​If you are looking for a place to simply "buy a membership," there are plenty of commercial gyms around. But if you are looking for a place to sharpen your character while you sharpen your skills, Sharpen Iron Academy (SIA) in Plano is in a league of its own. ​At SIA, you aren't just a number; the professors know you by name and are genuinely vested in your success both on and off the mat. This is a culture of discipline, accountability, and mentorship where the "iron sharpens iron" philosophy is lived daily. ​Whether it's the kids' classes, the youth program, or the specialized women-only classes, there is a deep level of trust and a guaranteed safe space for every student. It is more than a gym--it is a community and a family where you are pushed to grow in a supportive, high-level environment. read more

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My kids started their BJJ journey in the winter of 2022 when they were four years old. My background of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was virtually non existent, but several coworkers sang its praises and how it worked wonders for their children by teaching discipline, focus, work ethic and confidence. Their Godfather helped me research studios and after reading the CV for their head instructor Professor Henrique it was time to give it a shot. They had a lot of fun during the trial class, but they were nervous to start, not wanting to be away from Mom even though I was only three feet off the mat. Thankfully SIA instructors are not only skilled at keeping students engaged during training, but are very family centered, patient and caring. They were able to connect with each one of my kiddos so that they felt comfortable training as I looked on. By parent teacher conferences in February their preschool teacher let me know that both had grown so much in maturity and confidence and was curious to know what I was doing differently. Almost two years later the twins are well adjusted, focused and always happy when they step off the mat after an hour training session. Professor Henrique, Professor Lucas, Professor Matheus, Coach Queila, Coach Enrique, Coach Ian, Coach Ella, and Coach Anthony have become family and there is no other place I would have my children be twice a week. They offer adult classes in the morning and evening and several of the parents after seeing the transformation in their own children have started to earn their stripes as well. read more

Sharpen Iron Academy - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Plano, Texas

We have been going here for over 1.5 years- I have my two sons (9 and 5yo) enrolled here. It's an amazing academy with the most amazing professors. We have nothing but great things to say about SIA. Staff are supportive and really care About each and every child. read more

Absolutely thrilled with our experience at SIA! As a father, I was searching for a way to help my kid build confidence and learn the importance of discipline. After hearing about SIA from a friend, I decided to bring him in, and it has genuinely been one of the best decisions we've made. From the very first class, I was impressed by the warm, welcoming environment. The instructors are not only highly skilled world champions but incredibly patient and engaging with kids. My kid was initially a bit shy, but the coaches took the time to get to know him and helped him feel comfortable. Over the months, I've watched him grow in confidence and start setting goals--not only on the mats but in school and other areas of his life. It's amazing to see him excited and motivated to attend class each week. One of the things I didn't anticipate but appreciate the most is the sense of community here. The academy feels like an extended family, where kids and parents are welcomed with open arms. There's a real support network among the parents, and my son has made friends with teammates who share similar values and interests. We're not just learning jiu-jitsu; we're part of a positive, supportive group that genuinely cares about each other's growth. I'm so grateful for SIA for helping my son build his confidence and resilience in such a constructive way. If you're a parent looking for a place to help your child develop both mentally and physically, this is where you want to be! read more

My family absolutely loves SIA. My 6 year old daughter, 13 year old son, and my husband all take Brazilian jiu jitsu classes here. Over the last year I have watched all three of them grow in so many ways. Strength, confidence,perserverance, patience, and understanding. This is not just a gym, it feels like a community. The professors and coaches truly care about their students. They are AMAZING with children. I cannot recommend this gym enough. If you are questioning starting your child, or at any age, in this program, do it! You won't regret it. read more

Sharpen Iron Academy - Professor Lucas and Professor Mateo. Coaches Ella and Henrique. - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Plano, Texas

Sharpen Iron Academy is awesome. I have been going here for over 5 years. The teachers are great, the culture is great and the space is clean. The professors are willing to stay after class to give advice and the students don't have big egos. This is my home gym and I have no plans on changing! read more

This gym has such a strong community! The professors are highly skilled in their craft and truly care about you as a person. We roll hard but with respect for each other. I have met some great friends at this gym. It is great stress relief to come train after a hard day at work. The owners are incredibly kind people. If you are interested in BJJ, this is the perfect gym for you! read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about this gym. My daughters and I joined several months ago and we absolutely love it there. The Professors & Coaches are top notched Jiu-Jitsu fighters/trainers. Luckily,, they are not too intimidating for beginners. We felt so welcomed right when we walked through the doors. BJ from the front desk gave us all the helpful information we needed and after our first free class we joined. My girls and I built a lot of confidence and a bit of muscle too taking Jiu Jitsu. We felt like a family there. Professor Alex and Coach Theo are just incredible! Sadly, because of Covid 19 - SIA had to close their doors for a bit . To be clear, their gym has always been clean and well-kept. We were given the great opportunity to practice with their online classes from home. Nevertheless, they've taken a lot of precautions and we look forward to returning to our classes. SIA offers great self defense for women and young girls. They also have Muay Thai classes which I look forward to trying out. Honestly, we drive 20 miles each way for our lessons and it is so worth it. SIA Plano and Allen are both great facilities. I highly recommend anyone looking to join Jiu-Jitsu to give SIA a try. read more

