WE ARE GRACIE BARRA
Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone
The world’s largest Jiu-Jitsu team, built on one belief. This art changes people, and those people change the world.
- Founded in 1986
- 1,000+ academies
- certified instructorS
FOUNDER'S MESSAGE
My life is dedicated to Jiu-Jitsu.
My goal was to build a brotherhood to lead the expansion of Jiu-Jitsu.
But we must do this while respecting the essence of our art.
My students are an extension of my family.
I want each one of them to achieve their personal best while helping spread Jiu-Jitsu.
We must do that by honouring the traditions and efforts of those who came before us.
Master Carlos Gracie Jr
Founder
ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
Everything we teach was handed down to us. We did not invent this art. We were trusted with it, and our job is to keep it alive and give the next person a shoulder to stand on.
“Jiu-Jitsu is the triumph of human intelligence over brute force.” — Hélio Gracie
1917 - IT ALL BEGINS
A young Carlos Gracie starts learning Jiu-Jitsu from Japanese master Mitsuyo Maeda. He goes on to teach his whole family.
1920s - THE FIRST SCHOOL
Carlos opens the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school, teaching from the front room of his home in Rio.
1986 - GRACIE BARRA IS BORN
Carlos Gracie Jr opens the first Gracie Barra academy in Barra da Tijuca. He names it after his community, not himself.
2003 - THE RED SHIELD
One red shield is created to stand for the whole team, wherever in the world they train.
2010 - A BIGGER GOAL
Master Carlos Gracie Jr sets the team a target. A Gracie Barra in every city in the world.
TODAY - A WORLDWIDE TEAM
More than 1,000 academies across six continents, and still growing.
JIU-JITSU FOR EVERYONE
Look around any session. Every kind of person is here.
The kid who gets picked on. The parent who wants to feel strong again. The beginner who has never grappled. The competitor chasing gold.
They all have a place here. We will never call you too old, too unfit, or too gentle to start.
You begin where you are, and our method takes you forward at your own pace.
our core values
Three things bring our team together.
Brotherhood
We fight for each other, not with each other. From your first session, you belong to a team that wants you to win. When a training partner gets better, you do too.
Integrity
We care more about people than numbers. We won’t push someone through the door just to grow. We respect the art and every student.
Development
We are here to get better, not to stay the same. Every student grows, in skill and in character. As each of us improves, the whole team grows with us.
Our MISSION
We seek to train body, mind and spirit through the highest level of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction.
We envision it as a vehicle for individual development and the strengthening of the family spirit, going beyond the winning-losing or contest philosophy.
Master Carlos Gracie Jr.
The Red Shield
You will see a red shield on our uniforms and our walls. Master Carlos Gracie Jr gave the whole team one symbol on purpose, so that no single person stood above the rest.
Every part of the shield means something. Tap it to see.
MORE THAN ONE ACADEMY
Gracie Barra is not a single place. It is more than 1,000 academies across six continents, all teaching the same way.
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One system, taught everywhere.
Every academy follows the same proven method, so you always know what comes next. -
Coaches who are certified.
Every coach is checked and certified before they are trusted to teach. -
Safety at the centre.
The method is built around keeping students safe in every session.
Common questions
What is Gracie Barra?
Gracie Barra is the largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu team in the world. It started in 1986 and now has more than 1,000 academies across six continents. Each one teaches the same proven way.
How is Gracie Barra different from other Jiu-Jitsu teams?
At many academies, what you learn depends on which coach you get. Gracie Barra works differently. One proven system, taught by qualified coaches, so the standard stays high wherever you train.
Who can train at Gracie Barra?
Almost anyone. We have sessions for young children, teens, and adults. You do not need to be fit, strong, or young to start. That is what “Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone” means.
Can I train at other Gracie Barra academies?
Yes. Because every academy follows the same method, your training travels with you. Move city or go away on holiday, walk into any Gracie Barra, and you are home.