Gracie Barra Hayden Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Self Defense

“Two Decembers ago, Gracie Barra Hayden was offering a free recreational month of Jiu Jitsu for children. I had no idea what this consisted of but wanted my son who was 9 at the time, to try something new and physical. We had no idea how much he would love it. Coach Eli and Coach Nikki have created a gym that welcomes and encourages everyone with open arms. They are dedicated and have become family. My son has learned to be more respectful, has more confidence in himself, is getting stronger, has made new friends, and has found passion in a sport that can also help him to protect himself. The other really cool thing about this gym is that all of the Professors and Coaches offer different teaching styles and techniques. It's fun, challenging, and they teach something new everyday with a different focus each week. If you are looking for family community or want to try something new without judgement, this is the place. Thank you Gracie Barra Hayden for all that you do for us!”

“I can't say enough great things about Gracie Barra Hayden! The kids' Jiu-Jitsu program is absolutely top-notch. The instructors are not only highly skilled but also amazing with the kids. They create a positive and supportive environment where children feel encouraged to learn and grow. The classes are well-structured, teaching discipline, respect, and valuable life skills while having fun. My child has gained so much confidence, improved physically, and made great friends along the way. The facility is clean, welcoming, and has a fantastic atmosphere. Highly recommend Gracie Barra Hayden for any child interested in Jiu-Jitsu!”

“This place is seriously amazing. We joined about 8 months ago and have had a wonderful experience. The staff is all very kind. The coaches are a great mix of fun and discipline. You can tell they really enjoy what they do. Love the structure and order of the class. It’s so fun to watch them train and grow confidence in learning self defense. My kids look forward to their classes every week!”

“We have been so impressed with the entire team at Gracie Barra in Hayden. The kids’ program is fun and encouraging while maintaining a structured group. They teach jui jitsu skills right along side respect (for themselves and others). My son loves going to jui jitsu!”

“I was looking for a jui jitsu gym with a good kids program for my son when he was 7. I wanted him to build some self confidence, resilience, and learn self defense skills that will stay with him for life. Gracie Barra Hayden was the perfect place. Owned by a great family and an overall great atmosphere. I then got my youngest into classes. Watching all their practices gave me the itch! Having wrestled in highschool a little, dabbled in judo and jui jitsu around 19 or 20 y/o it’s only natural. I wasn’t sure how my knee would hold up after 3 knee surgeries and being in my late 30’s. I asked the owners if I could give it a go for a week and see how my knee does. It’s now 16 months and a blue belt later and I’m still plugging along growing more and more every year technically and as a person. The biggest benefit is that Gracie Barra Hayden has become a part of our family. My kids have made good friends, I have made friends and the sense of community is something that was missing for me. We hang out after class, we have bbq’s at the gym, we have potlucks and UFC fight nights, they have date nights for parents to drop the kids off and go out for a couple hours, we do lake days together, the owners set up a camping/lake trip for the school and the list goes on. We have people from all walks of life from Doctors, Nurses, Electricians, Plumbers, Mechanics, Cops, to stay at home moms. We all help each other out one way or another. One of our guys changed out a driveshaft in the parking lot for another to help him out! Another benefit is that within a relatively short distance there are 2 other Gracie Barra schools in Spokane. You can mix it up by going to those gyms and sparring/learning with a whole different set of coaches and belt levels. Professor Markus in the valley and Professor Maeda (yes related to THAT Maeda) in north Spokane are top notch black belts and all around great guys. If you travel a lot, there are a ton of schools nationally and internationally. You just bring your gi and are welcomed on the mat like family. I went to visit my parents in Colorado last year and popped into a GB gym in Colorado Springs for a class. It was a great experience. Another guy I roll with went to Italy and popped in a class in Italy and in Spain. I can’t say enough good things about Gracie Barra Hayden and the Gracie Barra family in general. Thank you for everything!”