I started taking classes at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Imperatori 14 years ago and fell in love with it immediately. Approximately a year ago I received my blackbelt at the age of 62. It has been the most rewarding activity I have ever been involved with. The staff and instructors have created an environment that is safe and goal oriented. I have seen many young students benefit and grow into confident young adults as a result of Kids program that Steve Brown and his instructors have built.

Outstanding instructors and inclusive class community. Classes focus not only on the fundamentals of beginners and advanced BJJ technique but also the principles of discipline, endurance, and teamwork applicable in all aspects of life.

Having experience at another Jiu-Jitsu gym before coming here left me a little nervous about how my next gym would be. Fortunately, my experience so far at Imperatori GJJ has been great. I was warmly welcomed into the community and have already made great relationships with my fellow students and instructors. The environment is a casual but rigorous one and the emphasis on self-defense gives me comfort in knowing that what Im learning can also be applied effectively off the mats.

I’ve been training Gracie Jiu Jitsu for almost 2 years at Imperatori. Steve Brown and his team of skilled instructors have been absolutely fantastic since day one. For anyone on the fence or tentative about getting started in Jiu Jitsu, I promise you Imperatori Martial Arts has the most friendly, welcoming environment to do so. The awesome culture here is something we all take pride in and responsibility for. I’m so proud to be a part of it. See you on the mats!

I attend classes here along with my 7 year old son and have nothing but great things to say about the instructors and students. I was hesitant to start but the welcoming environment made it easy. Its the perfect outlet after sitting at a desk all day.

This is a really great environment to learn Gracie jiujitsu. I did the trial class, not really knowing what to expect, and have been hooked since!Update: Officially a year in and still loving it!

I was in Atlanta for business and my son was traveling with me. There isnt a Gracie gym near where we live so we train using Gracie videos in our basement. We decided to try Gracie Jiu-jitsu at Imperatori while we were in town for our first ever live jiu-jitsu lesson. We could not have had a better experience. Steve, Marty, and Stuart were personable, professional, and excellent instructors. They spent time with us to make sure we learned each technique thoroughly. And they obviously trained their students well, all of whom were encouraging and supportive to be around. If I lived in Atlanta, I wouldnt hesitate to be a jiu-jitsu student at Gracie Jiu-jitsu at Imperatori. This was the by far the best customer service experience Ive had in an industry in a long time. Thanks, guys.

After completing my 8th class at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Imperatori, I can confidently say I’ve found my favorite place to train.All of the instructors have been nothing but professional, welcoming, and a wealth of knowledge.I should also mention that trainer and trainee safety is always at the forefront of everyone’s mind.I highly recommend taking advantage of the free 1st time class!

Great community and facility!🥋

I have been training here for a few months as a new white belt and I am very happy with my decision to come to this school. Both the instructors and students make it a welcoming environment for everyone. I would recommend this school to anyone interested in training jiu-jitsu.UPDATE: Been training for a little over a year now and I seem to love it more and more each day. Would highly recommend Jiu Jitsu in general and this school specifically to everyone!

This school is great...I have been to a few. These guys really stress the practicality of techniques for the beginner, self defense, and the safe practice for all students. The instructors and advanced students are friendly and patient, while the regulars upper or lower belts are very welcoming. This schools atmosphere is where; one can break a sweat, gain confidence, and learn something that just may save your life in a hands on environment.Revisiting the above after 3+ years.I wouldnt take anything I wrote back but Ill add I personally, have built life long positive relationships with my training partners maybe you can too!

I’ve been taking classes here for a couple months. I started as a complete novice so I was a little intimidated walking in the first day. But everyone was so instantly nice and friendly it put me at ease. In my first class the instructor took time to show me the basics first so I could then jump into the lesson for that day. I’m now taking three classes a week and love it!

We started taking our 5yr old daughter here a month ago. She absolutely loves it and weve seen a great difference in her confidence. I would highly recommend this place to everyone!

The culture at the Gracie Jiu Jitsu program is excellent, offering a great balance of friendly environment and focused technique. From the instructors to the newest students, everyone is welcoming and open to working with you. The lead instructors are extremely knowledgeable and are fantastic at covering technical lessons and working with all ages and abilities. Everyone in our family takes classes here, and we have made this is our second home. This is not a competition program so it’s not right for everyone. The focus is on self-defense. If you want to learn a sound system for self-defense in a fun and safe gym, then this is definitely the place. They make it super easy for first-timers: no appointment necessary, schedule is on the website, and the first class is free.

Love this place! Steve and Marti are great ! They have women classes and adult classes as well! All my 3 kids are going there for about 3 years or more ? ! I stop counting 😉 love them!

I have been training with these guys for about a year and have loved every minute of it. The instructors are very knowledgeable, not only about tournament based jiu jitsu but about real world scenarios such as gun, knife and street fighting also. Steve Brown provides a safe family friendly environment for his students to train.

It can be difficult for some people to embark on a new path and start over, and this is especially hard when it comes to something physically demanding. The unknown can be daunting. The people at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Imperatori understand this and facilitate this adjustment to all those who come. No matter the body type, age, gender, all are welcome to learn and take charge of their life. Whatever impediment that a person may think they have that would prevent them from becoming more than what they currently are, is dissolved. This is a place where they can grow their confidence, take charge of their life, learn to capitalize on opportunities, improve their health. Newcomers are warmly welcomed, ego is never an issue.

