Praxis Jiu-Jitsu Academy opens in Bernalillo, brings local training option

Bernalillo got a new small business with a sharp local pitch: Praxis Jiu-Jitsu Academy opened as a family-owned gym built by black-belt husband-and-wife team Nikki Molina and Darien Molina, giving Sandoval County a jiu-jitsu option it did not have before.

The academy opened at 965 US Highway 550, Suite E, beside the Rio Grande, in a town that serves as the county seat of Sandoval County and had a 2020 Census population of 8,977. That scale matters. In a community this size, a specialty business can quickly become part of the local routine, especially when families no longer need to drive to Rio Rancho or Albuquerque for the same kind of training.

Praxis is positioning itself as both a neighborhood recreation space and a serious training room. Its welcome materials describe the academy as a place built on respect, consistency and genuine care, and say the first class is free for newcomers. The school offers programs for adults, kids and women, with classes designed for people age 15 and older. Its kids program is described as safe, structured and engaging, a message aimed squarely at parents looking for more than a one-off fitness class.

The schedule shows a program built for steady participation, not just drop-ins. Kids classes run Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. Adult beginners meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. Adult gi intermediate and advanced classes are set for Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m., while adult no-gi intermediate and advanced sessions run Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:45 p.m. Friday live training starts at 6 p.m., and the academy says all schools are welcome.

That mix suggests Praxis is trying to serve two markets at once: families who want a place for children and teens to build discipline, and more experienced students who want competitive-level training. The limited local landscape helps explain the opening. A recent public directory of martial arts schools lists about 10 dojo entries in all of Sandoval County, a small number for a county that includes Bernalillo, Rio Rancho and surrounding communities. For a specialty like jiu-jitsu, that leaves room for a focused school to stand out.

The Molina family has also begun broadening the space beyond core mat work. Event listings show yoga and mobility programming at the Bernalillo location in 2026, including a free-for-members option and donation-based access for nonmembers. That points to a broader neighborhood hub, one that blends martial arts, conditioning and community use rather than serving only competition-minded students.

For Bernalillo, Praxis arrives as more than a new gym. It is a bet that a small-town market can support a family-run academy built around youth development, adult fitness and a long-term training culture.