How it started
Owners Josh Grant, known around the gym as “Ninja Josh,” and Matthew Johnson, “Monkey Matt,” soft opened the gym in November 2017. The pair met while working together as coaches at a parkour gym in Austin. Before settling on the current space, they constructed a backyard parkour gym to host classes and build community. Once they were ready to expand, that same community helped build The Jungle Movement Academy.
“Maybe 10-12 different Saturdays in a row people would show up–40 people—to volunteer [and] help us to build this place,” Grant said. “I've never been part of something like that before, where just so many people volunteer multiple hours [and[ multiple days of time just to support a dream.”
How it’s going
In 2023 the academy expanded from being an 8,000-square-foot facility to 22,000 square feet of training space, fit with trampolines, rock climbing walls, a foam pit, a tumble track, a weight-lifting area, a double-spring floor, aerialist training center, sauna and party room. They have a full team of coaches for each discipline—some who started out as young trainees at the gym.
The gym is a membership-based program with different levels, ranging from $130-$240 per month with a $100 joining fee. The Jungle Movement Academy also hosts after school programs, camps, open gym and special events, including a parents night out and a lock in. Grant and Johnson also offer a free trial class to all interested parties.
Who it’s for
The gym caters to community members of all ages and abilities as young as 3 years old. The space is very family oriented, Johnson said, with the class schedule organized so that parents, children and teens can all take class at the same time.
Grant and Johnson are aiming to teach people of all ages, but especially younger members, to be aware of their surroundings and use their skills to be adaptable in any situation.
“We could just be like, ‘No running in the gym,’” Grant said. “Or we could take that opportunity to be like, ‘Hey, look up, down and all around before you do anything,’ right? And you drill that into these kids and all of a sudden they have a new skill [and] they have a new ability to survive.”
Whether it’s parkour, trampoline or aerials, each discipline brings its own unique sense of freedom, Grant said. That feeling is why he thinks trainees keep coming back.
That's why people are so addicted to it, Grant said. “Yes, [it’s] the community and yes, you know, getting stronger and that kind of thing, but just being free. It feels so good just to jump and fly.”
What’s in a name
Grant and Johnson named the gym The Jungle Academy because they love animals, nature and adventures. They also believe that everyone embodies a different kind of animal with individual skills—from birds, to monkeys and cats.
“Everyone's like a different animal and we wanted a space where all animals can come together under one ecosystem and train with each other, learn from each other, teach each other and really combine all these different communities together into one space,” Johnson said.
Another key aspect of the gym is its training model: the dragon philosophy. At its core is the belief that the dragon embodies all animals and their skills, and to embark on the “path to dragon” members should be willing to learn all techniques.
“With that philosophy, we talk about trying to cross-train, like go learn parkour, go learn gymnastics, go learn how to fly on the trampoline, go learn how to swing [like] a ninja warrior—so really promoting the whole gym,” Grant said.
What’s next?
While Johnson and Grant aren’t planning to open a second location soon, they are focused on preserving the gym's community-based culture, atmosphere and overall vibe through any future expansions.
“Our passion is just to keep this place what it is for people, which is a place of freedom, a place of movement [and] a place of community,” Johnson said.
The pair is interested in expanding digitally, though, potentially making instructional and educational videos for people to follow along to at home.
“We don't exactly know where our future is headed, but we do know that we will be bigger than we are now,” Johnson said.
- 2701 Gattis School Road, Ste. C-100 Round Rock
- www.junglemovement.com
