Relson Gracie JJ

**Athenian** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:01pm

After the fiasco of the Columbus Gracie FC earlier this year, I'm starting to question my earlier decision to join a Relson Gracie school for the summer when my university-affiliated Judo club is out-of-season. Does anyone have experience with the teaching quality of Relson Gracie schools - is his teaching system better than his organizational abilities? Or should I shell out the cash for the Jorge Gurgel affiliate that's a slightly longer drive?

**Method2Madness** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:04pm

have you visited both the Relson and Grugel schools? If you haven't, you should. So then you can make your own decision. based on what you have seen for your self.

**meng_mao** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:06pm

Originally Posted by Athenian

After the fiasco of the Columbus Gracie FC earlier this year
...
his organizational abilities?

Can you explain?

**Athenian** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:11pm

It was a chaotic mess. I think there's an old thread about it in iCompete written by someone with much more journalistic talent than me.

**meng_mao** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:14pm

Originally Posted by Athenian

It was a chaotic mess. I think there's an old thread about it in iCompete written by someone with much more journalistic talent than me.

curry me a link good sir, mine searches are parched

**Athenian** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:21pm

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...light=columbus

**Ronin.74** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:26pm

The Columbus Gracie event is always a mess, it will forever be a mess and it will not matter who is running it.

That being said, where are you located? I am originally from Columbus and was a student for a time at the Relson affiliate North of downtown. They are easily the best BJJ place in Columbus. Their is also a Relson affiliate just south of downtown on High Street that is much cheaper, but the instructor is less experienced and you will find the overall caliber of students there is not the same as the north school. Still the south school is well worth the money.

I also know of a Jorge Gurgel affiliate at an MMA school in Grove City, I have never been to that school so I cannot comment on the quality of their instruction, I believe the insructor is a purple belt. I also know of two guys from that gym that both left to go to the Relson affiliate up north, but I don't know what their reasons were for leaving.

If you have any questions let me know.

**Athenian** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:31pm

I'm a OSU student, will be living in a 'burb over the summer and plan on keeping up the training. The Relson place sounds good, the website was a turnoff though - unprofessional-ish? but doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the training, I know. I can't find anything about the south school - does it have a website? Might take a bus south and see if I can find it on the weekend.

The Grove City affiliate is the other one I was considering.

As a student, cost is a bit of an issue to me - what kind of a range are you talking about with the difference between the north & south schools?

Thanks for the help.

**Ronin.74** · Posted On: 5/01/2006 3:43pm

The South School is run by a guy named Tracie Hopkins, it is actually a Karate School that has BJJ several times a week so it will not be listed as Relson Gracie Jiujitsu. The price difference is quite much. When I was in Columbus, about spring last year, the north school was 85$ a month for classes twice a week or $100/mo. for unlimited. The South school was $45/mo for BJJ.

Don't let the north school website fool you, those guys are hands down the best BJJers in town. They have a lot of purple belts, several brown belts and the owner is a Black Belt under Relson. They also have a few guys with a college wrestling background and work takedowns on the weekends (I think).

If you are going to go to the north school pay the $100 and then get your money's worth. If you can only train 2 or 3 times a week go to the south school and save your money.

I'll try to find the name of the south school and then post it here. I know if you are travelling south on High street it is on the right next to Beauty salon. It is about 15-20 minutes south of downtown, so you are going to have to go a ways before you'll see it.