Chapel Hill Gracie Jiu Jitsu

Gabe is an excellent kickboxing instructor. He's extremely skilled and knowledgeable. His classes are not just cardio kicking and punching, but focus on proper technique, form, and real skill development without getting injured. He explains movements clearly, gives great feedback, and makes every workout feel purposeful. I highly recommend his classes if you want a workout, learn something new, get stronger, and have fun.

Very instructive and safe! Great environment!

Jake provides insightful feedback throughout the class, which helps me understand what I'm doing a deeper level.

Very welcoming and helpful. Learned a lot !

It was a great class and exactly what I needed to work on. Jake has a way of breaking down each move so that we focus on the big picture, not just the details. He guides us through the techniques carefully, pointing out what to pay attention to and why it matters in the flow of a match. I appreciated how he kept us engaged without rushing, giving time to absorb the concepts while still keeping the energy up. By the end, I felt more confident and clear about how each move fits into the overall strategy, which is exactly the kind of clarity I was looking for at Chapel Hill Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

I always enjoy Gracie CHJJ with Mazi Heydary. World class instruction in a fun, family, environment. Truly a gem of a gym. We are lucky to have this in incredible resource right here. It has changed my life for the better in countless ways. Thank you Mazi!!!!!

grandmaster jake is the best. I like how he pushes me but also knows my limitations. man is always taking the time to answer my questions, explains things well and makes the class fun. love grandmaster jake ❤️

I’ve been coming to Alex’s class for about 4 months now. He is a great coach! Alex is very knowledgeable and friendly but also tough. He keeps pushing me to go harder each class. As one of the only girls in class, he makes it a safe, welcoming environment. Alex’s class is my favorite class I attend here.

Liv is awesome! Always energetic- great music and bonus points for serenading us during the workout!

Very supportive and kind. Great coach!

Liv is an incredible kickboxing coach. I have learned so many new skills from her despite my years of kickboxing experience at other gyms. Liv makes her classes engaging and knows how to challenge students without pushing people past their limits. I really appreciate Liv’s emphasis on footwork—it’s helped me immensely with my balance and coordination skills. Thank you for all you do Liv!

The coach was great, it motivated armando. Armando thought it was fun and very motivational.

Class was amazing, as usual. It is incredible to me how Jake can teach class that is helpful and informative for the brand new trial students who haven’t yet bought a gi and for me, coming up in three years of training. Not only is there impressive attention to detail, but the details are seemingly endless. As you collect the rudimentary details, the finer details become accessible and relevant. Thank you, Coach Jake!

Fun class! Very sweet and welcoming instructor - nice beginner vibe

Jake is an excellent instructor who is able to point out key areas for a technique and why they are important. If I am having difficulty with a technique, Jake usually can immediately diagnose the issue.

👍

Jake is an excellent Jiu Jitsu instructor. He is very knowledgeable and detail-oriented. When I miss certain details during his demonstrations, he will take the time to walk me through the technique and explain the reasoning behind certain movements. His dedication to helping students is commendable and makes a huge difference in my progress and confidence on and off the mat. Highly recommend

He is a great teacher. He always gives you a leason that cause you to think.

jake is very knowledgeable and is a funny and kind fella. makes everyone feel welcomed

Great first class - people are welcoming. Headed back for more.

Great class with a world class professor, come join the fun hobbyist or competitor Jake is amazing.

She did great! She showed me the different punches and kicks as a beginner, and asked us a lot of questions just trying to integrate us into the group. Definitely would take another class if my schedule permits it.

Liv was very welcoming and helpful to me during my first time kickboxing! Liv helped me put on my hand wrap and gave me additional instructions during class to make sure I was understanding the form. I enjoyed Liv's energy and I want to bring my husband next time because he would enjoy the class, too!

Liv was amazing! I felt very welcome and she was super nice but also pushed us, which I loved !

Jake explained the techniques very well and step by step. He also answered questions patiently and provided feedback.

It was a very productive class. Well balanced the times for stand up, Groun work and sparring. The instructor is very clear to understand.

Jake always teaches clearly, supports Gracie's welcoming family atmosphere, and drops jokes in that just make me smile. :) He is always happy to answer questions and provides clear feedback that seems tailored to each individual (for me, gentle -- but to someone who's more of a jokester he'll poke fun because he knows they can dish it out and take it). Jake and the other staff at Gracie are what make every practice special!

Megan is such an amazing instructor! She is patient and welcoming and takes the time to make sure everyone is comfortable and understands the moves. Love her class every time!

It was a great class!

Great class, best singer!

Liv’s class balanced technique and fun for an overall great workout! She took time to focus on my individual technique for kicks and blocking. I felt that I advanced my skills with her meaningful pointers. I always love attending her kickboxing classes and look forward to the next one!

Private classes with Jake are incredibly beneficial.

Fantastic! Felt welcome and challenged. She gave group instructions in a fun way as well as one on one help when needed! This will be my regular class

Fast paced but thorough review of self defense and guard game. Great energy and patience.

Always learning from this man! Fantastic instructor

very clear directions. enthusiastic and very responsive to questions.

Good fundamental class with live applicable drilling.

Mazi, as always, is incredibly helpful, passionate, and meticulous in teaching all aspects of self defense. He always spends additional time to ensure the students truly understand not just the moves of the day but the fundamental concepts behind them and how everything connects together.

It’s always a joy training with Coach Banks. If you want a Mind blowing, intense workout then this is your place to go! The warm ups you do will have you breaking a sweat and prepare you for the intense workout ahead. If you have a hour to spare just come train here!

My first class was great and it felt like a very safe & supportive environment!

Megan always explains and demonstrates moves clearly. She helps her students understand the how and why of self defense. Megan is also patient and facilitates a safe and open environment. Her classes are funny and informative and something I always look forward to!

Class was great today! It was my first day back in a while and it was easy to slip back into the groove. Liv always has great energy, clear instructions and helpful corrections about technique!

Well rounded and comprehensive coaching.

Liv is amazing, supportive, and fun. I loved how i didnt feel pushed to do anything out of my range. She will give you great cardio workout. I loved it.

Jake was immensely helpful and great. He's always a super supportive coach and creates a great gym atmosphere.

Jake does an excellent job of explaining techniques, and keeping things fun and entertaining. I enjoy his classes.

I like the way you show us and explain the different moves

Jake was fantastic! He did a great job with breaking down new techniques into digestible pieces. He was also able to provide paired/individual adjustments during drilling, which was super helpful. 12/10 would recommend.

In addition to his high-level BJJ knowledge and wisdom, Jake has exceptional teaching talent, as shown by how he delivers information to the students. He makes classes accessible to all levels and types of BJJ practitioners.

Megan is a very kind and knowledgeable teacher. She always pays close attention to make sure I am not making any mistakes and she creates a very comfortable and no judgment environment.

It was a very nice class today. We learned the hip throw technique in the correct way and we also had some direct feedback from the coaches themselves.

I like your detailed and technical style, Mazi, when you research and explain how and why each step is done.

Very detailed and logically structured class

The energy was great, loved it.

As always at CHGJJ, when we reviewed fundamentals we did so with an advanced focus. Not just making our technique better, but also working on scenarios and how to increase success rate. Great class today!

The quality of instruction is amazing! Coaches Jake and Mazi take time while students drill demonstrated techniques to adress all the small details that might be lacking, or to come up with specific solutions based on individuals' limitations. I love this place. I especially love that the gym does not buy off-brand toilet paper. On the rare occasion that i need to use the gym's TP, I feel like one of those cute and huggable Charmin bears when the deed is done. My training partners are pretty cool too.

He explained all the moves very well.