Ginsberg Academy is a really really great gym. I've been coming regularly since September and I love it. There are structured BJJ classes six days a week and open mat on Saturdays, and there is plenty of time for open rounds after every class. There are classes for both gi and no gi Jiu Jitsu, as well as wrestling, Muay Thai, and Judo (which I don't attend), as well as morning BJJ classes twice a week for those who can't come in the evenings. I've never felt like I don't get enough BJJ in the week, since there's always an opportunity to roll every day. Coach Dave is amazing at Jiu Jitsu. As a white belt it's hard to comprehend how advanced he is, but his skills definitely back up his qualifications - he can roll with bigger, stronger brown/black belts and make it look easy. He is also a great teacher and makes sure to roll with as many students as possible to assess their progress and help them identify gaps in their game. If you have any questions about a technique outside of class, you can usually ask by text message, and he'll either give a detailed reply by text, or even make your question the topic of the next class. To every question, he can give a detailed answer, with branching possibilities at each point in the sequence of moves, but also can boil down the essentials for a beginner to understand. The other coaching staff is great as well. Personally most of my other coaching has come from Coach Ben, who is a originally a black belt in Judo and now in BJJ. He has helped me a ton on making the most use out of good positions, as well as how to keep myself safe in bad positions, so that in any position I will always have some ideas of what to do, even if I can't remember a specific sequence of moves in the moment. I think Coach Dave and Coach Ben's teaching styles complement each other very well. Three more great things about Ginsberg Academy are that: 1. Everyone is very friendly and open to helping each other. I've never had a higher belt refuse to roll, just because I'm a white belt, and pretty much all of the higher belts from blue up (and even advanced white belts) act as mentors for newer students. Everyone is focused on making everyone else at the academy better at Jiu Jitsu rather than trying to one-up each other. 2. Coach Dave prioritizes safety, and will even point out how in a given sequence not to hurt your partner or yourself unintentionally. In 8 months of training I haven't been injured once (aside from mat burn or scrapes). It seems all the students take safety seriously, and rolls can still be very competitive but nobody gets hurt. This is especially good if it's your first time doing a combat sport/martial art, like it was for me. 3. The academy is very clean. After every class/open mat, we sweep the mats and then wipe them down with bleach water so no bacteria/fungi can form there. There is also an RSVP policy so contact tracing can be done in the event of someone testing positive for covid. All in all, I extremely strongly recommend this gym, and trying out BJJ. If you're on the fence about it or nervous about being hurt, this gym is really the place where you'll learn world class skills, in a safe way, with a great group of people. read more

I am a one stripe white belt who joined a couple of months ago. This school deserves 5 stars. Coach Dave is legit and has the pedigree. He's a 5th degree black belt. He's trained a UFC fighter who occasionally teaches as well plus he has a background in muay thai. He's judged UFC fights. I've seen coach toy around with a jacked 3rd degree black belt UFC fighter instructor with his butterfly guard in a sparring session with almost no effort. Dude knows his stuff. Coach Dave teaches almost 50% of classes and rolls with you. He doesn't care whether you're competing or you're a hobbyist and treats you the same in a professional manner. The best part Coach's style of jiu jitsu works for the every person and not just athletic freaks. This makes his style approachable for people of all ages, body types, and athleticism and because of the attention he gives to students... the skill level is very high. (Yes athletic freaks do exist in this gym and they're very nice too). He also prioritizes safety with a focus on being technical. He doesn't make you roll until the first 24 classes if you're brand new to bjj and instead focuses on drilling fundamentals. He does roll with you every now and then and informally enforces a "5 collective stripe policy" between 2 rollers. It keeps people safe and prevents injuries and it's worth the wait. As a new spazzy white belt with anxiety his policies helped me get comfortable with the school and calm down during rolls and focus on becoming a better jiu jitsu practitioner. There is no locker room talk, sexism, and winning or losing here. People are super helpful and the senior belts let you work and that's such a positive environment to learn. The last thing you want is a purple belt beating you up day 1 and it doesn't happen here. Coach also goes the extra mile to include people who are injured. One time i injured my wrist for a month (for reasons outside of bjj) and coach specifically taught me guard retention exercises with "no wrist jiu jitsu" and made me feel included. Also this gym is surprisingly clean for the foot traffic we get and that's because there is strong hygiene enforcement. People stay behind to mop the mats for a couple min after open mat. One hard policy he does have is to send an RSVP text before you come in to confirm that you don't have any symptoms. And he has a stricter policy for those who are unvaccinated and some people don't like that. It keeps the gym safe and he does contact tracing in case someone gets COVID and warns people by text. I've made good friends here in this gym and it's a community i can rely on. Highly recommend this gym. read more

