GRACIE JIU-JITSU ATHENS at American Black Belt Academy

I signed myself and my children up for training at this academy roughly four years ago. I did hardly any research prior to joining. I only knew that I wanted to train Jiu Jitsu and a former coworker had mentioned he trained at this facility prior to moving out of town. I dove right in; attending as many classes as possible, changing my work schedule to accommodate my training schedule, paid baby sitters and even brought my kids in to watch me train. What I didn't know when I joined was that my life would significantly change. I became more fit, more confident, and more driven, by simply showing up and learning Jiu Jitsu. I also didn't realize at the time that the quality of of instruction I was receiving was far beyond that of other schools that I could have just as easily walked into. I truly got lucky in this case. In the four years that I have been training, I have witnessed the growth and improvement of so many people, in and outside of the gym. This place is genuinely special.

Great academy, with great group of people, where you can learn self defense and reap all the benefits that martial arts offer. Facility is very clean and program very structured and organized taught by amazing instructors. For sure one of the best places to learn authentic Gracie jiu-jítsu

More children deserve this kind of instruction! My young son has trained at American Black Belt Academy for years. During that time, I have watched him grow into a respectful, assertive and confident peacemaker. Neither of the children’s programs encourage the use of violence or aggression to solve problems. Quite the opposite. The focus is on teaching kids important social skills and emotional regulation to avoid conflict and respond in a calm and acceptable way to challenging situations. In martial arts and jujitsu, there is an emphasis on self-awareness and self-control that transcends the physical aspects of the training. However, the physical techniques that are taught are powerfully effective.My son was repeatedly victimized and physically attacked by another child over an extended period of time. I was unable to partner with the other parents to address the situation. It was the typical “deny, deny, accuse” situation. Finally, one evening after an attack, my son gently brought the other child to the ground, pinned him there and asked whether the child would leave him alone. My son didn’t hit or kick this other child. He held him -- skillfully, artfully and with compassion and awareness for the other child -- while he waited for adult intervention. My son told me he was watching at all times to make sure the other child could talk and breathe, like he had been taught to do with his sparring partners during training. My son was calm and in control due to his training. After that incident, the other child never laid hands on him again. No amount of “talking it out” was going to help with this family and avoidance was impossible. I’m beyond grateful to American Black Belt Academy that my son had the skills he needed to resolve the situation on his own using nothing more than a hold and his words. As importantly, my child was able to debrief with his coaches at American Black Belt Academy and process the incident in a supportive and empowering environment.Later, in an afternoon program, another child came up behind my son and put his hands around my son’s neck. Due to the training he received at American Black Belt Academy, my son was able to quickly maneuver the other child’s arm away from my son’s body and place it behind the other child’s back while he waited for an adult. My son did not get in any trouble for the incident because he didn’t strike or hurt the other child in any way. He simply immobilized the other child and gained control of the situation, maintaining his own personal safety in the process. In my mind, the most important aspect of this encounter is that it was a non-event for my son. He wasn’t afraid to remain in the program. He wasn’t scared he might have another encounter with the child. His confidence was manifest in the fact he made a joke out the fact the other child accused him of using “lame karate on him.” He had the social-emotional skills to simply move on. He wasn’t paralyzed by fear or anxiety. The entire encounter was something he had been prepared to handle, physically and emotionally, BECAUSE had been properly trained by the amazing coaches at American Black Belt Academy.As a single mother, I have also appreciated all the back-up I get from Randy McElwee and the exceptional coaching staff. If there are behavior issues at home or school, you better believe they will be addressed on and off the mat. This is a place where personal responsibility and self-reliance are character traits of paramount importance. I cannot thank American Black Belt Academy enough for helping instill those values in my little fella and giving him the skills he needs to handle life's more challenging moments.

Best place to learn authentic Jiu Jitsu! The program is second to none as it is self-defense based, taught in highly organized curriculum that establishes a sound foundation to build on. Instructors are extremely competent lead by Randy Sensei who maintains a professional yet friendly atmosphere in his dojo, making everyone feel safe and welcomed. I highly recommend this dojo!

These guys are amazing. Starting a martial art can be intimidating, but when I came to check out this place I was hooked from the open and friendly atmosphere and the in depth knowledge of all things BJJ and martial arts. The owner Randy is approachable and loves what he does, which permeates throughout the dojo. Besides the friendly atmosphere, one of the best parts about this place is the teaching quality. It’s one thing to know how to do something and another thing to teach it - I have found it easy to learn and ask questions, because of the focus on clear and specific details of techniques. I have been attending for over a year now and have had a blast. It’s a welcomed stress relief from grad school. I highly recommend American Black Belt Academy to anyone interested in BJJ or martial arts.

I cannot say enough amazing things about American Black Belt Academy. Their instructors are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. The curriculum is very well structured with emphasis placed on safety. The class atmosphere is one full of comradery and free of egos. A great gym where you can bring your family and be treated as such. Do yourself a favor and come check out Athens' only authentic Gracie Jiu Jitsu school.

The American Blackbelt Academy is the perfect fit for the entire family to learn martial arts and self defense. They teach self defense for the real life practical situations that you could possibly encounter on the streets today; self defense to the EXTREME!! THIS IS THE REAL DEAL!!! This stuff is AWESOME!!!I have been a member for almost a year and have recently enrolled my 8 yr old and 11 yr old boys, who are also as excited as I. I couldn’t be more pleased with our continued progress in Gracie Jiu Jitsu by following their very structured curriculum. I feel better, I am more confident and I have gotten in better physical shape as a result.The instructors are extremely knowledgeable, professional and compassionate about what they teach and the many programs that they have in place. They are personable and truly care about your success as a student.I feel as though I have a second family; friends for life and the only regret I have, is that I didn’t enroll sooner!Gary Michael

I started training here last month and it’s been an amazing experience. The instructors do a fantastic job of educating Jiu Jitsu and the introductory class is filled with wonderful people eager to learn the martial art. Everyone is encouraging and patient, which I find helpful since I’m brand new to Jiu Jitsu. I would highly recommend American Black Belt Academy to all my family and friends. I’m glad I started my path in Jiu Jitsu with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Athens Team Pedro Sauer.

Randy is a top notch martial arts professional which is reflected in the quality of his academy and his students. If you are looking for a family friendly environment that excels in the technicals of self defense including striking arts and Gracie Jiu-jitsu, look no further. I highly recommend American Black Belt Academy in Athens!

American Black Belt Academy is the real deal. I have been an US Army Infantry officer for over 10 years with three deployments to Afghanistan under my belt and I can honestly say that the lessons that I learned from Randy helped me both in combat and in my daily life. His philosophy of teaching practical techniques that are battle proven is something that I have always sought in my marital arts instruction and that is exactly what Randy offers especially with his new Reality Urban Combatives program. I first trained with Randy back when I was an undergraduate at UGA and since then the lessons he taught me allowed me to achieve success in several military combative training events and even winning my weight class in my battalion’s combatives tournament while I was serving in the 101st Airborne Division. I just recently moved back to the Athens area for graduate school and to me there was no other choice in marital arts programs.I am honored to have known Randy for almost 15 years and have recommended and will continue to recommend his dojo to friends and family.