ralph gracie sf = grr. argh. bleh.

[Drew Foster]

Boo to you sir.

Read ALL my posts before you boo me. I made 4 in a row.

 

[Title Fight Productions]

Read ALL my posts before you boo me. I made 4 in a row.

yeah i read them all and agreed with most, i just didn't like that posters tone or attitude. Like i was ridiculous to think that the guy quoted had given some insight into the situation.

 

[itslaura2u]

I wasn't going to post on this because it will just bring it up to the top and call more attention to it, but after reading this thread twice, I feel I needed to. I have been a partner with Ralph at his Southern California academies for the past two years. Ralph is a great guy. Great sense of humor, and he really cares about his students and their parents. My son has moved to San Francisco to train with Ralph and they spend a lot of time together. I feel totally comfortable with him being up there training at Dublin and San Francisco as I know Ralph watches out for him and all the guys he trains with at both places are very nice guys, including Kurt. While the San Francisco Academy rolls harder than the other Ralph Gracie Academies, not all the Academies are that tough. San Francisco has more professional fighters than his other academies, and maybe that is why they roll harder there. My son got injured there once a long time ago while visiting (nothing big) but we acknowledged that, yeah, they did roll harder than the other Ralph Gracie academies. Our schools in Orange County and the Inland Empire are always welcoming to other people whether they are trying class or they come from another school and just want to roll with us. In fact, we won Best Martial Arts Academy in the OC by My Fox LA. Everyone is welcome and treated like family, as they are in his other academies up north, unless, of course, you come in with an attitude, as we all know some guys do. In fact, if the thread starter is ever in the SoCal, he is more than welcome to train and his credit will be honored, after it was confirmed, as I am sure Kurt would honor it too. The only way it would not be honored is if it was bought for a certain time period that has long passed. This could've been a complete misunderstanding, especially since it was during class. That being said about Ralph's Academies, he is also in the process of making sure they are very "family friendly."

Ralph has had some of his black belts leave on a bad note (probably with fault on both sides) and open schools right down the street from his, and sure, I would be totally pissed too. It is just not the cool thing to do no matter what the situation, and it happens a lot to all different Academies. Cleber had this happen. The guy even squats on his website (using his name to make people looking for Cleber end up on his own website). There are lots of stories like this. Who needs that drama. Leave and be on your way, but no need to keep spreading it around so other people make judgements on only what they have heard without personally knowing any of the people involved. I can tell you that for the four years I have known Ralph, never once has he commented on any one of these people, even when directly asked by one of our students (a new white belt meeting him for the first time, (it totally shocked me that he even asked!) We were all looking at him in shock, and Ralph just smiled and said nothing. Not everyone will like Ralph or Kurt, just like not everyone will like everyone. People have conflicts all the time, but I just wanted to share my experience which started the minute my son started taking jiu-jitsu four years ago and we couldn't be happier that he chose a Ralph Gracie Academy to train with. By the way, Happy New Year's to you all.

 

[TyroneSlothrop**]

TyroneSlothrop;35554520]

Go Fvck yourself!!!!

It was imo a good post because he was explaining the situation over there at Ralphs. Not every gym is into being a "sport JJ" spot for the everyday grappler. Some gyms are into making there students tough in a certain way. That is what they are at Ralphs, and altho i personely don't agree with that philosophy, i also don't condemn it. They arn't trying to appel to the masses, they want tough as guys who want to learn a tough ass version of Gracie BJJ.

And yes, there is something to be said about a master not just letting a student "tap" whenever he gets into a little trouble position wise, there is something to be said about teaching a student to fight thru that position and not give up on himself and the training he has learned.


And further more you can take all these words from your post and stick them up your ass!!!!!!

hey you go fuck yourself up the ass, real hard, you fucking stupid loser


its not about being "tough", i met plenty tough guys in my time and people that want to train mma hard and that's all good


but if you agree to grapple and then all of a sudden you start striking YOU ARE A STUPID BITCH


this should be easy to understand, even for a moron like you. now shut the fuck up

 

[lechien]

I agree as well....Slapping is not to hurt the student just make them aware what could happen if they leave themsleves open. It also teaches them that even though they are getting hit they still have to accomplish the escape or they will sustain more damage. This is done during Vale-Tudo and sometimes while rolling with the gi.

As instructors we have to prepare our students for fighting..... I would hate to have a student come to me and tell me he got is ass kicked because he was not properly trained by me....I would feel I let him down. These guys pay me to not only build up their fighting skills but their confidence as well. I mean I have some guys that have never been in a fight in their lives and you have to kind of push them a little to over come that fear.

When I get a new student I always ask them why they want to train in BJJ and most of them tell me they want to learn to protect themselves.....the desire to compete comes later in their training. I always tell them what to expect during training so nothing is a suprise to them.

