How many people have checked out gracieuniversity.com and what are your thoughts

So when the gracieuniversity.com site was set up and a friend of mine told me about it I thought I would check it out. So you can achieve rank under Hyron and Hener and be recognized as an offical Gracie student. When you start to look at the lesson fees of 7-14 bucks per lesson and belt promotion fees of $80 and 40 or 80 per stripe I don't remember it seems rediculous. BJJ is not a very economical friendly hobby or life choice to compete or advance in I understand, but I feel the Gracie have totally sold out in America the embrace the idea of capitalism to the fullest. I understand that Helio refined technique of jujitsu and created BJJ, but what his sons and grandsons are doing with what he created is almost a mockery of what he created the system for. I respect all BJJ and understand people trying to grow a business with it but the Gracies are selling their name more than anything to profit. Much respect to Eddie Bravo for tweaking everything he learned from Jean Jacques Machado and other to modernize jiu-jitsu and not trying to take peoples money, but instead spread Jiu-Jitsu is a well represented manner. Thank You Eddie.

i was all for this course until i rolled with a guy repping 10th planet and got my arse handed to me it made me think that its not jujitsu i want to do ive spoke to rener and ryron a bunch of times good dudes real good dudes but it annoyed me the 'pure jujitsu ' bullshit i want to train i love to fight and i want to compete

I think that their lust for cash is pretty sick but; I also think that the combatives course they have is a great addition to the sport jiu-jitsu that most people do. I think it is worth it just for learn how they deal with punches from the guard, and I have had good success with their triangle set up. Also the fact that the first lesson is mount escapes is pretty sweet. But I do think that it would suck if that was your only jiu-jitsu.

I should mention that I took an actual "Gracie Combatives" class for about 8 months at an "official training center" in my city. That school has since told the Gracies to suck it due to outrageous fees.

Just my two cents.

Kevin where I live we don't have shit to do that of thing which trust me I would love to. There is a Saulo Ribeiro affiliate school about an hr away but the instructor isn't that great and not the type of person I like to associate with (arrogant). I went to the Relson Gracie Academy in Columbus since I live in OH and its a great school and Robin Gieseler the BB instructor there is a kewl guy, but thats 2 hrs from where I live. I have seen the Gracie Combative dvd's and they are good. A good thing to get for gaurd play for fighting is Big Nog's book I got that when it first came out and have been working on those techniques when someone punches and have gotten better with practice.

I thought about this a few times. I might be way off here.
But seriously, imagine your dad created something that someone else eventually scooped up and turned into a billion dollar industry (the UFC).

That is a missed opportunity, probably the biggest of their life. And, there won't be another!!

It's Gotta sting!

Can't you upload vids to the gracie academy for ranking? I think Eddie should upload one, that would be hilarious.

Im extremely biased in this because I received my belt from GU. I was extremely skeptical at first but my JJ journey led me to want a more linear, structured curriculum instead of having to suck up to an instructor or have the face time for promotions. Most MMA gyms are stupid expensive (the one I used to attend here in Fayetteville was $80 a month with a year contract), if you total it all up its actually quite a deal, especially if you work weird hours or live somewhere remote. My sport game also went up exponentially, I "knew" alot of the basics but was missing alot of details and how to react to the dumber "street opponent" reactions which i did get caught in and lost a few fights. (it was REALLY embarrassing). I lose to alot of other blue belts but I win alot too, the whole things about "online belt sales" really is hype, you have to demonstrate (to a very technical degree) profeciency againts a resistant opponent. Check out the Testing center page and see if you could pass. I dont like the flame war, I love 10th planet and am a avid fan, but after several injuries I favor the traditionalistic, self defense, safe option. (BTW, they also include strikes, weapons defense and multiple opponents in their curriculum!) Dont get the wrong idea, if you dont study 10th, someone out there will eventually trap you in the Sorcerer. Not bashing 10th at all. Just trying to defend my method of study. I now spar with MMA gloves, with the partner actually trying to GNP me and have gotten really good at performing JJ while nullifying strikes, so atleast for me, the evidence is good enough. Much respect!

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Originally Posted by Lsloewen

Im extremely biased in this because I received my belt from GU. I was extremely skeptical at first but my JJ journey led me want a more linear, structured curriculum instead of having to suck up to an instructor or have the face time for promotions. Most MMA gyms are stupid expensive (the one I used to attend here in Fayetteville was $80 a month with a year contract), if you total it all up its actually quite a deal, especially if you work weird hours or live somewhere remote. My sport game also went up exponentially, I "knew" alot of the basics but was missing alot of details and how to react to the dumber "street opponent" reactions which i did get caught in and lost a few fights. (it was REALLY embarrassing). I lose to alot of other blue belts but I win alot too, the whole things about "online belt sales" really is hype, you have to demonstrate (to a very technical degree) profeciency againts a resistant opponent. Check out the Testing center page and see if you could pass. I dont like the flame war, I love 10th planet and am a avid fan, but after several injuries I favor the traditionalistic, self defense, safe option. (BTW, they also include strikes, weapons defense and multiple opponents in their curriculum!) Dont get the wrong idea, if you dont study 10th, someone out there will eventually trap you in the Sorcerer. Not bashing 10th at all. Just trying to defend my method of study. Much respect!

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I understand where you are coming from and I have an account on that site for well over a year as well. I just didnt want to pay thousand of dollars to get higher rank because if you add everything up thats what its coming out to same as going to a BJJ school. I understand the whole instructor thing but if they are legit they should also be fair. Could I video tape my-self and pass the combatives and get a blue belt yes I think so, because I have a few years experience of working with purple and brown belts doing endless number of drills. I have nothing against their program just the price of doing so.

