Free monthly men's Christian Jiu-Jitsu • McKinney, Texas
Strong hands.
Humble hearts.
The mats are honest. They expose ego, reward patience, and teach a man to stay calm under pressure. Train My Hands for War is a free monthly Christian Jiu-Jitsu Connect Group for men and sons 13+ in McKinney, Texas. We pray, learn, roll, and build brotherhood—so the strength gained on the mats becomes steadiness at home, courage in hardship, and service in the world.
Next gathering: Friday, November 19, 2027 • 6:30–8:00 PM
- Free to attend
- Beginners welcome
- Men + sons 13+
- Gi required
- Loaners by advance request
Next session
Friday, November 19, 2027
6:30–8:00 PM • Check-in opens 6:15 PM
Hosted at 3 Embers Grappling Academy
320 Industrial Blvd., Ste. 206
McKinney, TX 75069
Run of show
- 6:15–6:30Arrival, registration and waiver check, loaner gi, questions.
- 6:30–6:36Welcome, prayer, safety theme.
- 6:36–6:48Scalable movement preparation, ukemi, technical stand-up.
- 6:48–7:08Standing skill and controlled drilling.
- 7:08–7:33Ground position: escape, reversal, controlled attack.
- 7:33–7:50Beginner positional lane and experienced controlled-roll lane.
- 7:50–8:00Line-up, prayer requests, prayer out.
“Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.”
Scripture quotation from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Why the name?
The name carries steel.
Psalm 144 is a prayer of readiness, dependence, and deliverance. The warrior does not praise his own strength; he praises the Lord, his Rock. The Psalm moves from trained hands to humble hearts and finally to families and communities flourishing in peace. That is our frame. We do not train because we are looking for a fight. We train to remain calm under pressure, govern our ego, protect others when necessary, and pursue peace whenever possible.
Ephesians 6:12 is our guardrail: our struggle is not against flesh and blood. People are not the enemy. Discipline makes strength trustworthy.
Public pillars
Faith. Fellowship. Fortitude.
Faith
Our strength begins with dependence on God.
Fellowship
No man trains, struggles, or grows alone.
Fortitude
We remain steady under pressure and do what is right.
Ninety minutes
How a gathering runs.
- Block 1
First 30 — Prepare
Welcome, prayer, safety theme, scalable warm-up, breakfalls, stance, and controlled standing skill.
- Block 2
Middle 30 — Learn
One ground position, two or three connected techniques, cooperative repetitions, and directed resistance.
- Block 3
Final 30 — Apply + Pray
Beginner positional rounds, experienced controlled rolling, line-up, prayer requests, and prayer out.
First time
Come clean. Come coachable.
You do not need to be in shape, know the positions, or prove anything. We will show you how to stand, fall, move, tap, and train safely.
- Arrive by 6:15 p.m. for check-in and both waiver checks.
- Bring a clean gi, water, and sandals for off-mat areas.
- Wear a fitted rashguard or athletic shirt and compression shorts under the gi.
- Trim fingernails and toenails. Remove rings, watches, necklaces, bracelets, and piercings that can catch.
- A mouthguard is strongly recommended for live rounds. Clean ear guards are optional.
- Loaner gis require advance request and are subject to size and availability.
- Do not train with fever, vomiting or diarrhea, an unexplained rash, ringworm, draining wounds, herpes-like lesions, or another suspected contagious condition.
Mat code
Discipline. Honor. Sacrifice.
- Leave ego at the door.
- Every round requires consent.
- Tap early. Release immediately.
- Protect your partner.
- Help your brother up.
Who leads
Organizers
Every gathering is led by a qualified lead instructor. We publish names, photos, and credentials only after they are verified in writing.
Felipe Soares
Organizer
Photo, bio, and verified Jiu-Jitsu credentials are pending approval and will be published only once confirmed.
Eric Kelley
Organizer
Photo, bio, and verified Jiu-Jitsu credentials are pending approval and will be published only once confirmed.
Venue
Hosted at 3 Embers Grappling Academy
We gather on their mats with gratitude. We do not own or operate the academy, and every session follows their rules and etiquette. Logo use will appear only after written permission.
Visit the academy siteFellowship
A Christian Connect Group
Built for men and sons who want brotherhood with substance. The Elevate Life Connect Group relationship is pending approved wording and assets; nothing will be published until that approval is in hand.
About the groupFAQ
Questions we get every month
- Is this an open mat?
- No. It is a guided 90-minute gathering with prayer, instruction, drilling, and controlled live work led by a qualified instructor.
- Do I need experience?
- No. Beginners get their own lane with positional work and coach-directed drilling.
- Does it cost anything?
- No. It is free to attend. This is a Connect Group, not a membership.
- Can my son train with me?
- Yes, sons 13 to 17 may train with a parent or legal guardian present, with both required releases completed by that guardian.
- Will I get a belt or stripe?
- No. We award no rank and we honor every member's home academy.
- Where do we meet?
- Hosted at 3 Embers Grappling Academy, 320 Industrial Blvd., Ste. 206, McKinney, TX 75069.
Meet me on the mats.
One Friday. Ninety minutes. One brotherhood growing one percent at a time.