You’re interested in learning Brazilian Jiujitsu. You want to learn self defense. You’re nervous / intimidated by joining a fight club. You’re In/Out of shape. You like fun, supportive, social environments with no drama and ego. If this is you, Gracie Jiujitsu Portland might just be the place for you!
TLDR. I’ve been training different martial arts for most of my life and have been training Brazilian Jiujitsu, BJJ, for over 15 years & at several gyms in Portland and elsewhere throughout the years. At the time of this review, I am a 54yo 4-stripe Blue belt awaiting my time to test for Purple Belt.
Gracie Jiujitsu, GJJ, Portland, PDX, is different than most BJJ gyms in town. It has a highly structured, non-threatening curriculum for learning Brazilian Jiujitsu. GJJ PDX teaches the Gracie HQ - Torrance curriculum followed by all Gracie Certified-Training-Centers, CTC, worldwide. GJJ is the curriculum created by Rener & Ryron Gracie brothers, grand children of the famous Helio Gracie.
If you are just beginning, you will enroll in the GJJ “Combatives” program where you learn Self-defense focused Jiujitsu which is comprised of the most historically common BJJ techniques used to defend oneself against a non-Jiujitsu assailant. There is also a parallel “Women Empowered” class focused on specific women’s self-defense scenarios / techniques / situational awareness. In both these classes there will be techniques learned with a partner and exercises to develop combat reflexes. It is highly suited to anyone of any level of fitness. You will not be full-contact “sparring” / “rolling” with any of your partners during this time. Sparring will not occur until after you graduate from Combatives and begin the “Master Cycle” of classes. In this sense, the beginning learner does not find oneself in situations that can be frightening, nerve wracking, dangerous, intimidating, super-uncomfortable, etc & during such time when you’ve barely started to learn the techniques and develop the right instincts.
After completing Combatives or if you are an intermediate+ BJJ practitioner from another Gym you can join the Master Cycle where further self defense techniques are learned as well as “BJJ vs BJJ” techniques. You’ll roll / spar at the end of class, should you wish, alternating between GI, no-Gi, and “street sparring” / Combat-Jiujitsu where you put on the gloves and include punches; my favorite!
Of note, enrollment at GJJ PDX includes access to GracieUniversity digital content where you can watch videos of each lesson before/after you attend class to help alleviate anxiety about the lesson-of-the-day or just to get more detail on/ remember the techniques in question.
Note. If you are looking to be the next ADCC / MMA champion, there are several other gyms in the PDX area that may be more suitable.
The Vibe. Ted is the head coach and owner at GJJ PDX and is a GJJ Brown Belt, at the time of this review, under Rener & Ryron, GJJ HQ. Ted is super positive and a great teacher - well informed, enthusiastic and supportive. The space is clean and the mats sanitized every day. Members are friendly, positive, and welcoming. No weird fight-club, in-it-to-win-it vibes. It’s a great place filled with men & women of all body types and ethnicities.
For those of you wanting to learn Brazilian Jiujitsu, trying GJJ PDX should definitely be considered. There is a free 10-day trial period to see if ya like the vibe too.
Hopefully you’ve found the above helpful. If you want to know more about the GJJ angle on learning BJJ, Google GracieUniversity and checkout all the content there or give Ted a call. The program discussed by Rener and Ryron is the program taught at GJJ PDX and it is fun, challenging and legit. I hope to see ya there someday, come on in for a look see - the water’s warm.
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Posted 4 years ago
