Why We Built a Family-Friendly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was 20 years ago, and my wife and I were sitting on the bed thinking about the new martial arts academy we wanted to open in Fort Collins. We were talking about what type of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) academy we envisioned having. We were focused on BJJ, as we didn’t add Muay Thai classes until many years later.

There are many different directions you can go, and I think it’s great that there are so many different ways to run an academy since there are so many different people and interests. You can run an academy that focuses on adult students fighting in mixed martial arts (MMA), or you can have a more family-friendly academy where kids and adults all train together. You can even run a school like some of the Gracie academies that only focus on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu self-defense rather than the sport side.

What my wife and I decided is that we wanted a school where entire families could train together to create a friendly atmosphere, but at the same time, we wanted a place where students interested in competing in sport BJJ could also flourish. My wife and I met in BJJ classes 25 years ago, and both of us really enjoyed competing. We wanted to make sure we could offer that, but we also saw families training together down in Boulder and saw the huge benefits it had for the whole family.

Fast-forward 20 years, and I feel very proud of the academy we’ve built. We have one of the largest martial arts schools in town, and we’re proud to have entire families training with us. Sometimes we will first have a kid that starts, and then the mom and or dad will get into it, or the other way around.

Based on everything we have seen since we started, I want to share four of the biggest benefits a family gets from training in BJJ together.

Connecting Through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

I think that nowadays it’s very hard for families to find time to connect. Training in children’s BJJ, adult BJJ, or Muay Thai can be a great way to do this. There’s a saying that “families that train together, stay together,” and I think this ties into the benefit of connecting while training.

This connection happens because while you’re at the academy, you can’t look at your cell phone, and there are very few distractions. You are forced to connect. This connection is crucial. When challenges come up within the family, which will inevitably happen, having a strong connection helps you work through those challenges more smoothly and effectively.

Building Confidence for the Whole Family With BJJ

Another big benefit of training in BJJ with the whole family is that it increases confidence for mom, dad, and the kids. When you get in here and put yourself in challenging situations, you build confidence as you strengthen the idea that you will be able to handle yourself if someone ever tries to attack you.

Having confidence in life is so important. As we all know, life can be very challenging at times, and we have two ways of handling those challenges: you can either feel like a victim and feel defeated and scared, or you can believe that you’re a powerful individual with unlimited potential who can handle anything that comes at you.

The latter is what I wish for every family that comes to train with us. So much of success and happiness in life is about the mindset you have.

Getting in Great Shape Together in BJJ Classes

One of the coolest things that happens over time for families that train in BJJ together is that they all get in great shape. Now, this is not like some of those drugs out there where you can just take a pill and lose weight; there’s no quick path to sustained good fitness and weight loss.

However, we see families come to train with us, and within six months or so, everyone is looking a bit leaner and stronger. This is not only really good for every family member on the inside for health reasons, but it also helps families feel good about themselves in general.

There are so many temptations out there, like sweets and other foods that can add weight to our bodies, so families need something like BJJ to counter all of those tasty things.

Developing Problem-Solving Skills Through BJJ Training

One of the last benefits families get from training in BJJ together is the ability to solve problems better. Everyone knows that even in a healthy family, problems arise. We also know that if problems are not handled well, people can start to yell, get angry, or in extreme situations, even resort to violence.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is like human chess. You’re constantly being confronted with problems, like “How am I going to escape this arm bar?” or “How do I get better at taking down a friend who is much bigger than me?”

I know this is something my wife and I are continually working on: how to handle problems that come up in a way that is constructive rather than hurtful for the family.

Train Together and Grow Together as a Family

In closing, I would like to personally invite any family members reading this to come try a class at our academy to see what you think. From what I’ve seen over the last 20 years, families can get a ton out of training in BJJ together.

Having a healthy and well-working family can bring so much happiness and joy to everyone. You owe it to yourself to try this out.

Hope to see you on the mat soon!

– Professor Finnie McMahon