I own and operate a Gracie CTC. We switched over from a “normal” BJJ school last year. We were a “normal” BJJ school for 10 years and we were an extremely tough room. Lots of tough hard nosed students. Then Covid happened and our gym closed for almost a year. When we reopened we struggled to rebound back because we had lost a lot of that momentum we had pre Covid. There are several reasons why we switched to a Gracie CTC but the main one was this. Our gym is in a small town. Around 9-10,000 people. There are three other “normal” BJJ schools within 30 minutes of us. We had to do something different than what the other schools were doing. In the year we have been a CTC, I have seen people who I would have killed to have as students pre CTC, come in, try class, and never come back. Reason being is that they were stud athletes looking to be killers and the slower pace of the Gracie program didn’t scratch their itch. On the other hand, for every stud we lost, we’ve gained 5 people who truly NEED Jiu Jitsu. The ones who would have never set foot in or lasted one day with us had we not been a Gracie CTC, and we would have been proud to have scared them away. But my attitude has totally shifted and not because of the bottom line. It’s because now I look at our student base and say “wow, these people, the ones who truly need Jiu Jitsu, are sticking around and getting good.” I read comments on these posts and Reddit and see people bashing Gracie CTC’s and the only thing I can think is, A) try being a BJJ gym owner before you cast stones. It is an extremely niche martial art with very high levels of attrition. B) the people who say “just go to a real BJJ school and train MMA.” You people are the 5%. The stud athletes. The ones who played 3 sports in high school and probably some college. You’re also the reason that the ones who truly need Jiu Jitsu are scared to walk in the door and when they did, you had to prove to yourself and your coach that you were an alpha, and totally crushed a beginner because that’s what happened to you. Trickle down BJJ. I know, because that was how I learned and what we did. Then one day I looked around and no one was left. I’m not saying Gracie CTC’s are the absolute best BJJ schools in the world, but in terms of empowering the weak, safety, structure, systems…it’s been pretty awesome so far. And lastly, C) I’m a brown belt and have competed at every rank so far, won some, lost some. I am competent at sport BJJ. Going through the very basic Gracie Combatives program totally revolutionized my sport Jiu Jitsu and I can say that with complete honesty. I roll so much tighter now than ever before. I hit more trap and rolls and elbow escapes than ever. My top mount game has become exponentially better, because those basics are what the beginner program is all about. Oh and hey, what’s en vogue right now? Mount. Top pressure. Arm bars. Control and exhaust. Hmm…..sounds an awful lot like basic old school Jiu Jitsu to me 😉
As someone who trained because I always had “little man anger” issues .. I’ve rolled from day one and it made me tough but didn’t always make me technical. Why? Rolling hard all the time doesn't equal more technical and also if you never get to try the move of the day because everyone fights so hard to not let you test it, takes you longer to develop. Add being short and small it is hard to get better. I say this as a black belt who has fractured his ribs, landed on my arm, and screwed up my knees and I LOVE it but it doesn’t allow for those that should stick with it to enjoy that journey. Better ways to learn now.
I agree. That has been my experience too. 'Normal' BJJ gyms focus on athletes, people who need BJJ the least, whereas CTC focus on people who need BJJ the most. Different philosophy.
I'm recovering from cancer and I wish I had a Gracie gym in my town. I'd be able to go in and get reps in without the fear of getting hurt. All the gyms around me are sport focused, which drives me nuts because I KNOW the value of basics and self defense.
One thing I learn with Bjj is, how ignorant I was before by thinking I can defense myself pretty well against someone in the street. Now, 2 1/2 years and a blue belt, I don't want to fight anybody, I repeat any body.
you would beat most untrained people within reason, however i have the same sentiment, where ur there grinding almost every day which at the time even though its a small battle of position, maybe defending a guard pass or submisision, it feels like a fight in that moment, and its seeing what trained people can do to you with ease is what makes people savvy to what a fight can actual lead to, thus knowing to avoid it, how ever if u were forced to defend urself against an untrained guy with 30lbs on u, id put my money on you
I have been training bjj for about 5 years (blue belt also) and I feel the same as you. I have no problem handling much bigger new guys in the gym but many things can go wrong in a street fight.
Exactly. I am a brown belt, but there are many points within in a roll that anything could happen that would be to your detriment (if it was a real situation). It doesn't matter how good you are.
I learned not to underestimate any opponent. I seen big guys with no strength and skinny guys with a hell of a strength 😂 so you never know how good the other person could be.
Are you man enough to clinch and get over hooks and stay tight? If you’re someone who is scared to engage, don’t ever think Jiu jitsu will work in a street fight. You literally need to make things so tight that your opponent is fighting in a phone booth. This is the true form of using Jiu jitsu for self defense.
There are niches in Jiu Jitsu and theirs is not competition Jiu Jitsu, it is tending to a large portion of the general population that likes JJ but has no intentions of competing or become the next GOAT. I train for 7 years and I started at 53, I love it and it has changed my life, but never competed and probably never will. I have an amazing group to hang out with and sweat a bunch and also mental health has improved a great deal. I watch competitions and enjoy the skill level of the top players. I am better off training and I will keep it that way to the grave. 🙂
Same here. I'm just starting my Jiu-Jitsu journey. I'm 47, about to turn 48 and I don't want to or care about competing. I've practiced other martial arts throughout my life and I just like the warrior mindset/training, camaraderie. I could care less about competition. I care about self-defense and fitness.
To a large degree, it depends on the individual that own your school. A good professor has a variety of offerings for competition and non. Ours offers gi and no gi several times throughout the week in addition to an executive class for 40+. We have both youth and adult competitors and families as well that just want the health benefits and self defense JJ brings with it. Couple it with Muay Thai and you have something for everyone.
I've trained at Rener and Ryron's gym for a year now. I like it because they focus on safety, strike defense/counters and have a good structured program where you can really learn different moves. They place a heavy emphasis on street jiu-jitsu where the opponent might be trying to punch, kick and slam you. Other gyms focus more on tournament and bjj vs. bjj. We get a lot of converts from other gyms who say they were injured, beat up and really weren't taught techniques. They were basically used as crash test dummies for higher belts. Some of us have to work and can't afford to be injured every week.
I got you and I like that mentality but that does not take away the fact that many other gyms have better techniques that are more useful for sparring and tournaments.
@walid3207 OK, whatever, but since 1980s at least Helio Gracie himself complained that Jiu-jitsu his family developed (i.e. BJJ) was not meant for tournaments, but self defense. It is like saying this knife is very good to cut meat but there are many other tools useful for hammering a nail. You are comparing apples to oranges. Also, this dude went to Helio Gracie grandsons gym with zero clue of where he was stepping into.
@@walid3207 If you want to be the best in pure grappling tournaments, Rener and Ryron will gladly recommend you to any number of schools on the same street. They understand more than anyone what their product is good and not good at.
Clean mat. Friendly and caring instructors. Safe and cooperative training environment. Structured and effective curriculum. Fun. Self defense and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for life!
I like their approach. Almost all Jiu Jitsu schools are competition focused but not all students are. What often happens is, some time will pass before that disparity to comes to light and that’s when people start falling off. It’s good to know the goals of the student and the instructor before working together.
I think adding the strikes is incredibly valuable if you're training for actual fighting. Of course it's a waste of time if you're training exclusively for grappling matches. So it depends on where you're priorities are. As for me, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is my kind of Jiu-Jitsu.
Agree it's definitely on my list of arts I want to learn. I want my students comfortable on the ground,but awareness of the very real danger that's there. Striking,thoughts of dirty fighting, etc.
When you add an element like punching. You change the priorities. And I feel that adds depth. As you are no longer playing your favourite game. So even for sports mixing up the rules has benefits.
The Gracie University curriculum was designed to bring Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to a larger base of people. Not everyone wants to compete or go into MMA. Some people just want to learn self defense. Some people want a more controlled environment, where injury risk is minimal. This is where GU shines. That said ... a couple things: -They will "correct" your technique during training because they learn everything within specific contexts and levels. This was very frustrating for me when I first went to a CTC. Many of my set ups were "incorrect" because they didn't match the curriculum. For their tests, they have to do every technique according to the curriculum, no deviations. Even if your way of doing something would be accepted anywhere else, it's wrong. If this sounds stifling, it kind of is, however every higher belt I've rolled with from a CTC has a very strong GU "advanced basics" style. - As far as levels go, you'll find a mixture of athletic abilities at GU. We had a few visitors from CTCs across the world. Some were very laid back, not competitive in the least. Others could be just as threatening as people from competition schools. Some will just want to survive. Others will want to scrap (playfully). It really depends on who you get and the mutual understanding between sparring partners. - Lastly, the Torrance lineage isn't the only variant of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Each lineage has its own philosophies and mentality. Some are very adamant about the self defense, focusing on the majority of the time. Others are about 50% self defense and 50% sport.
Very true GJJ is different depending on which Gracie school you go...Roger Gracie...Royce Gracie...Renzo Gracie..Carlos Gracie Academy teach BJJ differently than the Torrance school..Their styles are different...dont forget Gordan Ryan who is the bestbin the game along with his coach DH are still under the Renzo Gracie academies
You’re spot on. Every school has people that are really good and people that you wonder how they got their belt. GU is no different. They have casual blue belts that only train once or twice a week to the Brian Ortega’s of the world. It also seems like you’re the only one in the comments that understand GU doesn’t represent all Gracie’s. There are hundreds of them in the world. Roger, Renzo, Carlson, Gracie Barra, Rickson, Royler, Royce, Relson, etc are not associated with GU. To say all the rest is BS because of GU is asinine.
@@krynico8451Roger and Renzo gyms are ran like typical competitive gym. Yes both will teach solid fundamentals and ‘old school’ techniques but they go HARD and majority of their students compete. It’s nothing like a Gracie training centre
Six Blades brown belt here. They're legit. Beyond that, they're making jiu-jitsu accessible to the masses. The majority of people in a self defense class may not join, but it's definitely a gateway drug for a few that would have otherwise been too intimidated to jump in with both feet. Mad props to those brothers for sharing the martial art with all.
I really admire the Gracies for staying grounded in the self defense aspect of BJJ. There are so many techniques that are good to know in the world of Jiu Jitsu, but completely useless when someone is raining fist into your face. I always try and keep that in the back of my mind while rolling. Don't get comfortable.
@@mrdune5479 If you wanna learn take downs, see wrestling or judo. On and off, I've trained at 5 different BJJ schools over the years and if I'm being honest, they all sucked at take downs.
0:30 Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is not supposed to be the "peak of the sport" What they do is NOT sport. So there is a problem right from the start (a lack of understanding about what Gracie Jiu-Jitsu actually is designed for.) But in short Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is not really meant to win grappling competitions against another pure grappler who does this 6 days a week. Its meant to take the average guy or gal from being an easy victim to being somewhat capable of defending themselves/survive a real fight. Most normal people can't train 6-7 days per week, 3-4 hours per day and hold down real jobs and spend time with their families. Especially with jacked up faces and cracked ribs.
"Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is not supposed to be the "peak of the sport" What they do is NOT sport. So there is a problem right from the start (a lack of understanding about what Gracie Jiu-Jitsu actually is designed for.)" => EXACTLY. It also a lack of understanding of the history of BJJ and it is evolution. "Most normal people can't train 6-7 days per week, 3-4 hours per day and hold down real jobs and spend time with their families. Especially with jacked up faces and cracked ribs." => You nailed it again. I call it the "elite professional bias". Some people who do a sport/art/job/activity professionaly sometimes end up thinking that their sport/art/job/activity only exist in the professional level they are used to, and not as a multifaceted activity/art.
@@douglasdbs7139 Thank you. I'm glad to see there is some common sense still out there. I've been doing BJJ likely longer than our boy in the video has been alive or close to it and I see this kid of attitude all the time.
I'd also argue that it is dangerous to go down the endless flow and technique rabbit hole because if you are out on concrete, the goal should be to get back up your feet as quickly as possible. Not restraining and controlling in most cases. If I were to invest a ton of time into BJJ, i'd look for a Gracie school or a school with that focus. At my age and the odds of getting in a fight now, basic judo newaza, some catch finishes and strikes/throws are all I need. ( in addition to weight training for the strength burst)
I’ve been at a Gracie CTC for 4 months now and have never been more consistent. 4-days a week. Every week. Even with 3 kids and a demanding career. I was never this consistent when I was at other BJJ gyms. Love the curriculum
Tyler, I love watching your videos. I have trained at the Gracie Academy/University in Torrance and have trained at other Jiu-jitsu (JJ) schools around the country. Personally, if someone just wanted to learn self-defense, I would choose the Gracie University. My biggest issue at normal JJ schools is the punch is not focused on. In fact, when I think of all the other schools I visited, punching was never brought up in any of the classes. You should train how you plan to fight, if you never focus on a punch, you won’t be prepared for it.
I have did Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for 8 years and I think there's a lot of value in this teaching however I personally believe that MMA prepares you the best for street fight.
Yeah it's different but I liked his explanation and philosophy behind it especially considering most NEW BJJ students these days are most likely already over 30 years old and don't really need to be subjecting the body to a whole lot of everyday punishment at that stage
This is an important aspect many forget. I started in my early 20s then you would roll hard and weeded out too many and injured too many. Tougher doesn’t always translate to technical especially if you don’t get a chance to rep as much or are a smaller player
Thanks for saying that, I was watching and thinking 'they're not getting hard rounds in, that's not useful' There's a couple at our gym who came from a more intense gym (that closed) and the guy sort of talks down on our class structure, far as it not being all that tough. At the same time he doesn't go to many randoris, I don't see him at the weekly exercise focused class, and he doesn't do the competition classes. So basically I don't think he liked those aspects and yet he's like 'my other school was tougher'
It's like boxing or Muay Thai sparring if you don't have a fight coming up go light technical sparring, have fun while still sparring and gaining experience. Once you have a fight booked you do need some hard rounds! Maybe Gracie Jiu jitsu you can go light /technical rounds most days but maybe dedicate one day a week to hard sparring/ rolling to get your fix and to keep you grounded in reality! Basically balance and do both one hard rolling day on top of multiple technical light days a week!!
