Chattanooga Jiu-Jitsu Academy

Chattanooga Jiu-Jitsu Academy operates from a 5,000-square-foot facility at 3901 Hixson Pike in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Established in 2002, the academy is owned and directed by head instructor Mickey Swafford, who has trained in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for over twenty-five years. Swafford is a certified instructor under Eddie Camden and Professor Pedro Sauer, a sixth-degree black belt under Rickson and Helio Gracie. The school focuses on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu instruction tailored for practical self-defense, ground control, and physical fitness. The curriculum offers adult jiu-jitsu classes covering leverage, joint locks, escapes, and positional hierarchy designed to help smaller practitioners neutralize larger attackers. Schedule options include women's self-defense programs, private instruction, and jiu-jitsu for seniors. Youth students train in the Kids Gracie Jiu-Jitsu program, developing non-violent self-defense, body awareness, and anti-bullying strategies. Instruction takes place in a family-oriented environment with classes running six days a week. Mats and training areas are cleaned and disinfected daily to ensure student safety and hygiene. Prospective members can schedule a free one-week trial pass to experience classes firsthand.