Help me decide: Renzo Academy Vs. Marcelo Academy

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

I would say that NZ john is a better instructor according to reputation than renzo.

thing about renzo is that they have a lot of classes, a lot of people, and a lot of black belts.

They also have MT. But renzos is a bit more expensive.

but marcelo is marcelo. He has less classes but does it fit your schedule? marcelo rolls with most people from what I hear.

with marcelo, a year contract is 220 a month, or you can do one month for 250 if i can read right. so you could do his for a month and make sure.

it really is hard to tell how much you like a place after only and intro.

but if I was just starting out, I would go to marcelo's due to the fewer amount of students and more attention from arguably the best bjj guy in the world.
 
I would say that NZ john is a better instructor according to reputation than renzo.

thing about renzo is that they have a lot of classes, a lot of people, and a lot of black belts.

They also have MT. But renzos is a bit more expensive.

but marcelo is marcelo. He has less classes but does it fit your schedule? marcelo rolls with most people from what I hear.

with marcelo, a year contract is 220 a month, or you can do one month for 250 if i can read right. so you could do his for a month and make sure.

it really is hard to tell how much you like a place after only and intro.

but if I was just starting out, I would go to marcelo's due to the fewer amount of students and more attention from arguably the best bjj guy in the world.

Unlimited classes at Marcelo: 220 per month.
Unlimited classes at Renzo: 210 per month.

The only instructors I saw at Marcelo's academy were Marcelo and Paul, whereas Renzo had a slew of instructors.

Yes, i sat through an entire class and watched Marcelo roll with his students. Pretty awesome.


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.

I obviously don't know enough about Renzo's Academy to judge it (which is why I'm here), but It did seem a bit impersonal...especially when they made me wait till 6:20 for my free trial. :mad:

This thread has been very informative.
 
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.

Yes, he does.

To the TS, if you're a beginner, try each place and see what you like. However if you're more interested in MMA or are very experienced, I would suggest Renzo's.
 
I heard there are a lot of BBs who train at Renzo's.

There are a ton. Renzo has a lot of high quality black belts, most of whom are still in the area and train regularly at the academy. My instructor is one of them. I went to John Danaher's morning class, we had four matches at the end, and my first two opponents were black belts (I'm a purple). At any given time there are a dozen black belts in that place. That's why I say if you're more experienced and need a lot of high level training partners with different body types and styles, Renzo's is great.
 
Yes, he does.

To the TS, if you're a beginner, try each place and see what you like. However if you're more interested in MMA or are very experienced, I would suggest Renzo's.

I'm a noob with no interested in becoming a mixed martial artist.


As many blackbelts as Renzo's Academy has, I don't think anything compares to learning from one of the best on the planet. As a pianist (insert dirty joke here) I enjoy learning from other musicians, but if I had the option of learning from 10 great, touring musicians or one Herbie Hancock...

For me personally I think Marcelo's academy is the best fit.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread!

I'll be joining next week. I'll be back with findings.
 
I started going to Renzo's every Monday for John Danaher's no-gi class. The instruction is great, I find myself able to apply the techniques on purple belts immediately (which is very rare). The room has more talent than I've ever seen. Each class has about a dozen black belts, all are cool to roll with and show you their tricks. I got on the mat with Gregor Gracie and Frankie Edgar in the same practice. A few days ago Geaorge St. Pierre strolled in and took class - amazing.
 
My Best Answer: try more than a trial class at each sign up at each for a week and see which one you like better yes it may cost you a little bit more money but it's good to know for the future which one fits you better
 
I currently train at Renzo's in John's afternoon class, I started in the whitebelt program and never felt the "factory" vibe that a lot of people talk about. My class always had the main instructor and 3 assistance's (1 black,1 brown, and 1 purple) they all cared about my progress and were quick to point out bad habits I was developing. I personally thinks its a great place to train and would recommend it to anyone.

I should also mention this is the only place i ever trained, so I obviously have a biased opinion.
 
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?

I've taken classes from Renzo before and they're great. I also like the idea that their are numerous BB instructors around. It gives you a greater chance to find the right mentor. Someone who fits your style and you can learn from easily.

* Train at a Renzo affiliate.
 
I'm a noob with no interested in becoming a mixed martial artist.


