Note: I started here with no wrestling or grappling experience and had the athletic ability and fitness level of a wet mop. This place is very beginner friendly.
The basics are found on their website and in the other reviews here. Regardless of your schedule, you'll find a class to attend. There are early morning drilling sessions, late night drilling sessions, and classes at all hours of the day. If enough people are willing to train at a certain time, they will bend over backwards to accommodate that need. The quality of instruction is at a very high level, there is little ego and everyone is there to learn and make their training partners better.
That's readily apparent and doesn't need more elaboration. Below are my own personal reasons of what makes this place special to me.
TRUST
There is an inherent danger when training martial arts as the intent is often to disarm or disable another individual. Therefore, when practicing these situations, participants are exposed to a certain amount of risk. When learning a new move, whether it be a joint-lock or a choke, the move must be practiced on another individual for learning to actually take place. Due to this, your training partner, quite literally, holds your long-term health in their hands. That being said, I have never been in a situation while learning, drilling, or sparring where I have been afraid for my safety. My training partners have always pushed me to be better but they always recognized my limits and had the restraint to teach me but not harm me. With safety a guarantee, learning can take first priority in every training session. I've found this to be invaluable.
PASSION
I have met very few people in life who describe their vocation with the words "it's not about the money" and actually meant it. Mark Vives is one of those people. His philosophy for the school is to provide a safe environment where Jiu Jitsu is taught and these priorities are in place before a single cent is collected. If you don't believe me, sign up for a free week then after it's over say you're not interested. You will then be provided with a list of other schools that might be a better fit for you. They just want you to learn Jiu Jitsu here, they don't care where you learn it. But if you stay, holy cow will they teach you. Everyone here is incredibly generous with their knowledge and will readily spend time after class going over techniques and helping you with problem spots.
I have nothing but good things to say about this place and the people that frequent it.
tl;dr They offer a free week so just sign up and do it already! read more