My name is James Elvis Smith Jr, and I am a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Ricardo “Franjinha” Miller. For more than 25 years I have trained in a variety of martial arts including wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, Tae Kwon Do, kickboxing, boxing, and MMA. My primary specialty is the grappling arts with a focus on Jiu Jitsu and wrestling. I have coached freestyle, folkstyle, and Greco Roman wrestling up to the high school level and actively instruct, coach, and compete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Paragon. My style is more technically inclined as a grappler which has led me to focus more on attention to detail in my instruction. My teaching style varies depending on the student being taught, but I prefer to keep my classes upbeat and enthusiastic. Potential new Paragon members should know that as an instructor I value effort and a desire to learn above all else. I believe that increasing skills incrementally over time through consistency and effort has the highest potential for long term success for any martial artist.