The Academy Elk River

The Academy Elk River is a martial arts school in Elk River, Minnesota. It teaches Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and boxing, along with a children's martial arts program, and serves adults and kids of all ages and abilities. Classes run for fitness, health, stress management, mindfulness, and real-world self-defense, and the school offers a free 30-day trial for new customers. It holds a rating of 3.90.

The school was founded in 2012 and trains people of all walks of life using both modern and traditional methods. Its stated approach is to guide students safely toward skills and techniques that are effective and easy to learn, rather than one-size-fits-all drills. A foundations program lets beginners learn at their own pace, while higher-level classes focus on sharpening existing skills and preparing students for competition. Muay Thai athletes from the school have competed and won nationally and internationally, and the kids competition team regularly enters local jiu jitsu tournaments. The Academy Elk River is an affiliate of Academy MN, headed by Coach Greg Nelson. Head coach Adam Ahern began studying with Coach Greg in 1991 and was a lead coach at Academy HQ for many years; he has over 30 years of coaching, competing, and practicing a variety of martial arts disciplines. One-on-one coaching is available by phone.

The school sits on US-10, about half a mile from the Betty Adkins Bridge and roughly the same distance from a monument. The Babcock Historical Marker and the Mississippi River are each about 0.7 miles away, and both the POW/MIA Memorial Highway and US Highway 169 run within about 0.4 miles.

With more than a decade in Elk River and a coaching lineage that traces back to 1991, The Academy Elk River brings competition-tested Muay Thai, jiu jitsu, and MMA instruction to beginners and serious athletes alike.