Sandgate, Brisbane

To teach. To learn. Together.

Ako Martial Arts is a family-focused martial arts academy — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, grappling, MMA and judo. Coaches and students grow side by side — that's what Ako means, and it's how we run the room. Never trained before? Nervous is normal — it's exactly who we built this for.

Start your free trial week See the timetable

7 days free · No lock-in contract available

5.0 from 121 Google reviews

01 — Why Ako

One word carries the whole academy.

Ako is a Māori word meaning to teach and to learn — at the same time, in both directions. The coach learns from the student. The blue belt learns from the white belt. Nobody is finished.

That's not a slogan on a wall. It's how every class runs: high standards, honest feedback, and a room where a nervous first-timer and a seasoned competitor train metres apart and both get better.

We hold the line on discipline and effort. We're also the gym where parents wave their kids in from the car park and adults find a second home. Both things are true.

Linzi teaching a women's class at Ako Martial Arts — demonstrating a technique while the group watches

Standard 1

Integrity

Do it properly or do it again. On the mats and off them.

Standard 2

Resilience

You will get caught, stuck and tired. Then you'll learn what to do about it.

Standard 3

Growth

Progress is earned in reps, not promised in ads. Every session counts.

0Classes every week

0Days a week

0^yrsYoungest starting age

$0No lock-in contracts available

02 — What people get wrong

Half the battle is walking in the door.

Most people don't put off martial arts because of the training. They put it off because of what they imagine the room is like. This is the actual room:

A kids' class on the mats at Ako Martial Arts — all ages and levels welcome

A look insideSwipe to see the room →

Young kids running with a pool noodle in a Jellyfish class at Ako Martial Arts — Jellyfish · ages 4–7

A coach helping a toddler on the mats in a Guppies class — Guppies · ages 2–4

Adult men and women training together in a mobility class at Ako Martial Arts — Adults, all training together

Two coaches demonstrating a technique to a group of seated kids — Building confident children

Kids in gis lined up in a Piranhas class — Piranhas · ages 7–15

Two small children in gis facing off on the mats — Thanking their coaches and friends

Kids practising a technique together on the mats — Learning self defence

Two children sparring while the group watches safely — Age appropriate techniques

A coach smiling with two young students on grading day — Family owned and operated

Linzi coaching a women's class at Ako Martial Arts — Women's class

Two women laughing together in their gis after training — No egos, just good people

A coach guiding a member through a dumbbell press while others train — Coached on form, every rep

Two adults rolling during live training — Rolling with family

A coach working through a technique with an older student — All ages, all levels

Adults training with kettlebells in a strength and conditioning class — Strength & conditioning

A woman mid-lunge and smiling in a fitness session — Fitness off the mats

A woman tying her black belt with a young student in a pink gi behind — More than a gym

The Ako Martial Arts building exterior in Sandgate — Find us in Sandgate

THE MYTH

"I'll get hurt."

WHAT'S ACTUALLY TRUE

Looking after your training partner is the first technique we teach. You tap early, you learn to fall safely, and intensity is always yours to choose.

THE MYTH

"It's full of egos and tough guys."

WHAT'S ACTUALLY TRUE

Ego doesn't last long in a sport where you're forced to make mistakes to grow. This room is parents, tradies, nurses, kids and grandparents — and new people get looked after, not sized up.

THE MYTH

"It's a blokes' sport."

WHAT'S ACTUALLY TRUE

Linzi — a fourth-degree brown belt — runs two women's classes each week plus all-levels and fundamentals sessions, and women train in every class on the timetable. Plenty of members started after watching their kids train.

THE MYTH

"I'm too old for this."

WHAT'S ACTUALLY TRUE

Our youngest member is 2. Our oldest is past 70. Across 121 five-star reviews, "never too late" is the line that comes up most. You're in range.

THE MYTH

"I need to get fit before I start."

WHAT'S ACTUALLY TRUE

You get fit by starting. Every class scales to the person doing it, and nobody here has ever been judged for needing a breather.

The only way to know is to stand in the room. Your first week is free — come once, and if it is not for you, no one will chase you to come back.

03 — Your first class

Nervous is normal. Here's exactly how it goes.

Step 1

Book your trial

Pick any class on the timetable. Your free week covers all of them — no card details, no contract.

Book now

Step 2

We send the details

You'll get a waiver and a rundown of what to expect before you arrive. Wear comfortable activewear — we'll sort the rest.

Step 3

Arrive ten early

A coach greets you by name, shows you around and answers anything. Parents are welcome to stay and watch.

Step 4

Train with a buddy

Every new starter is partnered with an experienced member for their first class. Nobody gets thrown in the deep end.

04 — Programs

A clear path from two years old to black belt.

Every program feeds the next. Kids build movement and confidence before they build technique. Adults start where they are — no experience needed, six days a week.

Ages 2–4Guppies

Parent-and-child classes building fundamental movement skills, body awareness and early confidence.

→ Ages 4–7Jellyfish

Real grappling foundations — BJJ, Judo and wrestling — taught through play so kids learn without noticing how hard they're working.

→ Ages 7–15Piranhas

Adult-style structure with focus, discipline and effort at its core. Dedication gets rewarded here — that's the point.

→ Ages 4–15Combined Fitness

Games-based fitness for all junior ages — gross motor skills and movement patterns, built through play they don't realise is training.

→ AdultsBJJ · Nogi · Judo · MMA

Gi and Nogi Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, MMA and strength work. Complete beginners welcome in every class — most of our members started with zero experience.