Sharpen Iron Academy - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - Plano, Texas

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I don't always pack a gi when I am traveling for work but decided that I needed to train since I would be stuck in Plano, TX for an entire week. I contacted the gym the Saturday before my travel and spoke to Kyvia about visiting the gym; she was extremely polite and helpful. When I arrived to train on Monday, I was informed that Professor Marcus was out of town for the week. but classes were being taught by, the amazing, Jason Hunt. Being a visiting "upper belt", it is always intimidating visiting other gyms because you have a target on your back. This gym was totally different. Just walking to the locker room, I was greeted by lots of other students for introductions. Spending the week training, everyone was extremely welcoming and were also super tough guys. Professor Jason taught some great techniques including some awesome Judo. It was a great balance which seems like Professor Marcus and Kyvia Gracie have built an amazing atmosphere/environment for this gym. I would recommend anyone in the area to train there or visit during their travels. Thanks Gracie Gym Plano and look forward to visiting again soon! Osss!!! read more

Let me start off by saying that before enrolling my son at Gracie Gym, we had ZERO ties to the gym. We knew none of the instructors, staff, students and had no personal business motives. I started off enrolling my seven year old son at some other area gyms and was far from impressed with the quality or structure of their programs. We did more research on local businesses and ran into Gracie Gym. What a breath of fresh air!!! Not only was the staff friendly, helpful and encouraging, but the students and parents were friendly as well. They were very clear and forward when discussing their prices, programs and credentials. I opted to go with a contract which was ONE page and it couldn't have been The various classes, programs and payment options were a welcomed surprise. I feel as if there are programs that would fit any age, experience, and schedule. I'm involved in the medical field and being the germaphobe that I am, I was highly impressed with the cleanliness of their facilities. I later found out that Gracie Gym Plano has their mats professional cleaned and treated to ensure their students and staff are kept healthy and safe. (They clearly display all of their sanitation and disinfection information.) After over a year of my son training there, he has yet to contract any sort of infection, disorder, or even a rash, nor have I heard of anybody else. In my opinion, I would rather my son attend a gym that has a track record of cleanliness than a gym where staff members (whom are not professionally trained in sanitation) say they sanitize the facilities on a regular basis. *stepping off my medical soap box* After allowing my son to join a trial class, I was pleased to see how encouraging, supportive, motivating, and patient the instructors and professor were. I noticed it was disciplined yet still nurturing and fun at the same time. It became abundantly clear that the staff cared about their students. I was also taken aback by the level of attentiveness of the students. BIG CHANGE from where we'd been before. The professor actively engaged the students using hands on instruction. I was impressed to say the least and was easy to see why the Gracie Family has had such success with their students and teachings. I've never experienced problems with payment either. I've had the same amount of dues charged to my card on a reoccurring basis since we've started on the date that was stated in the beginning. I've never had any payment issues and if anything, they've been helpful when I needed to make arrangements out of the norm. I'd read a comment where somebody said that Kyvia Gracie has "ran off" a couple of high level professors. (Marcus and Pedro) I'm not really clear on this part as Marcus is still part of the business and is returning to Plano to teach a seminar early 2015 and from what I could see, Pedro was not the right fit for Gracie Gym Plano. We're used to professors that teach all levels and ages, not just adults. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. All in all, I've never had a problem with Gracie Gym Plano and couldn't be happier. This is a great place to call our "Gym Home." In regards to any negative posts, go look at other businesses. You'll always have those people that you just can't make happy. I would suggest to anybody wondering about the gym and enrolling in a Gracie program, stop by the gym and see it for yourself and I highly suggest trying a trial class. You'll see why they consistently come out on top. read more

Gracie Gym in Plano is a fantastic place to train. I can't stand going to a boring ordinary gym and running on a treadmill or pushing around weights. Why not get in great shape and learn some self-defense? The biggest benefit to me is that when I'm on the mat, I can completely focus on learning and working out and all the stress of the day just disappears. The other members are great and everyone is just enjoying the training. It is not one of those testosterone filled gyms where everyone is just muscling their way through techniques and trying to kill each other. This gym is lifestyle choice. The program is primarily Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. However, there are No-gi classes, Muay Thai and Judo as supplemental training opportunities. In addition, they have seminars from BJJ greats like: Royce Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Kyra Gracie, Rillion Gracie to name a few. These seminars are held about once every quarter. There are women, kids and older people like myself at the gym, so all feel welcome at this gym. read more

The staff here is so friendly and I went as an out of town person. They were informative and made sure I felt really welcome. True definition of bjj fam read more

