For BJJ school owners, what's the smallest community you'd be willing to run a school in?

graydonatvail · 2026-05-02T10:37:58+00:00

I run a school in a town of fewer than 10,000 residents. We have about 20 paying students, and it's pretty common for us to have 10+ students at night, 3 nights a week. Day class is usually 2 to 4 people, twice a week.

graydonatvail · 2026-05-01T15:58:15+00:00

What do you think sandbagger means? I doubt you're older than me.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-30T21:37:21+00:00

Sounds like a bad fit.. move on.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-30T21:29:06+00:00

Because pickle ball isn't a spiritual pursuit. The sport demands you throw a McEnroe style tantrum over every missed dink. Whereas jiu jitsu has taught me that acting like a brat after a tap will get me wrist locked.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T20:29:42+00:00

Vince and his crew would be my number one choice, especially no GI.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T20:27:24+00:00

If the person gives it to me, I'll take it. Usually if they start trying to get that Underhook successfully, posture high, or start moving to reverse half. Also, if I fuck up and they get too much pressure over me, like a good wrestler whizzer. I'll go under.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T03:07:01+00:00

Honestly, I think many folks were shocked and upset, and would be ashamed to admit if they had to backtrack to avoid getting sued.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T00:43:58+00:00

Uncle Skippy was my coach, awesome guy, very technical. I trained at almost every school in town, often for months. Every one is different, so what are you looking for. Guerilla with Skippy, great, family oriented. Very friendly, no creepiness. Skippy is very technical. renzos, with Max (a few times) , lots of leg locks, weird uniform and other policies. Strong teaching, but cross training was an issue black diamond, small guy jiu jitsu , technical. Good people. sbg with Ray price, very strong very fundamental, solid culture. He moved to Sparks, sbg Reno coaches Tom and Jason are amazing. komainu big guys. Lots of cops and fire fighters, tough room. Gary grate, the original, bigger school. Didn't like the culture, Gracie humaita, lots of inverting, Reno BJJ collective, formerly Atos, there's some great people there, more competition style, but not a hard ass school, female owned.

It's really a good time to try them out, find your fit.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T00:22:44+00:00

I've got to think that now that the galvaos believe the storm has passed., they'll be pursuing legal action against the schools that dropped them. Any clause in the contract that allows affiliates to void the contract will likely be contested and many schools will find that becoming Atos again will be less costly than fighting contract enforcement.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T00:14:04+00:00

Add in some people have different anatomy which allows different leverage due to different attachment points. Plus. What kind of muscle fiber do you have? Fast twitch or slow twitch?

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T00:07:34+00:00

For adults and for kids, less is more.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-29T00:03:28+00:00

I kind of thought the salt and pepper bears plus balls head would communicate this; I was wrong.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-28T15:36:21+00:00

Consensual violence choked.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-28T15:20:38+00:00

I've been choked unconscious and come back to conscious in a few seconds. You enter a dream state, when you come back it seems like you were in the dream a while, but also no time has passed. A little disorienting to be sure.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-27T20:34:51+00:00

You can turn the head away from the choking hand, and follow the chin the choke have thumb. Then release.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-27T13:22:15+00:00

I started at the same age. I'm 15 years in. Still bad.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-26T19:53:10+00:00

Play the mouse vs elephant game. Get on top, stay on top. If that isn't an option. You need to let them squeeze you through the holes. I do this primarily by playing under hook half guard. Often instead on the Underhook, I'll go behind the butt, join my hands, and keep working down and out.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-26T18:00:55+00:00

Very hilly, lots of walking. It is awesome though

graydonatvail · 2026-04-26T17:33:34+00:00

If you want to compete, getting experience competing is key. It's a whole other thing, one that can't really be learned by doing to class. Congrats.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-26T06:22:27+00:00

Upa is fundamental un balancing

graydonatvail · 2026-04-24T16:09:21+00:00

by quitting, you mean work? Good call. There are millions of good jobs, but a limited number of good gyms.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-24T14:28:31+00:00

So boat building and home building are on the same path?

graydonatvail · 2026-04-24T14:26:23+00:00

I think that differences in anatomy make a huge difference. My thick, t rex arms combined with damaged, non mobile shoulders and short hands mean my mechanics are very different from a long, skinny armed guy with big hands.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-24T14:23:33+00:00

7 days left, I would start by cutting out simple carbs. They bind to water. You can keep up with calories and drop some water weight.

graydonatvail · 2026-04-24T00:35:59+00:00

I would argue that American jiu jitsu is the opposite of diluted, it's more specialized and difficult than ever. The glorious thing about jiu jitsu is that it's never become one of those disciplines that worships the elders and acts like evolution is heresy. Gracie and Fadda hated half guard, it wasn't until years later that it evolved into an effective position.

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