This is a 5-star bjj and mma gym! I have been going to Ginsberg Academy now for a couple of months and have been enjoying it a lot. The coaches, the people and the atmosphere are what keep me coming back day after day. Every class starts with a bow-in and a ceremonial "Team!" and "Oss!", after which coach Dave explains a move or a sequence of moves, which we drill with a partner. Coach Dave always makes sure he has seen everybody do it and gives great individual pointers, and all the higher belts are very happy to explain the further details of the move as well. After the drilling, there is often time for some open rounds before the class ends and we bow out. Then after the official class, you can do as many open rounds as you like. I only train jiu jitsu, but there are also Judo classes, Muay Thai classes, and wrestling classes, all taught by very proficient coaches. I am mainly taught by Coach Dave, I however feel too inexperienced still to fully grasp how much he knows about jiu jitsu. What I can say is that he is very thoughtful and will roll with everybody. He is up to date on everybody's progress and checks in regularly with you to check how you are doing. In addition to coach Dave, I consider all the people in the gym coaches as well. Everybody is always teaching each other new moves and giving each other feedback about rolls. This is so helpful and I have picked up some great moves and techniques after long discussions about a roll. The atmosphere and the people are really the greatest thing about this gym! Another great thing about the gym is the emphasis on safety. From day 1, we are told that all the moves should be done with control, and we should never let a submission come on too fast. Also, during the explanations of new moves there is a lot of attention to safety, with pointers like "be careful: this is the point in the move where you could knee someone in the head if you do not do this in a controlled manner". Furthermore, new white belts are only to roll with experienced people, and all these measures make that there are very little injuries at the gym. The motto "Play And Do No Harm" is really taken seriously! All in all, the Ginsberg Academy really feels like a great community, where safety and play are really the core principles. I can't recommend it enough! read more

This review is only based on one visit to Inner Strength BJJ. However, if first impressions count for anything, then you honestly couldn't fairly ask for more. If you are considering starting BJJ or looking for a better place to train, then I would definitely give this place a shot. My visit to Inner Strength was with two other friends. Dave, the owner, was super welcoming to us. Gave really clear instructions about how to get the most out of our first session. From warm-up to cool down, Dave gave us new comers the right kind attention to make sure we were working safely. That doesn't mean it wasn't hard! It was a very controlled environment, which made us very comfortable with our abilities the entire time. One thing to mention was that Dave's depth of experience really came through in how he engaged with us. The three of us newbies had some judo, capoeira and military experience between us. Dave was able to connect with each of these and give us a good sense of how we could bring respective our skills to the BJJ mat. I also think you can judge a class by the students. In this case everyone was extremely welcoming, helpful, and importantly respectful of the primary instructor. All good signs. I realize that there is a weakness in reviewing a place after one visit. But I've been to quite a few places like this over the course of globe trotting travels and if there is one thing that matters the most it is the student's respect for the teacher and teacher's respect of the student, in equal measure. When you combine this with competence and experience, topped off with a dash of comradarie, then you have yourself a great place to train and learn. My schedule is tough (travel, family etc) and it will be hard to make BJJ a regular "thing" on my training schedule. But after my initial visit to Inner Strength, I'm seriously considering other sacrifices (cancel gym membership?!) to spend more time there. If that happens I'll review again. Peace! read more

I stand by everything I wrote in my previous review. For some reason Yelp failed to display it, or so it seems. If you're in the Boston area (or on the East Coast for that matter) you'd be wise to visit Professor Ginsberg's Academy. Obviously right now training in person is not a possibility, but his online classes via Zoom still stand head and shoulders above all comparable schools and instructors. If you're itching for some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Ginsberg Academy should be your goto! Previous Review: Professor Ginsberg is one of the best instructors - of any discipline, craft or art - that I have ever had the pleasure of training under. As a BJJ practitioner of almost 12 years [and owing to my work as a freelance UX designer], I have had the pleasure of training with many instructors the world over. However, Dave's [Prof. Ginsberg] knowledge, care, compassion, and attention to detail is second to none - he brings a unique perspective to the art that is not to be found anywhere else. This is particularly important during these difficult times where nearly all our classes and courses have migrated online. Just the other night I partook in one of Dave's online BJJ and I was honestly blown away by how perfectly his teaching translated to what is by all accounts a difficult medium in which to teach - let alone teach well. If you're fiending for your fill of BJJ, or just trying to stay sharp during this trying time, do yourself a favor and jump into one of Professor Ginsberg's classes! I promise you won't regret it! read more

To me, Ginsberg Academy BJJ stands out from the 4-5 BJJ gyms around town. Why? It is safe - this is a place for weaker, slower and clumsier people to learn jit jitsu. It is clean - the mat is cleaned every session every day. FYI: Dirty mat brings all sort of skin diseases to practitioners. It is excellent - Professor Dave roll with every students, regardless of their belts. He keeps them safe, keep them learning from various jit jitstu positions. He is patient to newcomers, but always pose interesting challenges to even the best fighters in the world. No wonder. Professor Dave is a 5th degree black belt in BJJ, we receive excellent martial art education from him. It is cost-effective - With the membership fee and if you come by 4 days a week, 2 hours a day, you spend around less than $6/hour to learn from the best. Sounds like a good deal to me. Anyhow, I highly recommend the Academy. I think you will like it too! read more

