Help me decide: Renzo Academy Vs. Marcelo Academy

[rjthakid]

Ok, I've been looking to at schools in NYC and I've narrowed my choice down to two:

Renzo Gracie Academy, and Marcelo Garcia Academy.

Renzo Gracie Academy has a better facility. Separate areas for different classes, much better locker room, more instructors, and far more students. It's also slightly ($10)cheaper.

Marcelo Garcia Academy has MGinaction.com, which I think will be a great learning tool, and...Marcelo Garcia. Marcelo personally teaches every No-gi class, and every advanced class. It was so cool seeing these guys actually rolling with Marcelo.

So what should I choose? The bigger school with better facilities, more instructors, more students, and a slightly better price, or the school that has one of the greatest bjj practitioners personally teaching classes?

 

[Drew Foster]

Man... That's tough. I've never been to either place so I can't call it. But that's not a bad problem to have. Either way you're in an elite place. There are people here that train at or have visited both places, so you should get some good answers.

 

[inca warrior]

I train at Marcelo's and its been my 2nd school.

The fact that Marcelo teaches and actually rolls with everyone is great..

So far 5 guys from Renzo came here and stayed here, for the simple fact that you never see Renzo..

Definitely happy learning from the best and actually rolled with him

 

[oppositiontim]

I would personally choose Marcelo Garcia. I wouldn't care what the facility is like. You can't beat training directly with one of the worlds greatest grapplers.

 

[delt16]

I'd go with Marcelo

 

[rjthakid]

So far 5 guys from Renzo came here and stayed here, for the simple fact that you never see Renzo..

I would personally choose Marcelo Garcia.

I'd go with Marcelo

Definitely leaning towards Marcelo now.

 

[Title Fight Productions]

Door number two my friend.

 

[hudday48]

I say go try both schools for an introduction class and make your own decision.

I haven't trained at either but I have done a seminar by Jon Danaher and IMO he is the best instructor in the world.

 

[Alaskantkdkid]

Oh hey, this thread again?

Try them both. See which you like more.

 

[JoLOveS]

Bronx Martial Arts Academy which is affiliated with the Renzo Gracie Academy is where I go. I may be bias towards them and cannot share any opinion otherwise towards Marcelo, but IMHO I love this school. My instructors all have been trained by Renzo Gracie and the facility is neat, clean and organized. When you say Renzo Gracie NYC I assume you mean Manhattan, but NYC has 5 boroughs and I didn't which you were referring to.

When I started I didnt even know what BJJ was lol and now I am hooked, only 3 months in and I am starting to get a handle on things. I love it here and cannot say enough how much I like the Instructors.

 

[ozyabbas]

Does John Danahar (can't remember how to spell his name) teach at Renzos gym. I heard he is an amazing teacher. From what I hear, he is very technical and isn't athletic but can roll with the best of them because of his crisp technique and timing.

 

[rjthakid]

I say go try both schools for an introduction class and make your own decision.

I haven't trained at either but I have done a seminar by Jon Danaher and IMO he is the best instructor in the world.

I did do an intro class for both. That's how I really got a handle on the locker rooms, mat-sizes, etc. There's only so much you can really grasp in 30 minutes though.

Oh hey, this thread again?

I didn't realize there was a thread on this! I'll look now. Sorry. :redface:

Bronx Martial Arts Academy which is affiliated with the Renzo Gracie Academy is where I go. I may be bias towards them and cannot share any opinion otherwise towards Marcelo, but IMHO I love this school. My instructors all have been trained by Renzo Gracie and the facility is neat, clean and organized. When you say Renzo Gracie NYC I assume you mean Manhattan, but NYC has 5 boroughs and I didn't which you were referring to.

When I started I didnt even know what BJJ was lol and now I am hooked, only 3 months in and I am starting to get a handle on things. I love it here and cannot say enough how much I like the Instructors.

Yes, I'm referring to the one in Manhattan. I agree, the facility is very nice.

 

[HawkeyeMMA]

I'm thinking about moving to New York in a couple years just to train with Marcelo...... And to go to school. But mostly train with Marcelo.

 

[sproggdawg]

If Renzo were actually teaching the majority of his classes then this would be a more difficult choice. But since he isnt there is really no contest. I would go with Marcelo

 

[Linzy]

I'd go to Marcelo's, no question. Of course, that's because he also has Tati (his wife) and Emily Kwok there, and I don't know of any other school on the east coast with two female black belts at it. On top of that, you have Paul Schreiner and Josh Waitzkin, not to mention the plethora of world class visitors that are always coming in.

 

[JoLOveS]

If Renzo were actually teaching the majority of his classes then this would be a more difficult choice. But since he isnt there is really no contest. I would go with Marcelo

Renzo is awesome but there are other instructors like John Danaher who in that article is said to be the best BJJ instructor alive.

 

[Kyuktooki]

Devil's advocate here:
I have never been to Renzo's but I have heard great things about Danaher. What about the other four Gracie's listed as instructors, don't they teach there? Marcelo is great, but I heard there are a lot of BBs who train at Renzo's. I'd try both but I'd probably go to Renzo's because of the large amount of higher level people who train there who can help you with your game.
The truth is that you should try both. Marcelo is great but surely he must have to travel for tournaments, seminars, or training for MMA.

 

[The Alpha Male]

At Renzo Gracie Academy, you don't get classes taught by Renzo but every other instructor there is superb in their own right. You have Renzo's cousins, Gregor and Igor Gracie. You have John Danaher teaching as well. Also, there's Rafael "Sapo" Natal who is going to be debuting with the UFC pretty soon. And my favorite instructor there, Magno Gama. There are others as well but these guys are the ones that come to mind.

 

[fourfif**]

look closely at my av.


still.... Marcelo.

 

[ohmalley]

don't have any first hand experience to offer, but i've got some hearsay:

we've had a few guys at my school who've defected from renzos. they didn't like it because it felt like a factory. the white belts are segregated i guess and the place is huge and impersonal. again, this is just what i've heard from a few white belts who've signed on at my gym. there's one person who switched from my gym to marcelo, and she really loves it there. apparently his passion for bjj is unrivaled, and his personality gives the school a great vibe.