I train at one of their certified training centers local to me. Learning the basics of the positions and some self defense prior to rolling is what attracted me to GJJ in the first place. I spend 10 months in the combatives program before moving into the advanced class where rolling was part of the program. It's not exactly true that you don't roll for the first 8 to 12 months. About 4 to 5 in you start going to a reflex development class in which you "roll" with an "untrained bad guy'. Basically it's one person performing a series of movements that a typical person may perform in a fight so that the "good guy" can defend themselves. Think of it as a way to gain confidence in your skills before you actually get in a real fight and just freeze up out of fear. Realistically the combatives training is enough to survive an altercation in a street setting. Just get into a position to contain the opponent long enough until help arrives without burning up all of your energy. As for jui-jitsu vs jui-jitsu, are you really going to come across this kind of situation all that often in the streets? Maybe I'm naive, but I think as BJJ practitioners we'd be a little more level headed since we practice fighting each other every week. The argument of self defense vs sport jui-jitsu and which one is better is silly. Try a few rounds with punches and you'll quickly figure out what techniques you currently know that allow you to protect yourself. No need to learn anything different. Once I did enter into the advance class I quickly figured out that most of the techniques I learned in the combatives program weren't that effective against people who knew jui-jitsu. I would say that my actual skill level at that point was that of a one, maybe two, strip white belt. I knew just enough not to hurt myself or my training partners. Beyond that I would say that it was easier to grasp more of the techniques since I did have a basic understanding of what I was trying to do. Overall I would say my experience has been positive. I get exactly what I want out of GJJ and I know that my skills will never match up to the highest level competition. I'm just working to be the best that I can possibly be regardless of my belt color. I hope people can respect that mindset and not judge me based on where I chose to train.
Do all the Gracie training centers follow the same program or do they veer off into their own version or copy cat style? I think it would be worth signing up if all the centers are rooted in one fundamental orthodoxy. I'm in San Diego so can't join the L.A. Headquarters, so wondering if the Gracies are strict about other centers following their program in exact detail.
@@Damster587 They all have a set of techniques broken down into "chapters" For example you you may spend three months in the guard chapter focusing on techniques around closed guard. Although the same techniques are thaught not all of the training centers teach the same techniques on the same day if that makes sense. Even though they have a set number of techniques it doesn't mean you can't learn and explore more on your own. For example they touch in a little bit of butterfly guard, but nothing more than some sweeps and a few submissions. If you want to explore butterfly guard deeper no one is going to discourage you, you're just not going to go to class one day and learn the advanced stuff in a group setting. If you wanted to explore something that's completely different like rubber guard no one is going to get upset with you using those techniques and can kick you out because it's not considered Gracie Jui-jitsu.
YES yes I completely understand and it sounds Amazing! Basically they are all teaching from (1) Central Book, but some teachers may be on chapter 4 and others on a different part. I'm already looking for a CTC to cross train.... The good thing about what you said about Rubber guard is that I still get to practice that every other day because my home gym is 10th planet, haha....So no problem there :) But I'm originally from a Carlson Gracie school... Thank you! for all your that useful information, really Stoked to look more into it!@@AE7II
Oh wait.. Monkey wrench thrown into my plans. So NOT all CTC locations are equal, I just discovered. There is a school right by my house in Vista CA, but it only allows beginners (Or Level 2)....And since I've been training for a while now I might feel like a fish out of water, especially if we are not rolling after the lesson. (Very interesting quagmire)@@AE7II
@@Damster587 They all follow the same program and they take quality control very seriously. Rener himself has stated that if any gym has deviated from their training curriculum, they close the school down. Apparently, it's only happened on rare occasions.
It’s different, in that the goal isn’t to make 23 year old wrestlers into bad assets, it’s about making self defense as accessible to as many people as possible - who are willing to work for it.
@@Unknownpractitioner123 been in this since 1996. I pretty much stuff peoples who do this kind of game unless its my nstructor whos a 5 x mundials champ
I am a Gracie student at a different CTC and it has been a wonderful experience. The methodology is much different but it allows the students to learn how to survive in an altercation and then decide if they want to roll down the line. As Rickson preaches, your first 6 months should be learning how to breathe, forming your base, and surviving pressure.
I train at GU. The class is broken down like this: one hour of technical instructions/theory, half an hour of sparring… The second guy you rolled with is a blue belt.
There is usually a distinction between the Competitors, fighters, Hobbyists, and casuals. Say what you want, but casuals and hobbyists keep the lights on so the competitors have a place to train.
8 years at my current GB BJJ school and as this video shows the coaching is top notch. Having done judo for over 15 years GB BJJ puts a greater emphasis on self defence and our coach (having been a doorman for many years) always demonstrates why a technique would be effective in the 'real' world. As he drums into us. Just don't get hit!
I would enjoy my GJJ if I could make more classes AND stay not hurt, partially from class and partially from working out outside of class (sprinting and tearing my hamstring in my late 40s). I wish I were younger but independently wealthy so that I could go to as many classes as I wanted. Then there's vacation that knocks me out of class for 3 to 4 weeks. I can't get a rhythm. It's sad.
Been at GB Jacksonville since 2018 and we got a self defense curriculum too. I think all the GB schools have it. Our instructor been introducing Judo and Wrestling throws for awhile, since we have a few students that have Judo and wrestling background.
Started at a competition school and also attended a Gracie school in Vancouver as a purple. Love both. Spectacular rolls all around. Friendly savages in both locations. All legit.
I’ve had the opportunity to train with Ryron before. You are right he is very charismatic, very energetic, and the way he can explain stuff is amazing! Hands down one of the best teachers I have ever had the opportunity to learn from. He and his brother are not just coaches, they really are like attending a master class of a professional instructor. For me yeah Gracie JJ is different from competition schools. I have got to experience both. There is a place for both for sure. Not everyone is an athlete. I have felt that the things I learned on the Gracie side served me well at competition oriented schools. It all works. But what I miss about the Gracie schools is the focus on self defense. This is the original reason why all of us older guys got into it in the first place. Not to be a competitive grappler. Now if you ask my son, he is a competitive grappler. Competition is his thing. And more power to him! When he is older I’d like to see him pick up the old school self defense stuff, the golden standard, Gracie JJ. Either way I enjoy watching his journey. By far at a young age he is better than I ever had the opportunity to be!
Gracie combatives jiujitsu is just lame and weak MMA training. Youd be better off going to a sport school for jits and an MMA school for the rest. GJJ sucks bro...
@@raphaelvermin Dude, the Combatives are just a collection of basic white to blue belt level techniques used in competition and self/defense/MMA, so I don't know what you are talking about. I don't think you know what you are talking about for that matter.
Exact same experience as me. Ryron tapped me in a roll and granted I’m a lot smaller and lighter but he is legit, and the instruction was great but different. He was brilliant with my young son too. I feel like Ryron is doing the JJ most sports JJ players will do in their 50s when athletic ability declines, but he is really good at that defensive style
@@kommisar. My point is that its a scam. You'll get better training from an actual mma class. Sure i dont know anything. Ive only been rolling since 2007.
I trained Gracie jiu-jitsu at a training association center years back. I started because I wanted to defend myself. The kind of bullying I received wasn’t name-calling, it was actual physical violence. I trained for a whole summer every single day. I came back to school not scared. It gave me confidence and I was able to focus on my schoolwork. I wasn’t afraid to walk going to different classes or walk home. Now I work in tech and don’t worry about money. I still train jiu-jitsu but just because.
All I know is that once I joined Gracie Online my in-class performance improved by a ton. Just holding mount using Rener and Ryron's tips finally got me advancing. Helped that I bought a grappling dummy to practice along with. For example, I'd get in a bad position and think, "Rener said to just raise my arm and swim it around," and bam it worked. Things just started clicking and even though I was attending a Rickson affiliated school, the ability to study at home and replaying lessons again and again eventually got me the momentum to get to purple. No one could convince me that such sound techniques are suddenly no longer "legit," at least in the mean streets of my suburb haha, but yes if I tried to battle a modern day Danaher leg-locking beast, I'd probably have to just resort to my striking skills for a prayer of surviving. ;)
I think that's a different, but very good approach. Focusing on self defense is probably smarter than a lot of the sport jiu jitsu schools curriculum. Basic fundamentals and attention to real world consequences of your actions.
@@kevthesage5747 Not quite true. Brian is Rener's personal student and Rener is Ortega's BJJ coach for MMA training, too. Brian knows everything Rener and Ryron teach at GU, because he is also a teacher there. He has been through the regular school training, too, but of course he gets more specialised training for his MMA career.
@@kevthesage5747 This isn't true at all and this video only shows one of the classes available at these schools. This is the "Combatives Course". They have advanced BJJ classes also that are literally, exactly like every other BJJ gym in the world. I've been training for over 12 years and at the Gracie CTC I go to, it's absolutely no different than any other gym I've trained at. THe only difference is that the beginners can only train in the class that you're seeing in this video until they pass their required tests. Then they can move on to the conventional classes. Even though they still get wrecked when they start rolling in the advanced class, I can tell you for certain that they're far better off than the typical dude walking in off the street taking his first classes.
I started at a CTC about a year and a half ago after leaving a pure competition gym. I had always wanted a self-defense type of curriculum and had no desire to compete. The atmosphere at the CTC was really relaxed, and I met the coaches who were so open to having me train there. They were personable and did not seem to think that the gym existed to promote them, which I felt about my other gym. The culture was so much more about having fun, and learning jiu jitsu in a complete step-by-step manner, instead of random techniques all over the place with no video to watch to back up the lesson. I am glad I switched, and look forward to continuing at this CTC. The only thing I hated was since I showed up as a white belt, even though I had rolled for over a year at my last gym, I had to wait 8 months to get my combatives belt before I could roll.
I'm struggling against depression and anger issues. I started this week (on monday), today is friday and its my 7* class. I'm starting feeling better with my emotions!!!
I’ve trained at a gracie gym for about four years now. I love the coaches and the team and I also like the approach of being aware of strikes and how to deal with them. IMO this is very important and overlooked if self defense is something you have in mind. However sometimes I feel like black sheep there. It’s hard to find partners that want to roll with a little intensity and a lot of time I feel like the rolls are very light and too playful. I also feel like there is a little dogma and any kind of creativity isn’t really encouraged. To them there is the Gracie way and the wrong way. Overall I like the academy and highly respect it but I’ve found myself training at other gyms and local garages to get what I’m looking for. This year I will probably leave to broaden my horizons and become a better grappler. However I’m very happy I started at a Gracie gym and I know a have a very solid foundation to build on. The first “fight flow” (rolling with strikes) is eye opening and makes you realize how important the clinch and takedowns are.
It's different from a lot of other schools but still legit. Every current and aspiring BJJ practitioner should think carefully about their goals and which school most closely aligns with them.
As a teacher and blackbelt ryron Gracie is an amazing grappler and coach . These guys are teaching the martial art version to average people . Not competition focused athletes there is a huge difference . If you want to see what ryron rolls like have a look at theatch he did with Andre galvao . That match changed everything for me with jiu jitsu . I thought that class looked azing
I think the techniques in the combative is an ingenious program; everyone should learn this before going sport, except, rolling should be optional, not barred till program completion. I began with a certified "Basics" instructor in 1999, but we were also rolling , sport and nogi as well, with a good explanation of distinguishing between the street and sportive aspects.
I've done "sport BJJ gyms", MMA gyms, and a CTC. Started in my early 30s and just turned 40. Some things I've learned.... 1. Jiu jitsu is for self defense. It's called "guard" for a reason. (Simplest self defense? Stay on top, ironically.) 2. There is no need to red-line your gas tank every class to get better. (Thais and Russians seem to have figured this out.) 3. A lot of people in pontificating pontificate about what doing jiu jitsu should look like rather than actually doing it. 4. Jiu jitsu isnt about the D1 wrestler trying to transition to MMA or anyone like him. It's for people who need to defend themselves. And a final one.... . . . There's a lot of people out there too prideful to admit Rener and Ryron were (and are) mostly right.
Idk man, D1 wrestlers and athlete mentality may be more useful for street fight defense for being used to fast pace and hard grind mentality. A street fight can go from 0-100 real quick which what wrestlers are used to.
@@maestro1168how many soccer dads do you know that are also D1 wrestlers? The average dad, mom or teen are not going to ever be D1 wrestlers or even close to it. This is why we just want to learn to defend ourselves and not get killed in a street fight. And we hope the guy we fight, if we ever need to, is not a D1 wrestler.
People have to understand there’s a difference between a surgeon and a 22 year old college athlete… I was very competitive in my 20s and 30s. I’m a black belt with 24 years experience but my body took damage… especially my neck and back. I want to keep training when I’m 60 so eventually this will be how i train tbh… I’ll focus more on rolling light and more sensitive. It is what it is. Time gets us all
I've been training under Rener and Ryron since day 1 (over 11 years now), and I have to say it's one of the best places I've trained at, compared to some of the other training environments/schools I've been to.
@@London2ATL I'm no Gordon Ryan but any means, but I do well for myself to be able to survive and stay calm under pressured situations, and that's what's important to me. I'm not doing it to get gold medals, or be a world champion. I'm doing it for my own peace of mind, to be able to protect myself while staying healthy and making some great friends along the way. It may be different for others, but being with these guys has done wonders for my life both on and off the mats.
I think the biggest issue in self defense is not getting use to getting punched. Or how to defend yourself from punches. If you aren't doing that ever; you aren't learning self defense.
