I've been attending the academy for a couple of years and have had a great experience not only with…read morethe owners, but with members who are friendly and highly supportive. There are a variety of classes offered throughout the week and also private lessons. I've been taking privates that have 2 black belt instructors for an hour - absolutely the best way to augment the regular class learning. Anyone interested in Jiu-Jitsu and/or self defense should definitely give this school strong consideration.

I've been a student of martial arts for over 4 decades and have practiced and received senior belts…read morewithin several traditional styles (e.g., Tae Kwon Doe, Kung Fu, etc..). Without question, I have found Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (e.g., BJJ), to be both the most effective for self-defense and most rewarding from a physical and mental health point of view. I have been studying BJJ now for nearly 9 years, with all of that time at the Royce Gracie Academy of Glastonbury. For those of you looking at starting BJJ or finding a new school to train at, I can not provide a stronger recommendation than this school. I say this based on the following 3 criteria: Quality of the Curriculum Some of the primary tenants of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are: 1. Most fights go to the ground and that's where most traditional stand-up martial arts don't adequately train or prepare their students for. 2. Using proper technique, it is very possible for a smaller, less athletic, less strong Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, to protect and defend themselves against a much larger, stronger, and more athletic aggressor who doesn't know BJJ. Learning those techniques to the extent that you can rely on them in a difficult and life-threatening situation, takes years of coaching and practice. Royce Gracie, the son of the late Helio Gracie and founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has spent decades now perfecting the training curriculum that allows "any person" at "any age", the opportunity to gain this knowledge safely and sustainably. This instruction has now be codified with certification requirements in place to ensure schools have properly trained instructors/coaches. The Royce Gracie Academy of Glastonbury has that certification level and it makes all the difference. Quality of the Instructors Combined, the 4 blackbelts instructor/coaches bring over 80 years of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu experience with all of them having received their black belts from Royce Gracie himself. And for those not familiar with Royce, just look him up on youtube.... He's the GOAT and one of the reasons MMA/UFC exists today. Having 4 black belts support the student population is a luxury that has to be experienced. Every student, at every level, can engage with our instructors. Our instructors take a very focused approach to ensuring that each student is guided based on their own personal capabilities, health, and training goals and intent . Vibe within the School The Royce Gracie Academy of Glastonbury is a self-defense-focused BJJ school. We train to be able to avoid altercations and to be able to have an effective plan of defense in the event avoidance is not possible. As a consequence of the curriculum and instructors above, you should expect a highly collaborative, respectful and safe vibe w/in the school. This school is ideal for children, young adults, male/females of all ages, body types, health status, etc... This school and the students w/in it meet every new person wherever they are starting from. You will not find an environment where newbies are used by experienced students as training dummies. On the contrary, it's an expectation in our school that the more senior you are, the more time you give to your less experienced student peers to help them grow and improve. What else can I say other than, to come to the school and talk to our black belt owners Kate and Rick and try some complimentary classes. You can see for yourself if my feedback is accurate. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This place is Mind blowing!!! So much Fun! Great…read moreInstructor's! I have gained confidence and strength in my mind and body... I keep coming back for more! Thank you

My daughters attended here. Great option for kids to have freedom to choose on jujutsu karate and…read moreso much more even back to back if they like.

Just started here and was a bit concerned about being new. I am admittedly fat and very out of…read moreshape and was concerned about being the floundering whale flopping on the floor getting laughed at. Everyone from beginner to the very experienced at this place is very helpful and very friendly. They understand being new is hard and they help in any way they can. I did take a few one on one lessons and then jumped into classes. It's a blast but far from easy. Expect to be a little sore and achy as you will use muscles you had no idea you had. Flexibility is important so plan on getting there a little early to stretch out before class. I've had ACL replacement, hand reconstruction from a severe shattering, and have a hip replacement and I'm 47 years old. If I can get out there and flop around anyone can.

From the owner: Gracie Farmington Valley specializes in MMMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, and traditional…read morestyles of self defense. Our unique approach and dedicated instructors can help you achieve your goals in BJJ, Jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, and submission grappling

Went for the MMA workshop for adults. All staff/ trainers were super friendly and helpful! They…read moretook it slow for those of us (me) who had difficulty. It truly shows how much of a family / friends the staff are and makes its it super welcoming !

It's a great gym with even better people! Definitely check it out you won't regret it. With…read moreeverything from kids class to Muay Thai and jui jitsu. I truly enjoy myself while there. Not only it a great work out and great training, but it's a great atmosphere.

