MMA gym in SF for Beginner?

[BlackBeltNow]

Roughly what are the class sizes like at fnf?

they're actually pretty big and motivated. as someone above said, it's also crowded. This is one major reason I would hesitate to suggest this, but this is only for kickboxing.

BJJ so far is young and empty. I attended two classes and there wer about 6 people. If u're into MMA than MT or boxing, u won't have to worry about crowding. Boxing can range. The head instructor is paris, and his classes can range from maybe 8-20 (which is crowded).

 

[VoLTesV]

fairtex goes for 95 a month if you're a student and 105 if not. BJJ is an extra 24 bucks if you're a student and 34 if not.

hmmm training is great....but the extra 24/34 pops a month for bjj is a real bummer. But the funny thing is i heard that if you've been a member of fairtex for a while they don't charge the extra 24/34 bucks a month for bjj....

the reason why they're charging extra for BJJ is probably because Jake's class is getting HUGE!!! at times, 20 people at a time on the matt....so maybe that's the reason.

and re-capping, it's probably worth it i guess....sometimes there are some top MMA guys that drop by the BJJ class....dave terrel, nick diaz....and not to mention gil melendez also trains there.

 

[BlackBeltNow]

fairtex goes for 95 a month if you're a student and 105 if not. BJJ is an extra 24 bucks if you're a student and 34 if not.

hmmm training is great....but the extra 24/34 pops a month for bjj is a real bummer. But the funny thing is i heard that if you've been a member of fairtex for a while they don't charge the extra 24/34 bucks a month for bjj....

the reason why they're charging extra for BJJ is probably because Jake's class is getting HUGE!!! at times, 20 people at a time on the matt....so maybe that's the reason.

and re-capping, it's probably worth it i guess....sometimes there are some top MMA guys that drop by the BJJ class....robbie lawler, nick diaz....and not to mention gil melendez also trains there.

yea jake's class is huge. i only been to ralphs once, and charles gracie maybe a total of 5 months, and jake's class must be the biggest BJJ class in SF if i'm not mistaken. fairtex w/ jake is also gi-less, and more appropriate for MMA (so is fnf, but like i said theres only six students so far)

 

[586machine]

For BJJ with the Gi, go to Ralph's academy in the city. It is run by Kurt Osiander and he is tops. They also offer boxing/mt, but I'm not sure who teaches it.

If you are looking to train no-gi w/ more of an MMA vibe, then go to Fairtex. They bjj classes are run by Jake Sheilds and Gilbert Melendez, both active MMA fighters and ADCC competitors.

Further, the MT trainging at Fairtex is first rate. Although they are attracting more students, it is far from a Mcdojo.

 

[TheHighlander]

I'll add another vote for Fairtex. Lots of classes, good facility.

Jake Shields is the best 170lb MMA fighter in the Bay Area and arguably the best grappler as well. The training tempo as he or Gilbert Melendez build up to a fight is something to behold.

 

[legend killa]

I'll add another vote for Fairtex. Lots of classes, good facility.

Jake Shields is the best 170lb MMA fighter in the Bay Area and arguably the best grappler as well. The training tempo as he or Gilbert Melendez build up to a fight is something to behold.

I think Dave Terrell and Nick Diaz would have something to say bout that.But I think they would be good peeps to train with

 

[TheHighlander]

I think Dave Terrell and Nick Diaz would have something to say bout that.But I think they would be good peeps to train with

re: Dave Terrell
1) Dave isn't Bay Area, he's Santa Rosa
2) Dave isn't 170lbs

re: Nick Diaz
I can't believe I forgot Nick, although Stockton isn't really Bay Area either. Jake and Nick are darn close in terms of skills (with completely different styles), and I'd have a lot of trouble betting on either.

 

[xkit]

(remember, fairtex is aiming for upper class white folk). Some thai instructors were also threatened to be kicked out US (I think nunsiem is one of them.)

That is the impression I got. All about the money. They flyer the financial district, offering night classes.

If the goal is building the best fighters, then they don't seem to be going about it the most straightforward way.

No disrepsect intended, but I get the sense that the folks running the facility want to capitalize on Ganyao's good name.

I wanted to train there but like all the other schools around here, too expensive. And Ralph Gracie is even more.

The best deal I've found around is City College, Mitchell Palacio, who teaches Judo and Danzan Ruy Jiu Jitsu. If you want to take a few classes a week, that's very affordable. Though if you're like me you might need more frequent repetition (say waht you will, but I can't pick this stuff up with 2x per week). And so training 2 days per week at city college and maybe 5 days per week elsewhere, I feel that I could effectively progress. I wanna be a real fighter, not justa poser who goes to a school. I want to progress, improve, and excel in sport.

Like the OP, I want to find a a gym that offers Judo and/or Jiu Jitsu, day classes, and possibly Muay Thai. I also want the gym to be affordable and focused purely on pedagogy, not commercialism (glossy MMA fliers). This is important for me because I do not work (and I do not want to work). I want to focus on learning and self betterment.

