You've narrowed it down to two or three gyms. The websites all say the same thing: great coaches, great community, come try a class. So how do you tell a serious room from a nice one with good lighting?
Here's one way. Look at who walks through the door when nobody's selling anything. Who teaches the seminars? Who shows up to open mat on a normal week?
At Renzo Gracie Los Angeles, the answer over the past year has been some of the best grapplers and strikers alive. Not on a poster. On the mat, sweating, rolling with our regular students.
Short version: Jiu jitsu is still a small sport, so world champions do show up at neighborhood gyms and roll with regular people. Over the past year RGLA hosted seminars from ADCC silver medalist Nick Rodriguez, IBJJF Hall of Fame member Leticia Ribeiro, Hannah Sharp, Margot Ciccarelli, and Muay Thai champions Jo Nattawut, Greg Wootton and Eddie Abasolo. Our weekly open mats are where you'll meet them.
Why do world champions show up at a neighborhood gym?
Because jiu jitsu is still young and still small. The sport has come a long way since the first UFCs, but it hasn't been around long enough to wall its stars off behind agents and private training centers.
You can't play pickup basketball with LeBron James. But in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, an ADCC medalist might teach a seminar at your gym one weekend and then roll with you at open mat the next day. It's the closest thing in sports to a pickup game with Michael Jordan.
That's not a sales line. It's just the size of the sport right now, and it's one of the best reasons to get into jiu jitsu before it gets any bigger.
Who's taught BJJ seminars here in Los Angeles this past year?
ADCC silver medalist Nick Rodriguez, IBJJF Hall of Fame member Leticia Ribeiro, Hannah Sharp, Margot Ciccarelli, and our own black belt Paul Schon. That's the last twelve months, and every one of them did more than talk.
Nick Rodriguez taught his seminar and then did the thing we love most: he came back the next day and trained with some of the top students at the school. No cameras. Just rounds.
Leticia Ribeiro, an IBJJF Hall of Fame member with more medals than we have wall space for, taught a three-hour masterclass on guard passing. Three hours sounds like a lot until you're in it.
Hannah Sharp and Margot Ciccarelli both stopped by to teach seminars and train with our students. And Paul Schon, one of RGLA's own black belts, ran a free seminar on the D'Arce choke, one of his favorite techniques and, after that afternoon, one of ours too.
Then there's Kit Dale. Black belt, two-time World Pro champion, and a regular here. You can often find him at our open mats rolling with students and other high-level grapplers. Around here, that's normal.
What about Muay Thai seminars?
Same story on the striking side. Smokin' Jo Nattawut, a five-time Lion Fight super welterweight champion and one-time Lion Fight middleweight champion, came through for a seminar and shared some of his favorite techniques with our Muay Thai students.
Then, to close out 2022, Greg Wootton and Eddie Abasolo, both world champion Muay Thai fighters, ran a seminar that was, plainly, a banger. Ever wondered what a real fighter's kick sounds like on a pad from three feet away? That was the day to find out.
What happens at open mat?
Open mat is where all of this lands. No set lesson, no drill sequence. You show up, find a partner, and roll. And because it's open, that's where the visitors turn up: the champions, their teammates, friends of the school passing through LA.
A lot of the competitors who come by bring their own training partners. That's a quiet gift. It means our students get rounds with bodies and styles they've never felt before, at skill levels they wouldn't meet in a normal class. In our experience you learn more from one round with an unfamiliar grip than from ten with your usual partner.
Is it intimidating? A little, the first time. Then someone very good taps you, sits up, and shows you exactly what you did wrong. That's the culture here. Open mat times are on the schedule.
What BJJ seminars in Los Angeles actually look like
A seminar is a few hours on one problem with someone who has solved it at the highest level. Leticia Ribeiro's was three hours on guard passing alone. Not thirty moves. One position, taken apart layer by layer, drilled with a partner while she walks the room fixing details. You leave with a system, not a highlight.
If you want a feel for one before you sign up, read our recap of the Levi Jones no-gi seminar. And if no-gi is your thing, Professor Ilia leads our No-Gi classes.
Come see for yourself
We're grateful for every person who walks in here to train with us, world champs or not. Sharing technique is how this sport got good, and working together is how everyone in the room gets better. That's why you'll always find fresh faces and friends of the school at our weekly, welcoming open mats.
So if you're comparing gyms, don't compare websites. Come stand on the mat. Your first class is free, there's no contract, and if a two-time World Pro champion happens to be rolling that day, now you know why. Book your free class and come meet the room.
Questions people ask
Can a beginner go to open mat at RGLA?
Yes. Open mat is unstructured, so you pick your partners and your pace. Tell people you're new, roll with the folks who match your level, and watch the higher belts between rounds. Most beginners learn a lot just from sitting on the wall and asking questions.
Are the seminars open to non-members?
It depends on the event and the instructor. Some have been free, like Paul Schon's D'Arce choke seminar. The best move is to call the front desk at 323-933-1708 or ask in person, and we'll tell you what's coming up and who it's open to.
Can I drop in to train if I'm visiting Los Angeles?
Please do. Visiting grapplers and Muay Thai fighters train with us all the time, and many bring teammates. Open mat is the easiest place to start. Check in at the front desk when you arrive and bring clean gear, gi or no-gi depending on the session.
What's the difference between a seminar and a regular class?
A regular class covers the day's technique with your usual coaches. A seminar is a longer session, often several hours, built around one instructor's specialty, like Leticia Ribeiro's three hours on guard passing. You go deeper on fewer things and leave with a system.