I came to Plano for a week and wanted a gym to train at while I was here. This school didn't disappoint! COST: There is a free trial class for those who aren't sure. Their prices are also fair, and they'll work with you to find an appropriate plan. TEACHING: The instructor definitely knows what he's doing. During drills, he will also pair the higher belts with the new folks so you get quality assistance. ATTITUDE: Everyone is very nice and helpful. There is no ego. Everyone is there to help everyone get better. TRAINING FACILITY: Dojo is very clean and spacious. There's even a water fountain! SCHEDULE : They have very flexible schedules for all kinds of students. Their schedule supports kids or adults, casual or hardcore, beginner or veteran. If I ever get to come back to Plano, I'm coming back to this gym. The only flaw I could find with the school is that there's little focus put into conditioning (cardio and strength). This isn't that big of a deal though. You can always run and work out on your own time. read more

Gracie Gym Richardson & GracieOne academy -- the only 2 official Gracie academies in the Dallas area. We are fortunate to have these amazing instructions and students under the GracieOne and Gracie Gym brand! I have received many inquiries and would like to clarify that " SIA" academy has no association with the name Gracie Gym or any member of the Gracie Family. There have been direct efforts to leverage the Gracie name to promote an unaffiliated brand. I feel it is my responsibility to clear up any misunderstanding. One Family, One Team! I'm sorry one more time to all the students of the Gracie Gyms in Plano & Allen for any confusion or misinformation that you may have received. read more

Awesome gym! Awesome instruction! We were passing through town and they welcomed us with open arms. We will definitely return anytime we're back in town. Thank you so much! read more

Gracie gym is an amazing gym with great instructors for kids and adults. A little cliche, but definately a place that has a family style environment and egos seem to be all checked at the door. My son has been there going on 2.5 years and I have been for almost a year and it definitely has been an extremely positive experience! Everyone can spar with each other so you can train at your own pace. I can definitely see positive changes in my son's self esteem, dicipline and attitude since joining and the waistline for me has gone down for me. read more

I won't provide names because I don't like unfairly disparaging other organizations after a single interaction but, I visited and did introductory classes at several Jiu-Jitsu schools in the DFW metroplex before this one. What I experienced during my initial visit to Sharpen Iron Academy (at the time it was called Gracie Gym Plano) was fundamentally different in personal interaction, instruction, and mood. There's a reason I stopped looking after attending that class and decided to train here. The others were good schools (for the most part) but the vibe, style of instruction, and overall experience wasn't for me. Here, however, I found my Jiu-Jitsu home. The name may have changed but the reasons I joined have remained. read more

We just started the silver eagle class last week for our two toddlers and they instantly loved it. They have only been to two classes but will be going twice every week. BJ was so helpful from the beginning and getting them signed up. They allowed us to try a class before we signed them up because it is a pretty big commitment and a little pricey but it's worth every penny. The instructors are so great with the kids, never in my life have I seen two men so patient with a ton of 3-6 year olds like they are. My kids talk about the class every day and have already been practicing their moves on each other at home! See you guys next week :-) read more

Thrilled to have a Gracie gym nearby. The no-nonsense training for my 7 year old son is a beautiful thing. Great to see the kids fall into an exercise routine, learn techniques and get hands on. Firm fair and consistent. My son feeds on the discipline and reward system. read more

I was super impressed with the teaching here. I came in with no experience and they took a special interest to help teach me the basics. They explained everything in a simple way that was easy to follow, then watched and critiqued my technique to help me perform at a high level before moving on to the next technique. Overall, it was an excellent, welcoming experience and I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to get into Jiu-Jitsu read more

Beautiful, clean space. Experienced and knowledgeable instructors who keep my kids engaged and learning so much. Enough variety in class to keep my girls challenged and having fun. read more

My daughter absolutely loves class here. She is more confident, she is learning foundational skills to protect herself and she is having a blast. read more

Gracie Gym is an amazing place for kids and adults alike. The instructors are second-to-none, and the team atmosphere exudes "good vibes".

This place is the real deal! Professor Alex and Coach Ighor are awesome human beings. They are personable, kind and always put your best interest first. Whether you are a beginner trying it for the first time or an advanced martial artist, Gracie Gym is sure to challenge you and allow you to have fun too. I'm very thankful to have found this place and hope more people find this gem. read more

This gym has quality instruction, but make sure you read the fine print! My husband was under the impression that we agreed to a six month membership and they have continued to charge us well beyond that. My son attended for 3 weeks as he is involved in other sports and we planned for just a bit of training in his off season. The owner is making NO attempt to work with us to right this situation. BUYER BEWARE!!! read more

I don't even want to give this gym one start. We come from a very nice Gracie qym and decided this was the one to join because after checking them out everything seemed good. When my son started the training the kids were so unenthusiastic. Most of them didn't even tied their belts; they didn't show respect at all. The coach didn't seen to care about it. My son had to work extra hard because the other kids posture and attitude was no negative and unwilling. Again, coach didn't care. To top it all off my son got staph. When I told the lady at the front desk that I wanted to terminate my contract she was upset. We only attended one week and she refused to give me my money back. This was not the place for us. There was no community or willingness from others. The lady at the front desk only cares about the money and not about a customers. I talked to someone else and they left because they never got training for the classes they paid; they never got their money back. Horrible place! read more