I dropped in Bernardo Faria academy while visiting Boston. I thought I knew what to expect since I own quite a few of Prof Faria's instructional DVDs. I know he's very down to earth, approachable person with very specific game (which I study a lot). However, my visit exceeded all expectations. The academy itself is cozy and instantly feels like home. Every single student I met there was really nice, they include you in the "circle" regardless of your belt or whether you just drop in or train there for a long time. There were a number of visiting students from many places the day I dropped in so it was cool to roll with different people. Prof Faria is... you know... 5x World Champion so I don't think I have to talk about the level of his teaching. But the impressive thing was he'd personally meet each student before the class, shake hands, exchange a few words so you feel included (and patiently pose for as many selfies as you want after the class :)). I hope I have a chance to visit the academy many times in the future! Oss! read more

When I first showed up at the world-renowned Marcelo Garcia Academy as a timid beginner, I didn't know what to expect. It was very nerve wracking and I even walked a few times around the block to prep myself before meeting all the "hardcore BJJ fighters". I was intimidated. To my big surprise I was greeted by a bleak belt instructor with a huge smile on his face (I did know who he was at the time), who instantly made me feel welcomed. That day, I joined his class and was instantly hooked. Undeniably, Bernardo's classes were some of my favorites, given the level of detail and his approach to teaching and fighting. Bernardo's techniques are permanently ingrained in my BJJ now and I am absolutely looking forward to visiting his new academy in the future. Bernardo is an epitome of a Great BJJ Professor and I envy his students for being able to train under his tutelage. read more

Just had the pleasure of training for a few days at Bernardo's new school in Bedford MA. What a beautiful gym. Every time I am around Bernardo I am amazed at what an intelligent gracious and downright humble guy he is. Oh and by the way a complete beast on the mat. I met Bernardo a few years ago at a seminar and started using his deep half system. I won the Master Worlds at blue belt after training his system for 12 weeks. I then placed second the following year at Master Worlds as a purple belt. I'm 54 years old and can now hang with any of the young guys at my gym. His system is a life changer if you are over 30. All I can say is that if you live in the Boston or surrounding area you should join Bernardos gym. You'll kick yourself if you don't. I look forward to seeing you guys a couple of times a year as I travel up from Nashville TN. read more

Bernardo's instruction really is the best out there. He teaches a focused curriculum, emphasizing techniques that he has been using to beat the toughest guys in the world for a decade. Nothing esoteric or flashy, and nothing requiring flexibility or even much athleticism, just stuff that works. And like Marcelo Garcia, whose academy he trained and taught at for the last 5 years, he does it with the kind of welcoming friendliness that makes you forget just how much he has achieved in the world of bjj. If you're located anywhere near his new academy you should definitely drop by and experience it yourself. read more

I had the pleasure of visiting Bernardo's Academy on April 2018 for a couple of days. I drove down from Montreal with a friend and it was definitely worth the drive. The experience exceeded all our expectations: The academy has a very welcoming environment, all the students and instructors are very friendly and talented; and I was surprised how Bernardo, a 5 time world champion, would spend one on one time giving directions to students from all levels, as well as sparring with us. I will definitely be back to visit in the future, and highly recommend the academy to anyone in the area. read more

I had the opportunity to train with Bernardo for over a year and a half when I was just a white belt taking mostly beginner classes. I honestly couldn't believe how genuinely kind this multiple time black belt world champion was. He gave everyone the same time of day, whether they were a visiting fellow world champion, or a day 1 white belt. He approaches everyone with the same smile, humility, and positive attitude. His jiu-jitsu speaks for itself, but his one of a kind personality deserve some words from those he's touched. I'll never forget you Bernardo, OSS!! read more

Clean, nice and well-run academy. I stopped in for the fundamentals class, however, was allowed to jump in with the advanced class and get some rolls in. Everyone was very welcoming including Professor who stopped me between rolls to say, hello and introduce himself and ask where I was from. I travel frequently for work, and always try to drop in and train no matter where I am. I was not disappointed, you will not be either. Professor, thank you. read more

Such a great gym to train at. I stopped here while passing through Boston. Everyone is super nice. There's a great variety of belt levels and sizes of people which I find very important. Bernardo also taught the class I went to. He's so nice and helpful. The quality of his gym is some of the best I've seen. His whole facility is very clean and It's a great atmosphere to train at. I will definitely be stopping in again next time I'm in Boston. read more

Bernardo has been an amazing mentor and friend to me during his time in NY. Having the chance to learn from him was an opportunity that I cherished. His jiu jitsu is amazing, he's one of the toughest guys I ever met, and his influence was crucial to my jiu jitsu development. He is a great example and I recommend anyone in the Massachusetts area or if you are in town visiting to go and check out his school read more

I trained with and took classes taught by Bernardo in NYC for several years. He is a very thoughtful and helpful instructor and one of the nicest people to train with and learn from in the jiu jitsu community. I haven't had a chance to visit his new academy yet but I have no doubt that it will reflect his personality by having a welcoming and friendly environment with great instruction and hard training. read more

It was an absolutely wonderful experience training at Professor Bernardo Faria's BJJ academy. He is master of the deep half guard and pressure pass, which is what my game is all about. Hr opened the academy earlier this month in Bedford, MA and already has a great group of guys training here. I highly recommend this academy to anyone living or visiti0ng Boston or the surrounding areas. read more

Bernardo is a fantastic teacher and one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. His jiu jitsu is world class and his game can work for everyone no matter what their athletic and technical abilities are. His half guard and pressure passing systems have become foundational parts of my game. I look forward to training with Bernardo again as often as I can make the trip up to Boston! read more

Amazing experience to train with Bernardo Faria, awesome staff super friendly academy... a true genuine gratifying experience. Super clean academy, parking readily available and Professor Faria took time to fully explain the concepts and techniques of the class and even rolled with all visitors. Highly recommend!! Coming from Chicago and visiting this academy was my highlight! read more

I had the privilege of training and learning under Bernardo for close to a year and a half and under his guidance I saw the largest amount of progress I have to date. The techniques he shows, the mindset he encourages, and the atmosphere he creates make him one of the top instructors in the world. In my opinion this is a school and an instructor you cannot miss. OSSSSSS!!! read more

I cannot recommend Bernardo enough to anyone interested in learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is a great teacher, training partner and friend. Somehow he manages to combine one of the fiercest personalities I have ever seen in training and in competition with an equally friendly attitude both on and off the mats. He is truly one of the nicest people I have ever met. read more

This gym is new, but it feels like it's been running for years. Bernardo is a world class instructor and it was a pleasure being able to take a class with him. The gym is super clean, there is a lot of mat space, and THERE ARE TWO SHOWERS! I was just visiting for a weekend trip, but I am already planning for another weekend in which I can head back up from NJ. read more

I couldn't have been more excited to visit the academy. I was scheduled for a trip to Boston and added on a day just to train and I'm glad I did. Only wish I had a whole week. Great instruction from Matheus Gonzaga and Bernardo. A great fundementals class and an advanced class. Fun, friendly spirit that clearly starts at the top. I will be back. read more

Bernardo Faria is a 5x World Champion but he's also one of the most humble people I've ever met. He is a wealth of knowledge with a big heart and a sense of humor to match. He'll make you laugh and inspire you to give your best on the mats. All in all one of the top places in the world to learn world class Brazilian JiuJitsu. read more

After competing at a local tournament, we decided to visit Prof. Bernardo's academy using the one day pass. It was worth every cent. Not only was the academy extremely welcoming and clean, the level of jiu jitsu was out of this world. I would highly recommend this academy to anyone as it caters to all levels. read more