Best places to train BJJ fulltime.

[snx]

I'm looking for the best places to train BJJ fulltime. I'd like to dedicate myself to BJJ for around 6-8 months a year for the next couple of years.
Full time meaning I can dedicate 6-8 hours/day and 6 days a week to it. Obviously, in order to be able to do it long term most of that time will be drilling, and light rolling. 100% rolling limited to a couple of days. I'm primarily interested in training to compete no-gi. I'm quite fit (hold a couple of records in a completely different sport, train around 4-6 months/year fulltime on that, this is the off-season from that sport and I'm looking to utilize it to get really good at BJJ).

What're the best places both inside and outside the US where I can do this?

I'd like:
a) Cheapish privates in bulk (I'll probably do 100-150 hours of privates across the 6 months)
b) Lots of classes/people to roll with and drill with.
c) A focused curriculum, that involves a lot of drilling, repetition and everything else required to build solid muscle memory.
d) A nice city, not too crazy but not too quiet either, if it's bikeable that'd be awesome.

My list at the moment is:
Miami - Lots of really awesome schools, Cyborg in particular appeals to me.
Vegas - Robert Drysdale's school.
NYC - Too expensive to live there just to train, and privates are too expensive.
Tampa - Robson's school - awesome school, great people. I've trained there. Expensive privates. Really dull city for anything except BJJ it looks like..
Laguna Hills, CA - Russ Mioura's school. Seems like an awesome guy, good school, but seems like it wouldn't be very bikeable,
Hawaii - Heard a lot about this as an option, but I haven't looked into schools yet, I know BJJ is huge there, but not sure how much of a focus there is on no-gi, or which schools I should consider.
Phuket - Train with the guys from Phuket Top Team, definitely an option, but I haven't heard enough about them to commit to something like that.
Falls Church, VA - Nothing there except for Ryan Hall's school, 50/50.
San Diego: Andre Galvao's place.

I'm a lowly white at the moment (started BJJ only 3 weeks ago, been bitten by the bug, I've been training pretty hard at 5-6 days/week and 4-8 hours a day depending on classes with privates mixed in). I know I can actually dedicate this much time to it and it's not going to be a passing fancy because I dedicate 6 days/week and 6 hours/day+ to my other competitive sport which is just as challenging (competitive freediving where I hold the records for my country).

Let me know what you guys think!

EDIT: Edited out the bit about Avellan since he's not in consideration anymore. Added in 50/50 and Andre Galvao.

 

[outonbail]

fly to cicero costhas school in sao paulo
im pretty sure you can get privates in bulk for 20 dollars/piece

 

[BJJArsenal]

lol at Avellan being an awesome guy

also lol at you deciding to train full time after three weeks

 

[the heed]

Did you win the Power Ball lottery?
Some of the places you are naming are expensive to live in. Laguna Hills is not exactly a cheap place to live.

No idea how you are going to afford rent, living expenses and training cost, but out of all of them you are looking at Cyborg's place in Miami sounds like the best over all option. Rent isn't super high, Cyborg has a great camp and competitors. You can get around with a bicycle around that area... (if I remember correctly)

Also.. a little soon to be deciding to move some where and train full time no?

 

[Marbig]

I'm a lowly white at the moment (started BJJ only 3 weeks ago, been bitten by the bug, I've been training pretty hard at 5-6 days/week and 4-8 hours a day depending on classes with privates mixed in). I know I can actually dedicate this much time to it and it's not going to be a passing fancy because I dedicate 6 days/week and 6 hours/day+ to my other competitive sport which is just as challenging (competitive freediving where I hold the records for my country).

Let me know what you guys think!

...don't you have to go to work or school? Also, maybe, just maybe, earn your blue before deciding to train full time? If you are as dedicated/talented as you say, it should take no more than a year...

 

[snx]

Did you win the Power Ball lottery?
Some of the places you are naming are expensive to live in. Laguna Hills is not exactly a cheap place to live.

No idea how you are going to afford rent, living expenses and training cost, but out of all of them you are looking at Cyborg's place in Miami sounds like the best over all option. Rent isn't super high, Cyborg has a great camp and competitors. You can get around with a bicycle around that area... (if I remember correctly)

Also.. a little soon to be deciding to move some where and train full time no?

Finances aren't a huge problem. Laguna and NYC seem about comparable in terms of living expenses, except for Laguna needing a car and NYC not.

I have 6-8 months/year free in terms of stuff to do, I generally just maintain my fitness, do fuckloads of yoga (4-5 hours/day) to maintain flexibility and strength and swim etc in preparation for the next season (for freediving). Dedicating that time to BJJ doesn't take away from my goals too much, I'll still be doing some yoga, still swim to maintain cardio. I'll just cut down on the amount of both to focus on BJJ.

 

[snx]

...don't you have to go to work or school? Also, maybe, just maybe, earn your blue before deciding to train full time? If you are as dedicated/talented as you say, it should take no more than a year...

I don't have a year before I have to get back to training for my other sport, I'd like to utilize the time I have most effectively (finding the best gym to train at, the best instructors etc). Around end of Oct/Nov I'll be moving back to a remote island where there's pretty much nothing to do except train freediving for a few months. I'll be done with that around March, and free till next Oct/Nov (start date varies).

