Hi everyone, I have practiced Muay Thai for some years.I am very into martial arts in general and curious about Bjj.I haven't done any exercise for some time now and feel out of shape. Question number 1: I'll be in LA in the summer for 2 months.Any advices on instructors and Dojos in LA area? Question number 2: Would Bjj help me get back in shape quickly?As you know Muay Thai training is great for getting back into shape but I'm really eager to learn Bjj. Thank you in advance for your help.
Hey there - don't see many fellow Turks on here! Though if you live in Istanbul, unlike me you can probably actually speak the language. Ahem. BJJ is awesome for getting in shape. Think of it like bench-pressing somebody's body weight for about an hour. Before I started, I had about 7 years worth of training in a striking style (though a bit lax for the last three), and there is no comparison between stand-up and grappling in terms of how knackered the latter gets you, particularly when you're just starting. Great work out. In LA, you've got Rickson teaching (or at least someone affiliated with him: not sure how often the man himself is there) - doesn't get much better than that. Though I imagine classes are pricey. There's also the well-known Beverly Hills Jiu Jitsu Club (loads of famous people have trained there, like Bas Rutten and Mark Kerr), which again is probably not cheap.
Nope - haven't been back to Istanbul for a few years now, which is extremely tardy of me. I'm hoping that I can get back to Turkey in the not-too-distant future, as firstly it should provide me with a kick up the **** to finally get my Turkish up to scratch, and secondly I want to see my grandmother (I had hoped she'd come over for my sister's wedding last year, but she couldn't make it).
If you expand the search beyond the Los Angeles city boundary you'll be overwhelmed with options. The Machados, the Gracies, and many tournament-winning black belts are scattered about in the various cities, and they all have black-belt students with dojos too. Overwhelmed, I say. Many schools will come up in a "yp.yahoo.com" search. Pick a zip code and expand out from there. Maybe when you narrow down a zip code we'll be able to suggest a specific school very close by.
