Renzo Gracie Troy

Professor Joe Graunstadt has built an exceptional martial arts academy. The caliber of people that work at and attend this gym, with regards to their dedication and sportsmanship, makes training here something to look forward to every session. Beyond BJJ, there are Muay Thai classes available to work on your striking game as well.Joe himself is very humble. He is highly knowledgeable in traditional BJJ as well as the techniques that modern BJJ athletes are implementing in current competitions (gi and no-gi). He's able to provide strategies for competition as well as self-defense. He will gladly reciprocate your passion for the sport and help you identify your strengths in the art based on body type, thought processes (intuitive vs calculating), etc.Moreover, Joe maintains a healthy network of other knowledgeable professors and exchanges ideas with them regularly to help students keep up with modern BJJ techniques.The gym is kept in great condition with regards to cleanliness, mat condition, etc. I highly recommend this gym to develop your skillsets.

Great gym to learn and train at. The instructors are amazing. Everyone there is friendly and helpful. After your first class you will be hooked! Excellent workout as well.

We love this place!!!!! The coaches here care about your kids they will work with children at any level. They are phenomenal at teaching both discipline and techniques. Very clean gym and with a family friendly vibes. We tell all of our friends to sign their kids up and hope to be here for as long as possible 😊 …

Stopped in for a visit while I was away from my home gym. I had a wonderful time. The owner and black belt, Joe provided great, knowledgeable instruction. The atmosphere was chill and I (a smaller female) felt safe while I rolled with bigger male student. The building and mat was clean and well kept.

From what I've read and heard, the average child's martial arts career lasts 3-6 months. My son tried two other martial arts school in the area before enrolling at Renzo Gracie Troy. Full disclosure: This is the second review I'm posting after my son's two-year anniversary of training at this school. The instruction and curriculum has only gotten better. Professor Joe and his coaches are second to none. No better value, instruction, learning, or enjoyment for children than at this academy. As an added bonus, the uniforms and rash guards are sharp. Try a free class and tell them Abe sent you :)

I honestly can’t say enough amazing things about the experience at Professor Joe’s BJJ school, located in Troy. Rarely do you find a teacher, much less a whole group of them (big shout out to Nate and Miguel) that are helping mold our kids into respectful and awesome little people. They care about the kids as much as the art of BJJ. Every instructor makes sure the kids are engaged and learning while being safe! If you’re on the fence you won’t find a better school! It has already paid dividends in my sons confidence and attitude after only being here a month!

My son attends the Tiny Tigers program at Renzo Gracie Troy. It is a wonderful place only made better by great coaches, parents, and kids. He was welcomed by all and made to feel right at home. The free trial classes are a great no commitment way to test the waters. My son had just turned 4 when joining and the attention and care given to him made him feel accepted and helped him learn and increase his athleticism, confidence, and social skills. I regularly recommend Renzo Gracie Troy to friends and colleagues seeking similar experiences for their children.

Started learning bjj here and haven't found the need to move to other gyms. The class is taught by a black belt who is very knowledgeable about each position. The gym is very positional sparring heavy, which allows for extremely fast progress. Facility is very clean and the gym has nice mats.The gym also has a solid stable of blue belts. So if you're new, there are plenty of people who are willing to give you pointers. And if you're looking for good training partners, you're not always rolling with the same person.

I started training at DAMA almost a year ago. My decision to start training Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu at this gym was one of the best decisions I have made. The instructors are top notch and really help you progress to be better each and every day. Joe, the owner, as well as all of the other instructors, are very knowledgeable and really break down movements in a mannerism that all can grasp - regardless if your are brand new or have had years of training. There also is a strong feeling of camaraderie and competitiveness with everyone here. This place is 10/10 and I would highly recommend checking them out, you won't regret it!

After trying out a couple different local gyms, I chose DAMA for a variety of reasons and couldn't be happier with my decision.The facility is clean and has high quality equipment to use if needed (important if you're just beginning). Every student I've trained with has been friendly and helpful. Nobody has a big ego or bad attitude - everybody has the understanding that you're there to improve, no matter your skill level.The instructors tailor their criticism to match your skill level, which is a huge help in continually pushing yourself. They constantly monitor technique and are sure to teach you something new each class. They also do a great job of mixing the routines up so you don't get bored. Lastly, the schedule offers a multitude of class times so you can train whenever works best for you.If you're even a little curious, I urge you to come in for a free class and try it out for yourself!