→

Kids class training with a coach at Ako Martial Arts — Juniors — Calm. Confident. Safe.

Two adults grip fighting during BJJ training — Adults — every level on the same mats

05 — Timetable

Find your class. Mornings, lunch, evenings.

GI — THE UNIFORM

Training in the traditional jacket and pants. The gi gives you grips — collars, sleeves, fabric — so the game is more methodical and control-based. Chess at close range.

NOGI — SHORTS & RASH GUARD

No jacket, no fabric grips. Fewer handles means a faster, more athletic and less restrictive style. Same art underneath, different gears.

You don't have to choose — most members train both, and your trial week covers every class above. Personal training and small-group training also available — contact us.

See the full week at a glance — save or print →

The journey

A clear path from white belt to black.

Every rank is earned on skill, competency and consistency — not time served. Drag through the belts — each is a plain snapshot of that rank.

◂ drag to explore the path ▸

Stripes mark progress between every belt. Juniors earn each colour in three stages (white stripe → solid → black stripe). Promotions are based on technical knowledge, attitude and consistent training — spending a few years at a rank is normal, and means the belt actually stands for something.

06 — Coaches

Built by a family. Run to a standard.

Led by Robbie Paraha — 3rd Degree BJJ Black Belt, who earned his black belt in just four and a half years — and Linzi Paraha, 4th Degree BJJ Brown Belt, who leads our women's and fundamentals classes. Both still train daily, because you can't ask for consistency you don't show.

Meet the coaches →

Women's class training together at Ako Martial Arts

07 — Women's classes

Start where it feels easiest to start.

All ages, all shapes, all experience levels — learning real skills together and laughing while they do it. Led by Linzi, built for first-timers.

Join the women's program

08 — From the mats

Linzi, a brown belt coach, smiling after training at Ako Martial Arts

5.0 121 Google reviews — read them all

In their wordsSwipe or drag to read more →

"I find it hard to leave home, but at Ako I feel happy and safe. The coaches and students care — if you're not there, they ask if you're okay."

Jason G.

"A safe space for kids to learn, look after their mates and flourish — just the right mix of fun and discipline."

Steph R.

"Having had no previous martial arts experience, BJJ is now our family sport and we all love it."

Michael H.

"No politics or egos — everyone wants to see everyone else improve. Impossible not to walk out feeling better."

Nick H.

"So supportive and encouraging with my shy little 3-year-old. I can see his confidence grow each week."

Sally S.

"Member at many clubs over the decades and Ako is by far the most welcoming. More than a club — a community and a family."

Nathan G.

09 — Camps & events

We don't just run classes.

Training trips, school-holiday camps, gradings run as proper events — the calendar is built so there's always something to aim at.

A junior class lined up on the mats at Ako Martial Arts grading day in Sandgate

Holiday camps

School-holiday camps for juniors every term — games, grappling and a full day of structured fun while school's out.

Retreats & international camps

Weekend training retreats and an annual overseas training camp. In September 2026, the crew heads to Bali.

Gradings & comp days

Gradings are events here — family in the room, cameras out. In-house comp days test what you've built.

School programs

We run martial arts programs in local schools. Principals and P&Cs — we'd love to talk.

Movie nights & socials

Movie nights with mates and regular member socials — the stuff that turns a gym into a family.

Birthday parties

Birthday venue hire with the jumping castle — a ready-made party space the kids won't forget.

Kids' markets

Market days where the little ones make, price and sell their own creations — confidence built off the mats.

Workshops

Beyond the timetable — self-defence, rehab and mobility workshops to keep you moving well on and off the mats.

Free ebook

Not ready to book? Take the book.

Welcome to the Mats — what to wear, what the words mean, and what your first class actually looks like. Free, straight to your inbox.

Get the free book

10 — Questions, answered straight

The things people ask before they walk in.

What's the difference between Gi and Nogi?

Short version: it doesn't matter which you start with. Gi (the uniform) is a little slower and easier to learn the basics in; Nogi (shorts and a rash guard) is a different style — a bit faster-paced and less restrictive. Your free week covers both — come try each and see what clicks.

I've never trained before. Will I keep up?

Yes. Most of our members started with zero experience, and every class is coached to mixed levels. Fundamentals classes exist specifically for new starters, and you'll always have a partner who looks after you.

What does it cost?

Weekly memberships vary by program, with no lock-in contracts available — pause or cancel anytime. Families training together get discounted rates for extra members. Start with the free 7-day trial and we'll walk you through the options that fit — no pressure, no sales scripts.

Am I too old or too unfit to start?

No. We have members from 2 to 70-plus, and fitness is something you build here, not a prerequisite. You work at your own pace from day one — the only requirement is showing up.

All questions, answered straight →

11 — Visit us

Two minutes from Sandgate station.

Easy street parking, waiting areas for parents, on-site amenities and high-grade mats sanitised multiple times a day. Drop the kids off ten minutes before class — we'll take it from there.

View the full timetable

Address

145 Rainbow Street, Sandgate, Brisbane 4017

Transport

Short walk from Sandgate train and bus station. Plenty of street parking.

Classes

Kids and adult classes six days a week, mornings and evenings.

Contact

info@akomartialarts.com

Social

Instagram · Facebook

Or send us a message

Join the family, not the gym

Show up. We'll handle the rest.

Your first week is free across kids and adult classes. Come see why families across Brisbane's northside call this place their second home.

Start your free trial week