I've been training almost 14 years at the same club (NVBJJ). It was a sport club when I started (at 40 years old), and we were one of the top local clubs in the tournament scene. About half way through blue belt our club affiliated with Ryron's & Rener's Torrance academy. I've had my reservations over the years when it came to any changes made to our training approach / curriculum, but they've largely dissipated and I've developed a good appreciation for GU's practices and standards. In fact, I'd say we have a much broader range of students now than ever before - many of whom would have most likely quit early on when we were more of a sport club. That said, we also have some really skilled practitioners on the mats. It's a great mix. And it's good to throw gloves on regularly - not to work on striking skills but to hone grappling skills against a striker. I'm a bit of an exception in that I also like to pop into quite a few other local clubs for their open mats and the odd class here and there. As well as visiting clubs when I'm traveling. Being part of the broader bjj community has been great. I've made lots of awesome friends and I really enjoy experiencing different energies each club fosters. There are so many great clubs in the Lower Mainland here (Vancouver BC). And they all have a slightly different approach to jiu-jitsu. As they say, variety is the spice of life.
I’ve trained at Gracie University in Torrance. There are some tough Jiu-Jitsu guys there, but no tougher than anywhere else I have trained (which is lots of places). The difference is, they are famous. It’s not all hype, but they what they do, takes longer to progress in the name of safety, than almost anywhere else I’ve ever trained. You won’t get good, fast at Gracie university. If you have 10-15 years to kill, you’ll get good.
4 stripe wb with roughly 170 hrs mat time. I started my 1st 120 hours at GJJ University and, after moving, currently train in a Machado BJJ system. Many of the guys I roll with compete, and they are noticeably better than my rolls at GJJ. With that being said, I prefer the entire system of GJJ much better. I have no desire to compete and love the way Gracie University is organized and taught. My current gym is in a transition phase to Gracie University with plans of keeping their competitive base. In order to advance in the Gracie system, u must learn and be able to apply a certain curriculum that often has a self-defense aspect. This is why, in many circumstances, the GJJ practitioner will lose to the BJJ practitioner. They simply do not spend as much time on the competitive aspect. Also, the GJJ system has a bit more stand-up and top control emphasis, making it more ideal for a self-defense scenario. Not taking anything away from BJJ, hell I currently train it along with Muay Thai.
Seems 100% legit to me because the focus in the class was not "let's see what fancy jiu jitsu moves you can do," but rather, "let's use BJJ in a simulated street self - defense scenario." In such a scenario, most likely on concrete, your goal is not to roll as much as possible because your knees are going to be toast (not to mention your face if someone oompas it into the ground). You want to grapple your way to a dominant position from which you can throw a few key strikes and get the hell away.
I think a huge concept that we as BJJ enthusiasts/practitioners need to understand is that if you do have to use your BJJ in the street, the probability of facing someone with similar BJJ skills is pretty sparse. That's when it comes to empty hand conflict. Weapons is an entirely different story. Better have pepper spray, gun, or very honed street awareness focused on conflict avoidance. Either way ego can get you killed and thinking that everyone fights fair can get you maimed. Plus there are legal considerations if you overreact.
I think it's cool. It allows you to work your game, not become complacent with just grappling and to know that the danger of strikes is always there. At the same time, if you are not training to be a fighter, there is no need to fight hard all of the time. The beauty of grappling is that you can always find a gym that will suit your tastes.
Who said fighters train super hard? Most mma fighters prefer light spars as opposed to hard ones. However not allowing students to roll is a money making scheme and gives the students a false sense of security.
@@nathanbedfordforrest9546 I think you added the term “super” to hard. Of course no gym trains hard for every second. However, many MMA oriented gyms train at levels of intensity higher than family oriented gyms or gyms that cater to recreational players and their children. I’ve been in MMA oriented gyms and less competitive gyms and have experienced the difference. I think you may have an issue with their gym, but are expressing it to me instead. I don’t know the ins and out of their programs, but he stated there were many different classes. They were working on a specific skill so that may explain the “no rolling” you enjoy. I’m sure there are plenty of classes where you can roll if you want. Not everyone wants to or can train hard. Some people don’t even do it for self defense. I have been training since 2004 and it never was my goal. I just love doing it, from Judo to boxing to BJJ. Even in classes where students don’t get smashed they learn that they can’t hold guard while someone is punching at them, they flinch when punched at, they can’t grapple and defend punches at the same time and a host of other things. Then they work on these things, or not. This gives them awareness and that is an aspect of self defense too.
I'm an older guy, coming back to martial arts after years away from it. Decades ago, I was a third-degree BB in a major Karate' style and had also studied Judo and Japanese JJ. Coming back, I trained for a year at one of the best sport BJJ schools in town. They were very nice and very proficient. There was technically a curriculum, but it was only loosely followed. And it completely ignored self-defense. Even the best rollers in there would be constantly giving me theoretical opportunities to strike, which I couldn't take advantage of in class. I had to leave there to take a year off for some unrelated medical issues. Then I started at a Gracie CTC. It was exactly what I was looking for. Everything was self-defense oriented and from the very beginning, it was all about staying safe from punches and always being able to keep breathing, keep from being submitted and tiring the other guy out. For an older guy like me, it is also a lot safer. I didn't have to contend with young guys trying to rip my arm off. There is also a strict curriculum for beginners, so you always know what you need to be working on. I don't think I will ever get attacked by a JJ BB. I don't think they go around mugging people. If I get mugged, it will most likely be a young, tough, vicious street hood with no or little training. That is what we train for. If I was young and wanted to compete, I would go back to that sport gym. But having physical limitations and being most interested in self-defense, to me the Gracie system is the only way to go. And it's not just me. We have a lot of really tough guys at my CTC who came from sport schools. We have cops and military types too. And yet, our school still competes in tournaments and does pretty well, even though that isn't the main focus.
Man I wish I was there the day you came by. I train at HQ (where you were in this video) it would have been a good roll that day considering I'm a brown belt and a professional MMA fighter that trains there full time (bjj only obviously). I switched to training at a Gracie gym for some of the reasons you mentioned, as well as not wanting to have my body beat down training at competition schools everyday (as Ryron mentioned in the video). I need to save my hard days for sparring as an mma fighter lol. Either way, I love the training there and I'm glad you got to go experience a class! Let me know next time you're in town dude! - Sunni
I am a fan of the self-defense approach. I started in a competition, grappling and MMA school. Yes, the volume of rolling and sparing at higher intensities make you "better". However, we compromise our backs, necks, fingers, toes, and shoulders in the mid to long term (end range of motion and shear forces). This makes us ineffective both inside and outside the gym in jusy a few years. This is hypothetically in contrast to someone who trains at a gym like this. One of the biggest risks for sports injury is the volume of playtime on the court/field/mat. Choose wisely...
I train there and was actually there on that day. In fact, in one part of the video, I think you can actually see me sitting against the wall taking a round off. From my perception, and from what I've been told by my classmates that have trained at more competition-oriented schools, there is way less attrition due to burnout and injury at Gracie U and CTCs. No disrespect to competition BJJ, but at 49 years old (and I'm far from the oldest guy on the mat), I'll stick with Gracie. On another note, again, with all due respect, I did notice that you didn't roll with Ryron, Rener, or any of our other instructor staff. I wonder if that might not change your opinion, somewhat.
Anyone who rolls with Ryron (ive never gotten to roll with Rener) will quickly understand that even with how chill he is, his Jiu Jitsu is on a different level than 99.9 percent of the practicing population. He showed that when he gave Andre Galvao all he could handle. I'd rolled with plenty of black belts before rolling with Ryron, and it was a completely different feeling of helplessness (didn't help that he was joking with me the whole time lol)
@mule1783 Spot on! I've been training under GU for slightly over one year now. Got my Combatives ® belt in August and started the Master Cycle. I train in a CTC in Brazil that follows EXACTLY the same method taught by Ryron and Rener out of Torrance, which I just visited las week. And I had the chance to be with Ryron in a workshop he taught at the CTC I train in this past June, and I've seen and heard from all the BBs whom rolled with him this same feeling of "hopelessness"... All the while Ryron was as chill as ever... Amazing domain knowledge of the art of JJ. It's incredibly safe, fun and challenging to train with these brothers!
I started (many years ago) at a Gracie Academy, and really appreciated that it was the foundational skills. I think I was there for about 2 years or so? It's what I needed, and it felt applicable & real (not overly fancy, and the techniques were straight forward). Once I finished grad school & moved, I was at a different gym & have been at several over the years as my life moved me from place to place. Frankly, sport BJJ is not very important to me...I competed a decent number of times over the years, but it has never been my 'goal'. I just like to learn & improve in training! :) I've been at extremely sport, competition-focused schools...and at some that are not. Somewhere in the middle proved the most fun for me, and for a lot of people the Gracie gyms will be a perfect fit. It really does just depend on what people are looking to get out of it, and where they feel comfortable.
I train at a BJJ/MMA gym and though I really love it there, I actually wish we had a Gracie University locally. I like their self defense approach and the way they train. Sure, I could get the same or even better training at an MMA place, but the intensity level is questionable and you had better verbalize the intensity level beforehand as grappling + striking can be a slippery slope. On that note, I am also very happy that I started at a pure BJJ school because it gave me a ton of exposure and experience overall. Kudos for showing up giving a shot at their training!
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is an institution where I'm from, the South Bay region of LA. Around here, you'll sometimes see cars with GJJ decal on them. They're incredibly popular which means they have alot of casuals that train there. Most go there to learn basic self-defense, some go there just to get a good sweat, but very few go there with the expectations that they'll get to roll with absolute beasts. It's very laid-back, casual, and welcoming. A great place for anyone to learn jiu-jitsu, but if you're already legit, don't expect to be challenged much.
I don’t like how you mentioned the lawsuit Rener was an expert witness in. The lawsuit wasn’t against Gracie University and has nothing to do with the topic of this video.
I can say this as a new white belt. At 41 years old, not all of us are stellar athletes who are going to crush competitions. Its all I can do at this age to keep up with the 19 year old guys in the gym. My goal is to become proficient in BJJ over time, not to aggressively advance to competition. I want to remain as healthy as possible while accepting pain, so long as I can avoid permanent injury (spinal column, knees, permanent ligament and joint damage, etc.). Fat lips and bruises, black eyes and jammed fingers, who cares. But I can't train at a gym where some guy is going to rip arm bars until I can't work or function normally ever again. I'm 41. I'm not going to Vegas to fight in MMA arenas. I want to become an excellent training partner for people, including those who will compete, and I'll push myself eventually so that I can be good training partners for them, but right now my Gracie school is allowing me to get there without having to throw in the towel immediately due to permanent injury. Just food for thought for those of you who aren't 19.
This is where I’m at. 35, 3 kids, wife, demanding job, long Covid and old injuries from wrestling football and boxing, I feel 50. Haven’t been in mma for a decade, just want to get back in the mix and stay consistent. No plans of competing, kids are entering in jiu jitsu, want to do it as a family.
I think the slower pace and less stress is great for your average person or those that are retired from mma or had a long tough jits career. Being in those tough rooms with fighters and dealing with injuries takes a toll on the body. Something like this would be great for me now that I’m 35.
There’s two different sides to Gracie jiujitsu. One is self defense and the other is competition. Obviously the one you went to focuses more on self defense
We just started a school in a small town that already has a "competition" style gym that definitely caters to a certain group. We started by implementing a Gracie style program for the exact reason stated at the end. Learning self-defense in a safe and structured manner while having fun. It's super early, but I can say it's been successful so far. - From my standpoint, as I get older, I find it harder and harder to "compete" with young bulls everyday as well. I had to have a spinal fusion early this year and find the Gracie structure allows me to still "practice" and have fun. Just my two cents.
He is super chill to roll with. He visited our school about a year ago and rolled with a handful of guys. He would essentially let people burn themselves out, he would do very little to actually advance positions outside of just anticipating and capitalizing on mistakes. It's funny to hear black belts talk about well. They've done in competitions, but then to roll with him and have everything seem so effortless. To quote " I knew exactly what he was doing and how he was doing it, but I couldn't do anything to stop him"
I started this video thinking I would perhaps make it for 30 seconds to a minute. But I ended up watching the whole thing because your commentary was so on point in engaging. Well done.
Unless, you caught them on a very specific day - it seems they are carving out a semi-different niche for themselves. At least at this location. If self-defense is the goal, I can see how they would incorporate various things, instead of just bjj. I'm sure not all of the Gracies are doing that, but I got no issue with how they run a particular school.
Imma purple belt and trained 8 years and a hobbyist. Even with my experience and skill set in a street scuffle where other person is going ape shit I can definitely still lose transitions due to explosivity and strength which can lead to me getting beat up. It’s just the way it is I mean of course the chances are much less than if I had not trained at all
I train at Gracie University (GU) here in Torrance and I’d say that it’s both legit AND different. I get to travel all across the states and I always bring a Gi so I can do drop-in’s at other schools, so I’ve sent the good, bad and the ugly. GU is hands down the best school I’ve ever attended. From the moment you pull into the parking lot, you’re experiencing a consumer product performed at the highest level: building safety, security and cleanliness. Top notch support staff, faculty and instruction. The mats are the best I’ve ever rolled on and the leadership from the top down to the student is all about safety, learning and camaraderie. It’s the whole package and more.
Love this.. I wish we had a Gracie gym near my house for my kids.. they train in mma and do a lot of sport jiu jutsu but it’s annoying as there is no self defence aspect in the jits and the coaches focus more on guard pulling and all that berimbolo stuff so I had to get them cross training in judo and freestyle wrestling for them to learn throws and takedowns then teach them self defence stuff at home.. really time consuming
Legit. Most folks don't need to compete with pros, not a reasonable expectation. The practitioners have jobs, families, and like the man said, don't need cauliflower ears. They can gain a level of confidence without pro level training. My opinion.
I went to Gracie JiuJitsu gym for three months one time. It was all about self defense and basics, but it was very slow and most people were not very athletic. I remember visiting a Carlson Gracie gym one time a year later and I had some young guy throwing sloppy triangle chokes over my head twenty times in a row. Very uncomfortable. Then it was my turn and the coach just kept saying to go faster. I thought the whole thing was sloppy but also exhausting. Additionally, the warm up was unnecessarily long and hard - like warming up for middle school basketball practice just to wear people out before the real practice drills. As a beginner, I would rather be in a Gracie Jiujitsu gym for a while, and maybe go to a less structured and more competition focused gym later after developing to mid or higher level.
