Out of curiosity, a few years ago I remember there being a similar thing kicking around with the head of GB southampton (or silverback, whatever you want to call them) do you know if they're related at all?
i've had to step away because of work meetings. but i've been thinking that i wish that instead of the personal attacks, the reddit poster focused on tangible and verifiable items that i think are relevant to any discussion of any gym--be it weight-lifting, or martial arts. contracts: for me, deal breaker. i've had experience with contracts, and i will never go back. a great business practice that we at map should promote is exactly what hannibal was referring to: preventing 'murky pricing'. put the pricing on the web-page, give users a way to pay over the web (paypal or chase or something). i didn't say tiered pricing. i get tiered pricing and don't necessarily disagree, depending on the services offered, or even number of times on the mat. required uniform and/or patches: i have to really like the instructor or gym to stick with a place that requires any kind of uniformity. most likely, a deal-breaker for me if the op was only about those two things, then i would probably (abstractly) nod in agreement. i'm pretty sure every gb place i've seen has contracts, never posts prices on the web, and definitely uni requirements.
Contracts are fine, as long as they are fair, which in the uk they are, and theirs a decent free trial period. The early grading is the big issue here, its already been discussed to death online, I hope GB are taking a big fee for the harm its doing their reputation!
I've had a Gracie place refuse to give me prices on FB messenger in response to my queries. I had to come train first and then they would talk to me. I found that incredible and have never gone there as a result, even though I know some of the people there are top drawer. I have no issues with contracts that are reasonable, I have no issue with branded gear; people can charge what they want to and punters make a decision. Maybe they had good reasons not to discuss the price in advance, though I struggle to think of any; but in every other walk of life you know the price first so you know whether you can afford it. Mitch
It's an american sales tactic, the idea being once they've had a trial class its easier to see the value. Im not a fan myself.
There's a brilliant house near me for sale, for twice my budget, that I love. I'm not arranging to go view it. The value is irrelevant if I can't afford it Mitch
" McDojos". Arguments over lineages People walking around in unearned belts Accusations of not being "real bjj" This oh so sounds familiar.....
if you believe anything that the reddit poster says, than you're probably right in calling it a mcdojo for profit motive. i missed these two points in the reddit post and this discussion. gracie barra scotland isn't of the gracie lineage? also, it's "fake" bjj? is there a competition record for these people, that's broken out of gracie barra? for instance, i'm looking at the last london ibjjf open here... https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/666/PublicResults and it's just gracie barra. and certainly, gb has a legit comp. record. @chadderz, are there any scotland-specific grappling competitions that we can look at to get a better idea of the quality of chuffers? i found this... http://server.strongvon.com/ScottishCup2015/m_tournament_main.jsp?page=SummaryWinners.html only one gb of milton keynes in the standings. to yours and others earlier point, lots of griphouse guys! competition standings can be tricky. for instance, my gym i believe has good pound for pound competition guys, but we rarely make it in the top 10 in points in gi because of the volume of competitors from other gyms. almost always make the top 10 in no-gi because we have a lot of great no-gi guys and there's less no-gi competitors. muddying the thing too is that the ibjjf opens in my town draw a lot of out-of-towners because it's the only ibjjf for the entire region.
As far as I know they competed and done fine. I would say it was a legitimate school with poor business practice. (Again, referring to the fact they opened up a school a few hundred metres from my GB school)
Ricks a GB black belt, but I thought that he doesnt run a GB franchise school? (I may very well be wrong here)
I was joking around along as a reply to VZ with the similarities of what TCMA is going through. claims of McDojos from other people. arguments over lineages etc.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1kL6LJDR5OY Facilities look good, is that a pressure point release into a standing wristlock taught as SD though?
I don't think so. Still though, we have the GB flag in one of our logos. And even if we weren't it would STILL be a tribe choice to open up there.
The location is definitely a douche move. But GB the franchise is well known for sharp business practices.
Is the early grading a general Gracie Barra-school-problem? I'm just wondering, because we have a GB BJJ school training after my Judo class. I watched them once and was, to be honest, rather shocked that when drilling techniquest (fully cooperation!) one bluebelt wasn't able to free himself from guard and switch into an armbar (I hope, I used the right terms here!), with an easy tactic they were shown. I remember that so vividly, because we did the same technique in Judo before; it's a standard thing and not too difficiult. I could to it with my white-yellow belt, so I do admit that I expect a BJJ bluebelt to not only this basic-techniches, but also be able to pull it, when the partner cooperates and lets him do it.
No, never heard of grading issues endemic in their franchise. They have some of the best in the world at every grade too. what about the guard pass was giving him problems? Were they sparring?