Although I love SF, if I cannot find this here in America, I may choose to relocate.

 

[xkit]

Is that the place near San Francisco State University?

Off Ocean Ave, just off the 280, a few miles from SF State.

 

[ambertch]

How the fuck did you manage to bring back a 6 year old thread lol?

I think Too Defensive is talking about World Team - they are right next to SF State. City College is a bit nearer to 280.

 

[DaGenius]

Real simple dude..goto fairtex. You get the best MT instruction in the country and you get black belt instruction from their BJJ coach.

 

[xkit]

How the fuck did you manage to bring back a 6 year old thread lol?

I am learning Judo and Jiu Jitsu but don't get enough. I wanted to find a gym so I searched, found sherdog forums. Then I searched a few forums and found the thread. I like this place.

I stopped by Fairtex again. I know some have bad things to day about it but I'll make my own judgments. There's always 3 sides to every story. Anyway, they have AM classes with Ganyao and Jongsanan though I am not sure how crowded they get.

I wanted to try the recent special (which is over) of 30 days for 30 dollars. That is a great deal and if I busted ass every day twice a day I'm sure I could get through the beginners class soon. But the lady at the desk said I couldn't do that because I'd already had a free lesson. I wish I hadn't taken that.

Then again I like Judo and Jiu Jitsu with Gi. I might do better to focus on those with more frequency and repetition. But where? Ralph Gracie is convenient but 180 a month and 6 month commitment is out of my range.

However first and foremost, I must attend to my new injury. Torn ACL and damaged meniscus, at least. Now I need a sports med doc in SF who puts my care first and can try and work with my insurance.

 

[xkit]

Real simple dude..goto fairtex. You get the best MT instruction in the country and you get black belt instruction from their BJJ coach.

Do you train at Fairtex and if so, how crowded are the morning classes?

 

[HungLoh]

I'll bump this since I don't want to create a new thread but does anyone know about the gym AB MMA?

 

[Harukaze]

I'll bump this since I don't want to create a new thread but does anyone know about the gym AB MMA?

I consider them to be a grappling-centric MMA gym: their BJJ is much better than their striking program. Eduardo "Anjinho" Baiao is in charge of the BJJ/MMA program, and he is a super great teacher and a really generous guy (he holds no knowledge back when teaching). Their other instructor, Jackson, is an excellent teacher as well. The gym is independent but has many connections with Ralph Gracie; they're more or less on friendly terms even though they're not officially associated.

The Muay Thai program, on the other hand, I'm not such a big fan of. Guys from World Team USA are in charge of the program, and I'm not a fan of their style. They say it's authentic Muay Thai, but it really isn't if you go by stadium-style MT as what's "authentic" these days. They're more of a Dutch style, surprisingly, and they have some interesting if idiosyncratic tendencies, but the head striking instructor Victor is a pleasant if introverted guy. He's a great pad holder though, so if you have a striking base, it's awesome working with him.

The facilities are SUPER nice there. LOTS of mat space, a full-sized octagon, about eight heavy bags, and a great heating system (a must in SF haha)! Parking can be tough though, since there's only about 5 spaces out front, and the neighborhood can be a little busy/dicey at night.

Overall a great place if you want to focus on grappling, IMHO. Good luck!

 

[HungLoh]

I consider them to be a grappling-centric MMA gym: their BJJ is much better than their striking program. Eduardo "Anjinho" Baiao is in charge of the BJJ/MMA program, and he is a super great teacher and a really generous guy (he holds no knowledge back when teaching). Their other instructor, Jackson, is an excellent teacher as well. The gym is independent but has many connections with Ralph Gracie; they're more or less on friendly terms even though they're not officially associated.

The Muay Thai program, on the other hand, I'm not such a big fan of. Guys from World Team USA are in charge of the program, and I'm not a fan of their style. They say it's authentic Muay Thai, but it really isn't if you go by stadium-style MT as what's "authentic" these days. They're more of a Dutch style, surprisingly, and they have some interesting if idiosyncratic tendencies, but the head striking instructor Victor is a pleasant if introverted guy. He's a great pad holder though, so if you have a striking base, it's awesome working with him.

The facilities are SUPER nice there. LOTS of mat space, a full-sized octagon, about eight heavy bags, and a great heating system (a must in SF haha)! Parking can be tough though, since there's only about 5 spaces out front, and the neighborhood can be a little busy/dicey at night.

Overall a great place if you want to focus on grappling, IMHO. Good luck!

Cool thanks for the info. The only thing I was worried about was the Muay Thai when I first saw the instructor online but I might go and check it out for the grappling

 

[Harukaze]

Cool thanks for the info. The only thing I was worried about was the Muay Thai when I first saw the instructor online but I might go and check it out for the grappling

For sure, lemme know how you liked it after you check it out.