As many blackbelts as Renzo's Academy has, I don't think anything compares to learning from one of the best on the planet. As a pianist (insert dirty joke here) I enjoy learning from other musicians, but if I had the option of learning from 10 great, touring musicians or one Herbie Hancock...

For me personally I think Marcelo's academy is the best fit.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread!

I'll be joining next week. I'll be back with findings.

That's fine that that's your decision, but to NOT consider Renzo and some of the teachers at his school some of the best on the planet is ridiculous.
 
ive trained both at renzos (for 6 months back in 04) and marcelos (for 2 months last winter)

I was at renzos while renzo himself still taught the classes even for beginners, and it was 6 years ago so obviously things have changed but last time I visited there, a few years back they expanded the gym and had multiple rooms for different classes which is good and they also have muay thai and mma classes.

Marcelos is also great, just prepare to get your ass kicked on warm ups.
the only problem you might eventually encounter at marcelo would probably be the mat space, as im sure he is constantly getting new students over time and there isnt any space for the gym to expand unless they move.
the people at marcelos are awesome, pretty laid back and cool.

id say pick the one that is easier for you in terms of commute, schedule and financially. cause either way, you cant lose both are great schools! good luck!
 
I realize Marcelo is legend, but to say he is automatically a better instructor than some of Renzo's guys seems silly.

A certain John Danaher comes to mind...
 
Both schools are great.

John Danaher and the others at Renzos are amazing teachers. Yes, John is one of the very best in the world- a pure bjj genius. No, I do not think he is the best teacher for everyone- especially beginners. He also does not teach night classes, so if you can't make his early am or noonish class, you won't be taught by him.

As far as I know, his class is usually the one that lower belts can consistently roll with black belts. For the other classes, if I remember correctly, you have to be purple belt or higher to train with other black belts. Additionally, it is very seldom that any students get a chance to roll with the instructors (if that is an interest of yours).

Marcelo is amazing as everyone here knows. He is a great teacher and active competitor. His school will not have the same # of black belts as Renzo's, but everyone trains with everyone- Marcelo included (unless you are in the beginner class). Additionally, he now has Paul Schreiner (sp) helping teach some classes. Paul is a black belt from CA, that is well known in the BJJ community for being another amazing teacher and excellent competitor.

I would suggest trying out both schools, and see which one you like more. It's not cheap, and they are both two amazing options.
 
That's fine that that's your decision, but to NOT consider Renzo and some of the teachers at his school some of the best on the planet is ridiculous.

Renzo, as I've heard from more than one source, is rarely if ever there.

I wasn't trying to imply that the teachers at Renzo Academy are scrubs. Great as they may be, they are no Marcelo Garcia.

I realize Marcelo is legend, but to say he is automatically a better instructor than some of Renzo's guys seems silly.

A certain John Danaher comes to mind...

I never said Marcelo is a better instructor. I said I'd love to learn from the best.

No knock on anybody at Renzo's Academy.
 
the only problem you might eventually encounter at marcelo would probably be the mat space, as im sure he is constantly getting new students over time and there isnt any space for the gym to expand unless they move.

Very good point. I didn't consider that, and it's another strong plus for Renzo. When I was at Renzo Academy on Tuesday Mario told me that they're going to be expanding.

You know what? I won't be signing up until next week, so it's in my best interest to keep my options open. Still leaning to Marcelo, but Renzo is good enough that I'll at least do some more research before I make a decision.

Both schools are great.

John Danaher and the others at Renzos are amazing teachers. Yes, John is one of the very best in the world- a pure bjj genius. No, I do not think he is the best teacher for everyone- especially beginners. He also does not teach night classes, so if you can't make his early am or noonish class, you won't be taught by him.

Night classes are the only ones I can make. :(

Marcelo is amazing as everyone here knows. He is a great teacher and active competitor. His school will not have the same # of black belts as Renzo's, but everyone trains with everyone- Marcelo included (unless you are in the beginner class).

I stayed after the intro class and watched Marcelo roll with students in the beginner class. :)
 
As many blackbelts as Renzo's Academy has, I don't think anything compares to learning from one of the best on the planet. As a pianist (insert dirty joke here) I enjoy learning from other musicians, but if I had the option of learning from 10 great, touring musicians or one Herbie Hancock...

It's a different comparison you're using. I'm not talking about having a ton of black belts as instructors. I'm talking about having high level sparring partners, which is important if you're a more experienced practitioner. You're not, so it's irrelevant.
 
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