4:30 in, right now - So far, this is definitely something I can do as an elderly man when I reach older age. I'm currently 36 years old and the only grappling experience I have is the trauma of street fighting and fun MMA wrestling for one night.
This is a great way to train for most people.. of course this is not a school to breed world champions.. so the ceiling is low to limit risk to serious injury. A young hungry teenager or 20 something is better suited at a competition gym. But a professional, who is looking to be active, and have longevity in the "ART" ... is well-suited at a school like this, espcially if they have a family that would like to participate as well.
well said. I'm 53 with a lifetime of old injuries. I think I would welcome this speed od training more now. Still would never give up BJJ but would likely switch to a school like this if I had one in my area.
Yes legit. The Combatives program is great. I agree that it is funny to wear a belt in "nogi". Love that people attempt to school you on the guillotine. You are a guillotine god. I feel that Gracie Jiujitsu is great for the right person. A good MMA program at your BJJ gym can give you most of the same stuff. I'm a cop so I know self-defense and MMA are different and lots of gyms fail in the self-defense arena. I train my jiujitsu with the, "keep it universal" mind-set. It needs to work in sport, MMA, and/or self-defense. In my case it also needs to work to use "objectively reasonable force" to affect and arrest against a dude that's resisting/ fighting you. anyone who trains BJJ know pinning/submitting/handcuffing a fighting suspect is not easy without a BJJ background. BJJ is a great tool for everyone's needs (Mostly). I love your channel brother!
Great video I personally think that this gym shows more of the basics of self-defense, and I rather train standard jiu jitsu. But training like can also have benefits and show how you would have to adapt in jiu jitsu in order to match self-defense potentially harmful situation.
This video was wonderful. Knowing whether you want to learn how to fight vs get good at the sport is so important before going to a school. I train and teach at a GB school in TX. I was still in the Army and had wrestled in high school and had plenty of self defense experience when I joined, so continuing with the street fighting/street defense aspect made perfect sense to me. I learned to have fun with competition stuff over the years but I’ve always relied on the basics, regardless of my opponent/training partner’s skill level. I hope my anecdotal evidence helps somebody that wants to get started.
Since majority of all jiu jitsu students are hobbyists and want to defend themselves the Gracie’s are 100% affective. Most people have to get up and go to a job the next day. The black belt you rolled with probably has a legit 9-5 job and trains a couple times a week. I like your videos but somehow I get the impression you were talking a little bit of smack on them. Most people don’t want to train everyday as a full time job eating and sleeping just to do it all again. Of course you get better that way but is that really a life. I train 3 times a week with my 17 year old son and the Gracie system is peace of mind that he’ll be ok
@@jeanprimeau5689 I train with an affiliated CDC and never paid for promotions. I'm a purple belt. I know that for black belt you usually go to Torrance to get promoted but that is it.
Most people are lazy and don’t want to experience pain. I get it, pain absolutely sucks but it’s still necessary to achieve something worthwhile. What they are doing here is not going to help them deal with a violent criminal who legitimately wants to harm them.
im surprised you mentioned Gordon Ryan without bringing up that his black belt ultimately comes from Renzo Gracie via Ricardo Almeida ---> Gary Tonon --> Gordon Ryan so even in the case of the best grappler living, straight line back to the gracies.
@@TylerSpanglerNot really ..I disagree😶 when Gordan Ryan and his fame coach John Danaher(who is Black belt under Renzo Gracie) still teach and hold seminars at various Renzo Gracie Academies... To be honest it's not really fair to judge all Gracie Academies with the one in Torrance..each one has their own style of doing things. No matter what Gracie gym you attend they are all different...Carlos..Renzo....Royce...Roger ...they all have their own developed Jujitsu ..it may have started the same but it has change from generation and Gracie.. The one in Torrance seems to be mostly street self defense but it has produce fighters like Brian (T-City) Ortega who fought in the UFC...so I think GJJ works just depends who you ask..what gym and what is the goal .
I liked your video. This is good, because it forces one to ask why one is training. Self defense, martial skill, competition, art from ECT. Like for me, I have never been completion oriented,.but I have trained for around 37 years. I love it. I added the Gracie combative to my curriculum because of the self defense aspect. I love it and I appreciate your video.
I train Gracie Combatives at a local CTC, so I’m probably biased but I would say it’s still legit. It’s no 10th Planet or B Team, but I’m not looking for that cause I don’t want to compete.
Most jiujitsu schools the vast majority of students don't compete, this is just a part of the brain washing you are told since day one, how their Jiujitsu is only for self defense, and sport is sport. That's just bullshit. I know because I was there for many years.
You can always use open mat time and roll with willing fellow classmates and roll harder / pure rolling rounds to get that intensity pure rolling fix that you get at sport Jiu jitsu! Use one day a week as icing on the cake and the rest of the week to learn the Gracie self defense Jiu jitsu fundamentals and technical approach
I'm loving it so far! training for 6 months now and getting real confortable with the fundamentals! Always making sure my self defense is also getting better, I really thing Gracie Jiu Jitsu is exactly what I was looking for. Maybe not what everyone is craving for in a martial art, but I can say it's helping me a lot.
To each his own - GJJ is primarily a very well marketed business. One can't exactly call it a McDojo because of the family legacy, but most of us think it anyway. Whatever floats your boat...As for self defense, it all depends on your caracter. You eigher are a mean bastard or a victim. In the latter case even a black belt might not save you when attacked by a big or God forbid a trained oponent. As an experienced bouncer, you must learn to distinguish between these two types of people and pick your battles wisely. (I am a former sambo fighter and a brown belt in BJJ)
Agree. They are touching that thin line that separates a good gym from a mcdojo. And there is people here saying this is legit. If you want to be good at self defense, there is a lot of good mma gyms around.
Went to a Relson Gracie school for 15 months and LOVED IT. Moved abroad and trying to find a school here now, in Guatemala. I am almost 62 and feel like I need to get back at it soon. I want that blue belt I was so close to getting….
I think their self defense stuff has merit, but really it should be after blue belt, nothing teaches you like rolling, it is what makes bjj/wrestling so legit. you can have hundreds of matches at full pace. but striking you can only have so many fights. there is no way to build real confidence other than learning how to beat people who are trying their hardest to beat you. learn muay thai, get a blue belt in bjj. then add rolling with punches etc. I mean this vid demonstrates tyler had no problem against the gjj black belt. meaning a bjj Black Belt who has done a little mma training had a better skill set. now the other view, mma has changed martiasl arts, it made every thing real, there is no way to fake it. GJJ offers something for the average person who doesnt want to torture them selves into being an advanced competitive athlete, they can just have a easy work out (not a death match every day) while learning something that will still be effective against a majority of the untrained population. its probably even better for longevity than hard rolling. Im getting old, I might start a mma larp business for old men, where we all just pretend.
I was considering Gracie schools but there are cons for me personally: 1. There are no takedown classes like wrestling or nogi-judo. This is important for self defense. Bjj becomes useless when you can’t takedown a wrestler. 2. Adding striking is fantastic, in fact that should be in all bjj schools as separate classes. However, the bjj schools that catered to athletes have different mentality. They are used to fast pace pressure which is beneficial for street defense fight. 3. Why do GJJ rather than MMA? The latter has better striking and takedown elements. Baby punches is good for reminding you that you’re vulnerable jn certain positions but getting used to faster/harder speed striking/grappling is much much better.
The Gracies are Bjj and martial arts royalty. And Gracie jiu jitsu is as effective today as ever. Competitive bjj has evolved beyond the traditional art . What started out as a self defense martial art developed around the worst case scenario fighting from your back has evolved into Jiu Jitsu vs Jiu Jitsu and integrated with wrestling, striking. Bjj is a very deep art with endless variations and many different styles within itself
I did competition BJJ training for 6 years and approached brown belt. I started again 9 years later and I simply don't want that intensity in my life again. I joined a Japanese JuJutsu school that is more self defense focused and I couldn't be happier. I'm getting a good workout in a controlled environment and need only roll with a white belt to know these skills still transfer to general self defense. I think the Gracies are great at what they do. They basically laid the entire foundation for what you do now, but the onus isn't on them to be Danaher or Ryan or stay on the bleeding edge. Their legacy is cemented just like Kimura's legacy or any of the wrestling and sambo greats.
I feel every BJJ school serve their purpose and Gracie JiuJitsu definitely has positive effects on students and community as they try to help with military, first responders and everyday people. I train at Gracie Barra and they’re a tough school, however, it is structured and also implements self-defense in their curriculum so it’s like the best of both worlds.
Same bud. GB gets knocked as sport focused and culty, but I’ve always been able to train my way (self defense/combatives, just really fundamental stuff) in the fundamental and all levels classes. Then training in advanced classes is fun and useful to know how your style stands up against purples, browns and blacks. I teach the adult all levels class and striking is implemented at least once every two weeks (four classes a week x2) so 1 of every 8 classes is training for a strikes, takedowns and a dominant top, followed by submissions or just continuing to control. My students are older for the most part but staying sharp and prepared to defend themselves or their families from some wacko or punkass is their #1 priority. I hope I’m helping them get there. Brown belt, 4 stripes, if that matters.🤘🏻
I had no idea they did this thing with light punching. I'd be down for that as I fully suport experimenting on different teaching methodologies and variety in general. Intuitively, feels like getting used to apply your jiu jitsu while getting punched would be valuable for MMA/self defense. That being said, belts without gis are 100% silly nonsense
@t.farias9336 I guess they wear the belts in Nogi so that they all know what someone else’s rank is for logistical purposes…especially when dealing with the large school. It’s not because it looks cool.
@@markavelisocal Several students in the video were wearing ranked rashguards. But not everyone there was wearing them, and many GU-branded rashguards are not ranked. When everyone knows everyone at the school, you don't need to know rank as much. But when you get 60-70 people in one night, the instructors need a fast way to identify skill and experience.
Side note but I was upset when Roger came to my gym and wouldn’t roll with me for video after the seminar. Obviously he would crush me, but I still wanted it haha
All depends what you're looking for. The point has been proven in MMA that you need Jiu Jitsu, and against a non Jiu Jitsu trained opponent, it's like a super power. Most people who are gonna wanna do something in real life aren't guys who train. So GJJ has transcended MMA and become more about empowering the masses and the weak, which was GM Helio's mission. If someone wants to achieve higher levels of proficiency to compete, there's plenty of options out there. I can only say that when I first started training, I was lost the first few months. Then GU and Combatives was released and I took the initiative to start learning the fundamentals through them on my own, while training at my local school a few times a week as well. The result was that I progressed exponentially faster than not only had I been, but then others at my level were, as did my Combatives training partner who also was a member of the same school. It's been the same experience with the Master Cycle. Everything you learn there can be applied in a more intense, higher level environment with great success if that's your goal. It's just not what the Gracie Academy's focus is anymore, modern Grappling competitions and modern MMA are antithetical to what true Helio Gracie philosophized Jiu Jitsu represents.
There is a Gracie Gym about 45 minutes from my house. Is it worth driving that far ? or should I go tot he local gym here that is instructed by a purple belt?
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Great Comment. You are a smart men.
I own and operate a Gracie CTC. We switched over from a “normal” BJJ school last year. We were a “normal” BJJ school for 10 years and we were an extremely tough room. Lots of tough hard nosed students. Then Covid happened and our gym closed for almost a year. When we reopened we struggled to rebound back because we had lost a lot of that momentum we had pre Covid. There are several reasons why we switched to a Gracie CTC but the main one was this. Our gym is in a small town. Around 9-10,000 people. There are three other “normal” BJJ schools within 30 minutes of us. We had to do something different than what the other schools were doing. In the year we have been a CTC, I have seen people who I would have killed to have as students pre CTC, come in, try class, and never come back. Reason being is that they were stud athletes looking to be killers and the slower pace of the Gracie program didn’t scratch their itch. On the other hand, for every stud we lost, we’ve gained 5 people who truly NEED Jiu Jitsu. The ones who would have never set foot in or lasted one day with us had we not been a Gracie CTC, and we would have been proud to have scared them away. But my attitude has totally shifted and not because of the bottom line. It’s because now I look at our student base and say “wow, these people, the ones who truly need Jiu Jitsu, are sticking around and getting good.” I read comments on these posts and Reddit and see people bashing Gracie CTC’s and the only thing I can think is, A) try being a BJJ gym owner before you cast stones. It is an extremely niche martial art with very high levels of attrition. B) the people who say “just go to a real BJJ school and train MMA.” You people are the 5%. The stud athletes. The ones who played 3 sports in high school and probably some college. You’re also the reason that the ones who truly need Jiu Jitsu are scared to walk in the door and when they did, you had to prove to yourself and your coach that you were an alpha, and totally crushed a beginner because that’s what happened to you. Trickle down BJJ. I know, because that was how I learned and what we did. Then one day I looked around and no one was left. I’m not saying Gracie CTC’s are the absolute best BJJ schools in the world, but in terms of empowering the weak, safety, structure, systems…it’s been pretty awesome so far. And lastly, C) I’m a brown belt and have competed at every rank so far, won some, lost some. I am competent at sport BJJ. Going through the very basic Gracie Combatives program totally revolutionized my sport Jiu Jitsu and I can say that with complete honesty. I roll so much tighter now than ever before. I hit more trap and rolls and elbow escapes than ever. My top mount game has become exponentially better, because those basics are what the beginner program is all about. Oh and hey, what’s en vogue right now? Mount. Top pressure. Arm bars. Control and exhaust. Hmm…..sounds an awful lot like basic old school Jiu Jitsu to me 😉
As someone who trained because I always had “little man anger” issues .. I’ve rolled from day one and it made me tough but didn’t always make me technical. Why? Rolling hard all the time doesn't equal more technical and also if you never get to try the move of the day because everyone fights so hard to not let you test it, takes you longer to develop. Add being short and small it is hard to get better. I say this as a black belt who has fractured his ribs, landed on my arm, and screwed up my knees and I LOVE it but it doesn’t allow for those that should stick with it to enjoy that journey. Better ways to learn now.
