267 South Whitford Road, Exton, PA 19341
785 Starr St. (Acme Shopping Center)
Phoenixville, PA 19460
610-363-7575
Don't make that mistake. Discover martial arts in a place like Dragon Gym where you can learn the perfected grappling style of Jiu Jitsu along with striking martial arts if you so choose.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was developed by the Gracie family and others in Brazil with three important tenets in mind:
The techniques and system must be street applicable, meaning they can’t only be good for competition, they must be viable for self-defense.
The techniques and system must be efficient, meaning Jiu Jitsu techniques don’t require immense strength or incredible speed to work.
The techniques and system must follow natural body movements and motor patterns. This means you don’t have to be super-flexible. You won’t be required to contort your body or have the ability to recall strange and esoteric pressure points in order for your skills to be effective.
At the Dragon Gym we have an optimal environment for beginners to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Our clean, safe, and fully matted facility is family-oriented. The instructors and students are welcoming and supportive as you start your martial arts journey.
While many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu programs are male-dominated, our classes are just about 50-50 men and women due to our systematic and progressive approach to teaching.
785 Starr St. (Acme Shopping Center)
Phoenixville, PA 19460
610-363-7575
Professor Thomas Palmer began his martial arts training at the age of 16 and has been teaching children's martial arts for the last four years. In addition to being a certified Dragon Gym Children 's Martial Arts Instructor, Tom has a diverse background of sports, martial arts training and expertise. He has experience with Shotokan Karate, Muay Thai Kickboxing, MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the tutelage of Alex Quintella and others.
As a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt, Tom has been a successful competitor winning multiple gold medals in both weight class and open weight divisions.
In 2017, Tom also earned his Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He holds a Bachelor 's Degree from West Chester University, has worked in the pharmaceutical industry and has now dedicated his career to teaching the martial arts and spreading their benefit to the community.
Professor Chris Taylor has been a part of the Dragon Gym family since and has been involved in teaching for two decades. He has had the opportunity to train and learn directly from Grandmaster Goh and in turn has adopted his effective teaching style. In 2008 he received a commendation from Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters) for his efforts on teaching and spreading Tae Kwon Do in the United States. Instructor Chris is the head instructor for the Dragon Gym Junior Program.
He also works with students in the Junior-Elite program specializing in Jiu-Jitsu. With the Martial Arts Curriculum, Chris emphasizes Self-Control and Responsibility and the value of these virtues to build a better life and a better society.
In addition to his Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Chris holds 4th Degree Black Belts in Taekwondo & Hapkido. He continues to study various martial arts including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with the world-renowned team ATOS. He is also a Gracie Survival Tactics Certified Instructor and consults on defensive tactics to various law enforcement and private security outfits.
