Paulo is a great instructor. When training with him there is no pressure he takes his time with you…read moreand ensures you fully understand the technique before moving on. He encourages studying the origins of BJJ and makes training fun. I've became addicted to the art and get excited when on the way to train. Paulo creates an environment that is conducive to training! I'm proud to have him as my instructor and am happy to be part of the brotherhood!

From the owner: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art focusing largely on ground fighting. It utilizes natural body…read moreleverage and proper technique to obtain dominant control on the ground and, as a result, provides greater position for striking or submission holds.

Professor Aparecido "Bill" is absolutely the best instructor around. My 12 year old daughter has…read morebeen studying with him for about three months now. She has gained confidence and has learned real world self defense. It's very rare to find someone with outstanding technical skills and the ability to pass it on to his students. His patience with students and passion for BJJ are second to none. I have been so impressed with Professor that I plan on joining in the near future. Professor Aparecido "Bill" is a terrific martial artist and a true gentleman. He is humble, respectful and kind to all. He is a true representation of what martial arts should aspire to be. Mark T

This gym is a great place if you are looking to start jiujitsu or are a returning student. I came…read morehere after a while of not training and Coach Bill and his wife were super friendly. They allowed me to check out the class and then helped sign up that day! If you're looking for a safe, clean, and experienced jujitsu gym for you or your kids this is the place to be!

Good school environment. Friendly, lots of classes for kids and adults. Amazing coaches. I've…read morethoroughly enjoyed training here for the past year and can't recommend this place enough.

From the owner: If you're looking to flip your fitness routine upside down, look no further. At Studio 8 BJJ, we…read morebelieve that anyone is capable of success. The arts of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing are not just amazing for the body, but they cultivate the mind too. Studio 8 BJJ's Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing programs will help you master self-defense, while also instilling a lifelong sense of confidence and empowerment.

Top BJJ school, in Jacksonville, hands down. The two main…read moreinstructors are a 8th degree Coral belt, and his son who has been ranked in the top 10 in the world! This school is very family oriented and there are a lot of children and adult competitors. Kids class always has multiple instructors on the mat, so each kid gets a lot of attention. It's not every day you get to train with a top ranked Master and a top IBJJF competitor!

Tried to cancel membership today and they charged me a $170 "cancelation" fee aka rip off. Parents…read morebeware. Furthermore, they sent me some random contract that I never signed.... See email response below from this company: Hey Amber, We are sad to hear that Journey will no longer be training with us but do understand things happen. Per our membership agreement, we have processed your cancellation fee of $170. Journey can come in and train until 03/24. If you have any written documentation of your cancellation request any sooner than today, please send it over our way. No further payments will be processed. Thank you Beware... they only care about your money.

Excellent gym. Very organized gym. Love the structure of the classes. The instructors were very…read moreengaged. My son had fun and learned. Super confident that this is the best school in Jax. They offer most convenient times as well. We have visited a lot of schools for wrestling and jujitsu and this is hands down the best one.

AOWJJ is the absolute best gym you could ever go to and train at. Professor Art is one of the…read morenicest people I have ever met, everyone at the gym is very welcoming. if you ever come to jax and want to train bjj, MMA, wrestling this is the place to go!

We have been with Tersaks for 8 years and love it! Such a family oriented environment.read more

I watched my nephew during his lesson and I found it very entertaining to see how kids can pick up…read moretechniques that I only thought I would see on television. Some kids were funny. Some were serious and others were just there being themselves! Students of all ages were there. Male and female... they had different levels so I felt a person wouldn't feel intimidated or embarrassed for lack of skill. Pretty cool experience in my opinion.

My kids trained at another BJJ (Brazilian jujitsu) gym for a few years and didn't grow much in…read moreskill or confidence. We looked at other gyms, including Smiley. After taking the trial classes, we decided to stay at Smiley. The reasons? My kids were happy there and were excited to return because they, "Had fun"- their words. The coaches are hands on and encouraging. There's no pressure for them to compete, which isn't a goal of ours (the parents) or the kids. We want our kids to learn self defense because we feel it's a necessary life skill. The coaches at Smiley respect that and train our kids just the same (unlike other gyms that pushed private lessons and competitions). I like the affirmations Coach Smiley shares at the end of class. In addition to learning self defense, I want my kids to build confidence, resilience, determination, etc... the coaches at Smiley help speak life into the kids while teaching them self defense techniques. Lastly, I like the options they have for kids (8 and up): MMA, Boxing, and Muay Thai! They have BJJ for kids 4 and up I believe. It's nice to have a place they can learn different skills and have the time to do it with their packed schedules. You get your moneys worth! I'm looking forward to seeing my kids grow in skill and confidence at Smiley Academy.

Kids trained elsewhere for years without much progress. Smiley has been a game-changer. They have…read morefun, hands-on coaches, no pressure to compete, and a focus on self-defense, confidence, and resilience. Options for kids include MMA, Boxing, Muay Thai, and BJJ. Kids are excited to attend, and I can see them growing in skill and confidence. Highly recommend.

Great class and instructors. Thank you for all you do and for taking the time…read more Great class and instructors. Thank you for all you do and for taking the time.

Tonight I took an AMAZING self-defense class and I would highly recommend it to any woman who…read morewouldn't know what to do in the unfortunate case of being attacked. It was enlightening and empowering to learn new self-defense tools that I hopefully will never ever have to use. But knowledge is power and I wanna walk outside feeling confident and powerful, especially being with my son most of the time. Nobody messes with mama bear!! I can't wait to take the next level classes! #canttouchthis #mamabear #selfdefence