Judo in NYC

[BaronVonDingDong]

I just found out that I'm going to be spending a year working in New York City, starting in August. I'd like to keep up the judo, and see from the reviews on this site that Oishi judo in Greenwich village is highly thought of.

Are there any other clubs you can recommend? I'm also open to bjj and, of course, SamboSteve's Sambo, but having chopped and changed over the last three years, I'd prefer to make a consistent effort in one art/sport.

Thanks in advance.

[Lindz]

Paging Ming Loyalist.

[kenikim]

a question was once asked to a russian judo/sambo coach on what the difference was between judo and sambo. the answer was;

'it's the same ****'


HAVING SAID THAT. i've never done sambo, so i don't have the first hand experience to make that comment, but seeing what they do, we're much the same breed. sure the rules differ, and there are differences in way we do things, but you wouldn't be 'giving up' judo, if you went to see SamboSteve.

[Ming Loyalist]

nyc has *great* options for judo, so you have a lot of choices.

1)kokushi budo institute - this is where i train under higashi sensei, who is an 8th dan from the kodokan, and his son who is on the US team at 100kg. this is a great dojo, with a fantastic bunch of guys, and i love training there. http://www.kokushibudo.com/about.shtml don't let the multiple high dan ranks thing scare you off, cause sensei is the real deal. he trained his aikido under tomiki sensei, and his karate under oyama sensei. his jujutsu is a modern style, and as far as i know the intent of creating it was to include techniques that weren't safe enough to be included in judo. one problem with this dojo is that it isn't cheap, but how often can you train with a sensei of that caliber?

2) oishi judo - oishi sensei is amazing as well, with a background in greco roman wrestling in addition to judo. his club is full of high level players, and according to my kung fu sifu who trained there, oishi sensei gets on the mat with students for randori and newaza. very cool. also not cheap, but hey this is new york. http://www.oishi-judo.com/

3) the ymca on 14th st. - this program is also very, very good, and is more affordable than the other two. http://www.nycjudo.com/

there are other judo clubs, i hear the program at the NYAC (new york antisemetic, i mean athletic, club) is very good but i won't go there cause they hate jews (not the judo club, but the NYAC in general.) huge thread derail but i won't go to a club that had to be forced to accept jews/blacks/women by threat of a lawsuit.) if it was up to me i would just burn places like that down rather than force them to change. /rant

sambo steve's club is amazing and it's the one place i have been meaning to cross train at but my wrist injury has really held me back from pursuing that.

[BaronVonDingDong]

Thanks, Ming, that's great. I'll have to see where I end up living, but all three of these could potentially work.

I like the affordability of the Y, but as I'll be working in the New York Public Library and therefore pretty flexible, it may be that I pay the higher fees and slip out for the lunchtime sessions at Oishi's. There's also a fair chance I'll be living up by Columbia, in which case I'll be seeing you at Kokushi. Fun if it works out.

[maofas]

Give SamboSteve's joint a try. I visited this past X-mas for a TD and I was impressed with his guys. Everyone seemed to be learning good quality standup, groundwork, and throwing. It was very much not the kind of program that will just make you mediocre at everything. They had very nice throws!

Just don't fall out the fucking window while you're sparring...

[BaronVonDingDong]

I will definitely be stopping in and checking it out without a doubt!

[BaronVonDingDong]

Bumping my own thread to ask - anyone currently training at Renzo Gracie BJJ in NYC? I was looking over their website and their class times and location couldn't be more ideal for me - not to mention the reputation.

Appears to be well spendy, but then my loins are already girded for a spendy year.