Wrestling in NYC/NJ

S

Submission

Yellow Belt
@Yellow
Joined
Oct 17, 2015
Messages
193
Reaction score
17
Hey guys

I might be going to New York for 3 weeks in April/May. As expected, I'm planning to go to Marcelo, Renzo and Shaolin, but I'd also like to know if it's worth to make the trip to NJ and get the wrestling practice at Edge Hoboken. I know that many guys from MG and RGA go there (Bernardo, Mansher, Dillon, Rafael Sapo, Neiman Gracie...), so the instruction is obviously good. I'd like to know if anyone here ever trained there, if you know the prices, and if it's worth to train at Edge for someone with little wrestling experience, given that I only wrestled for 6 months and the rest of my grappling experience is with Jiu Jitsu.
I was planning to go to Marcelo's for 2 weeks (the 2-week pass is 150$) and the other week to make some drop-ins in other schools (RGA, Shaolin, perhaps Unity), but I'm open to change that. If you have some knowledge about any of these places please let me know, I'm planning to train twice a day while I'm there.
 
What belt are you? I'm only asking because you can only take certain classes at all of those places if you're a certain belt.

Where are you going to be staying? The commute to Hoboken might not be worth it if it's going to take you an hour each way (when you could spend two extra hours at one of the big places in Manhattan). If you're staying in Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx, you definitely shouldn't even consider it.
 
Aed said:
What belt are you? I'm only asking because you can only take certain classes at all of those places if you're a certain belt.

Where are you going to be staying? The commute to Hoboken might not be worth it if it's going to take you an hour each way (when you could spend two extra hours at one of the big places in Manhattan). If you're staying in Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx, you definitely shouldn't even consider it.
Click to expand...

Blue belt

I don't know yet, I'll stay in a cousin's house I have to see where he's staying
 
Submission said:
Hey guys

I might be going to New York for 3 weeks in April/May. As expected, I'm planning to go to Marcelo, Renzo and Shaolin, but I'd also like to know if it's worth to make the trip to NJ and get the wrestling practice at Edge Hoboken. I know that many guys from MG and RGA go there (Bernardo, Mansher, Dillon, Rafael Sapo, Neiman Gracie...), so the instruction is obviously good. I'd like to know if anyone here ever trained there, if you know the prices, and if it's worth to train at Edge for someone with little wrestling experience, given that I only wrestled for 6 months and the rest of my grappling experience is with Jiu Jitsu.
I was planning to go to Marcelo's for 2 weeks (the 2-week pass is 150$) and the other week to make some drop-ins in other schools (RGA, Shaolin, perhaps Unity), but I'm open to change that. If you have some knowledge about any of these places please let me know, I'm planning to train twice a day while I'm there.
Click to expand...

Unity has a wrasslin class. Great school though crowded and hot as fuck.
 
Submission said:
Do you know who is the coach there?
Click to expand...

I don't know his name, but I think he wrestled at NYU and people generally consider him to be pretty good (this may have changed because the only wrestling classes I have been to were taught by Murilo). Junny is a purple belt that teaches some of the foundations classes (and the 7:00 a.m. class on Tuesday/Thursday). He's not a wrestling coach, but he's a pretty good wrestler. Also, the wrestling classes are really small (there are times when there are only three or four people in the class).

I really don't see why you would travel to Hoboken for a couple wrestling classes. I'm sure the training is great there, but I just can't see wasting all that time on the train when you're only going to be in town for a couple weeks.

Since you're a blue belt, I would recommend going to the 12:00-2:30 pro training at Unity at least once. Seriously, it's amazing and it probably won't be too hot in April or May (June, July, and August in that place is basically torture). One warning about Unity: The locker room is a freaking nightmare (it's also pretty bad at Marcelo's, but still not as bad as Unity).

If you're looking for somewhere that teaches a lot of takedowns, have you checked out NY Combat Sambo? The classes are really small and the wrestling coach, Tyga, is pretty great (wrestling is Wednesday nights).

I'm sure you already know this, but remember to allow time for laundry because basically no one in Manhattan (well, at least no middle class people) has a washer/dryer in their apartment.

Also, if you find out exactly which neighborhood you're staying in, it might be easier to help you because we'll know which places are most convenient for you.
 
I have not lived in NYC for 15 plus years, however there is a Russian wrestling club in Brighton Beach, where your instruction will be top notch. Look for Brooklyn Wrestling Club. There is also a public club called Twin Towers off of Houston Street, it is pretty much open wrestling, not really instructional, but they are a great group of guys. NYAC has wrestling, but the club is full of elitist snobs, and Sunny Greenhough is an asshole, he will be the one you will have to contact to wrestle there.
 
Aed said:
I don't know his name, but I think he wrestled at NYU and people generally consider him to be pretty good (this may have changed because the only wrestling classes I have been to were taught by Murilo). Junny is a purple belt that teaches some of the foundations classes (and the 7:00 a.m. class on Tuesday/Thursday). He's not a wrestling coach, but he's a pretty good wrestler. Also, the wrestling classes are really small (there are times when there are only three or four people in the class).

