Help me decide: Renzo Academy Vs. Marcelo Academy

try both. there are certain teaching styles that suit certain people. id personally go with marcelo but thats because i love his style. renzo academy is always going to be good though
 
Do an intro at both.

Find out which instructors and METHOD OF INSTRUCTION you like best.

Its not gonna help you if you choose the "better instructor" and you don't end up clicking with him.
 
i heard renzo talking about a waiting list for his school. is that true?

he said he had 1100 students and just got more space so he could have 500 more.
 
Mat Nemesis said:
i heard renzo talking about a waiting list for his school. is that true?

he said he had 1100 students and just got more space so he could have 500 more.
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I was there just a few weeks ago and they were ready to sign me up. lol.

I don't know about any waiting list. 1100 is the number of students they quoted me also. They did tell me they were expanding.


1,100 students x $210 per month = Daaamn.
 
rjthakid said:
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.
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So far I'm loving Marcelo's school. Great instruction Marcelo & Paul Schreiner, and a real team spirit. I haven't had anybody do anything stupid like crank really hard yet. Everyone seems under control and composed.

Everybody here is serious too. Everyone is about training and getting better. Nobody's talking about anything other than training while we're on the mats. This may be because of the price. @ $220 per month, nobody is there because they have 220 bucks lying around that they aren't using. They pay because they want great instruction. Of course there may be exceptions, but there is a serious, focused atmosphere.


On the down side, the lockerroom, if you can call it that, it always CRAMPED. The showers themselves are very, very nice, and the restrooms are also very nice, but there is a space constraint. Once we get to the mats, space isn't an issue. I don't have to look around me because I think I'm going to crash into someone.

In general I'm loving my decision to take up BJJ. I was a gym rat, and after my first class I realized that treadmill-shape and BJJ-shape are two totally different animals. Since that first class I've learned to be a little more economical with my energy, but I'm still amazingly gassed toward the end of class.

I've landed no subs yet, which is cool. I've only been taking the Fundamentals class (which is more about guard passing and defense). Last night I landed my first pendulum sweep, and passed guard a few times. I also got swept a few times and had my back taken. I'll gladly take that! It's a step up from getting owned by everybody, every time.

If anybody has any tips for a beginner, please feel free. :icon_chee
 
i'm a renzo student under paul creighton, in atlanta, and i absolutely love it.

that being said, if i were in your shoes i'd go to marcelo.
because the man is quite possibly the best in the world.
 
sgt jumpy said:
i'm a renzo student under paul creighton, in atlanta, and i absolutely love it.

that being said, if i were in your shoes i'd go to marcelo.
because the man is quite possibly the best in the world.
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lol i was a bit late on that: i see now you're with Garcia and loving it.

awesome dude!
 
My BJJ instructor goes up to NY and rolls at Marcelo's once a week. Everyone that goes with him always has amazing things to say about Marcelo's school.
 
I have lived in NYC for 10 years but $220 bucks is still very expensive to me... I work out like 3 times a week which would equate to close to $20 per time (sometimes I wouldnt make it there 3 times even due to work and/or traveling). That's a pretty expensive workout to me. Are there any cheaper alternatives out there that's still good?

I have tried a few but I don't feel like I'm getting a good guidance on the appropriate techniques. I usually train (or at least my desire is to train) kickboxing/muay thai and capoeira. I already have a good place for capoeira so I'm looking for a good place for muay thai/kickboxing. Any advice? As of now, I think I'm going to go with New York San Da but if anyone else have any suggestions, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help.
 
Also, I wouldnt care too much about the facilities. The workout and the availability of good coaches are more important.

In addition, I would like to add that I have some boxing experience but that I'm very new to muay thai and kickboxing
 
if tuition doesn't matter to you then go to the school that is closest to you.
 
Marcelo. no question. No offense to Renzo, but come on...Marcelo?
 
for those who say marcelo. if a student is looking for a professor then he should go to the professor that has produced the most high quality students (ie champions). this is not a dig on marcelo but who has he produced?
 
nefti said:
for those who say marcelo. if a student is looking for a professor then he should go to the professor that has produced the most high quality students (ie champions). this is not a dig on marcelo but who has he produced?
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I don't think we need to start that . . . FWIW, Renzo himself does not teach classes on a daily basis. At least this is the true at the main academy.

Instructors might change depending upon the time. John Danaher does mornings and afternoons, and the class I usually take (6pm), the main instructors are Igor Gracie, Gregor Gracie, Magno Gama and Rafael Natal.
 
I'm sure that you would be happy at either place.

For those who keep mentioning Danaher, he doesn't actually teach white belts, does he?

Some people probably like the proximity you would get at Marcelo's school, even as a beginning white belt you'd get to work with him and he would even know your name.

There are tons of great grapplers (on every level) coming out of Renzo's too.

You should also check out Vitor Shaolin, my friend trains at his school and loves it there. I think it might even be cheaper as well, and Shaolin personally teaches almost every class.

In any case, your choices are all awesome. Think of the guys who live in smaller towns on here who are asking about whether they should drive 100 miles on their free night to go train with some purple belt in the next small town over. You got it pretty good.
 
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