I know people take BJJ as a hobby or to compete and thats fine......but they also have to learn to fight just in case and rolling around all the time without strikes during training is not going to prepare them for that.

So if you guys train in BJJ and don't like the slaps then go somehwere else...its that easy...nobody is going to put you down for it but for the guys that don't mind then continue training this way and hopefully you will never have to fight in your life.

Remember fighting is not easy but the more you do it the more you learn to control your fear or anger.

100% agree.
My instructor never ever said anything positive or complement me on my improvement.
He just promoted for it and it was not free.
I do not pay my instructor to be my "feel good guy", I just gonna TRAIN.

 

[fourfif**]

I do agree with getting guys to focus on Self defense, I originally got interested in BJJ WAY back in the early 90's and started training JUST for self defense/real fighting to complimanet my Kickboxing and TMA Black Belts...

And if Ralph's school is like you say, just for fighters, and trains guys solely for Vale Tudo and MMA..then that's awesome. But they aren't JUST a fight team, they take Hobbyists, and others who are just looking for a fun activity's HARD EARNED Money, that's where it becomes a grey area to me.

If the student realizes they will be slapped when they are exposed, then that is cool, no big deal. But some guy just starts slapping an inferior skilled STUDENT out of the blue is kinda ridiculous. As I said, I kickboxed for years, and coaches used to expose me when my hands were down etc, but the difference is I knew what I was training, it SOUNDS completely different, what these guys are describing is borderline sadistic. lol

What if a good boxer AND grappler or even just a wrestling coach started slapping guys standing, because the MAJORITY of grapplers are weak and exposed, it would be kinda ridiculous wouldn't it? Especially if they weren't expecting it or was JUST there to grapple...

Cesar turns out some GREAT fighters, and Relson's schools teach the old school BJJ..but I hear almost none of the negative issues, really I hear PRAISES

If guys could escape and had no opening, they sure as hell wouldn't be paying $150++ a month...

BTW, I'm just giving a different perspective/opinion. I've visted a lot of places over the years and have never seen anything like what's being described in a REGULAR BJJ class...EXCEPT from McDojo Karate Black Belts that always feel the need to show how "tough" they are. lol

As said, 99.999% will never make it as a "Pro" Fighter, they are there to train because they LOVE the art. If you wanna be sadistic or REALLY feel the need to strike, do it during the "Vale Tudo" or MMA classes....not during regular rolling sessions, that just SCREAMS "I'm a douche bag" with an ego problem... lol Or better yet, add some REAL striking training with good boxers or Kick boxers...

JUST DON'T try and slap a good boxer, or you'll end up in the ER! I recommend anyone SERIOUS about self defense to train with good boxers or even kickboxers in combo with BJJ, after a while normal guys punches will feel like love taps and look slow motion!

good post.

That being said, my experience there was nothing like that. They were cool overall, Kurt was a good coach, and nothing like that ever happened. The rolling was hard, no doubt, but imo it was just good quality hard workouts. but I will preface that by saying I rolled there for a total of about six months, with a break in between, and because I had to take a break (because it was expensive and I was paying for school), I had to pay the "sign up fee" two times, which I kind of didn't like.

I've also rolled at 10th planet more recently and i love it there. Denny is also a very good coach and fun as hell to watch roll or roll with. The class is alot more of a relaxed atmosphere, but don't get sucked into a lull bc they go hard. Very technical and friendly, but yeah, solid, competitive takedowns/rolls.

And it's a better deal with no sign up fees and to answer ts, yes, he gives everyone a free first day. He really wouldn't take my money, lol, I remember being a little surprised but thought it was pretty cool.

Both are good places, and for me it just boiled down to two things, money and gi vs nogi.

Another place I've rolled at was with Alex Serdyukov at Fairtex in SF on hawthorn. he was also a very good coach, and is surprisingly good at takedowns. And even though they train mma and we would know well in advance if we were were striking, because we would have to put on gloves. anway he's a great coach and if you are doing MMA grappling with striking and need a gym definitely go to Alex. There was a d1 guy from 155er from Oregon (ducks) there and a hwt from SF State so good takedown sessions there.

Anyway all three are good, and each serves it's own niche in the grappling community. That being said, I have to say I've had the most fun and best rolls at Denny's 10thP. qft.

 

[lechien]

hey you go fuck yourself up the ass, real hard, you fucking stupid loser


its not about being "tough", i met plenty tough guys in my time and people that want to train mma hard and that's all good


but if you agree to grapple and then all of a sudden you start striking YOU ARE A STUPID BITCH


this should be easy to understand, even for a moron like you. now shut the fuck up

This is where the misundertanding is! IF you walk in the old school BJJ like Ralph, it is just not grapple as you say it.

The BJJ version that you know is just different.