Strong Heart Academy

I’ve known Mike Martin, black belt and head instructor of Strongheart Academy, for over 2 years now. He is an exceptional instructor with mounds of knowledge and years of experience that you can feel when he teaches. There are many good teachers out there but I believe what sets him apart from other instructors is his willingness to give back to the greater community around him. I live over an hour and a half away working in a rural area that basically has no exposure to Jiu Jitsu. Mike Martin knows how Jiu Jitsu can motivate and inspire people to do greater things with their lives so he takes time out of his busy schedule to give us free seminars several times a year and motivates and inspires us to do just that. Many people talk about giving back and serving the community, Mike lives it out. These are the intangible yet valuable lessons for adults and children that are inherent to Mike and his teachings.
I make the trip to Strongheart Academy whenever I can and it is worth every minute. The people there are always welcoming and friendly and there is a strong family dynamic that is refreshing to be a part of. The training is focused and intense with beginners and high level guys all working hard and pushing each other to succeed. The new location is larger with plenty of mat space which goes to show the constant growth of this gym.
There is no other place I would rather train in the Phoenix area than Strongheart Academy. It’s the place to be.

I came to Phoenix to visit family. I was looking for a gym to drop by to get a roll in or two. Unfortunately, most places either had a schedule that didn’t fit in, didn’t answer my inquiry, or thought they were the Mendez brothers and wanted to charge a visitor fee. I found Strong Heart, which had a great schedule, answered any questions, didn’t have a mat fee, and was a Caio Terra associate. The environment was great and it felt like I have been going there for years. The guys were friendly, but made me work hard. Mike Martin was very skilled and laid back. I would recommend anyone to visit or go there is they are in the area.

I was in the Phoenix area during a business trip and I trained at strong heart academy for two weeks their bjj program is fantastic, Mike Martin the black belt instructor runs a very exceptional class, stuff members and the front desk lady are very professional.
From day one I was treated like part of their family never felt like a stranger and all the students (brother and sister) were very helpful and welcoming.
Location is great easy access to freeways and main arteries.
I wouldn’t have any problem giving 6 stars
I strongly recommend Strong Heart .
Howard

The school offers a lot of great different classes, the staff is nice and very helpful. The school is very clean and all of the student are even great. Nice environment I wold recommend this school to all ages, they even offer a toddler class!

Strong Heart Academy is a wonderful place to train Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu, Black Belt Michael Martin is very friendly and patient with all his students. His approach to teaching technique is very simplistic and combines both old and new Jiu-​jitsu variations. I have been training under him for almost a year now and its one of the best decisions I ever made. They are very female friendly here the guys I train with are super supportive and cool they welcome females to train here. There are NO mat bullies here everyone is welcome to train at Strong Heart. They offer Striking fitness classes, womens self defense seminars and Muay Thai. They offer both Kids Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu and Karate classes as well.

I went to their free self defense course, it was great! Mike, the owner, was super knowledgable and gave excellent tips that women can use for self defense. The studio was clean and everyone was very inviting and friendly. I will definitely be back and I highly recommend this studio to anyone.

I’ve been a student at this school for 8 years. The people are very nice and have become good friends w many of the students. I would recommend trying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to women, children, and adults. Don’t feel you need to get in shape before you go, it will happen as a result of training. Brazilian Jou Jitsu has changed my life. This is a great school with great teachers!

My children have been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with black belt instructor, Mike Martin, for about two years now. The staff is absolutely wonderful and always professional. I have always been pleased with the structure and discipline offered to my children. At Strong Heart they truly lead by example and we are proud to be part of the family. I personally began training in MMA and Jiu Jitsu about a year ago and it has changed my life for the better. I love this place and would encourage everyone to come and see for yourselves. It has something for everyone.

Went to self-​defense class which was excellent. Great instructors and clearly laid out. Would definitely recommend for all levels and anyone interested in bjj especially. The self-​defense class would be good for all ages. I’m going to have my daughter take it next. Highly recommend

I took a 3 hour self defense class at Strong Heart this weekend. I was very impressed with the breadth of information and skills we were able to cover in such a short period. I was specifically looking for a class which spent nearly the whole time covering techniques as I was already quite knowledgeable on the prevention piece, this is exactly what I was looking for. Hoping to attend again, perhaps for a review or more advanced/​extended course in order to keep practicing.