Gracie Barra Research Forest

“Can’t say enough about our great experiences at GB Research Forest. Our 11 year old has been attending for just over a year and loves it. Coach Dylan leads most of the classes my son goes to and he’s fantastic. Lots of learning and enough fun that he always wants to go back. The whole staff have been nothing but welcoming since day 1. Highly recommend to everyone. There are always new students starting and from the coaches that do waivers and paperwork and answer all the parent questions to the coaches on the mat to the owner, everyone is always super welcoming.”

“Great place to train! Great facilities, high teaching level and overall a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere, professors and fellow practitioners of all shapes, forms and age. If you are beginner or seasoned higher belt, that’s the place! Everyday porrada! 🤙🏼”

“Excellent academy! My child attends jiu-jitsu and kickboxing here. Professor Joel and all the coaches are great with kids. The classes are a great blend of fun and structure for the kids. I have seen my child’s skill and confidence exponentially grow at this gym. Would 100% recommend this gym to any one looking for themselves or child whether looking for fun, self defense or to compete!”

“Great gym. Great people. Very glad we enrolled our 5 year old daughter. Professor Joel and all of the assisting coaches are great with the kids. They enforce discipline while still demonstrating a ton of patience and providing lots of positive feedback and encouragement. They've got a really nice system of skill demonstrations with practice and skill building games to help retain attention throughout class. My daughter loves it here and there's no question that she's benefitting physically and mentally from attendance. The fee schedule is an excellent value as you are able to attend multiple classes weekly. Also, this gym is CLEAN. Really. Clean clean. I'm a mom of 4 and over twenty years we've done a lot of shoeless activities from various gymnastics and ninja classes to other martial arts. Professor Joel's gym not only always smells fresh and clean, but these kids come off the mat after rolling around for an hour in a white gi, and the gi is clean. The coaches always reiterate that the kids put shoes/slides on the second they step off the mat, and that really shows up in how clean the mats stay. As a mom who gets tired of kids passing around germs, I notice the exemplary cleanliness of this gym. My husband and I agree that Gracie Barra Research Forest is an incredible value for benefits attained. Our daughter is gaining so much and is always stoked to go to class. We never drag her to this activity. She's first one out the door. Great asset to the local community. Addendum: I just want to add to this review how impressed we are with Coach Dylan. All of the coaches bring something to this gym that really adds to the classes, and we think that Coach Rocky, Coach Diego, and the whole team are great. Our daughter is fairly big for her age, and that presents special challenges for instructors of a physical AND mental sport like jiu-jitsu. Most of her class time is spent under the instruction of Coach Dylan, and his patience, for starters, is unmatched. He's calm and grounding, authoritative but fun and supportive. Mixed age and skill level classes are *tough* on instructors, but he has a knack for meeting each child where they are and giving them the notes and encouragement they need to progress. We feel like we struck gold with this team, and I wanted to especially highlight Coach Dylan's great job.”

“Gracie Barra Research Forest is an excellent academy! It has been a great place for my son, not only as an athlete but also for his personal growth. The lessons taught here go beyond the mats—they focus on discipline, respect, and life skills. The professor and coaches are incredibly attentive and always willing to help, even outside of regular class hours. I’m very happy with the education and support we’ve received here. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking for top-quality training and a positive environment!”