This is by far the best gym that I could've stumbled upon. I was visiting Boston from LA and called around for what seemed like forever trying to find a decent gym to train at. Coach Dave answered the phone and was super friendly, he sent over a health assessment and made me aware of the procedures the academy has in place to keep everyone COVID safe. I really can't express my gratitude for Coach Dave and his team. They were aware that I belonged to another affiliation and still welcomed me with open arms and let me work my game with no limits or restrictions. They embraced the my style, took me in as a jits sister and taught me a whole bunch during our rolls. Coach Dave is SUPER helpful when it comes to correcting technique and patching holes in your game. It was an honor to share the mats with them! read more

I had the chance to drop in at Ginsberg Academy while visiting my friend Ben, who trains here, and I was really impressed. The instruction was top-notch--clear, detailed, and practical. Professor Dave actively gave tips and corrections, which made our sparring sessions both challenging and insightful. It's clear he genuinely cares about helping everyone improve, no matter their skill level. The gym itself is spotless and well-maintained, creating a great environment to train. The vibe was welcoming, and the team struck a perfect balance between hard work and camaraderie. If you're in the area or looking for a place to train, I highly recommend Ginsberg Academy. I'll definitely be back next time I visit! read more

I almost never write reviews on Yelp, but Professor Ginsberg's class was so well taught and welcoming that I had to say something. The tuesday class I went to consisted of everything from a few first-timers to several vets training for an upcoming competition, and yet it seemed like everyone was actively engaged and getting a good workout. The instructor was phenomenal at making sure everyone was interacting in a safe manner, as well as explaining each movement without letting the class lose too much energy. On top of that, the other students were friendly and supportive. I highly recommend this class for both beginners and those with some experience looking to sharpen up their technique! read more

This is a great academy with very knowledgeable and thoughtful instructors who, starting with Dave, have created a safe and instructive environment for learning, practicing and advancing the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Another great aspect of Ginsberg academy is the people who go attend-every time i have gone in to train I was able to continue to interact and meet some incredible people from all walks of life. It is clear that BJJ is not the only thing that is learned at the academy--mutual respect, safety, and discipline are just some of the other benefits that go along with attending. I recommend it very highly read more

From the first time I entered the spacious and immaculately clean Dojo, I felt a real warmth. Ginsberg Academy is more than just a rigorous BJJ school. The community here is no joke with people from all backgrounds and levels of grappling skill coming together to help each other. Coach Dave is knowledgeable, kind, and unusually concerned with each student's safety and development, and his team purple and brown belts, who teach some classes, are great teachers in their own right. Whether your goal is to get in shape, learn self defense, study BJJ for competition, or MMA, you'll find a place here. Oss. read more

Professor Dave Ginsberg not only has amazing jiujitsu, he has an amazing heart. I'm a former UFC fighter, but he'll give just as much time to a brand new white belt as he does to the guy that beat Kimbo. He just loves his art and loves sharing it with other people. The emphasis he places on safety makes a physical contact sport very accessible to everyone. Nobody is pushed to do more than they're ready for, but somehow the people Dave coaches find hidden reserves of strength and soon become comfortable handling opponents of any size. I can't say enough good things about this man or his program. read more

Fantastic place to train. Coach Dave is a world-class practitioner and very generous with his time. All the coaches and participants share a similar mindset, creating a positive environment for learning, growth and safety. It's near impossible to find a place where you can get so much personalized instruction from a 4th degree black belt. On top of that, they have been continuing to offer great live video classes during the coronavirus shutdowns. Very welcoming, regardless of your level (even complete beginner). Highly recommended. read more

It's a great experience every class and the environment is extremely welcoming despite your level. Although it does have immense opportunities for advanced level athletes, its just as welcoming for beginners. I have been going for a year and it only gets better. Coach Ginsberg always brings a level of positivity and excitement that encourages you to always push your best but he emphasizes to be safe before everything. Cleanliness and safety are two of the main principles of the gym which really attracted me to it. read more

Ginsberg Academy is an incredibly positive learning environment. Coach Dave prioritizes a welcoming and respectful culture and it shows with all the members of the gym. Beyond this, there's a lot of super talented athletes that you can learn from and train with. read more

Great gym and amazing atmosphere that is safe and inviting. Professor Ginsberg's ability to provide intricate details to positions and moves is incredible and has helped me elevate my game. Anyone looking to train Bjj should check out Ginsberg Academy. read more

Ginsberg Bjj provides world class instruction with a family atmosphere. Professor Dave is the best teacher around and makes learning Jiu-Jitsu a fun and rewarding journey. I would recommend this academy for people of all skill and experience levels. read more

Great instruction by a true martial artist and BJJ Black Belt. Professor Ginsberg has improved my game immensely and everyone there treats you like family. Thank you team inner strength. read more

If you are an ordinary person coming to be extraordinary, this your first step to the goal. Lessons are real and filled with knowledge of defense and a bit of life. read more