Now a 9th grader, I carry myself differently, I can see the world from a different perspective, and the best part is, Ill keep growing and Ill keep learning more. There is no doubt about that at the Stillness Gym. Cesar doesnt just teach life-defense skills, he teaches life skills.

Great in so many ways. Love it!

Was in town visiting family and had the opportunity to attend a weekend open mat at The Stillness Gym. The students were positive and welcoming. The instructor Cesar is a knowledgeable and skilled jiu jitsu practitioner, who was a pleasure to roll with. There is another self proclaimed BJJ school not far from this one that I attended a class at while in town last year. My experience there was the complete opposite of the one I had at Stillness. Negative environment, poor technique. The experience level claimed by the instructors was questionable to say the least, given the fundamentally unsound jiu jitsu I saw and the way the students conducted themselves. Left with a very bad taste in my mouth. Stay away from Beaufort MMA. There is only one school in Beaufort where you should start or continue your jiu jitsu journey, and that is The Stillness Gym.

My journey at The Stillness Gym began with jiu jitsu and hybrid classes. I quickly learned that jiu jitsu is an extremely physically and mentally demanding martial art. Fortunately, Cesar Clavijo (owner/operator of The Stillness Gym) is a very patient instructor. Unfortunately, a recurring back injury began to disrupt my progress. I initially hurt by back over 15 years ago. Since then I have spent a substantial amount of time and money dealing with subsequent injuries and trying to find ways to both strengthen my back and prevent further injury. While many remedies - to include chiropractic alignments, massage and physical therapy - have helped, they have proven to be limited in their ability to provide sustainable relief as my fitness goals have evolved. It wasn’t until I discovered The Stillness Gym, and Cesar, that I was introduced to a new perspective on fitness. This new perspective is holistic, practical, and individualized to help me overcome my weaknesses and pursue my fitness goals.While The Stillness Gym may be recognized for its outstanding jiu jitsu program, it is only one aspect of what Cesar has to offer as far as health and fitness are concerned. Personally, I’m just excited to see where this journey takes me! - H. Burt

We love The Stillness Gyms youth Jiu Jitsu program! My 11 year old son has been taking Jiu Jitsu with Cesar for a few months now. He comes home after every lesson excited to show me new things hes learned! Cesar is truly passionate about teaching these young children how to defend themselves. I have already signed my son up for a year and look forward to many more years of instruction to come!

I took privates with Cesar before he opened the school and im currently a student whos been training there since it opened. One of the great things about the gym is that more than just Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is offered. Cesar has extensive knowledge about health and fitness that give the gym, and the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a unique dynamic.The Jiu Jitsu is special in that learning how to warm-up properly and prepare your body for the specific movements covered in classes is emphasized. Its not simply: do jumping jacks or shrimp up and down the mat, then learn a technique, then roll. Here I learned the many types of shrimping (moving up and down the mat on the ground), the details of movement of each and what each are used for, etc. Here no detail from start to finish is overlooked. The atmosphere is one of acceptance, humility, and community. Were all just on different stages of the journey-Thats how I think wed put it.Although I havent done too much personally with the Health-First Fitness side of the academy, I can say that judging from what we get in the BJJ classes that there is a lot to gain from doing it. Whether youre just looking to get out of the house and stay active, lifting weights, running,generally any athletic discipline-Learning how to take care of your body is an important part of success (especially long-term) that can be accomplished here.All the equipment and mats are high quality and the gym is very clean and set up nicely.The Stillness Gym is definitely a special place, and only just getting started. Come check it out, and youll see what I mean.