I really don't see why you would travel to Hoboken for a couple wrestling classes. I'm sure the training is great there, but I just can't see wasting all that time on the train when you're only going to be in town for a couple weeks.

Since you're a blue belt, I would recommend going to the 12:00-2:30 pro training at Unity at least once. Seriously, it's amazing and it probably won't be too hot in April or May (June, July, and August in that place is basically torture). One warning about Unity: The locker room is a freaking nightmare (it's also pretty bad at Marcelo's, but still not as bad as Unity).

If you're looking for somewhere that teaches a lot of takedowns, have you checked out NY Combat Sambo? The classes are really small and the wrestling coach, Tyga, is pretty great (wrestling is Wednesday nights).

I'm sure you already know this, but remember to allow time for laundry because basically no one in Manhattan (well, at least no middle class people) has a washer/dryer in their apartment.

Also, if you find out exactly which neighborhood you're staying in, it might be easier to help you because we'll know which places are most convenient for you.
Click to expand...

I'm curious about Edge because so many good guys train there that I think the instruction might be good, so I'm thinking about going there at least once.

I'll be in the Upper East Side, near Central Park. The closest subway station is 72 Street Subway

Do you train at Unity?
 
Last edited:
Daniel Fox said:
I have not lived in NYC for 15 plus years, however there is a Russian wrestling club in Brighton Beach, where your instruction will be top notch. Look for Brooklyn Wrestling Club. There is also a public club called Twin Towers off of Houston Street, it is pretty much open wrestling, not really instructional, but they are a great group of guys. NYAC has wrestling, but the club is full of elitist snobs, and Sunny Greenhough is an asshole, he will be the one you will have to contact to wrestle there.
Click to expand...
Elitist snobs?
 
jack36767 said:
Elitist snobs?
Click to expand...
Many of the people who train daily at NYC are more wealthy and less competitive than those who are on NYAC and dont train there. You cant even enter the building without a suit on. Seriously.
 
Dirty Holt said:
Many of the people who train daily at NYC are more wealthy and less competitive than those who are on NYAC and dont train there. You cant even enter the building without a suit on. Seriously.
Click to expand...
wow, that's... I don't really know what to say. That kinda sucks
 
The NYAC has "practices" for freestyle like twice a week - at least when I last went a few years ago. You need to have your name on the list to get through security. They are basically just open mats - it's a pretty random assortment of guys who wrestled (and in the off-season, guys who are currently wrestling) locally in high college or in college, and were able to get their name on the list through their coaches, or somehow otherwise knew someone that could get their name on the list. There are some good guys in the room, but they usually come in with their own practice partners to work out. Most of the other people are super casual. I wouldn't really recommend it to someone swinging by.

I believe their Greco practices are more structured, but I never went to those.
 
cjd said:
The NYAC has "practices" for freestyle like twice a week - at least when I last went a few years ago. You need to have your name on the list to get through security. They are basically just open mats - it's a pretty random assortment of guys who wrestled (and in the off-season, guys who are currently wrestling) locally in high college or in college, and were able to get their name on the list through their coaches, or somehow otherwise knew someone that could get their name on the list. There are some good guys in the room, but they usually come in with their own practice partners to work out. Most of the other people are super casual. I wouldn't really recommend it to someone swinging by.

I believe their Greco practices are more structured, but I never went to those.
Click to expand...
.
It's been many years, but the Greco used to be taught by Momir Petkovic (who is as legitimate as they come). He ran a good structured class, but like you said your name had to be on a list. In order to get your name on the list you had to deal with Sonny Greenhoulgh, and he was a real prick, it wasn't worth it. Twin Towers is more recreational wrestlers, but they are really good guys, and it is much more enjoyable wrestling with them. Brooklyn Wrestling club was taught by former Soviet Coach Yuriy Valensky, if he is still alive he must be close to 80. Yuriy was a great man and a great teacher.
 
I messaged Unity to know who's their wrestling coach and they said it is Gene Kobilansky, anyone ever heard of him?
 
GORETAURO said:
Does it matter? Think he is good enough.
Click to expand...

Gene was an All-American at NYU; he is currently on their coaching staff and has coached a national champ (DIII). Awesome guy.
 
GORETAURO said:
Does it matter? Think he is good enough.
Click to expand...
That's the funny thing, wrestling has such a long history of coaching and development that you don't need a belt or high competition honors to find a respected coach.

In fact in my hometown there's an mma gym literally 3 minutes from my high school that has a wrestling program with a a head coach who wrestled DI, university Greco all-American and will walk into the coaching hall of fame in Ohio, over 5 assistants who either wrestled some kind of college or placed in Ohio or Indiana and have coached wrestling a combined 50 or so years. And who all would be more than willing to help out the wrestling classes or do privates.. have never been contacted by the mma gym.. but the time I visited the guy lamented the lack of good wrestling instruction
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,236,962
Messages
55,457,299
Members
174,787
Latest member
Freddie556

Share this page

Back
Top