About
Apex Martial Arts Center Youth Programs include Kids Kickboxing, Youth Kickboxing, Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Self-Defense, along with access to the broader curriculum of Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, No-Gi Grappling, Cardio Kickboxing, and Full-Contact Kickboxing. The programs offer training in striking arts such as American and Dutch-style Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Boxing, as well as grappling through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and No-Gi Grappling, in a setting that also includes adult No-Gi Grappling.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
Founded in October 2015 as Open Guard BJJ with a focus on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the organization added a Kickboxing program in 2016 and, by 2021, became Apex Martial Arts Academy with Muay Thai and No-Gi Grappling in its curriculum. The mission of Apex Martial Arts Center Youth Programs is to offer comprehensive martial arts training for everyone, regardless of skill level, starting from age 6 and up. The leadership team includes Don as the gym owner; Dmitry Boyko as an Adult Judo and Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor; and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coaches Professors Geoff Balme, Jeff Piercy, and Dave Rosenmarkle.
Apex Martial Arts Academy has been described as a legitimate martial arts gym with experienced teachers and a clean, spacious facility that includes a ring, bags, and mats, and it offers Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in one place. The Apex Kickboxing Team is described as one of the largest and most dynamic striking programs in the region, with a range of classes from Cardio Kickboxing (Level 1) to Full-Contact Kickboxing (Level 4), plus Kids Kickboxing and Youth Kickboxing, and a free trial class is available. The community of martial artists is described as friendly and supportive, and the gym has been consistently voted the #1 martial arts program in the area.
Competitive teams in Kickboxing and Muay Thai have taken part in over 100 semi and full contact competitions, earning numerous first-place awards, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and No-Gi Grappling members compete at high-level events such as those run by the IBJJF. Instructor Dmitry Boyko, now a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has earned gold medals at IBJJF tournaments in Charlotte, Charleston, Atlanta, and France, along with podium finishes including gold, silver, and bronze at the PAN IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championships, North America Masters, the European IBJJF Championships, and the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, and he volunteers his time to teach Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo to adults. Apex Martial Arts Center serves families from the Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Morrisville, and Raleigh, NC areas.
Parents and students describe the gym as having skilled and friendly coaches, a welcoming atmosphere, and well-organized classes for different levels, including options for kids and adults to train at the same time. Several testimonials recommend the kids’ kickboxing program and note that children have learned to defend themselves and take direction, and one parent reports that an 18-year-old had a strong experience at the gym, especially in Muay Thai. Reviews also mention that the gym’s culture emphasizes good technique, light sparring for appropriate levels, and attention to safety, and that competitive fighters and high-level athletes sometimes visit to share techniques and insights.
Last updated March 17, 2026.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
Founded in October 2015 as Open Guard BJJ with a focus on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the organization added a Kickboxing program in 2016 and, by 2021, became Apex Martial Arts Academy with Muay Thai and No-Gi Grappling in its curriculum. The mission of Apex Martial Arts Center Youth Programs is to offer comprehensive martial arts training for everyone, regardless of skill level, starting from age 6 and up. The leadership team includes Don as the gym owner; Dmitry Boyko as an Adult Judo and Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor; and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coaches Professors Geoff Balme, Jeff Piercy, and Dave Rosenmarkle.
Apex Martial Arts Academy has been described as a legitimate martial arts gym with experienced teachers and a clean, spacious facility that includes a ring, bags, and mats, and it offers Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in one place. The Apex Kickboxing Team is described as one of the largest and most dynamic striking programs in the region, with a range of classes from Cardio Kickboxing (Level 1) to Full-Contact Kickboxing (Level 4), plus Kids Kickboxing and Youth Kickboxing, and a free trial class is available. The community of martial artists is described as friendly and supportive, and the gym has been consistently voted the #1 martial arts program in the area.
Competitive teams in Kickboxing and Muay Thai have taken part in over 100 semi and full contact competitions, earning numerous first-place awards, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and No-Gi Grappling members compete at high-level events such as those run by the IBJJF. Instructor Dmitry Boyko, now a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has earned gold medals at IBJJF tournaments in Charlotte, Charleston, Atlanta, and France, along with podium finishes including gold, silver, and bronze at the PAN IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championships, North America Masters, the European IBJJF Championships, and the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, and he volunteers his time to teach Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo to adults. Apex Martial Arts Center serves families from the Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Morrisville, and Raleigh, NC areas.
Parents and students describe the gym as having skilled and friendly coaches, a welcoming atmosphere, and well-organized classes for different levels, including options for kids and adults to train at the same time. Several testimonials recommend the kids’ kickboxing program and note that children have learned to defend themselves and take direction, and one parent reports that an 18-year-old had a strong experience at the gym, especially in Muay Thai. Reviews also mention that the gym’s culture emphasizes good technique, light sparring for appropriate levels, and attention to safety, and that competitive fighters and high-level athletes sometimes visit to share techniques and insights.
Last updated March 17, 2026.
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