I agree. That has been my experience too. 'Normal' BJJ gyms focus on athletes, people who need BJJ the least, whereas CTC focus on people who need BJJ the most. Different philosophy.
Wonderful post. Good luck at your school!
💯
I'm recovering from cancer and I wish I had a Gracie gym in my town. I'd be able to go in and get reps in without the fear of getting hurt. All the gyms around me are sport focused, which drives me nuts because I KNOW the value of basics and self defense.
One thing I learn with Bjj is, how ignorant I was before by thinking I can defense myself pretty well against someone in the street. Now, 2 1/2 years and a blue belt, I don't want to fight anybody, I repeat any body.
you would beat most untrained people within reason, however i have the same sentiment, where ur there grinding almost every day which at the time even though its a small battle of position, maybe defending a guard pass or submisision, it feels like a fight in that moment, and its seeing what trained people can do to you with ease is what makes people savvy to what a fight can actual lead to, thus knowing to avoid it, how ever if u were forced to defend urself against an untrained guy with 30lbs on u, id put my money on you
I have been training bjj for about 5 years (blue belt also) and I feel the same as you. I have no problem handling much bigger new guys in the gym but many things can go wrong in a street fight.
Exactly. I am a brown belt, but there are many points within in a roll that anything could happen that would be to your detriment (if it was a real situation). It doesn't matter how good you are.
I learned not to underestimate any opponent. I seen big guys with no strength and skinny guys with a hell of a strength 😂 so you never know how good the other person could be.
Are you man enough to clinch and get over hooks and stay tight? If you’re someone who is scared to engage, don’t ever think Jiu jitsu will work in a street fight. You literally need to make things so tight that your opponent is fighting in a phone booth. This is the true form of using Jiu jitsu for self defense.
There are niches in Jiu Jitsu and theirs is not competition Jiu Jitsu, it is tending to a large portion of the general population that likes JJ but has no intentions of competing or become the next GOAT. I train for 7 years and I started at 53, I love it and it has changed my life, but never competed and probably never will. I have an amazing group to hang out with and sweat a bunch and also mental health has improved a great deal. I watch competitions and enjoy the skill level of the top players. I am better off training and I will keep it that way to the grave. 🙂
What belt are you?
@@hunterslaptop6483 purple 2 stripes.
@@hunterslaptop6483 I’m purple 3 stripes.
Same here. I'm just starting my Jiu-Jitsu journey. I'm 47, about to turn 48 and I don't want to or care about competing. I've practiced other martial arts throughout my life and I just like the warrior mindset/training, camaraderie. I could care less about competition. I care about self-defense and fitness.
To a large degree, it depends on the individual that own your school. A good professor has a variety of offerings for competition and non. Ours offers gi and no gi several times throughout the week in addition to an executive class for 40+. We have both youth and adult competitors and families as well that just want the health benefits and self defense JJ brings with it. Couple it with Muay Thai and you have something for everyone.
I've trained at Rener and Ryron's gym for a year now. I like it because they focus on safety, strike defense/counters and have a good structured program where you can really learn different moves. They place a heavy emphasis on street jiu-jitsu where the opponent might be trying to punch, kick and slam you. Other gyms focus more on tournament and bjj vs. bjj. We get a lot of converts from other gyms who say they were injured, beat up and really weren't taught techniques. They were basically used as crash test dummies for higher belts. Some of us have to work and can't afford to be injured every week.
I got you and I like that mentality but that does not take away the fact that many other gyms have better techniques that are more useful for sparring and tournaments.
@walid3207 OK, whatever, but since 1980s at least Helio Gracie himself complained that Jiu-jitsu his family developed (i.e. BJJ) was not meant for tournaments, but self defense. It is like saying this knife is very good to cut meat but there are many other tools useful for hammering a nail. You are comparing apples to oranges. Also, this dude went to Helio Gracie grandsons gym with zero clue of where he was stepping into.
PREACH
@@douglasdbs7139 thanks Buddy
@@walid3207 If you want to be the best in pure grappling tournaments, Rener and Ryron will gladly recommend you to any number of schools on the same street.
They understand more than anyone what their product is good and not good at.
Clean mat. Friendly and caring instructors. Safe and cooperative training environment. Structured and effective curriculum. Fun. Self defense and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for life!
But don’t hurt anyone or you’ll get sued
@@JewishBettoryeah then rener will say theres only 1 safe postion for the transition and bill 2k the hr
@@JewishBettor Safety is paramount on the mat, from the top to the bottom.... We all understand that and live by that ethos.
@@BruceWayne-uk5tmyou triggered?
You are falling for a personality cults from someone that is dead
I like their approach. Almost all Jiu Jitsu schools are competition focused but not all students are. What often happens is, some time will pass before that disparity to comes to light and that’s when people start falling off. It’s good to know the goals of the student and the instructor before working together.
I think adding the strikes is incredibly valuable if you're training for actual fighting. Of course it's a waste of time if you're training exclusively for grappling matches. So it depends on where you're priorities are. As for me, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is my kind of Jiu-Jitsu.
Also, they have classes that are self defense oriented and classes that are sports oriented. I visited them last summer and that gym was nice!
Getting 9 minutes of roll combative or not, is pretty soft no?
I'm not sure what you mean @@darylbe
Agree it's definitely on my list of arts I want to learn. I want my students comfortable on the ground,but awareness of the very real danger that's there. Striking,thoughts of dirty fighting, etc.
When you add an element like punching. You change the priorities. And I feel that adds depth. As you are no longer playing your favourite game. So even for sports mixing up the rules has benefits.
The Gracie University curriculum was designed to bring Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to a larger base of people. Not everyone wants to compete or go into MMA. Some people just want to learn self defense. Some people want a more controlled environment, where injury risk is minimal. This is where GU shines.
That said ... a couple things:
-They will "correct" your technique during training because they learn everything within specific contexts and levels. This was very frustrating for me when I first went to a CTC. Many of my set ups were "incorrect" because they didn't match the curriculum. For their tests, they have to do every technique according to the curriculum, no deviations. Even if your way of doing something would be accepted anywhere else, it's wrong.
If this sounds stifling, it kind of is, however every higher belt I've rolled with from a CTC has a very strong GU "advanced basics" style.
- As far as levels go, you'll find a mixture of athletic abilities at GU. We had a few visitors from CTCs across the world. Some were very laid back, not competitive in the least. Others could be just as threatening as people from competition schools. Some will just want to survive. Others will want to scrap (playfully). It really depends on who you get and the mutual understanding between sparring partners.
- Lastly, the Torrance lineage isn't the only variant of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Each lineage has its own philosophies and mentality. Some are very adamant about the self defense, focusing on the majority of the time. Others are about 50% self defense and 50% sport.
Very true GJJ is different depending on which Gracie school you go...Roger Gracie...Royce Gracie...Renzo Gracie..Carlos Gracie Academy teach BJJ differently than the Torrance school..Their styles are different...dont forget Gordan Ryan who is the bestbin the game along with his coach DH are still under the Renzo Gracie academies
@andrewtaylor7269 I have dislocation in my elbow doing Judo in Randori. A few students got their arms broken. Have you?
You’re spot on.
Every school has people that are really good and people that you wonder how they got their belt. GU is no different. They have casual blue belts that only train once or twice a week to the Brian Ortega’s of the world.
It also seems like you’re the only one in the comments that understand GU doesn’t represent all Gracie’s. There are hundreds of them in the world. Roger, Renzo, Carlson, Gracie Barra, Rickson, Royler, Royce, Relson, etc are not associated with GU. To say all the rest is BS because of GU is asinine.
@@stonecold9573 👍
@@krynico8451Roger and Renzo gyms are ran like typical competitive gym. Yes both will teach solid fundamentals and ‘old school’ techniques but they go HARD and majority of their students compete. It’s nothing like a Gracie training centre
Six Blades brown belt here. They're legit. Beyond that, they're making jiu-jitsu accessible to the masses. The majority of people in a self defense class may not join, but it's definitely a gateway drug for a few that would have otherwise been too intimidated to jump in with both feet. Mad props to those brothers for sharing the martial art with all.
Doesn’t Xande use a green belt as a pre blue belt? A belt you earn in order to start sparring etc?
I met xande by accident at Barton Spring in Austin 2 years ago. Recently moved back to Austin and it's still just as cool
I really admire the Gracies for staying grounded in the self defense aspect of BJJ. There are so many techniques that are good to know in the world of Jiu Jitsu, but completely useless when someone is raining fist into your face. I always try and keep that in the back of my mind while rolling.
Don't get comfortable.
It's that why they have zero takedown ability? 😂 Did you watch Krohn Gracie fight in the UFC? 😅
@mrdune5479 , Kron was more into the competition aspect.
@@mrdune5479 If you wanna learn take downs, see wrestling or judo. On and off, I've trained at 5 different BJJ schools over the years and if I'm being honest, they all sucked at take downs.
0:30 Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is not supposed to be the "peak of the sport" What they do is NOT sport. So there is a problem right from the start (a lack of understanding about what Gracie Jiu-Jitsu actually is designed for.) But in short Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is not really meant to win grappling competitions against another pure grappler who does this 6 days a week. Its meant to take the average guy or gal from being an easy victim to being somewhat capable of defending themselves/survive a real fight. Most normal people can't train 6-7 days per week, 3-4 hours per day and hold down real jobs and spend time with their families. Especially with jacked up faces and cracked ribs.
"Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is not supposed to be the "peak of the sport" What they do is NOT sport. So there is a problem right from the start (a lack of understanding about what Gracie Jiu-Jitsu actually is designed for.)" => EXACTLY. It also a lack of understanding of the history of BJJ and it is evolution.
"Most normal people can't train 6-7 days per week, 3-4 hours per day and hold down real jobs and spend time with their families. Especially with jacked up faces and cracked ribs." => You nailed it again. I call it the "elite professional bias". Some people who do a sport/art/job/activity professionaly sometimes end up thinking that their sport/art/job/activity only exist in the professional level they are used to, and not as a multifaceted activity/art.
@@douglasdbs7139 Thank you. I'm glad to see there is some common sense still out there. I've been doing BJJ likely longer than our boy in the video has been alive or close to it and I see this kid of attitude all the time.
@@dragonballjiujitsu100% well said. When that other coach mentioned his “power” it was very telling.
I'd also argue that it is dangerous to go down the endless flow and technique rabbit hole because if you are out on concrete, the goal should be to get back up your feet as quickly as possible. Not restraining and controlling in most cases. If I were to invest a ton of time into BJJ, i'd look for a Gracie school or a school with that focus. At my age and the odds of getting in a fight now, basic judo newaza, some catch finishes and strikes/throws are all I need. ( in addition to weight training for the strength burst)
@@Polentaccio Agreed
I’ve been at a Gracie CTC for 4 months now and have never been more consistent. 4-days a week. Every week. Even with 3 kids and a demanding career. I was never this consistent when I was at other BJJ gyms. Love the curriculum
Tyler, I love watching your videos. I have trained at the Gracie Academy/University in Torrance and have trained at other Jiu-jitsu (JJ) schools around the country. Personally, if someone just wanted to learn self-defense, I would choose the Gracie University. My biggest issue at normal JJ schools is the punch is not focused on. In fact, when I think of all the other schools I visited, punching was never brought up in any of the classes. You should train how you plan to fight, if you never focus on a punch, you won’t be prepared for it.
I have did Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for 8 years and I think there's a lot of value in this teaching however I personally believe that MMA prepares you the best for street fight.
Yeah it's different but I liked his explanation and philosophy behind it especially considering most NEW BJJ students these days are most likely already over 30 years old and don't really need to be subjecting the body to a whole lot of everyday punishment at that stage
This is an important aspect many forget. I started in my early 20s then you would roll hard and weeded out too many and injured too many. Tougher doesn’t always translate to technical especially if you don’t get a chance to rep as much or are a smaller player
Thanks for saying that, I was watching and thinking 'they're not getting hard rounds in, that's not useful'
There's a couple at our gym who came from a more intense gym (that closed) and the guy sort of talks down on our class structure, far as it not being all that tough. At the same time he doesn't go to many randoris, I don't see him at the weekly exercise focused class, and he doesn't do the competition classes. So basically I don't think he liked those aspects and yet he's like 'my other school was tougher'
It's like boxing or Muay Thai sparring if you don't have a fight coming up go light technical sparring, have fun while still sparring and gaining experience. Once you have a fight booked you do need some hard rounds! Maybe Gracie Jiu jitsu you can go light /technical rounds most days but maybe dedicate one day a week to hard sparring/ rolling to get your fix and to keep you grounded in reality! Basically balance and do both one hard rolling day on top of multiple technical light days a week!!
I train at one of their certified training centers local to me. Learning the basics of the positions and some self defense prior to rolling is what attracted me to GJJ in the first place. I spend 10 months in the combatives program before moving into the advanced class where rolling was part of the program. It's not exactly true that you don't roll for the first 8 to 12 months. About 4 to 5 in you start going to a reflex development class in which you "roll" with an "untrained bad guy'. Basically it's one person performing a series of movements that a typical person may perform in a fight so that the "good guy" can defend themselves. Think of it as a way to gain confidence in your skills before you actually get in a real fight and just freeze up out of fear.
Realistically the combatives training is enough to survive an altercation in a street setting. Just get into a position to contain the opponent long enough until help arrives without burning up all of your energy. As for jui-jitsu vs jui-jitsu, are you really going to come across this kind of situation all that often in the streets? Maybe I'm naive, but I think as BJJ practitioners we'd be a little more level headed since we practice fighting each other every week.
The argument of self defense vs sport jui-jitsu and which one is better is silly. Try a few rounds with punches and you'll quickly figure out what techniques you currently know that allow you to protect yourself. No need to learn anything different.
Once I did enter into the advance class I quickly figured out that most of the techniques I learned in the combatives program weren't that effective against people who knew jui-jitsu. I would say that my actual skill level at that point was that of a one, maybe two, strip white belt. I knew just enough not to hurt myself or my training partners. Beyond that I would say that it was easier to grasp more of the techniques since I did have a basic understanding of what I was trying to do.