I had a great day training at Imperatori Family Martial Arts today. I felt like part of the family the moment I walked through the door. Thank you for taking me in.

My son has loved his jiu jitsu experience here from Day 1. Great instructors, supportive environment. You can tell the instructors love it, and they care about their students learning the craft and having fun. I highly recommend Gracie Jiu-jitsu at Imperatori!

I trained here for ~9 months before moving out of the area. Welcoming family-friendly environment for learning jiu jitsu fundamentals and also womens self-defense (a rare find in the ATL area!). Steve, Marty, and the other teachers are warm and attentive with a great sense of humor and a focus on safety.

Im not sure who loves Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at Imperatori Karate more, me or my 11 year old son. We benefit so much from learning with Steve Brown, from practical self defense, great exercise, confidence building and bottom line, its a ton of fun. Steve and his team of the instructors are amazing! Ive seen my sons confidence blossom, and that alone is priceless. I wish I could give them 10 stars!

Absolutely great people. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable, they have a very flexible schedule, and everyone is very friendly.

If you are looking to learn jiu jitsu, develop some self defense skills, get a work out, make some new friends, and have fun; then this is the place for you. Steve Brown is the lead instructor and hes phenomenal. All of the upper belts will help you, work with you, and not make you feel stupid. Its a very safe & supportive place to learn. Feel free to come join us!

Gracie jiu jitsu at its purest! A great environment with great training partners to learn the art.

Great school, Great people. Weve known Steve Brown and company for years and have learned so much from his instruction. He is very encouraging and positive making the experience fun and rewarding. The style of Jiu Jitsu is very practical but is flexible enough that it can be used in competition if desired.

Five stars!!!

My son and I are both students in the Gracie Jiu Jitsu program at Imperatori Martial Arts. While he is a “do-first, then think” 9 year old, I am his bookish 49 year old counterpart; yet the instructors are able to teach both of us with the appropriate levels of patience and enthusiasm. But because jiu jitsu is a martial art that can only be learned through being performed, it is more realistically the students who teach one another; and this is truly the strength of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu program. We have a dynamic and diverse community of student practitioners, each of whom can be counted on to be attentive and aware; which is a great good thing, given the real-world applicability of the Gracie system.

Great Jiu-Jitsu program. It is very female-friendly, and I like the focus on practical self defense and keeping your body safe for continued training, vs competition or pushing to exhaustion. The instructors and students are all very welcoming, respectful, and helpful. I would highly recommend this program

These guys know how to teach kids jiu-jiutsu. They have the right balance of discipline, fun, and safety with an emphasis on learning, not winning. The adult classes are bit more relaxed than other gyms without losing the focus on learning and mastering the art. If you, or your kids, want to learn jiu-jitsu from great instructors, in a friendly environment this is the place for you.

The Gracie Jiu-jitsu program and instructors are Black Belts and top notch. I love the emphasis on self defense for kids and adults. The program is family oriented and has been there since 2006. Lots of families.

Update to my original review below... My entire family (4 of us!) trains here. My son led the way and has been training for 4 years now. It has and continues to be a great BJJ studio. The instructors provide an amazing level of detail. There is no attitude or ego. Im serious. Everyone is welcomed. Its a very laid back environment. Self defense is the focus so we get a good mix of standing and grappling techniques. We even learn weapons defenses.-------I love this place! My son (8 y.o.) and I both do jiu jitsu here and its top notch. The instructors and other students are very welcoming to people of all different personalities - even the shy, introverted ones. The environment is not intimidating like other gyms. When you first begin, the instructors take the time out to work with you one-on-one to ease you into it. BJJ has become my sons favorite sport because of this place. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable and methodical with explaining and showing each technique. Not to mention they are super nice and personable. I highly recommend this place! If youre hunting around, give this place a shot. Promise youll enjoy it!

Steve Brown is an extremely experienced, top notch martial arts professional which is reflected in the quality of his training and his students. Joey Imperatori features an unequaled facility and family environment. There are many Jiu-jitsu schools in the area to choose from but If you are looking for a family friendly environment that excels in the techniques of authentic GRACIE JIU-JITSU for self defense the choice is very clear. Nothing matches Gracie Jiu-jitsu at Imperatori. I highly recommend this martial arts school above any other in the area.

The Gracie Jiu Jitsu classes at Imperatori are outstanding. Theres another jiu jitsu gym about 4 minutes from my home, but Ive been making the commute to Imperatori for nearly a year because its exactly what I was looking for. Everyone here is welcoming, friendly, and supportive, and the classes offer the right balance of technique demonstrations / practicing with partners / real-time feedback from instructors, with a priority on safety (and just the right amount of humor). If youre looking for a sport jiu jitsu program (i.e. techniques to win more points in a tournament setting) this probably isnt the right place to train, but if your goal is to learn a truly effective self-defense system in a fun, safe, welcoming environment, this is the place to be.

Best family-oriented most realistic self-defense school available. I have known the head instructor, Steve, for over 30 years and I wouldnt recommend anyone else. He specializes in the self-defense aspect of Jiu Jitsu - teaching the art as it was meant to be taught. My kids and I both train there. We drive one-hour one-way to attend classes but we are very comfortable at the school and I feel like my kids get top-notch instruction in an atmosphere that is always very kid-friendly. I have over 20 years experience in Jiu JItsu, with a black belt from another school, but, thanks to Steve, I am still learning and improving on my self-defense skills at Gracie Jiu-jitsu at Imperatori Karate.