First day back at jiujitsu in 4 years. True white belt. Wanted to see how Underdog was and if it…read morewould be a good fit for me to get back into it. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Attended a free roll day. First match up was a purple belt, second match up was a blue belt. Had to take a rest cause I hadn't done this in a while and each roll was 5 minutes. After a break, a brown belt approached me and asked if I had anyone to roll with, nope, I replied. K, come on he said. We spoke for a bit, he asked my experience, then proceeded to hit, shove and grind hard, the crown of his forehead into mine while attempting to man handle me. He then pushed me back into the dividing wall that separates the mat from the entrance. I had to turn to stop him from continuously pushing me everywhere violently. The tops of my toes then touched the top of my foot and I heard a pop. This was on 11 February, it's now the 26th when I'm writing this and I still can't walk fully. He broke the second digit of two of my toes. Higher belts are meant to instruct and not have ego injected into it. This was 100% unacceptable from a higher belt.

Underdog has been my gym for over the last 4 years where I've done 1:1 training with Coach Adel…read more Beyond clean inside, I love all the new updates they have done as well. I'm very comfortable here, everyone's welcoming, and I love how there are so many different areas to do pad work in. Like others have said, it's great for anyone whether you're a beginner level or a pro. Cannot speak highly enough of Underdog.

My kids had their birthday party this past weekend IPD Jiu Jitsu and had an absolute blast! Todd…read morewas organized and had several activities to keep the kids engaged. They also attended his summer camp last year and will be attending this year. Todd is a great guy and runs a great business. Highly recommend!

Come here for kickboxing and always have a blast! Todd is super welcoming, friendly, and…read moreprofessional. The facility is clean and the setup is really nice and they truly care about you and always so personable. Definitely worth checking out if you want a small community feel for your workouts.

Amazing place where anyone can go to learn BJJ and have a comfortable and fun experience. Rick is a…read moregreat teacher and leaves no room for frustration or self doubt. Wonderful environment full of friendly people always willing to lend a hand and accommodate people of any age, gender, etc. Large emphasis on the self defense origins of the martial art and BJJ ONLY. The dojo has much more to offer for someone solely interested in BJJ rather than a more expensive "mma gym".

From the owner: Gracie Jiu Jitsuread more

Pat is a mop notch instructor and competitor. Looking forward to the next time we can train…read moretogether.

I started attending classes around Christmas time and haven't looked back since. The owner, Pat, is…read morea phenomenal instructor who has cultivated a great atmosphere for learning and growth. I couldn't be happier with the overall experience.

Been training here for three years and so far I'm very satisfied with the level of instruction and…read morefull schedule of classes available. I started with BJJ, but soon added Krav Maga and Muay Thai. Every now and then I'll do MMA for fun. This gym feels like a second home and it honestly keeps getting better. On top of having an even balance of gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, no gi, and striking classes, they've recently added judo and fitness classes. The overall environment is very chill and welcoming to everyone. It's definitely not a roided out tap out bro gym. Also, unlike some gyms I've attended, there's no prejudice against other BJJ lineages. Cross training with other BJJ gyms is welcomed and encouraged, as are visiting BJJ practitioners from anywhere. Since signing up three years ago, I've never had any billing or payment issues. I'm suspicious of reviewers who say they have. I've attended and paid for a number of martial arts and fitness type gyms and the policies at Soulcraft are the same ones you'll find at most other well run gyms. In my experience, they've actually been very reasonable. When an injury forced me to stop training for a month, I explained my situation and was not charged for a month. My main reason for writing this review was to share updated photos of the gym facilities. The photos on yelp were pretty old and the gym has changed a lot since then.

Came in to try a class with my friend and we loved it! The place is inviting and the staff is…read moregreat. The class was a lot of fun, a great workout and the instructor was awesome. I will definitely be back to try more classes.

Gina's Total Fitness is a bit off the beaten path and bears an unassuming exterior, but once…read moreinside, you'll find it has everything you could need for a comprehensive workout. I went as part of a team bonding event and we thoroughly enjoyed getting our butts kicked by Gina herself!! I can't promise that the class we took is representative of their normal offerings, but it was intense! Our workout consisted of a warmup with battleropes, a HIIT style workout where we alternated between exercises on TRX bands and kettlebells, a cardio blast involving tag team sprinting and wall sits, and concluded with partner ab workouts using medicine balls and leg raises. I loved the energy, the music and the compact space. For the ladies, I also want to say that Gina is so thoughtful and hospitable! She had all sorts of personal care items, from lotion and tissues to hair ties and female hygiene products! Apologies to those to whom this info is not relevant, but I really felt that this level of care and detail taken to equip the bathroom was worth noting. Thanks Gina for an awesome time and a much needed Saturday morning sweat sesh! If I lived in South Windsor, I would make Gina's Total Fitness my go-to gym for sure!

After 4 years I had the opportunity to work with GINA again for an entire week. The gym has…read morecompletely changed, wY more people that it used to be, but the training is as hard as before. I loved it. GINA confirmed to be one of the best trainers I've ever met and worked with. I'm very happy for her success because she totally deserves it. I hope to be in CT soon to train again with her