Overall I would say my experience has been positive. I get exactly what I want out of GJJ and I know that my skills will never match up to the highest level competition. I'm just working to be the best that I can possibly be regardless of my belt color. I hope people can respect that mindset and not judge me based on where I chose to train.
Do all the Gracie training centers follow the same program or do they veer off into their own version or copy cat style? I think it would be worth signing up if all the centers are rooted in one fundamental orthodoxy. I'm in San Diego so can't join the L.A. Headquarters, so wondering if the Gracies are strict about other centers following their program in exact detail.
@@Damster587 They all have a set of techniques broken down into "chapters" For example you you may spend three months in the guard chapter focusing on techniques around closed guard. Although the same techniques are thaught not all of the training centers teach the same techniques on the same day if that makes sense. Even though they have a set number of techniques it doesn't mean you can't learn and explore more on your own. For example they touch in a little bit of butterfly guard, but nothing more than some sweeps and a few submissions. If you want to explore butterfly guard deeper no one is going to discourage you, you're just not going to go to class one day and learn the advanced stuff in a group setting. If you wanted to explore something that's completely different like rubber guard no one is going to get upset with you using those techniques and can kick you out because it's not considered Gracie Jui-jitsu.
YES yes I completely understand and it sounds Amazing! Basically they are all teaching from (1) Central Book, but some teachers may be on chapter 4 and others on a different part. I'm already looking for a CTC to cross train.... The good thing about what you said about Rubber guard is that I still get to practice that every other day because my home gym is 10th planet, haha....So no problem there :) But I'm originally from a Carlson Gracie school... Thank you! for all your that useful information, really Stoked to look more into it!@@AE7II
Oh wait.. Monkey wrench thrown into my plans. So NOT all CTC locations are equal, I just discovered. There is a school right by my house in Vista CA, but it only allows beginners (Or Level 2)....And since I've been training for a while now I might feel like a fish out of water, especially if we are not rolling after the lesson. (Very interesting quagmire)@@AE7II
@@Damster587 They all follow the same program and they take quality control very seriously. Rener himself has stated that if any gym has deviated from their training curriculum, they close the school down. Apparently, it's only happened on rare occasions.
It’s different, in that the goal isn’t to make 23 year old wrestlers into bad assets, it’s about making self defense as accessible to as many people as possible - who are willing to work for it.
It’s a scam. If you can’t roll with someone then you find know what you are capable of or vise versa. It’s a money making scheme.
Exactly!
This class looks 100 times more fun than the typical reverse de la riva berimbolo classes taught at most sport schools
Tell me you’re trash at jiujitsu without telling me you’re trash at jiujitsu
@@Unknownpractitioner123 been in this since 1996. I pretty much stuff peoples who do this kind of game unless its my nstructor whos a 5 x mundials champ
@@Unknownpractitioner123you’re exactly the type of person that makes others not want to train at certain gyms. Who cares who’s trash or not ?
I am a Gracie student at a different CTC and it has been a wonderful experience. The methodology is much different but it allows the students to learn how to survive in an altercation and then decide if they want to roll down the line. As Rickson preaches, your first 6 months should be learning how to breathe, forming your base, and surviving pressure.
I train at GU. The class is broken down like this: one hour of technical instructions/theory, half an hour of sparring… The second guy you rolled with is a blue belt.
I really like Ryrons approach. For most people it will probably serve them better than strict comp classes for overall self defense.
There is usually a distinction between the Competitors, fighters, Hobbyists, and casuals. Say what you want, but casuals and hobbyists keep the lights on so the competitors have a place to train.
8 years at my current GB BJJ school and as this video shows the coaching is top notch. Having done judo for over 15 years GB BJJ puts a greater emphasis on self defence and our coach (having been a doorman for many years) always demonstrates why a technique would be effective in the 'real' world. As he drums into us. Just don't get hit!
I would enjoy my GJJ if I could make more classes AND stay not hurt, partially from class and partially from working out outside of class (sprinting and tearing my hamstring in my late 40s). I wish I were younger but independently wealthy so that I could go to as many classes as I wanted. Then there's vacation that knocks me out of class for 3 to 4 weeks. I can't get a rhythm. It's sad.
Been at GB Jacksonville since 2018 and we got a self defense curriculum too. I think all the GB schools have it. Our instructor been introducing Judo and Wrestling throws for awhile, since we have a few students that have Judo and wrestling background.
Started at a competition school and also attended a Gracie school in Vancouver as a purple. Love both. Spectacular rolls all around. Friendly savages in both locations. All legit.
REV MMA (the very first MMA school in Toronto) is also a Gracie University CTC under Joel Gerson (former Shooto fighter).
I’ve had the opportunity to train with Ryron before. You are right he is very charismatic, very energetic, and the way he can explain stuff is amazing!
Hands down one of the best teachers I have ever had the opportunity to learn from. He and his brother are not just coaches, they really are like attending a master class of a professional instructor.
For me yeah Gracie JJ is different from competition schools. I have got to experience both. There is a place for both for sure. Not everyone is an athlete.
I have felt that the things I learned on the Gracie side served me well at competition oriented schools. It all works.
But what I miss about the Gracie schools is the focus on self defense. This is the original reason why all of us older guys got into it in the first place. Not to be a competitive grappler.
Now if you ask my son, he is a competitive grappler. Competition is his thing. And more power to him!
When he is older I’d like to see him pick up the old school self defense stuff, the golden standard, Gracie JJ.
Either way I enjoy watching his journey. By far at a young age he is better than I ever had the opportunity to be!
Gracie combatives jiujitsu is just lame and weak MMA training.
Youd be better off going to a sport school for jits and an MMA school for the rest.
GJJ sucks bro...
@@raphaelvermin Dude, the Combatives are just a collection of basic white to blue belt level techniques used in competition and self/defense/MMA, so I don't know what you are talking about. I don't think you know what you are talking about for that matter.
Exact same experience as me. Ryron tapped me in a roll and granted I’m a lot smaller and lighter but he is legit, and the instruction was great but different. He was brilliant with my young son too. I feel like Ryron is doing the JJ most sports JJ players will do in their 50s when athletic ability declines, but he is really good at that defensive style
@@kommisar. My point is that its a scam. You'll get better training from an actual mma class.
Sure i dont know anything. Ive only been rolling since 2007.
I trained Gracie jiu-jitsu at a training association center years back. I started because I wanted to defend myself. The kind of bullying I received wasn’t name-calling, it was actual physical violence. I trained for a whole summer every single day. I came back to school not scared. It gave me confidence and I was able to focus on my schoolwork. I wasn’t afraid to walk going to different classes or walk home. Now I work in tech and don’t worry about money. I still train jiu-jitsu but just because.
All I know is that once I joined Gracie Online my in-class performance improved by a ton. Just holding mount using Rener and Ryron's tips finally got me advancing. Helped that I bought a grappling dummy to practice along with. For example, I'd get in a bad position and think, "Rener said to just raise my arm and swim it around," and bam it worked. Things just started clicking and even though I was attending a Rickson affiliated school, the ability to study at home and replaying lessons again and again eventually got me the momentum to get to purple. No one could convince me that such sound techniques are suddenly no longer "legit," at least in the mean streets of my suburb haha, but yes if I tried to battle a modern day Danaher leg-locking beast, I'd probably have to just resort to my striking skills for a prayer of surviving. ;)
I think that's a different, but very good approach. Focusing on self defense is probably smarter than a lot of the sport jiu jitsu schools curriculum. Basic fundamentals and attention to real world consequences of your actions.
Don't forget about about Brian T-City Ortega. High level black belt under Ryron and Rener, and still very dangerous BJJ at UFC level.
Yeah but they definitely trained him differently than what they offer
This is true
@@kevthesage5747 I think BJJ Sport also will be VERY different for MMA. BJJ for Sport and BJJ for MMA will be very different.
@@kevthesage5747 Not quite true. Brian is Rener's personal student and Rener is Ortega's BJJ coach for MMA training, too.
Brian knows everything Rener and Ryron teach at GU, because he is also a teacher there. He has been through the regular school training, too, but of course he gets more specialised training for his MMA career.
@@kevthesage5747 This isn't true at all and this video only shows one of the classes available at these schools. This is the "Combatives Course". They have advanced BJJ classes also that are literally, exactly like every other BJJ gym in the world. I've been training for over 12 years and at the Gracie CTC I go to, it's absolutely no different than any other gym I've trained at. THe only difference is that the beginners can only train in the class that you're seeing in this video until they pass their required tests. Then they can move on to the conventional classes. Even though they still get wrecked when they start rolling in the advanced class, I can tell you for certain that they're far better off than the typical dude walking in off the street taking his first classes.
I started at a CTC about a year and a half ago after leaving a pure competition gym. I had always wanted a self-defense type of curriculum and had no desire to compete. The atmosphere at the CTC was really relaxed, and I met the coaches who were so open to having me train there. They were personable and did not seem to think that the gym existed to promote them, which I felt about my other gym. The culture was so much more about having fun, and learning jiu jitsu in a complete step-by-step manner, instead of random techniques all over the place with no video to watch to back up the lesson. I am glad I switched, and look forward to continuing at this CTC. The only thing I hated was since I showed up as a white belt, even though I had rolled for over a year at my last gym, I had to wait 8 months to get my combatives belt before I could roll.
I'm struggling against depression and anger issues. I started this week (on monday), today is friday and its my 7* class. I'm starting feeling better with my emotions!!!
So how's it going? Sticking with it?
@@dogpoop85 so far so good!! still doing it!!! Thanks for asking!
I hope you're feeling much better now, take care !
I’ve trained at a gracie gym for about four years now. I love the coaches and the team and I also like the approach of being aware of strikes and how to deal with them. IMO this is very important and overlooked if self defense is something you have in mind. However sometimes I feel like black sheep there. It’s hard to find partners that want to roll with a little intensity and a lot of time I feel like the rolls are very light and too playful. I also feel like there is a little dogma and any kind of creativity isn’t really encouraged. To them there is the Gracie way and the wrong way. Overall I like the academy and highly respect it but I’ve found myself training at other gyms and local garages to get what I’m looking for. This year I will probably leave to broaden my horizons and become a better grappler. However I’m very happy I started at a Gracie gym and I know a have a very solid foundation to build on. The first “fight flow” (rolling with strikes) is eye opening and makes you realize how important the clinch and takedowns are.
It's different from a lot of other schools but still legit. Every current and aspiring BJJ practitioner should think carefully about their goals and which school most closely aligns with them.
As a teacher and blackbelt ryron Gracie is an amazing grappler and coach . These guys are teaching the martial art version to average people . Not competition focused athletes there is a huge difference . If you want to see what ryron rolls like have a look at theatch he did with Andre galvao . That match changed everything for me with jiu jitsu . I thought that class looked azing
I think the techniques in the combative is an ingenious program; everyone should learn this before going sport, except, rolling should be optional, not barred till program completion. I began with a certified "Basics" instructor in 1999, but we were also rolling , sport and nogi as well, with a good explanation of distinguishing between the street and sportive aspects.
I've done "sport BJJ gyms", MMA gyms, and a CTC. Started in my early 30s and just turned 40. Some things I've learned....
1. Jiu jitsu is for self defense. It's called "guard" for a reason. (Simplest self defense? Stay on top, ironically.)
2. There is no need to red-line your gas tank every class to get better. (Thais and Russians seem to have figured this out.)
3. A lot of people in pontificating pontificate about what doing jiu jitsu should look like rather than actually doing it.
4. Jiu jitsu isnt about the D1 wrestler trying to transition to MMA or anyone like him. It's for people who need to defend themselves.
And a final one....
.
.
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There's a lot of people out there too prideful to admit Rener and Ryron were (and are) mostly right.
Idk man, D1 wrestlers and athlete mentality may be more useful for street fight defense for being used to fast pace and hard grind mentality. A street fight can go from 0-100 real quick which what wrestlers are used to.
@@maestro1168 I guess you'll need to remind me where I disagreed with what you said, because I'm not seeing it.
@@maestro1168how many soccer dads do you know that are also D1 wrestlers? The average dad, mom or teen are not going to ever be D1 wrestlers or even close to it. This is why we just want to learn to defend ourselves and not get killed in a street fight. And we hope the guy we fight, if we ever need to, is not a D1 wrestler.
People have to understand there’s a difference between a surgeon and a 22 year old college athlete…
I was very competitive in my 20s and 30s. I’m a black belt with 24 years experience but my body took damage… especially my neck and back. I want to keep training when I’m 60 so eventually this will be how i train tbh… I’ll focus more on rolling light and more sensitive. It is what it is. Time gets us all
I've been training under Rener and Ryron since day 1 (over 11 years now), and I have to say it's one of the best places I've trained at, compared to some of the other training environments/schools I've been to.
How does your grappling fair against other BJJ practitioners,
@@London2ATL I'm no Gordon Ryan but any means, but I do well for myself to be able to survive and stay calm under pressured situations, and that's what's important to me. I'm not doing it to get gold medals, or be a world champion. I'm doing it for my own peace of mind, to be able to protect myself while staying healthy and making some great friends along the way. It may be different for others, but being with these guys has done wonders for my life both on and off the mats.
@@JasonAThornberry congrats 👏🏾. What belt are you? 11 years is crazy dedication.
@@London2ATL Thank you bro. I'm a brown belt.
Good on you for being open minded, and not judging right away.
I think the biggest issue in self defense is not getting use to getting punched. Or how to defend yourself from punches. If you aren't doing that ever; you aren't learning self defense.
I've been training almost 14 years at the same club (NVBJJ). It was a sport club when I started (at 40 years old), and we were one of the top local clubs in the tournament scene. About half way through blue belt our club affiliated with Ryron's & Rener's Torrance academy. I've had my reservations over the years when it came to any changes made to our training approach / curriculum, but they've largely dissipated and I've developed a good appreciation for GU's practices and standards. In fact, I'd say we have a much broader range of students now than ever before - many of whom would have most likely quit early on when we were more of a sport club. That said, we also have some really skilled practitioners on the mats. It's a great mix. And it's good to throw gloves on regularly - not to work on striking skills but to hone grappling skills against a striker.
