Martial Arts Schools near Stafford

“You have many excellent choices of martial arts academies in this area, but Gracie Barra stands out in terms of culture, the dedication and focus of the owners, a laser focus on safety, and the skill of Professor Thiago both as a practitioner and instructor. Whether you are researching the right academy for yourself, your children, or both, here is why you want to choose Gracie Barra in Stafford.-Culture: This is a community and a family. You’ll feel it the moment you walk in the door. It starts with Professor Thiago knowing everyone’s name, even if you or your kids are there for the first day or for a trial class. The feeling extends as everyone takes care of each other, trains hard and strives to be their best, but maintains the utmost respect for other students. There are no jerks here who try to tear your arms off, because the Professor sets the example with his calm, caring leadership. We train and fight hard, but we respect and take care of each other above all things. I genuinely like the people I train with, without exception. The Professor’s family also trains at the academy, and this adds to the positive feeling of community.-Dedication and focus of the owners: Professor Thiago and Jamie run the academy full-time. This is what they do for a living. Teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and running the academy in the best way possible receive their total focus. It makes a difference in the level of organization, the time and effort they expend with the kids at tournaments, and Professor Thiago’s continued personal commitment to training and competing.-Laser focus on safety: Wherever you train, you are trusting the instructors to provide a safe environment. As someone who has led high-risk training, I recognize the best practices implemented at this academy. When it comes to children, you are trusting your child’s safety to the instructors. Gracie Barra does an excellent job mitigating risk at all levels. Professor Thiago identifies potential risks and briefs the students on how to mitigate. Supervision is excellent. For children’s classes, almost every coach assisting the Professor is a parent with a child or children in the class. Professor Thiago puts thought into how he pairs up the kids, ensuring proper matches in terms of size, skill, and attitude. All these count towards keeping the academy safe. Several of us that train at the academy are older and have a lifetime’s worth of injuries. The culture of taking care of each other and the focus on safety make it possible for us to train hard without losing time to injuries.-The skill of Professor Thiago both as a practitioner and instructor: It matters that the chief instructor still competes. It keeps him current and sharp. It also matters that the chief instructor is a jiu-jitsu professional that has maintained a singular focus on jiu-jitsu as his life’s work over decades. All this contributes to the quality of instruction. Even to those just starting out, having someone with Professor Thiago’s level of knowledge will give you the ability to progress faster and with greater safety. Being a professional who has dedicated his life to Gracie jiu-jitsu, the Professor brings the highest level of instructional excellence. For those at the academy who compete in jiu-jitsu tournaments, having this level of instruction and coaching is important for their development as competitors.If you’re hesitant about doing martial arts or having your child do martial arts, the best thing you can do is reach out and give it a try with a free class. You’ll know if it’s the right place for you by the end of the session. If you come to Gracie Barra Stafford, you’ll be surrounded by students who work hard and take care of each other, whether they are adults or kids, in a safe environment, with the best possible instruction.“

“The Masters are excellent mentors and teachers of kids. They help instill morals, good work ethic and fun into studying a martial art.“

“Mr Hampton is the karate instructor you are looking for to teach self defense, respect, and how to help others. Really like his teaching style and how he handles his students. Great instructor.“

“This place is great! My kid loves attending the classes. The instructors are very patient and friendly. They push their students to be the best they can be. You know the milestones that your kids need to meet to belt up. Highly recommend this place!“

“I highly recommend Mt. Kim for any parent looking to improve their childś physical and social skills while increasing self-discipline and confidence. Classes are a great combination of fun and serious, challenging and rewarding. The greatest testimony to Mt. Kim (and Instructor Keith) is the way they meet each child (or adult) where they are and encourage them to improve and work toward their goals. This is not a ¨cookie cutter¨ program; each individual is recognized and cheered on as they work to improve their martial arts AND life skills. I also love their Mom Squad of parents that practice along side their kids. Everyone can participate at their own level in a welcoming, supportive atmosphere.“