Berkeley, CA, Ralph Gracie Academy

[OldDog53]

The Krav Maga academy that used the rear mat area (in its own training room) is leaving the Academy at the end of summer to relocate to its own stand-alone location, and plans are afoot to expand the jiu jitsu training area or to offer separate jiu jitsu related classes in the old Krav training area. Nothing has been done to remodel the Academy since learning that the Krav people were leaving. So the physical plant remains essentially unchanged.

The new instructor has settled in and is great. His private lessons rock and he supports tournaments without making the non-competitors feel like wussies if they have no interest in competing.

No gi is still under-served. Since I love no gi, that is my main lament.

[jitschix]

I really enjoyed training at this school. I visited San Francisco for a work conference and OldDog53 hooked me up with a "BJJ Tour". One stop was this school, for a private with Eduardo and then a group class.

I didn't mean to drag down the average score, but I did give 1s for striking and weapons because there was none-- who cares, it's a BJJ class and a BJJ school. I didn't give any 10s because I think a 10 indicates "no room for improvement" which is near impossible IMHO.

Eduardo is a VERY good instructor, welcoming my newbie (and female) self with a great attitude, very demanding but not overwhelming, patient and careful, encouraging, but not condescending.

The conditioning routine at the start of the class kicked my *** even though back home I'm usually working out at least 2 hours a day and my cardio/flexibility/strength is above average.

I didn't find a single spazzy whitebelt in the whole place besides myself-- the other whites were careful and surprisingly technical.

Wish I lived nearby!!!