There are several things that I find are amazing about Pablo Silva Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Here are a five:
1.) Location
Conveniently located at 5233 Bellaire Blvd, right off the I-610 loop, Pablo's facility is easy to get to from anywhere in the Houston area. Located at the intersection of Bellaire and Bissonett, the surrounding area has lots of places to eat, shop, or run errands before/after class. Also, the parking lot is very easy to get into and out of without traffic congestion, red lights, etc.
2.) Facility
In nearly 14 years on the mats, I've never trained in a place this nice. It offers several amenities such as men & women's showers, many private dressing rooms, and two very comfortable viewing areas where you can watch your children, husbands, wives, or friends. There is a fully functioning, well-equipped gym upstairs that contains stair-climber machines, treadmills, stationary cycles, free weights, weight machines, and an area for plyometric training such as sled pushes and block jumping, plus a sauna! The mat area downstairs is custom-built to absorb and soften the impact of takedowns and grappling, keeping all practitioners safe and free of injury. The icing on the cake, however, is the cleanliness of the entire gym. The restrooms are always clean and well stocked; clean, sterilized mats and floors; weight room is always clean and there's no odors anywhere throughout the facility.
3.) Student Body
Pablo has a thriving kids class full of young, energetic faces who love training jiu-jitsu. Teaching kids requires a high level of both understanding and patience, and Pablo & his staff possess these qualities in droves. We also boast a very big ladies' squad in the adults class; women from all walks of life and all levels of experience training hard on a daily basis, and competing all over the state, nation, and world. But it doesn't matter whether the trainee is male or female, the skill level at every grade of experience will amaze you. Pablo has cultivated a group of very skilled grapplers, and they're winning competitions left and right. There is also a culture of mutual respect and assistance; if you are struggling with a technique, there will be someone there to help and advise you. Pablo has also seen to it that the upper belt ranks take care of the lower belt ranks, helping them to develop and grow. Personally, one of my greatest pleasures is working and training with the lower ranks and then watching them go out there and dominate competition. That's really something special.
4.) Training Environment
You'll be training with national, international, and world champions every day. They will help you, they will advise you, they'll take time with you. No big egos, no singular power players. The improvement of the group as a whole is the focus. When you succeed, you are congratulated; if you don't, you are encouraged.
5.) Pablo
Pablo is a man of few words, straight-forward, direct, and honest. He's doesn't heap false praise on anyone. He's an active competitor with a ton of experience and a head for tactics and strategy. Many students refer to him as 'The General'. He will correct you when you make mistakes, but not berate or embarrass you. He will also congratulate you when you've done well. And if you earn the coveted black belt from him, you'll be able to go anywhere in the world and hold your own.
I say all this as a 42 year old husband and father who never had much ambition as a jiu-jitsu competitor. I trained for a very long time at a very good school with great instructors, but my motivation was lacking. I considered quitting jiu-jitsu before giving Pablo's gym a try. First it was tough, then came motivation, then I returned to competition after nearly a 4 year layoff. I lost a lot at first, then started winning. Through all of that neither Pablo nor my teammates ever gave up on me. Win or lose, that support meant so much. I wouldn't be anywhere near the grappler I am now if I hadn't joined Pablo's gym.
Give it and try and see for yourself.
Caston Nathaniel
Instructors
Facility
Classes
Location
Posted 7 years ago