Gracie Barra Review

Thanks for the update, but the GB HQ in Irvine has said they DO NOT charge for belts or Testing, I can confirm that they do not do this at the Huntington Beach location, you instructor may be doing this to cover the "franchise fee" or similar (If there is one). But Huntington beach, Rancho Cucamonga, Irvine, Carson (Or was it culver city?), and Padlocks gym and many others DO NOT charge for that at all. We get free belts, no testing fees, Green belts only for kids under 16.

You do have to bow, you do have a formal setup (which is fine with most people, I don't see why anyone would really care that much), and shirt under GI's are important, I don't know how many times people have gotten ringworm or other at our gym, in fact I do know 0 times. However my other friend goes to Ultimate training center where they do not require it and he has caught it once. Now I do not know if that is really from wearing a shirt or not, but the bottom line is, wearing a shirt or rashguard should not be that big a deal, its not like it make yous 100 degrees hotter.

Anyway its a great place to train, but expect bowing, lining up by rank, shaking hands with team mates and wearing a GB gi, because the whole thing about GB is like its tag line says , organized like a team operating like a family. If you really have an issue with bowing and stuff there are plenty of other gyms out there, but I think GB is the best BJJ gym I have been to since I started training (which albeit is not super long just over 2 years)
 
Calibur said:
The fact that green belts compete in white belt tourneys is more an incident of the fact that tournaments can't accomodate their rank, not that they are sandbagging.
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Maybe... Or perhaps its because for Adults, Green Belt isnt a real rank, so the tournament organizers couldnt possibly accommodate them.

Be serious now, we both know Green Belts are used for Kids under age 16. If they are used for adults, its for two reasons.

1) Money. Plain and simple. It has been my experience that gyms that promote to Green Belt, charge for belt promotions. Not to say that is the case for ALL schools, but generally speaking, thats the censuses. More belts equals more $.

2) To give Americans some 'form' of accomplishment. Basically, here this green belt, you still dont deserve a blue, so here's this. Stay interested in BJJ, and keep paying for my classes.

I thought thats what stripes were for?! And personally, i dont really like stripes, and im glad we dont use them, although, i suppose i understand the point of them.

Thats generally the reason for Green Belts for adults. Not this crap about "raising the level of blue belts". If you deserve a belt, then your instructor will recognize this, and promote accordingly.
 
Hmmm......... I recently talked via email with an instructor at a GB about signing up my 6yr old and this was in the email reply.....

It would be a great time to start the class because we are starting a formal curriculum for kids, and adults, starting March 1. The classes are basically the same but with a more formal curriculum that people can follow and track their progress.
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To the original poster:

I share your frustrations.

I pay $150/mo

$45 to get a belt

What's worse? We don't just have an extra green belt.

White > Yellow > Orange > Green > Blue > Purple > Brown > Brown-Black > RED > Red-Black > Black

I was given the yellow for only the cost of the belt ($12) because I took a class at my school but I haven't yet paid for orange and don't really plan to unless I guess they find some way to make me. I get some crap for it from my training partners who know I should have advanced with them but this is already way to expensive for me - I can't pay for 3 belt over 6 months at $45 each while paying $150 a month. It doesn't make sense.
 
MBGracieBarra said:
So what's the question??
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Well there is no "question", but i posted that in reference to this part of the original post.....

