BarraFIT For Everyone!

We are on a mission to inspire each of you to find and develop the athlete within. If you have a body, you are an athlete because fitness is for everyone. Nobody is born a Black Belt. We all start as beginners. All we need is a welcoming environment and a strong program for us to get started and improve.

Being part of Gracie Barra, you may have heard the saying, “Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone.” We encourage individuals from different walks of life to enjoy the benefits of Jiu-Jitsu. And with 35 years of experience under our belts, we understand not everyone has the same desire to get on the mats and experience the pressure of someone smashing you. Additionally, for our athletes who are serious competitors, they need extra conditioning outside of regular practice. This is what inspired a fitness program, like Gracie Barra’s Jiu-Jitsu that would be for everyone. 

When we created BarraFIT, we wanted to craft more than a fitness program. We designed classes tailored to suit every level allowing all types of athletes to progress regardless of their background in a sport.

Fitness is an integral part of life, and that is a fact. Physical preparation is essential to living a long and healthy life. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to be the healthiest you can be. 

The journey to discovering the athlete within can be long and complex. However, with our welcoming environment sharing the same values as Gracie Barra, you’ll find that BarraFIT is for everyone — regardless of skill level. 

BarraFIT is a martial arts-inspired fitness program; Barra comes from “Barra da Tijuca,” a beautiful neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where all the inspiration derives. Our background is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, incorporating these movements into our workouts. We’ve been developing and inspiring the athlete within for the last six years, from beginners to advanced students within our Gracie Barra Schools. The origins of BarraFIT can be traced back to the strength and conditioning part of the experience of training at Gracie Barra in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the early 90s.

Master Carlos Gracie Jr. believed his students should be in excellent condition and encouraged them to complement their Jiu-Jitsu training with exercise habits to improve cardio, strength, and flexibility. As major tournaments approached, Master Carlos would dedicate more time to the conditioning aspect of training. The goal was to improve the team’s athleticism by complementing Jiu-Jitsu techniques with other activities; this remains our goal today. 

Our 45-minute sessions contain many partner drills focused on improving your fitness level to a point where you become comfortable in your own body, designed to optimize the athlete's performance. BarraFIT is a natural development of the Gracie Barra Program that will give you a unique opportunity to experience four types of training: Combat, Performance, Strength, and Flex. Everything you need to accomplish your fitness goals in one place, plus lots of Jiu-Jitsu-inspired movements incorporated into our workouts. 

1. Combat: FIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE

BarraFIT Combat promises a fun, challenging, dynamic workout, combining Jiu-Jitsu-based drills with functional exercises designed to deliver metabolic conditioning while developing basic fighting skills.

2. Performance: TRAIN LIKE A CHAMPION

BarraFIT Performance creates a challenging, high-intensity, functional circuit workout encouraging you to achieve the body and mind of a champion, incorporating practical exercises inspired by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu moves. This workout is organized into a fast-paced interval, making for unparalleled metabolic conditioning that will help you lose weight and build an athlete’s body.

3. Strength: PICK UP THOSE WEIGHTS, CHALLENGE YOURSELF, AND BRING YOUR WORKOUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

BarraFIT Strength is a functional and dynamic workout creating an opportunity to achieve your personal bests. Jiu-Jitsu-based drills are combined with kettlebell exercises. While many machines and specific exercises train our muscles individually, the kettlebell offers exercises that train your entire body, utilizing almost every muscle group working together.

4. Flex: CHOOSE STRETCHING OVER STRESSING 

BarraFIT Flex combines functional exercises while optimizing performance through specific poses that target flexibility and balance.

Inspiring the Athlete Within

It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice; if you have a body, you’re an athlete. At BarraFIT, we believe that every person has something to bring to the table. 

Whether it’s strength, capacity, reaction time, or mobility, no matter what it is, there’s a skill you have that can be made better — or there’s something you’d like to acquire. 

That’s why we have four dynamic training programs. But we want to promote more than physical fitness; through BarraFIT, we strive to encompass the following: 

• Mental Strength
• Motivation
• Cooperation
• Discipline
• Brotherhood
• Personal Growth

Book a free intro session today to determine the best conditioning based on your goals. 

BarraFIT coaches are ready to guide you through a program to achieve the next level in conditioning and fitness (602)325-2966 [email protected].

Blog Written by Joseanne Rodella - Gracie Barra Purple Belt