I tried out a few gyms before coming to PBJJ. The first thing that stood out to me is when I spoke…read moreto the person on the phone to schedule my first free visit, he was up front about the pricing. There was no sketchiness. He didn't try to lure me in, or sell me on anything.
Upon my first visit, I was greeted by Emily, one of the owners, who led me into the class. I was then greeted by the other owner Art, who welcomed me as the class was doing warm ups. At the time, I had no clue they were owners, just based upon how integrated into the school they were/are. All of the schools I've been to I never met the owner. I think it's very cool. A lot of gyms feel like corporations. Not this one. It's a perfect balance between professionalism and fun. Emily and Art genuinely care about you and don't put up with any crap. If you get hurt, they will make it their mission to find out who, what, when, where, and, why.
That brings me to my next reason why I love PBJJ. The culture at this gym is vastly different than the other gyms I've been to. Not only are the owners welcoming, but everyone that trains there is welcoming. Every single instructor will introduce themselves to you if they have never met you before. Instead of making you feel like a noob on your first, second, third day, they make you feel comfortable and a part of the family.
Most importantly, the quality of the instructors and classes are top notch. Most of the instructors are black belts, which is highly unusual. They are all so knowledgeable, and each one brings their own style which helps you develop your game better. Additionally, from white to black belt, there is a very diverse mix of students that train there. This gives you the opportunity to roll with people of various experience and sizes. It also gives you the chance to have multiple rolling partners so you're not constantly rolling with the same few people.
Overall, BJJ is a sport you have to love, obviously, but where you train makes all of the difference. If you're new to BJJ, or you're looking for a gym, I highly recommend just coming and trying out a class. You will soon understand why I've grown so fond for that place.