It is pricey, but BJJ is only going to get pricier. The top MMA gym here in Fayetteville is like i said $80 a month with a year contract, so $960 a year. Its a Royce Gracie school so they are pretty tough on promotions (except when he shows up to seminars and promotes EVERYONE that paid $50 to attend-me included) so think about 10-12 years to make BB and thats about 12G's. It cost about $7500 total for GU to get to BB with the instructor qualification and a $600 plane ticket from the east coast (assuming you pass every test the first time). It looked expensive to me because it actually has a price tag, but big picture it worked out as a deal. Plus, you can share the lessons and Gracie Garages (I know pretty pubescent sounding) are free. The certified centers and Headquarters are stupid expensive though.

I agree with you 100% on all that. I noticed it has taken awhile for them to put up the first strip requirements and they have their reasoning of getting the video right and all that, but it almost seems to take to long for them to have it posted since it established and all. I have been lucky enough to find my-self in a position where I can affiliated with a BJJ gym through the gym im at now cheaper than most. I understand fully why you are doing the video testing and it is a legit program and the Gracie garages are a good idea. I just dont have any of those around close enough to go to while working and part time and being a full time college student.

I think Jiu Jitsu is a very "hands on" sort of martial art. I don't know if I'd trust a massage therapist who trained online,and I think Jiu Jitsu is also a personal one on one type of activity. If you'r having good luck with your online lessons,great! Good for you. I just think,like with anything else,a martial arts training should never be judged on how convienient is is for you. I urge you all,unless there is no other resource for you,to be taught by someone in person.

A bunch of the guys at our gym use the GU website a lot as the gym has a big number of white/ blue belts so the material that is currently up there is very useful. It will be interesting to see how the lessons progress and if the depth of their instruction continues up through Purple, Brown and Black belt.
I think it is very expensive but then, as many people have pointed out, so is a membership at any decent (and many indecent) BJJ/MMA club. And, although they sometimes sound like they are teaching 6 year olds, the level they break it down to and the length of the videos for anything from as simple a technique as an armbar to the essential positioning during guard/ scontrol and mount is a great resource. It's also a good way of seeing where your knowledge of the game you should have at the early stages should be (in traditional BJJ) and the 'street' application is a good tool.

All in all it is very good for beginners to do homework with, even if it is expensive and online.

regardless of how they do their ranking, those guys (especially Rener) are incredible teachers and are as passionate about jiu jitsu as anyone in the world, and it shows in their instructionals. whether you want to rank under them or not, you really need to see their Gracie Combatives DVDs.

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Hyron and Hener

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jajajajajajajajaj

I personally do not think you should have to pay to do belt testing...in fact I think its ludicrous to have to pay someone to judge the hard work, sacrafice and progress you have made (and paid for btw). The issue I have with online sites bjj is the amount of training partners you actually have to roll with. If you are rolling with the same 1-2 guys night after night you really only need to adjust to thier skillset\size\weight etc. I really think that rolling with as many people as you can and exposing yourself to all different styles is the best way to train. I was in shock when i first went to a school that concentrated on leglocks...same feeling the first time I went to a 10th planet school....

My advice...forget about the belt...its really only the ego that needs it anyway...your no better the 2 hours before you received your belt than you are the two hours after you receive it. Concentrate on your jiu-jitsu and getting better...thats really the only thing that matters. Go to open mats at other schools...join wrestling clubs...train at as many places as you can...and suplement your training with studying and viewing instruction at home.

I think VJ hit the nail on the head with that post. I agree with everyone they are good trainers and they wouldn't be such high ranking BB if they weren't. I just dont agree with the testing high promotion fee. I understand they have to sit around and break down the technique but still 80 is expensive. I also know there was a whole thread on mixedmartialarts.com about how much people where paying it was crazy.

If they didnt have a testing fee what would stop anonymous white belt from submitting a sub-par test every 10 minutes after he found out he failed. The test fee is near a the cost of a MMA/BJJ gym membership of one month, most martial artist pay more than that 12 times a year. The Academy isnt THAT big, they have ALOT of instructors but asking them to accept that volume of work would be ridiculous, it would force the objectivity to disappear (I know I wouldnt be as taxing on free belt test #130 as I would on belt test #4 that I was getting $80 to be a hardass in grading). The test fee stays the same all through the belts, which is very anti-mcdojo in my opinion and keeps the quality of people's submitted work very high. It would be wrong for a hands-on teacher to do the same buts its the only way for a distance learning grading system to be in any way legit. I had a problem with the kid's belt test being $75 but then I realized they get promoted at like 2 year intervals and GU gives them a program to last all the way up to 16, so even that is MUCH cheaper.

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Originally Posted by nelsonlucca

can't you upload vids to the gracie academy for ranking? I think eddie should upload one, that would be hilarious.

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lol

in a way its a good thing what is happening over there in GU its exposing alot of people to jujitsu and with this oprah bullyproof deal thats in the works jujitsu is going to be in alot more peoples minds then it is now which is a good thing and trust me i have nothing but repect for rener and ryron but the idea of it being you do the combatives course test online and now your a blue belt hmmmmmmm abit to suss for me

As much respect that I have for the Gracie family, I personally believe that they hold a monopoly on the jiu-jitsu industry. I am very appreciative of the fact that Eddie Bravo offers his jiu-jitsu for barely nothing. He has proven himself and deserves respect. He has proven himself to ungrudging.

I can see a testing fee for online ranking just to discourage people from uploading without putting in the work. Testing fees at an actual school is BS though. I like the way Derek does it at 10th Planet Omaha. You put in the work and become apart of the Dojo family and you get rewarded when you are ready. It means more that way. Jiu Jitsu isn't like other martial arts and it shouldn't be.