Having recently attended an intensive, weekend-long training camp at the RMNU Academy (and having attended Robson's seminars in the past), I would highly recommend the RMNU Academy to anyone considering training in the martial arts, regardless of your past experience and/or future goals.
LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION:
Robson Moura is an eight-time world champion, with titles in both gi and no-gi BJJ (for beginners, the "gi" is the traditional, Japanese-style kimono commonly associated with most martial arts, while "no gi" competitors typically compete in a rash guard and board shorts). He is universally recognized within BJJ communities as one of the sport's greatest competitors.
More importantly, however, Robson is a dedicated teacher (and student) of jiu jitsu, who tailors his classes to the ability level and goals of his students. Also, while the Academy has many accomplished black belt instructors other than Robson, it is important to note that Robson remains actively involved in the teaching of group classes to students of all belt levels.
Examples of Robson's teaching style can be found by searching his name on YouTube.
ACADEMY CULTURE:
The RMNU Academy offers a family environment rooted in a culture of mutual respect. In my visit to the Academy for the RMNU Camp, I had the opportunity to train with students of RMNU-affiliated gyms from across North America (e.g. I live in Toronto, Canada), all of whom shared this same philosophy. The benefits of such a culture include the following:
(a) instructors maintain friendly relationships with students, and command respect only through their experience and ability to convey knowledge;
(b) when training potentially dangerous techniques and/or participating in rolling sessions (the grappling equivalent of sparring in boxing), you know that your training partner has your safety as his/her top priority; and
(c) while the learning curve for BJJ can be steep, the process is much faster when your training partners take an active interest in your development.
Robson and his instructors recognize that the rewards of training BJJ (fitness; self-confidence; self-defense) are only realized after you get past the initial intimidation/frustration of the first few steps, particularly when BJJ is the first martial art you've trained.
FACILITIES:
The facilities at the Academy are immaculately clean and well-lit, the importance of which cannot be overstated.
For the above reasons, as stated at the outset of this review, I highly recommend the RMNU Academy to anyone interested in training BJJ.
Instructors
Facility
Classes
Atmosphere
Posted 12 years ago