Work/school aren't issues. Like I said, during the off-season I do nothing except a lot of yoga, and maintaining a base level of fitness by biking/swiming etc and traveling.

 

[triangle killer]

Sounds like a good way to live snx

 

[rudybay]

just train bro

 

[JustTheTip]

Looking at the situation that you described, I would recommend ATOS in SD. I am confused in why cheap privates seem like more of a priority than cheaper cost of living.If you are coming here from another country,paying rent,paying academy tuition,and food,then privates will actually be one of your cheapest expenditures. That said, because of your inexperience, getting privates from lower belts would be your best and far cheapest option.

 

[JCASHDAKID]

Had a whitebelt training fulltime at MGs got really good really fast got his blue in like 6months. I think any of the top gyms will be able to help you reach your goals training fulltime I think it just a matter of how much your willing to spend and quality of life outside of BJJ. If I had the option to train full time I'd prob go to Brasil hopefully your in a country were the dollar is somewhat stronger train at Alliance SP or prehaps Cierco Costha. Also training fulltime at MGA is pretty good but I'd prob recommend it more to a blue belt since more classes are available and you can hit your target of 6 hours a day which will be very tough

 

[snx]

Looking at the situation that you described, I would recommend ATOS in SD. I am confused in why cheap privates seem like more of a priority than cheaper cost of living.If you are coming here from another country,paying rent,paying academy tuition,and food,then privates will actually be one of your cheapest expenditures. That said, because of your inexperience, getting privates from lower belts would be your best and far cheapest option.

I'm already in the US at the moment, so I have no (international) ticket costs, unless I decide to go to Thailand. 100 privates @ 100/hr = $10k over 6 months (even with a hefty discount, say another 30% off, that's $7k still..), which is going to play a fair part in my monthly expenses no matter what. I could obviously train with a lower belt for far cheaper in bulk, as long as I get a decent level of quality. Training even the basics with someone like Robson or one of his BBs has been very enlightening re: the quality difference between a second rate teacher vs a first rate one, so I'm a bit hesitant to take privates from any random joe, which might be cheaper, but in the long term less effective.

Thanks for your thoughts, I'll add SD to the list!

 

[Wanderlei Industries]

How about you wait more than 3 weeks before you decide on something like this?

 

[snx]

Had a whitebelt training fulltime at MGs got really good really fast got his blue in like 6months. I think any of the top gyms will be able to help you reach your goals training fulltime I think it just a matter of how much your willing to spend and quality of life outside of BJJ. If I had the option to train full time I'd prob go to Brasil hopefully your in a country were the dollar is somewhat stronger train at Alliance SP or prehaps Cierco Costha. Also training fulltime at MGA is pretty good but I'd prob recommend it more to a blue belt since more classes are available and you can hit your target of 6 hours a day which will be very tough

MGs is definitely an option I've looked into. I've even talked to them about it, but privates run $200/hr and general costs of living are obviously much higher. It's definitely still on the list, but if I can progress as quickly elsewhere, I'll definitely take that option, hence this thread.

Thanks for your input!

 

[the heed]

but privates run $200/hr

I thought Marcelo no longer does privates

 

[snx]

How about you wait more than 3 weeks before you decide on something like this?

Why? I have the time, the finances and it makes no difference to me where I move, whether it's Brazil or Thailand or elewhere in the States as long as it allows me to pursue my goals. What exactly would I gain by waiting 3 months, training at a sub-par gym(where I'm more likely to be injured, less likely to progress as quickly and more likely to think I'm progressing until I go to a real gym and realize that wasn't nearly as effective as I thought) and then realizing 3 months in that I actually do want continue and going through this process again then? Financially it makes no difference. As long as I'm free by the end of Oct, I'm set.

Worst case I move somewhere, 3 months in I decide that BJJ isn't what I want -- I'm no worse off (I've lost some yoga time, big deal). And I've got some BJJ experience. What exactly is the downside to committing to do something with determination too early?

 

[snx]

I thought Marcelo no longer does privates

His BBs charge $200/hr, I could train with Robson for much much less than that with a package deal. MGs offers no package deals from what I understand (atleast that was what I was told when I spoke with them).

 

[Leify]

fly to cicero costhas school in sao paulo
im pretty sure you can get privates in bulk for 20 dollars/piece

This. Or other big academies in Brazil.

If, as it seems your case is, you don't have to worry about uprooting yourself and working, Brazil still has to be considered the Mecca of BJJ.

 

[Uchi Mata]

Atos SD with Galvao would be a good choice, also Cicero Costa in Sao Paulo would probably be best in terms of being cheap vs. also being really good training. Do you speak any Portuguese?

 

[snx]

This. Or other big academies in Brazil.

If, as it seems your case is, you don't have to worry about uprooting yourself and working, Brazil still has to be considered the Mecca of BJJ.

The main thing I'm concerned with, re: moving to Brazil for a few months (which would be awesome!) is the language barrier. I don't speak Portuguese, and I'm not sure how good the instruction etc will be in English, especially for someone like me (white belt) where I need to build a strong foundation and don't want to get stuck doing something stupid just because I didn't understand well enough.

Is that a valid concern?