Gracie Barra Sugar Land has been busy of late, celebrating its second anniversary July 9 and expanding its martial arts facility to hold more programs simultaneously.

Owner Brian Marvin said Gracie Barra—pronounced “Gracie Bah-ha”—is a place where the whole family can learn the art of Brazilian jiujitsu, a martial art similar to wrestling and rooted in self-defense techniques.

“It’s a very family-centric type place where the kids can support their parents when they’re training, or the parents can definitely support their kids when they’re training, too,” Marvin said.

Children can start classes as young as 3 years old, and sessions are divided by age. For adults, Gracie Barra has fundamental- and advanced-level jiujitsu classes. It also has kettle bell and fitness classes.

“We like to instill discipline and confidence and have fun while doing it,” Marvin said.

Once Gracie Barra expands its current 4,000-square-foot space by 1,400 square feet—scheduled for completion Sept. 1—Marvin said the business will offer more programs, including adult cardio kickboxing, children’s kickboxing, children’s wrestling, adult wrestling and two fitness classes for strength and conditioning.

Marvin’s passion for jiujitsu is rooted in his experience wrestling in high school, college and in the Army. He opened the Sugar Land franchise of Gracie Barra a year before he retired as a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army in 2015. The Gracie Barra Association was founded by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. in 2006 in California and now has locations across the world.

“I wanted to continue to compete, and the closest thing to wrestling for older people is submission grappling and Brazilian jiujitsu,” Marvin said.

He participates in jiujitsu competitions all over the world. He placed second last year in the World Master Jiu-Jitsu International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Las Vegas and is also a first-degree black belt.

Marvin said some of his Sugar Land students, including children, also compete at martial arts events.

“I love teaching Brazilian jiujitsu to adults, but especially to kids,” he said. “It gives them something that changes them for the positive. It gives them self-confidence.”

Gracie Barra’s program director, AJ Smith, signed her own three children up for the business’s jiujitsu classes, wanting them to be able to defend themselves if necessary.

“When it comes to jiujitsu, strength isn’t the focus,” Smith said. “It’s technique because with the proper technique you stand a chance against a bigger opponent.”

Marvin said the sport’s techniques help smaller people defend themselves against larger people using leverage.

“When it comes down to it, whether standing on your feet or going to the ground, Brazilian jiujitsu is going to have you covered in both of those aspects,” he said.