Gracie Humaitá Austin

Without question best Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction and atmosphere in Austin. I have had the privilege to train around the world with some of the best and GH Austin remains in the top. Professor Paulo Coelho and staff are not only very welcoming but offer the most technical jiu jitsu instruction. This is a very open and welcoming team that has a great environment for learning. This place is void of ego and tough guy mentality. They also have a very strong women’s and kids program. Great instruction, training, and environment. The location is great and being centrally located its easily accessible from anywhere in Austin.

Kids love training here! We just started but kids were welcomed with open arms. Instructors really train kids to better their Jiujitsu and create friendships. Class time is used wisely, not any «dead time». Instructors roll with kids daily. Great gym!

If you are a busy professional with numerous other obligations yet you still want to practice a sport that is both unbelievable challenging and very applicable in a real fight, and yet still forgiving of a «mature» age, this is a place to check out! Gracie Humaita Austin has a top level facility with a world-​class Brazilian instructor (a super friendly 4^th degree black belt) and a greatest variety of Jiu Jitsu practitioners you can imagine. You can meet here everyone, from UFC fighters, soldiers, and peace officers, to mutual-​fund investors, programmers, and engineers. I believe there are also few chefs, lawyers, and a state prosecutor training here. And they are open every day, multiple times a day! Highly recommended!

I have been doing Jiu-​Jitsu right at 7 years now and I feel like I have trained in some great places with some really great people. Gracie Humaita Austin is by far better than any where else I have trained. From the administration to the instructors there is great attention to detail. These guys make sure that every part of your experience is perfect. Want to train just to get in shape? No problem. Want to train to be an MMA fighter? Several UFC fighters go here to train. Want to train but feel you are too old (you are not)? There is a whole class full of guys that are 35 to 60. This place has it all. The best layout of mats I have ever seen (3,000 sf worth). All of that and an instructor that is world class. Paulo is incredible. I have had privates with several Gracie’s and several world champion black belts but none impressed me as much as Paulo Brandao who teaches us all of the time.
If it gets any better than this, I have not seen it yet.

Whether you are brand new to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or have been training for years, Gracie Humaita Austin can accommodate your needs. The main instructor, Paulo Brandao, is the REAL DEAL. He is truly a specialist in the art of jiu jitsu and one of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. From achieving the rank of black belt in 1996 under Royler Gracie, to awarding almost 40 of his own students while living in Brazil, Paulo remains humble and eager to help you achieve your goals.
The training partners you’ll get to interact with at Gracie Humaita Austin are another great asset of the academy. Most are highly committed to living the martial art lifestyle, creating a positive, friendly, and motivating atmosphere. Professional fighters from the UFC and other MMA organizations also train here regularly, in part due to the unparalleled competition compared to other academies in the Austin area.
Gracie Humaita Austin teaches the purest form of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coupled with the best training partners around. Do yourself a favor and try a class.

I consider myself fortunate to have trained at Gracie Humaita Austin several times. I can say, without a shadow of hesitation, that Donald Park and his team offer the most comprehensive, complete and thorough Jiu Jitsu instruction in Austin, and I have trained at almost every academy worth mentioning!
From the moment you walk in the door to when you reluctantly leave, the Gracie Humaita family will make you feel relaxed and welcome. But do not let the smiley faces and genuinely warm greetings fool you; this is a room full of champions, who take their craft incredibly seriously and decorate their trophy walls with the various body parts collected on a daily basis. Prepare to be humbled, in the most cathartic and uplifting way imaginable.
As a lowly white belt, I was initially… Ah, who am I kidding. I about peed my Gi pants from nerves the first time I rolled with Donald and his wrecking crew. But it soon became clear that my fears were completely unfounded. While the reputation of the Humaita family stands true — this IS a room full of killers — not once did I feel out of my depth, uncomfortable or stretched beyond my capabilities. The higher belts (ie. uh… everyone…) matched my pace, providing me with enough room to work while gently correcting mistakes and offering helpful tips. No one smashed me. No one used me as a grappling dummy or a springboard from which to vault their ego. I felt constantly and consistently challenged, engaged and eager to learn more.
Donald Park’s love for Jiu Jitsu as a means of self-​defense, a sport and lifestyle is infectious, and it is clear that he appreciates the desire to learn and share in his passion over established skill. It is rare to find someone of his calibre who is so devoted to teaching others, yet still humble enough to call himself a student.
I look forward to every minute I spend on the mats at Gracie Humaita Austin, and sincerely hope to make it a frequent occurrence in the near future.

Gracie Humaita is the University of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with Donald Park as its tenured Professor. He has a passion for teaching and learning, and is one of the best instructors in the area. On June 30, 2012, Donald brought Henry Akins, a Rickson Gracie Black Belt for an awesome seminar with an emphases on fundamentals and Self-​Defense. Thank you Donald and Henry.