Gracie United

4.0 (1 review)

Martial Arts, Gyms, Trainers

Closed • Closed

Add Review

Call

Directions

Website

Services - Gracie United

Personal training

Gracie United Photos

Gracie United - Martial Arts Near Me - Ponchatoula, Louisiana

+45

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Gracie United

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.

Start your review...

Browse more easily on the app

Janet M.

10 years ago

The self esteem of my son rose significantly while he studied at Gracie United. Rafael helped teach my son more than jui-jitsu. I am forever grateful to Rafael and his staff for everything they do for kids in his studio.. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

More info about Gracie United

1675 Hwy 51
Ponchatoula, LA 70454
Directions
(985) 789-6939
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.gracieunited.com

View classes

Hours

What time does Gracie United open?

Gracie United opens at 5:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.Gracie United opens at 10:00 AM on Saturday.

What time does Gracie United close?

Gracie United closes at 8:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.Gracie United is closed on Friday and Sunday.Gracie United closes at 12:00 PM on Saturday.

Mon-Thu 5:00 PM - 8:30 PMFri, Sun ClosedSat 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Payment methods

Does Gracie United take credit cards?

Yes, Gracie United takes credit cards.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Gracie United have bike parking?

No, Gracie United does not have bike parking.

Does Gracie United have parking?

Yes, Gracie United has parking options.

Other Amenities

Is Gracie United wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Gracie United is wheelchair accessible.

From the Business

Specialties

Gracie United is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu-focused martial arts training facility serving the Hammond / Ponchatoula area. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu promotes the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using leverage and proper technique, most notably by applying joint-locks and chokes to defeat the opponent. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the most effective self-defense martial art in the world and is great for kids, teens, and women. Our facility offers a large variety of programs. Though our main focus on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we also offer classes in mixed martial arts with instruction from UFC, Strikeforce, and Bellator veterans. Visit our website for more information!

History

Established in 2006.

Professor Rafael Ellwanger moved to the Louisiana in 2006 and since then is developing and growing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the area. We now have 16 locations and growing

Meet the Business Owner: Rafael E.

Professor Rafael Ellwanger is a Black Belt under Carlos Gracie jr and is training brazilian jiu jitsu since 1994. He current ranked #1 in the world and is the 2013 Black Belt Champion of the World.

Ask the Community - Gracie United

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Anytime Fitness

2.9

(8 reviews)

1.2 mi

Definitely one of the better anytimes! Nice selection of equipment & everything is very clean and…read moreorganized

Went here for a while. Entire gym is a scam. Was billed several times in 1 month and when I asked…read moreas to why, was told it was because there was new equipment they were putting in there. My plan should have covered it all. Every time I tried to get in touch with Gym owner "Marc" he would either, decline/ignore my calls. It was an entire scam up until I finally got ahold of him. He ignored my calls for weeks on end, up until I decided to inform him the policies and make it known my family was going to join me as well. Then he answers within 2 minutes. I told him I'm buying out the contract. Which he then told me would be 999$. False, listed on the anytime fitness policies if you live 35 miles away you are able to buy out for a 50$ charge. When I went there, he proceeded to ask me "how much did I say it would be for you to cancel? 150?$ as to where I responded, "No, it's 50$". Yet another way for him to scam me. Then he proceeded to say he accidentally canceled my membership for next year, not this year. Needless to say, the gym manager himself is a scammer. Plenty of evidence people could use against him. Look out for more charges being added to your account weekly/ monthly. He's a false man, and just wants every penny he can find. If I could rate this a zero I would. Not happy with the way things are ran here. Nice gym, awful owner.

Photos

See all

Snap Fitness

5.0

(1 review)

3.5 mi

Had a very good experience here. The manager AJ was very professional, willing to work you and very…read morehonest. I wasn't able to sign up at this time due to monetary reasons but we tried every option. I definitely recommend this gym and go speak with AJ.