Gracie Barra America Take Over: recently Gracie Barra America took over the organization. With that, our formerly relaxed training environment is becoming a pain in the ass environment. Our new rules include always wearing a shirt under the gi, no talking unless it's related to the training, absolutely no cursing (I feel bad for our instructors because they curse often), blah blah blah. They now sell a Gi made by Atama that costs 180 bucks. And you HAVE TO WEAR IT. No other brands, gis, whatever allowed. This is an even bigger pain in the ass because when you start they sell you this shitty judo gi for something like 80 bucks that you must wear, but once you are promoted you HAVE TO WEAR THE DAMN ATAMA GI, meaning fork over 180 bucks along with the 60 that you spent on your belt. Add that to a minimum of 99 bucks a month.
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So by putting 1+1 together im wondering if the new "formal curriculum" has anything to do with the supposed Gracie Barra America "take over" and if so what that intels.:icon_neut
 
Hhhmmm. I find some of these things you mention very interesting. I train at the GB HQ in Irvine, been there since inception. I have never heard of adult green belts before. I have also never heard of belt testing either, nor paying for a belt. From what it sounds like, your issues seem a little more related to your specific school or coping with change. Understandable as change is not always easy to deal with. I remember when a lot of the rule changes went into effect, such as wearing a rash guard or t-shirt under the gi etc. Some people didn't/don't like it, I however think it is a great idea. To me, the more sanitation the better. As far as the rest of the rules go, well they are all rules that I don't have a hard time following because I don't usually swear in class, belch etc. To me, their more like social norms with some very minor additions.

As far as the gi issue goes, I too have a lot of gis that I can no longer use, at the school at least. fortunately i have mats at my house and I teach my roommate, so i just wear them when I train at home. I kinda like the GB gis though, except for the shrinkage factor, but I just buy one size too big and it works out. If you feel that the instructors are over-worked, well that's more of an owner/manager issue, and has nothing to do with the association.
 
BTTinUSA said:
Maybe... Or perhaps its because for Adults, Green Belt isnt a real rank, so the tournament organizers couldnt possibly accommodate them.

Be serious now, we both know Green Belts are used for Kids under age 16. If they are used for adults, its for two reasons.

1) Money. Plain and simple. It has been my experience that gyms that promote to Green Belt, charge for belt promotions. Not to say that is the case for ALL schools, but generally speaking, thats the censuses. More belts equals more $.

2) To give Americans some 'form' of accomplishment. Basically, here this green belt, you still dont deserve a blue, so here's this. Stay interested in BJJ, and keep paying for my classes.

I thought thats what stripes were for?! And personally, i dont really like stripes, and im glad we dont use them, although, i suppose i understand the point of them.

Thats generally the reason for Green Belts for adults. Not this crap about "raising the level of blue belts". If you deserve a belt, then your instructor will recognize this, and promote accordingly.
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I agree.....green belts have always been for kids...however I do give stripes away....well acually they earn them.
 
seanshepard said:
To the original poster:

I share your frustrations.

I pay $150/mo

$45 to get a belt

What's worse? We don't just have an extra green belt.

White > Yellow > Orange > Green > Blue > Purple > Brown > Brown-Black > RED > Red-Black > Black

I was given the yellow for only the cost of the belt ($12) because I took a class at my school but I haven't yet paid for orange and don't really plan to unless I guess they find some way to make me. I get some crap for it from my training partners who know I should have advanced with them but this is already way to expensive for me - I can't pay for 3 belt over 6 months at $45 each while paying $150 a month. It doesn't make sense.
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Wait? What? I think your in a karate class.
 
seanshepard said:
To the original poster:

I share your frustrations.

I pay $150/mo

$45 to get a belt

What's worse? We don't just have an extra green belt.

White > Yellow > Orange > Green > Blue > Purple > Brown > Brown-Black > RED > Red-Black > Black

I was given the yellow for only the cost of the belt ($12) because I took a class at my school but I haven't yet paid for orange and don't really plan to unless I guess they find some way to make me. I get some crap for it from my training partners who know I should have advanced with them but this is already way to expensive for me - I can't pay for 3 belt over 6 months at $45 each while paying $150 a month. It doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...

WTF? Where do you train? Website?


EDIT: Nevermind you already posted it.

I found this odd. Here he is a brown belt in this interview, and he says he has 5-7 BBs? Maybe it was a typo. But a 3rd degree BB? When did he recieve his BB?

