Gracie Barra West County

Gracie Barra West County operates at 15425 Manchester Road, Ste 7 in Ballwin, Missouri. As an official academy of the Gracie Barra organization, the school provides Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training and practical self-defense education for youth and adult practitioners across the Ballwin area. Instruction is directed by Head Instructor Professor Blake Chatham, a black belt who has practiced martial arts since 2003 with competitive experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, and mixed martial arts. The instructional staff also includes black belt Professor Jonny Kruse alongside youth coaches including purple belt Coach Brad Lenz, Coach Ali, and Coach John. Instructors guide students through positional control, guard defense, joint locks, and technical rolling. Academy coursework is structured into standardized programs tailored by age and development. Course offerings feature children's martial arts, youth and teen classes, adult men's and women's training, and introductory fundamentals. Classes integrate technique breakdowns, repetitive partner drilling, and supervised sparring designed to cultivate physical stamina, mental discipline, and grappling capability.