Photos

See all

North Cypress Fitness Center

2.9

(20 reviews)

2.3 mi

North cypress used to be my favorite gym but we had to move out of town and I went back and forth…read morewith the management office to close out my account. They never properly closed it and I was left with a big fat charge sent to collections. When I called to ask why they never properly canceled they said, "oh we aren't sure what happened but it's out of our hands now." Make sure your accounts are closed if you move away or have to cancel membership!!!! Management sucks at their job.

ima a professional boxer I go to different gyms across the region , this particular gym gave me bad…read morevibes today I went into a room with only women working out I didn't read the wall because I don't go to the gym to read , but all the women in the room were staring one literally ran out out the workout room to the office followed by another woman then in came the gym representatives they told me it was women only i told them I'm sorry I didn't see that so I went into the general gym are where a guy approached and told me it was a bad gym for people that look like me he didn't want to make me feel uncomfortable by approaching me first so he waited until I had an experience to tell me about the racist people that come there to workout, we exchanged numbers because I coach also and im a big name in the boxing world, yesterday an older white guy followed me around the gym snarling at me whenever he could I thought I was just overthinking, the day before that a guy asked me to literally get off a machine I was actively using , this gym is the worst gym I've ever been too the staff are so nonchalant and the patrons are racist the older guy told me the white pay extra here so they don't have to see people like me there thats why the price for a membership is almost triple what other gyms charge

Photos

See all

Spoga Fitness Center

This gym has helped me lose 15 pounds(and counting)! Staff is super sweet and chill. They have even…read moreset up my equipment for a class when I was running late! Totally recommend!

Recently was invited by a friend to check out Spoga Studio in downtown Hammond. Being a transplant…read morefrom the southwest, I was excited at the possibility of a real yoga class. While the gym is nice, I was really disappointed with the staff. They seemed really indifferent to the clients that came in the door and actually turned their nose up at greetings they received. Very strange. The Bodyflow class was great though, and totally kicked my yoga lovin' butt!

Photos

See all

HOTWORX - Hammond

3.0

(2 reviews)

3.4 mi

This is the worst run HOTWORX and the studio owners are possibly the worst people. I worked at the…read morelocation for not very long at all because I realized that I was getting completely screwed with my pay. I have had 2 years of experience at another location and he did not want to pay me for that experience. I went through the chain of command, I talked to my GM (who also quit) and he told me that I deserved more money but it was not up to him, then I talked to Andrew (Franchise owner hammond) and he told me he was not going to be able to give me a raise until my evaluation and at that time he could give me $.50 and I was not okay with that and I told him that I would be leaving the studio to go back to my original studio, his words were to take that up with my GM. I then texted my GM and told him what happened and we settled on a date that would be my last day. When pay time got around I was expecting to get paid my commission from February. I never received it. I texted the studio owner Andrew and my number was blocked, I texted the lady who hired me and my number was blocked, I texted jasen the other studio owner and my number was blocked. I was kinda over the whole situation at that point but when I was going into work at a different HOTWORX location they had disabled my door code. At that point I was fuming, not only will you not pay the college girl who worked to sell the studio memberships, now you are hindering my ability to work at a different location for the worlds best boss. I call there studio and asked them to not do that because I am still a HOTWORX employee and I pay for a sweat everywhere memberships. While on the phone I told the lady my side of the story and she said she would pass that information along. This was over a week ago and I still have not heard a word.I would never advise anyone to spend a single dollar at the location or the Slidell location.

I am an employee of HOTWORX but also a dedicated member. I worked her for about 6 months before i…read morestarted actually doing the workouts about 4 times a week. I lost 10 pounds within the span of 2 1/2 months and toned my muscles. HOTWORX is a great place to lose weight and feel comfortable in a workout environment!

Photos

Sauna Alley. Our six saunas... temperature controlled up to 125 degrees... 10 different types of workouts that range between 15-30 minutes

HOTWORX- Hammond, LA

See all

Are you ready to get in the best shape of your life. Join now and save.

Tickfaw State Park

4.5

(23 reviews)

