I've never trained martial arts or done exercise before. Youtube has inspired me to learn BJJ for self-defense and fitness. I'd like to compile a short list of schools in the NYC area that would be worth 'trying out.' For me, the ideal school would: * Cost less than $200/month * Not require a yearly contract * Have separate classes for different skill levels * Be in central Brooklyn or lower Manhattan * Some form of striking martial arts in addition to BJJ would be nice * Some kind of in-hours fitness program would also be nice I've looked at Class One MMA ( http://www.c1mma.com ) in downtown Brooklyn, which is very expensive ($200 / mo), but offers a lot of extras - kickboxing, yoga, crossfit, etc. No classes at different skill levels; it would appear that everyone trains together. There's also Renzo Gracie Brooklyn in Williamsburg ( http://www.renzogracieacademy.com/ ). Very expensive, offers a lot of extras, but seems to require a yearly contract. Alliance BJJ ( http://www.alliancebjjnyc.com/programs/ ) in lower Manhattan looks good, but my understanding is that it requires a yearly contract and is also very expensive. Marcelo Garcia in lower Manhattan (http://marcelogarciajj.com/) - $250 / month. Ouch. I'd appreciate any recommendations or suggestions for choosing a school, especially lower-cost alternatives. Above all, I don't want to go somewhere where I'll end up getting hurt on the second day of class and have to quit. Thanks very much!
http://www.bkmuaythai.com I have no knowledge of the school, but it does offer BJJ along with some other classes. http://www.greenpointmma.com Roger Mamedov is pretty good. Give him a try.
Marcelo's is among the best places in the entire world. I'd kill to have the opportunity to train there, expensive or not.
Most places require a contract or will charge you a hefty premium without one. Renzo/Marcelo/Unity all have strong programs taught by world-class instructors.
I'm not sure where exactly you mean when you say "Central Brooklyn", but Park Slope BJJ Academy is a pretty short walk from the 4th Ave/9th St. R stop in Park Slope and the instructor is a Marcelo brown belt. There is also Brooklyn Martial Arts in Boerum Hill. The BJJ instructor is a black belt (from Renzo, I think...but I could be wrong) and it is pretty easy to get to from anywhere in Brooklyn because it's within walking distance from Atlantic Ave/Barclay's. Both of the schools I mentioned also have specials on Groupon right now, so there's really not a huge risk by trying them out (I think the Park Slope one is a month for $39). Of course, I'm not sure what the actual cost of either place is or what classes they offer (other than what is on their websites), so they might not be what you're looking for. If you can tell us what train is closest to where you live or work, we might be able to give you more options that will be convenient for you.
And I want a time travel machine, but it ain't gonna happen. You will have to be more flexible on not getting some of those, i.e. the contract or the location, or the fitness program which is pretty uncommon in my experience. Honestly the only place I can think of that has all those things is the Renzo Gracie Fight Academy in Williamsburg, but I don't think it's under 200/mo if you want all those things (i.e. full package). The best competition BJJ schools in the city are Marcelo Garcia, and Unity BJJ (Murilo Santana and the Miyao Bros), but they are purely sport BJJ schools and probably don't have striking programs. Renzo Academy in Manhattan I think has striking, but its probably comparable in cost to Marcelo, and I don't know what kind of contracts they have.