I'm a bit of an exception in that I also like to pop into quite a few other local clubs for their open mats and the odd class here and there. As well as visiting clubs when I'm traveling. Being part of the broader bjj community has been great. I've made lots of awesome friends and I really enjoy experiencing different energies each club fosters. There are so many great clubs in the Lower Mainland here (Vancouver BC). And they all have a slightly different approach to jiu-jitsu. As they say, variety is the spice of life.
I’ve trained at Gracie University in Torrance. There are some tough Jiu-Jitsu guys there, but no tougher than anywhere else I have trained (which is lots of places). The difference is, they are famous. It’s not all hype, but they what they do, takes longer to progress in the name of safety, than almost anywhere else I’ve ever trained. You won’t get good, fast at Gracie university. If you have 10-15 years to kill, you’ll get good.
4 stripe wb with roughly 170 hrs mat time.
I started my 1st 120 hours at GJJ University and, after moving, currently train in a Machado BJJ system. Many of the guys I roll with compete, and they are noticeably better than my rolls at GJJ.
With that being said, I prefer the entire system of GJJ much better. I have no desire to compete and love the way Gracie University is organized and taught.
My current gym is in a transition phase to Gracie University with plans of keeping their competitive base.
In order to advance in the Gracie system, u must learn and be able to apply a certain curriculum that often has a self-defense aspect. This is why, in many circumstances, the GJJ practitioner will lose to the BJJ practitioner. They simply do not spend as much time on the competitive aspect.
Also, the GJJ system has a bit more stand-up and top control emphasis, making it more ideal for a self-defense scenario. Not taking anything away from BJJ, hell I currently train it along with Muay Thai.
Seems 100% legit to me because the focus in the class was not "let's see what fancy jiu jitsu moves you can do," but rather, "let's use BJJ in a simulated street self - defense scenario." In such a scenario, most likely on concrete, your goal is not to roll as much as possible because your knees are going to be toast (not to mention your face if someone oompas it into the ground). You want to grapple your way to a dominant position from which you can throw a few key strikes and get the hell away.
I think a huge concept that we as BJJ enthusiasts/practitioners need to understand is that if you do have to use your BJJ in the street, the probability of facing someone with similar BJJ skills is pretty sparse. That's when it comes to empty hand conflict. Weapons is an entirely different story. Better have pepper spray, gun, or very honed street awareness focused on conflict avoidance. Either way ego can get you killed and thinking that everyone fights fair can get you maimed. Plus there are legal considerations if you overreact.
I think it's cool. It allows you to work your game, not become complacent with just grappling and to know that the danger of strikes is always there. At the same time, if you are not training to be a fighter, there is no need to fight hard all of the time. The beauty of grappling is that you can always find a gym that will suit your tastes.
Who said fighters train super hard? Most mma fighters prefer light spars as opposed to hard ones. However not allowing students to roll is a money making scheme and gives the students a false sense of security.
@@nathanbedfordforrest9546 I think you added the term “super” to hard. Of course no gym trains hard for every second. However, many MMA oriented gyms train at levels of intensity higher than family oriented gyms or gyms that cater to recreational players and their children. I’ve been in MMA oriented gyms and less competitive gyms and have experienced the difference.
I think you may have an issue with their gym, but are expressing it to me instead. I don’t know the ins and out of their programs, but he stated there were many different classes. They were working on a specific skill so that may explain the “no rolling” you enjoy. I’m sure there are plenty of classes where you can roll if you want. Not everyone wants to or can train hard. Some people don’t even do it for self defense. I have been training since 2004 and it never was my goal. I just love doing it, from Judo to boxing to BJJ.
Even in classes where students don’t get smashed they learn that they can’t hold guard while someone is punching at them, they flinch when punched at, they can’t grapple and defend punches at the same time and a host of other things. Then they work on these things, or not. This gives them awareness and that is an aspect of self defense too.
@@nathanbedfordforrest9546agree. There is a big risk of starting to become a mcdojo.
I'm an older guy, coming back to martial arts after years away from it. Decades ago, I was a third-degree BB in a major Karate' style and had also studied Judo and Japanese JJ. Coming back, I trained for a year at one of the best sport BJJ schools in town. They were very nice and very proficient. There was technically a curriculum, but it was only loosely followed. And it completely ignored self-defense. Even the best rollers in there would be constantly giving me theoretical opportunities to strike, which I couldn't take advantage of in class. I had to leave there to take a year off for some unrelated medical issues.
Then I started at a Gracie CTC. It was exactly what I was looking for. Everything was self-defense oriented and from the very beginning, it was all about staying safe from punches and always being able to keep breathing, keep from being submitted and tiring the other guy out. For an older guy like me, it is also a lot safer. I didn't have to contend with young guys trying to rip my arm off. There is also a strict curriculum for beginners, so you always know what you need to be working on. I don't think I will ever get attacked by a JJ BB. I don't think they go around mugging people. If I get mugged, it will most likely be a young, tough, vicious street hood with no or little training. That is what we train for.
If I was young and wanted to compete, I would go back to that sport gym. But having physical limitations and being most interested in self-defense, to me the Gracie system is the only way to go. And it's not just me. We have a lot of really tough guys at my CTC who came from sport schools. We have cops and military types too. And yet, our school still competes in tournaments and does pretty well, even though that isn't the main focus.
Man I wish I was there the day you came by. I train at HQ (where you were in this video) it would have been a good roll that day considering I'm a brown belt and a professional MMA fighter that trains there full time (bjj only obviously).
I switched to training at a Gracie gym for some of the reasons you mentioned, as well as not wanting to have my body beat down training at competition schools everyday (as Ryron mentioned in the video). I need to save my hard days for sparring as an mma fighter lol.
Either way, I love the training there and I'm glad you got to go experience a class! Let me know next time you're in town dude! - Sunni
If a rando walked into my gym with a personal cameraman I’d def be sussed out lmao
Rener and his Brother are some of the classiest people 🙏
I am a fan of the self-defense approach. I started in a competition, grappling and MMA school. Yes, the volume of rolling and sparing at higher intensities make you "better". However, we compromise our backs, necks, fingers, toes, and shoulders in the mid to long term (end range of motion and shear forces). This makes us ineffective both inside and outside the gym in jusy a few years. This is hypothetically in contrast to someone who trains at a gym like this. One of the biggest risks for sports injury is the volume of playtime on the court/field/mat. Choose wisely...
I train there and was actually there on that day. In fact, in one part of the video, I think you can actually see me sitting against the wall taking a round off. From my perception, and from what I've been told by my classmates that have trained at more competition-oriented schools, there is way less attrition due to burnout and injury at Gracie U and CTCs. No disrespect to competition BJJ, but at 49 years old (and I'm far from the oldest guy on the mat), I'll stick with Gracie. On another note, again, with all due respect, I did notice that you didn't roll with Ryron, Rener, or any of our other instructor staff. I wonder if that might not change your opinion, somewhat.
Anyone who rolls with Ryron (ive never gotten to roll with Rener) will quickly understand that even with how chill he is, his Jiu Jitsu is on a different level than 99.9 percent of the practicing population. He showed that when he gave Andre Galvao all he could handle. I'd rolled with plenty of black belts before rolling with Ryron, and it was a completely different feeling of helplessness (didn't help that he was joking with me the whole time lol)
@mule1783 Spot on! I've been training under GU for slightly over one year now. Got my Combatives ® belt in August and started the Master Cycle. I train in a CTC in Brazil that follows EXACTLY the same method taught by Ryron and Rener out of Torrance, which I just visited las week. And I had the chance to be with Ryron in a workshop he taught at the CTC I train in this past June, and I've seen and heard from all the BBs whom rolled with him this same feeling of "hopelessness"... All the while Ryron was as chill as ever... Amazing domain knowledge of the art of JJ. It's incredibly safe, fun and challenging to train with these brothers!
@homemautentico9496 anyone who has access to them who doesn't train with them is missing out immensely.
@@mule1783 Fuhreeldo....
I started (many years ago) at a Gracie Academy, and really appreciated that it was the foundational skills. I think I was there for about 2 years or so? It's what I needed, and it felt applicable & real (not overly fancy, and the techniques were straight forward). Once I finished grad school & moved, I was at a different gym & have been at several over the years as my life moved me from place to place. Frankly, sport BJJ is not very important to me...I competed a decent number of times over the years, but it has never been my 'goal'. I just like to learn & improve in training! :) I've been at extremely sport, competition-focused schools...and at some that are not. Somewhere in the middle proved the most fun for me, and for a lot of people the Gracie gyms will be a perfect fit. It really does just depend on what people are looking to get out of it, and where they feel comfortable.
I train at a BJJ/MMA gym and though I really love it there, I actually wish we had a Gracie University locally. I like their self defense approach and the way they train. Sure, I could get the same or even better training at an MMA place, but the intensity level is questionable and you had better verbalize the intensity level beforehand as grappling + striking can be a slippery slope. On that note, I am also very happy that I started at a pure BJJ school because it gave me a ton of exposure and experience overall. Kudos for showing up giving a shot at their training!
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is an institution where I'm from, the South Bay region of LA. Around here, you'll sometimes see cars with GJJ decal on them. They're incredibly popular which means they have alot of casuals that train there. Most go there to learn basic self-defense, some go there just to get a good sweat, but very few go there with the expectations that they'll get to roll with absolute beasts. It's very laid-back, casual, and welcoming. A great place for anyone to learn jiu-jitsu, but if you're already legit, don't expect to be challenged much.
I don’t like how you mentioned the lawsuit Rener was an expert witness in. The lawsuit wasn’t against Gracie University and has nothing to do with the topic of this video.
Gracies are the OGs! Can't hate on them. Gordon trained at Renzo Gracie. Danaher Jedi is a black belt from Renzo Gracie 😉
OG’s of money making.
@@nathanbedfordforrest9546 Northing wrong with that 🤙🏽💲💲💲 good business
Renzos couldn’t be any more different to this place
I can say this as a new white belt. At 41 years old, not all of us are stellar athletes who are going to crush competitions. Its all I can do at this age to keep up with the 19 year old guys in the gym. My goal is to become proficient in BJJ over time, not to aggressively advance to competition. I want to remain as healthy as possible while accepting pain, so long as I can avoid permanent injury (spinal column, knees, permanent ligament and joint damage, etc.). Fat lips and bruises, black eyes and jammed fingers, who cares. But I can't train at a gym where some guy is going to rip arm bars until I can't work or function normally ever again. I'm 41. I'm not going to Vegas to fight in MMA arenas. I want to become an excellent training partner for people, including those who will compete, and I'll push myself eventually so that I can be good training partners for them, but right now my Gracie school is allowing me to get there without having to throw in the towel immediately due to permanent injury. Just food for thought for those of you who aren't 19.
This is where I’m at. 35, 3 kids, wife, demanding job, long Covid and old injuries from wrestling football and boxing, I feel 50. Haven’t been in mma for a decade, just want to get back in the mix and stay consistent. No plans of competing, kids are entering in jiu jitsu, want to do it as a family.
I think he listens to and understands his customers. Shockingly few businesses truly do this.
This is the BJJ we all wanted when we started.
I think the slower pace and less stress is great for your average person or those that are retired from mma or had a long tough jits career. Being in those tough rooms with fighters and dealing with injuries takes a toll on the body. Something like this would be great for me now that I’m 35.
There’s two different sides to Gracie jiujitsu. One is self defense and the other is competition. Obviously the one you went to focuses more on self defense
So no gi
They do gi as well
@@bigchillingmode Gracie Jiujitsu also do no gi.
@@bigchillingmode Self-defense and competition aren't determined by gi or no-gi, dude....
Gracie JJ never focuses on competition, I don't know where you got that information from
We just started a school in a small town that already has a "competition" style gym that definitely caters to a certain group. We started by implementing a Gracie style program for the exact reason stated at the end. Learning self-defense in a safe and structured manner while having fun. It's super early, but I can say it's been successful so far. - From my standpoint, as I get older, I find it harder and harder to "compete" with young bulls everyday as well. I had to have a spinal fusion early this year and find the Gracie structure allows me to still "practice" and have fun. Just my two cents.
A roll with Ryron would of been dope
he probably didnt want to get smoked.
He is super chill to roll with. He visited our school about a year ago and rolled with a handful of guys. He would essentially let people burn themselves out, he would do very little to actually advance positions outside of just anticipating and capitalizing on mistakes. It's funny to hear black belts talk about well. They've done in competitions, but then to roll with him and have everything seem so effortless. To quote " I knew exactly what he was doing and how he was doing it, but I couldn't do anything to stop him"
@@Eddieistheillestsmoked? 🤣
Just go for he legs and hell tap immediately. @@emrules2001
I started this video thinking I would perhaps make it for 30 seconds to a minute. But I ended up watching the whole thing because your commentary was so on point in engaging. Well done.
Unless, you caught them on a very specific day - it seems they are carving out a semi-different niche for themselves. At least at this location. If self-defense is the goal, I can see how they would incorporate various things, instead of just bjj. I'm sure not all of the Gracies are doing that, but I got no issue with how they run a particular school.
Imma purple belt and trained 8 years and a hobbyist. Even with my experience and skill set in a street scuffle where other person is going ape shit I can definitely still lose transitions due to explosivity and strength which can lead to me getting beat up. It’s just the way it is I mean of course the chances are much less than if I had not trained at all
I just wish this was stated a bit more rather than lulling the general population into thinking they can defend themselves 100%.
I train at Gracie University (GU) here in Torrance and I’d say that it’s both legit AND different.
I get to travel all across the states and I always bring a Gi so I can do drop-in’s at other schools, so I’ve sent the good, bad and the ugly.
GU is hands down the best school I’ve ever attended. From the moment you pull into the parking lot, you’re experiencing a consumer product performed at the highest level: building safety, security and cleanliness.