12.5 mi

During our cross country road trip in the summer of 2022, we traveled with the truck and trailer…read morefrom Los Angeles to Key West and back. My wife booked a few nights in Tickfaw state park, sight unseen, to be more or less in the vicinity of New Orleans, a plantation tour, and a swamp boat tour that we had booked months in advance. As it turned out, we actually enjoyed this state park stay more than our visit to New Orleans! The state park entrance is actually at the back of a neighborhood of sorts, on a narrow two-lane road that cuts away from the highway at a weird angle. Once inside the park proper, visitors are treated to beautiful swamps, complete with cypress trees, Spanish moss, and all the critters you would expect to find here. The campground we enjoyed had full hook ups, a small wooden deck, and a long back-in pad for our trailer. There was also a resident raccoon who kept us honest about locking things up at night, and securing coolers and food. Tickfaw state park features long boardwalks with railings, that afford visitors beautiful hikes in different parts of the park through different kinds of trees and plants. Unfortunately, many of these were still damaged in the summer of 2022 from the previous year's Hurricane Ida that blew through southern Louisiana and surrounding areas. The only trail that was not affected by this was the one without a boardwalk, so we enjoyed a hike through beautiful pines that went down to the river. Despite most of the trails being closed and damaged, we still enjoyed ourselves here, and had a good time. In the evening, I enjoyed casting topwater lures in on the cypress knees and trees, and caught & released several big bowfin... A fish that is sort of a cross between a catfish a bass, and a pit bull I suppose. I'm not sure when we will be back through this part of the world, but Tickfaw State Park is definitely a place that I would stay again: off the beaten path but close enough to where you want to be, peaceful and quiet, and the kind of southern serene that helps a SoCal guy like me to slow down and enjoy life a little bit.

$3 per person at the gate gets you in. The park has a lot of trails, camp sites, kayaking and…read moreplenty of things to do. The nature center has a lot to read about the area and the things you will see in the area. The guy working was friendly, very informative. Everything seemed well organized.

Photos

Uprooted tree from Hurricane Ida

See all

Cool Zoo

3.8

(24 reviews)

41.5 mi

What a great addition to the Audubon Zoo! This was my first time to see the venue after hearing…read moreabout it for a while. The lazy river is artfully done, giving a nod to Louisiana wildlife and nature areas. There are a lot of skillful and friendly lifeguards around the area. There are several different food pavilions, restrooms, locker areas, and areas to sit. There is also a fun water slide, giving homage to the infamous alligators with albinism who have taken residence at the Zoo and Aquarium over the years. This would be a fun place to relax with your kids during one of the summer sessions. My friends and I attending the adults-only Sip and Dip event held on Fridays during the summer. It was very affordable for a private cabana for six with early access. Be sure to reserve your tickets for the event early online as it does sell out. It got a bit crowded toward the end, and they did run out of regular floats, though some preferred the thick floating noodles offered. Every Friday night has a different theme, so there is something for everyone. They bring in Dickie Brennans for the bar, and they were wonderful with decently priced drinks and quality alcohol. They were also creating with the mocktails. I certainly will return for another Sip and Dip either later this summer, if able, or next year. Absolutely worth it!

Four stars for Cool Zoo's beautiful grounds and water features that are artfully rendered. Two and…read morea half stars for Sip & Dip. Five stars for the incredibly friendly staff. My first time at Cool Zoo was for the adults-only Friday night party, Sip & Dip. This event is 2X a month during the heart of the summer and features theme nights with DJs and of course since this is NOLA, people get creative and might dress in theme. I went on 80s night and the music was so fun and I loved people wearing neon, 80s tshirts and even hair and make-up. Refreshments stands are spread out among the park and they do a themed cocktail and sell beer, hard seltzer and soft drinks, along with typical concession food and popcorn. I had the cocktail of the evening, the Purple Rain and while it was eye-catching, it was so sweet and possibly strong, too, that I couldn't drink more than 1/4 of it (and it's a huge cup, fairly priced at only $13). The grounds are beautiful with fountains and an area with slides and water features that you'd normally see children dominating (with perfectly good reason) but it was actually fun to see adults having at it on the slides and at the water sprayers. Then there's the lazy river, which is a decent size, warm and full of jets to move you along. We ended up not using flotation devices and swam/walked through it. My main issue and why this event isn't personally my cup of tea: it's too crowded. It sells out but I think they sell far too many tickets. We arrived 15 min after it started and there wasn't a lounge chair nor seat at a table to be found. Cabanas are so cheap here but they sell out immediately ahead of the event, likely the day that tickets go on sale. The only way I'd return was if I could get a cabana. The lazy river is completely packed 45 minutes into the event. We were lucky enough to get a locker (which also sell out so imagine being there without a space to put your things??? how is that fun?). People are in general nice enough to hand over the inner tubes but good luck ever getting a place to sit if you didn't line up in advance of start time. I keep going back between 3 and 4 stars for the main reason that everyone who works here is SO nice. The staff really made everything bearable for me, as they were so welcoming and helpful to point out where the lockers were (there's another set behind the set you initially encounter). I just think this isn't the event for anyone who avoids crowds of people. And the crowd that was there that night were totally fine (at least early in the evening). They just sell too many tickets for me to enjoy it.

