This is hands-down my favorite dojo in America! The head instructor, Corey, is schooled in many forms of martial arts and an absolute expert in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is able to teach all levels at once which is a special skill to have; and he does it effortlessly! I was intimidated to practice with the experienced students as I didn't want to hold the class up, but Corey motivated me to join them no matter what, and I couldn't say no to his warmth and authenticity! This and many more of his teachings have empowered me to show up consistently and accelerated quickly! Since starting to train here 3 years ago, my whole life has upgraded. My body has strengthened, my mind has become more aware and present, and my confidence has finally spiked! The people that train here are also inspiring, all in their own ways, and they're a joy to be around. I will continue to recommend this academy to everyone I know, every age, every size, every type, cause Corey is supreme! read more

Gulf Coast Jiu-Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Mobile, Alabama

I cannot say enough great things about this practice and the owner, Corey. His level of teaching is one of a kind. Our boys have been in his class for over a year. Corey instills in each student not only self defense and BJJ principles and skills, but also a sense of self value, worth, respect, and honor. He teaches all of his students through his own actions and character how to show kindness and have integrity for their words and actions. Furthermore, I have witnessed Corey personalize his teaching to and pull the best out of each student -- I've seen him tell children who are shy and quiet their voice is valuable and worth hearing -- I've seen him teach children who are wild and/or struggling with obedience/self control that self discipline and paying attention are great skills in life. This is THE BEST BJJ location in Mobile for all ages!! read more

More than family Originally when I first moved to Mobile, I was looking for just a jiu jitsu school that trained in self-defense jiu jitsu school and I found that. But what I also found was a shelter for the times I felt the most vulnerable in my life. I found lifelong brothers and sisters who have been with me, while for the first time of my life, I moved to a new city and didn't know anybody. The environment mirrors leadership. The environment's reflection naturally cultivates love, growth, honor, and respect, to your training partner, the forefathers of jiu jitsu, yourself, and anyone you meet in life both on and off the mat. When you take time to bow to your training partner, you trust the person in front of you will keep you safe, help you learn, keep it fun, and aren't just hunting for a submission. This showing of respect is a well-known part of our culture. I can't stress enough how much growth is an integral principle of GCJJ. Personally, I remember grappling with Corey who is the main instructor. Important to note that Corey has a second-degree black belt. After going for about 20 to 30 minutes and exhausting all of my energy, Corey said something profound to me that changed my outlook on training, mental health, and life. He rhetorically asked, how can you expect to control me, if you can't even control your breathing? I believe that I not only grew as a martial artist, I grew as a person. Growth and an open-mindset spark creativity. I have been training in jiu jitsu for four years and have had to rebuild my foundation of jiu jitsu which takes an open mind, but tailoring is key. Most jiu jitsu schools you go to, you do a move, might or might not fully learn the move, and then grapple without reinforcing what you might have learned. In class, the instructor takes time to make sure each person, no matter their level, understands the move and then we use what we learn in class while in grappling sessions (also known as sparring) to maximize our learning. The lessons at that point are tools in your toolbox. Tailoring is key - the SAFE course is for anybody to learn how to defend themselves even if you're not interested in sparring. The leadership meets you at whatever level you're at and doesn't just use a jiu jitsu move for a one size fits all approach. I thought I knew somewhat about martial art principles, but Corey and GCJJ have sculpted my understanding about de-escalation (both verbal and nonverbal), how to keep my base to maintain coordination, and how to manage distance from people who can potentially cause harm. read more

I attended Gulf Coast Jiu-Jitsu for 9 weeks while I was in town for an internship and I can honestly say it was a fantastic experience and a huge time of growth for my game. I came in as a new purple belt but I had never been exposed to instruction as detailed and rich as I had here and exposure to the Rickson curriculum and philosophy fundamentally changed my understanding of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Corey is an accomplished practitioner in several forms of martial arts and expert in BJJ. He is manifestly dedicated to the success and growth of each of his students and is extremely generous with his time, rolling with and assessing their individual progress, sharing his wisdom, and answering questions. He is a very intentional instructor and cultivates a respectful environment and an amazing attention to detail. The culture of the academy is fantastic and all of students I had a chance to interact with during my time there were friendly and respectful and I felt right at home. Be genuinely eager to learn, respectful, and ask a lot of questions and you will go far here, a real gem of a BJJ academy. read more