Top notch support staff, faculty and instruction. The mats are the best I’ve ever rolled on and the leadership from the top down to the student is all about safety, learning and camaraderie.
It’s the whole package and more.
Love this.. I wish we had a Gracie gym near my house for my kids.. they train in mma and do a lot of sport jiu jutsu but it’s annoying as there is no self defence aspect in the jits and the coaches focus more on guard pulling and all that berimbolo stuff so I had to get them cross training in judo and freestyle wrestling for them to learn throws and takedowns then teach them self defence stuff at home.. really time consuming
Thank you, I've been looking forward to this video! I can't wait for you to come and test out the ny area.
Legit. Most folks don't need to compete with pros, not a reasonable expectation. The practitioners have jobs, families, and like the man said, don't need cauliflower ears. They can gain a level of confidence without pro level training. My opinion.
I went to Gracie JiuJitsu gym for three months one time. It was all about self defense and basics, but it was very slow and most people were not very athletic. I remember visiting a Carlson Gracie gym one time a year later and I had some young guy throwing sloppy triangle chokes over my head twenty times in a row. Very uncomfortable. Then it was my turn and the coach just kept saying to go faster. I thought the whole thing was sloppy but also exhausting. Additionally, the warm up was unnecessarily long and hard - like warming up for middle school basketball practice just to wear people out before the real practice drills. As a beginner, I would rather be in a Gracie Jiujitsu gym for a while, and maybe go to a less structured and more competition focused gym later after developing to mid or higher level.
4:30 in, right now - So far, this is definitely something I can do as an elderly man when I reach older age. I'm currently 36 years old and the only grappling experience I have is the trauma of street fighting and fun MMA wrestling for one night.
They let you film?
This is a great way to train for most people.. of course this is not a school to breed world champions.. so the ceiling is low to limit risk to serious injury. A young hungry teenager or 20 something is better suited at a competition gym. But a professional, who is looking to be active, and have longevity in the "ART" ... is well-suited at a school like this, espcially if they have a family that would like to participate as well.
well said. I'm 53 with a lifetime of old injuries. I think I would welcome this speed od training more now. Still would never give up BJJ but would likely switch to a school like this if I had one in my area.
I love it, I think 3 rounds of that would have been ideal but overall having these positional/situational sparring is awesome
Yes legit. The Combatives program is great. I agree that it is funny to wear a belt in "nogi". Love that people attempt to school you on the guillotine. You are a guillotine god. I feel that Gracie Jiujitsu is great for the right person. A good MMA program at your BJJ gym can give you most of the same stuff. I'm a cop so I know self-defense and MMA are different and lots of gyms fail in the self-defense arena. I train my jiujitsu with the, "keep it universal" mind-set. It needs to work in sport, MMA, and/or self-defense. In my case it also needs to work to use "objectively reasonable force" to affect and arrest against a dude that's resisting/ fighting you. anyone who trains BJJ know pinning/submitting/handcuffing a fighting suspect is not easy without a BJJ background. BJJ is a great tool for everyone's needs (Mostly). I love your channel brother!
They are a scam and a well run money making machine.
Also, thanks for showing the Gracie family again, I am always happy to see them.
Great video I personally think that this gym shows more of the basics of self-defense, and I rather train standard jiu jitsu. But training like can also have benefits and show how you would have to adapt in jiu jitsu in order to match self-defense potentially harmful situation.
This video was wonderful. Knowing whether you want to learn how to fight vs get good at the sport is so important before going to a school. I train and teach at a GB school in TX. I was still in the Army and had wrestled in high school and had plenty of self defense experience when I joined, so continuing with the street fighting/street defense aspect made perfect sense to me. I learned to have fun with competition stuff over the years but I’ve always relied on the basics, regardless of my opponent/training partner’s skill level. I hope my anecdotal evidence helps somebody that wants to get started.
Since majority of all jiu jitsu students are hobbyists and want to defend themselves the Gracie’s are 100% affective. Most people have to get up and go to a job the next day. The black belt you rolled with probably has a legit 9-5 job and trains a couple times a week. I like your videos but somehow I get the impression you were talking a little bit of smack on them. Most people don’t want to train everyday as a full time job eating and sleeping just to do it all again. Of course you get better that way but is that really a life. I train 3 times a week with my 17 year old son and the Gracie system is peace of mind that he’ll be ok
My only gripe with the gracie university system is having to pay to take promotion tests.
@@jeanprimeau5689 I train with an affiliated CDC and never paid for promotions. I'm a purple belt.
I know that for black belt you usually go to Torrance to get promoted but that is it.
@@jeanprimeau5689 what!? How are the Gracie’s supposed to afford sports cars and mini mansions in CA if not for rank tests!? ;-)
Sending my respects and blessing for be a father 💪
Most people are lazy and don’t want to experience pain. I get it, pain absolutely sucks but it’s still necessary to achieve something worthwhile. What they are doing here is not going to help them deal with a violent criminal who legitimately wants to harm them.
Tyler delivering with another great video. Thanks brother.
im surprised you mentioned Gordon Ryan without bringing up that his black belt ultimately comes from Renzo Gracie via Ricardo Almeida ---> Gary Tonon --> Gordon Ryan
so even in the case of the best grappler living, straight line back to the gracies.
I mean it all technically stems back to the Gracies. That’s why lineage is a bad argument
@@TylerSpanglerNot really ..I disagree😶 when Gordan Ryan and his fame coach John Danaher(who is Black belt under Renzo Gracie) still teach and hold seminars at various Renzo Gracie Academies... To be honest it's not really fair to judge all Gracie Academies with the one in Torrance..each one has their own style of doing things. No matter what Gracie gym you attend they are all different...Carlos..Renzo....Royce...Roger ...they all have their own developed Jujitsu ..it may have started the same but it has change from generation and Gracie.. The one in Torrance seems to be mostly street self defense but it has produce fighters like Brian (T-City) Ortega who fought in the UFC...so I think GJJ works just depends who you ask..what gym and what is the goal .
I liked your video.
This is good, because it forces one to ask why one is training.
Self defense, martial skill, competition, art from ECT.
Like for me, I have never been completion oriented,.but I have trained for around 37 years. I love it. I added the Gracie combative to my curriculum because of the self defense aspect. I love it and I appreciate your video.
Wow I love the way you explain things with so much humbleness. I'm definitely subscribing to your channel and watching your videos awesome work
I train Gracie Combatives at a local CTC, so I’m probably biased but I would say it’s still legit.
It’s no 10th Planet or B Team, but I’m not looking for that cause I don’t want to compete.
Or you can train harder and become what you are capable of.
Most jiujitsu schools the vast majority of students don't compete, this is just a part of the brain washing you are told since day one, how their Jiujitsu is only for self defense, and sport is sport. That's just bullshit. I know because I was there for many years.
You can always use open mat time and roll with willing fellow classmates and roll harder / pure rolling rounds to get that intensity pure rolling fix that you get at sport Jiu jitsu! Use one day a week as icing on the cake and the rest of the week to learn the Gracie self defense Jiu jitsu fundamentals and technical approach
I'm loving it so far! training for 6 months now and getting real confortable with the fundamentals! Always making sure my self defense is also getting better, I really thing Gracie Jiu Jitsu is exactly what I was looking for. Maybe not what everyone is craving for in a martial art, but I can say it's helping me a lot.
To each his own - GJJ is primarily a very well marketed business. One can't exactly call it a McDojo because of the family legacy, but most of us think it anyway. Whatever floats your boat...As for self defense, it all depends on your caracter. You eigher are a mean bastard or a victim. In the latter case even a black belt might not save you when attacked by a big or God forbid a trained oponent. As an experienced bouncer, you must learn to distinguish between these two types of people and pick your battles wisely. (I am a former sambo fighter and a brown belt in BJJ)
Agree. They are touching that thin line that separates a good gym from a mcdojo. And there is people here saying this is legit. If you want to be good at self defense, there is a lot of good mma gyms around.
Went to a Relson Gracie school for 15 months and LOVED IT. Moved abroad and trying to find a school here now, in Guatemala. I am almost 62 and feel like I need to get back at it soon. I want that blue belt I was so close to getting….
I think their self defense stuff has merit, but really it should be after blue belt, nothing teaches you like rolling, it is what makes bjj/wrestling so legit. you can have hundreds of matches at full pace. but striking you can only have so many fights. there is no way to build real confidence other than learning how to beat people who are trying their hardest to beat you. learn muay thai, get a blue belt in bjj. then add rolling with punches etc. I mean this vid demonstrates tyler had no problem against the gjj black belt. meaning a bjj Black Belt who has done a little mma training had a better skill set.
now the other view, mma has changed martiasl arts, it made every thing real, there is no way to fake it. GJJ offers something for the average person who doesnt want to torture them selves into being an advanced competitive athlete, they can just have a easy work out (not a death match every day) while learning something that will still be effective against a majority of the untrained population. its probably even better for longevity than hard rolling.
Im getting old, I might start a mma larp business for old men, where we all just pretend.
I was considering Gracie schools but there are cons for me personally:
1. There are no takedown classes like wrestling or nogi-judo. This is important for self defense. Bjj becomes useless when you can’t takedown a wrestler.
2. Adding striking is fantastic, in fact that should be in all bjj schools as separate classes. However, the bjj schools that catered to athletes have different mentality. They are used to fast pace pressure which is beneficial for street defense fight.
3. Why do GJJ rather than MMA? The latter has better striking and takedown elements. Baby punches is good for reminding you that you’re vulnerable jn certain positions but getting used to faster/harder speed striking/grappling is much much better.
The Gracies are Bjj and martial arts royalty. And Gracie jiu jitsu is as effective today as ever. Competitive bjj has evolved beyond the traditional art . What started out as a self defense martial art developed around the worst case scenario fighting from your back has evolved into Jiu Jitsu vs Jiu Jitsu and integrated with wrestling, striking. Bjj is a very deep art with endless variations and many different styles within itself
I did competition BJJ training for 6 years and approached brown belt.
I started again 9 years later and I simply don't want that intensity in my life again.
I joined a Japanese JuJutsu school that is more self defense focused and I couldn't be happier.
I'm getting a good workout in a controlled environment and need only roll with a white belt to know these skills still transfer to general self defense.
I think the Gracies are great at what they do. They basically laid the entire foundation for what you do now, but the onus isn't on them to be Danaher or Ryan or stay on the bleeding edge. Their legacy is cemented just like Kimura's legacy or any of the wrestling and sambo greats.
The Gracie challenge matches speak for themselves.
Maybe about 30 years ago
If you don't know what they teach don't comment, they still teach people how to defend and fight.
I feel every BJJ school serve their purpose and Gracie JiuJitsu definitely has positive effects on students and community as they try to help with military, first responders and everyday people. I train at Gracie Barra and they’re a tough school, however, it is structured and also implements self-defense in their curriculum so it’s like the best of both worlds.
Same bud. GB gets knocked as sport focused and culty, but I’ve always been able to train my way (self defense/combatives, just really fundamental stuff) in the fundamental and all levels classes. Then training in advanced classes is fun and useful to know how your style stands up against purples, browns and blacks. I teach the adult all levels class and striking is implemented at least once every two weeks (four classes a week x2) so 1 of every 8 classes is training for a strikes, takedowns and a dominant top, followed by submissions or just continuing to control. My students are older for the most part but staying sharp and prepared to defend themselves or their families from some wacko or punkass is their #1 priority. I hope I’m helping them get there. Brown belt, 4 stripes, if that matters.🤘🏻
I had no idea they did this thing with light punching. I'd be down for that as I fully suport experimenting on different teaching methodologies and variety in general.
Intuitively, feels like getting used to apply your jiu jitsu while getting punched would be valuable for MMA/self defense.
That being said, belts without gis are 100% silly nonsense
@t.farias9336
I guess they wear the belts in Nogi so that they all know what someone else’s rank is for logistical purposes…especially when dealing with the large school. It’s not because it looks cool.
@@jims512 there's a ton of other possible ways to accomplish this without tying belts around imaginary gis
Haha true .. like belt colored rash guards we did that at my old school.
@@markavelisocal Several students in the video were wearing ranked rashguards. But not everyone there was wearing them, and many GU-branded rashguards are not ranked.
When everyone knows everyone at the school, you don't need to know rank as much. But when you get 60-70 people in one night, the instructors need a fast way to identify skill and experience.
@@jims512it’s called wear a ranked rashguard brother. The belt looks fucking stupid lol.
Was that lawsuit against the Gracie’s? Not sure if you did that on purpose but you make it seem like they were the ones being sued
You should roll with Roger Gracie or Clark Gracie to find out first hand I’m sure they wouldn’t mind Gi or No Gi with you
Side note but I was upset when Roger came to my gym and wouldn’t roll with me for video after the seminar. Obviously he would crush me, but I still wanted it haha
Roger , yeah Renzo they are BAJA side of the family they don't follow GJJ model at all
You are one of very few I can listen to the entire video and still be interested. great content.
All depends what you're looking for. The point has been proven in MMA that you need Jiu Jitsu, and against a non Jiu Jitsu trained opponent, it's like a super power. Most people who are gonna wanna do something in real life aren't guys who train. So GJJ has transcended MMA and become more about empowering the masses and the weak, which was GM Helio's mission. If someone wants to achieve higher levels of proficiency to compete, there's plenty of options out there. I can only say that when I first started training, I was lost the first few months. Then GU and Combatives was released and I took the initiative to start learning the fundamentals through them on my own, while training at my local school a few times a week as well. The result was that I progressed exponentially faster than not only had I been, but then others at my level were, as did my Combatives training partner who also was a member of the same school.
It's been the same experience with the Master Cycle. Everything you learn there can be applied in a more intense, higher level environment with great success if that's your goal. It's just not what the Gracie Academy's focus is anymore, modern Grappling competitions and modern MMA are antithetical to what true Helio Gracie philosophized Jiu Jitsu represents.
There is a Gracie Gym about 45 minutes from my house. Is it worth driving that far ? or should I go tot he local gym here that is instructed by a purple belt?
Go local