Photos

See all

Life jackets

Splendor Farms

3.8

(31 reviews)

32.5 mi

These are not miniature dachshunds. My dogs grew to be large. They look massive next to other…read moredoxies. ALSO - she lied about my 2nd puppy having blue eyes. She sent a SIDE profile pic, of his ONE blue eye and said he had blue EYES. PLURAL. Never got a picture of him face on. Upon arrival we were shocked to see he only had ONE blue eye and the other BROWN. We drove all the way from Texas!!! After looking back at the pictures she sent us, it's clear it was intentional the way she placed him in the photos. Love my boy dogs but will never buy from her again. Kelly, They are BEAUTIFUL dogs, I'll give you that. But beyond that...a little shady and never sat right with me after all these years.

Beautiful working farm with horses and daschunds. We spent one night here and brought our daschund…read moredog and enjoyed the warmth and ambience of the farm. The owner is extremely knowledgeable of daschund care and is the author of books on the subject. We are excited to get our next daschund puppy from her award-winning litters.

Photos

Oliver loves jumping into her salt water pool!

His beautiful profile

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

19 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jeff S.

11 years ago

Many places open that call themselves Brazilian jiu jitsu or experts, but Gracie United is the only facility that can can stand up to that title. Gracie United offers classes from youth to adult for both male and female students. All students are treated with respect and are encouraged to participate and learn. Professor Rafael Ellwanger is known for his professionalism as well as his black belt. He has groomed some of the most skilled martial artists, many of which have gone on to prove their skills in local, regional and national competitions as well as professional title holders. Gracie United has a long standing positive reputation with many gyms for students to practice both recreationally or professionally. read more

Laquanda G.

12 years ago

Very happy with the techniques my son has acquired since being affiliated with Gracie United. The owners are super friendly and the atmosphere is welcoming!! I put my son in jiujitsu to acquire self confidence and to have a hobby . I couldn't have made a better choice . He has been affiliated with Gracie for over year and have won plenty awards that include Gold and silver medals !!!! I look forward to remaining part of this great movement and to see how my son advances !! read more

LaniseandChip N.

12 years ago

Gracie United offers great deals, unity, and great instruction. What you see is what you get which is excellence. There are so many different levels of instruction and Professor Rafael has become an important part his students lives. He adds so much more than instruction to his classes. He promotes unity, loyalty, perseverance and dignity no matter what your level of performance. Gracie United is the present and future of BJJ and MMA. UNITED WE ARE STRONG read more

Brian S.

12 years ago

This one is for Prof. Rafael. I've never had the pleasure of meeting him because I am new to BJJ. Everything I have heard about him and been taught by one of his students has been hands down some of the best martial arts instruction I have received. He is one of the only, if not the only BJJ black belt in the state and he runs a very respectable and high quality BJJ organization. read more

Mike B.

12 years ago

I been training here for several years . I love it it's a great group of guys and treat u like family. Has some of the best competitors and instructors around. Highly recommend Gracie United if u wanna train with the best and be ur best read more

Stacey P.

12 years ago

Awesome place with high level Brazilian Jiu Jitsu being taught by men and women with many years experience as Brazilian JJ practitioners. Highly recommend for men, women, and children of all ages! read more

Gunner N.

12 years ago

I have been going to the gracieunited gym for at least 4 or 5 years and i have to say that my experience here has been lifechanging ever since i first walked through those doors as a white belt . read more

Andre M.

12 years ago

The best academy in LA, everyone are very friendly, respecful and have a friendly environmental. Also the instructor is a world champion and knows a lot wha he is talking about. read more

Chris H.

12 years ago

If your looking for world class instruction and the best training partners around this is your place. Being a part of this family has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. read more

Jackson F.

107

11 years ago

Rafael is an outstanding professor with many years of experience, there's not a better place to train in the area. I strongly recommend to go check out this academy. read more

Clint D.

12 years ago

The best place to train in the area. The instructors are professional and highly talented. I recommend this school to anyone wanting to discover their potential. read more

Robbie G.

12 years ago

The best Jiu Jitsu school in the south! Come train & learn from our world class instructors. They will empower you to become the best version of yourself!!! read more

Rafael E.

139

12 years ago

The best martial art gym in the south, world champion instructor , great kids classes . Women program growing strong and a outstanding mma team. read more