Interview with Klay Pittman

teamcarvalho said:
I agree.....green belts have always been for kids...however I do give stripes away....well acually they earn them.
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Like i said, i understand stripes. They have a place anyway, not like introducing more belt ranks.

Since Master Murilo has moved to CA, ive heard rumors of stripes. But nothing yet...
 
I just started training at GB and i was worried about the Gi at first becasue i couldn't afford it at the time, but they said they had no problem with me using my own gi but if i competed they would pefer me to use the GB gi(i do plan on buying one when i get payed)

as far as formal i agree with antoher poster, this is a martial art so there should be bowing and respect given.

i've never seen yellow belts tho and they dont carge for belts i dont beleive(i'll let you know when iget my blue)

they do however charge an extra 20(on your montly payment) to train in the more advanced classes, which i thought was odd but doesn't seem to bad really.

at other BJJ schools i trained out it never seemd like a team it was more like a bunch of guys showed up and tried to show how good they were when we rolled(not true with all people of course)

at GB it does seem like a team, everyone has been really helpful since i've been there and ready to help.

just my .02
 
Fascinating. I train at Gracie Barra Seattle.

We are also experiencing the "Gracie Barra America takeover" - and personally, I think it's great.

I've been training for 4.5 years, and while the instruction has always been top notch, I think it will be much easier for students to learn jiu jitsu with the new curriculum GBUSA has put together (I hear that Renzo also played a role in building the new program).

There are some new formalities for us, too. But most of them are mild (wearing a T-shirt or rashguard beneath your gi is no big deal) or understandable (my official GB gi has outlasted both my Gameness and Howard Liu gis), as far as I'm concerned.

The renewed emphasis on self-defense, and on being a "martial artist" as opposed to a "fighter" are both things that I really appreciate - especially as I come to the end of my "jiu jitsu competition" career.

As long as we stay clear of belt tests, green belts for adults and belt fees, I'll be fine.

Each to his/her own, but I have to admit that I'm as excited about training at a GB school as I've ever been.
 
what reason do they give to wear a tshirt or rashguard under your gi? just curious
 
BTTinUSA said:
WTF? Where do you train? Website?


EDIT: Nevermind you already posted it.

I found this odd. Here he is a brown belt in this interview, and he says he has 5-7 BBs? Maybe it was a typo. But a 3rd degree BB? When did he recieve his BB?

Interview with Klay Pittman



Like i said, i understand stripes. They have a place anyway, not like introducing more belt ranks.

Since Master Murilo has moved to CA, ive heard rumors of stripes. But nothing yet...
Click to expand...

That interview is very old. I hardly recognize Klay Pittman from that picture.

Rough knowledge I have about him: He did TMAs (like most martial artists) before BJJ. He opened his school at 17. He's over 30 now I'm pretty sure but I dont know his exact age. He's evolved with the times and before long switched to a solely BJJ academy. He's advanced people from white to black so it's been a long time.

Carlos Machado endorsing Pittman:
YouTube - Carlos Endorsement.m4v

I don't think there's much question that Klay Pittman runs a legit BJJ school.
 
Kimuralex said:
what reason do they give to wear a tshirt or rashguard under your gi? just curious
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Kimuralex,

To cut down on the transmission of Herpes Gladitorium, Staph and Ringworm. Rashgaurd/T-shirt means less skin to skin contact.
 
BTTinUSA said:
WTF? Where do you train? Website?


EDIT: Nevermind you already posted it.

I found this odd. Here he is a brown belt in this interview, and he says he has 5-7 BBs? Maybe it was a typo. But a 3rd degree BB? When did he recieve his BB?

Interview with Klay Pittman



Like i said, i understand stripes. They have a place anyway, not like introducing more belt ranks.

Since Master Murilo has moved to CA, ive heard rumors of stripes. But nothing yet...
Click to expand...

Just to be clear, Pittman isn't Gracie Barra, he's part of the Machado organization.
 
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