Sauer or Gracie BJJ?

[Musashi]

Hello:

I am pretty new here, been lurking for a while. I have a question. I am very interested in taking BJJ, and in my area there is a Pedro Sauer black belt and a Gracie blue belt that instruct. I was wondering if there are any thoughts on which style/method people here prefer? One bonus is that the Sauer school also teaches MT.

Thanks,
Brad Olson

[Szczepankiewicz]

Where are you located?

[Musashi]

I am in Minnesota (Minneapolis/St Paul metro area).

[Hakoko]

Sauer BB for sure. Pedro, was one of 2 GJJ reps., before they left the GJJ Academy (Fabio Santos being the other). Pedro, doesn't hand his belts out, you have to earn them. He was part of Rickson's assoc., but not sure if he is anymore. Definitely, go with Pedro's guy.

[Musashi]

Originally posted by Hakoko
Sauer BB for sure. Pedro, was one of 2 GJJ reps., before they left the GJJ Academy (Fabio Santos being the other). Pedro, doesn't hand his belts out, you have to earn them. He was part of Rickson's assoc., but not sure if he is anymore. Definitely, go with Pedro's guy.

Thanks for the input. The local guy who runs the Sauer school just became Pedro's first Black Belt last Nov. Looks like a good school. Anyone else ever heard of Greg Nelson or Minnesota Martial Arts Academy? I haven't visited yet, just trying to do some homework. Here's a link for anyone that's interested. http://www.mmaacombatzone.com/

[Hakoko]

Dude, I didn't know it was Greg Nelson you were talking about. I hear he is very good. He's a MA's machine. From what I've heard, he is a very well rounded fighter. Not to put the other instr. down, but if it was my money and my time, Greg Nelson would be my choice...HANDS DOWN.

[William]

Dude, I didn't know it was Greg Nelson you were talking about. I hear he is very good. He's a MA's machine

Greg Nelson is top notch. Well rounded and an excellent instructor with the best "clinch" vids on the market. I don't know what his status is at this time, but I know that he has been sick lately. I second the above quote.


William

[Musashi]

Thanks again for the input. I think Mr. Nelson is still in remission, but I am not sure. I will setting up a visit to go early next week, so I'll let you know.

[Szczepankiewicz]

Follow up with Aranha @ www.jiu-jitsu.net He may be able to give you some good background as well.


Good luck in training.

Spanky

[Brian]

No Higher Respect

If I may put my two cents in... I've seen Khuen Khru Greg Nelson in action at Thai Camp and have had a rare opportunity to talk with him for a short spell on different occasions. I must say that I could not hold any higher level of respect, awe or inspiration for an individual or martial artist.

I don't know who the Gracie Blue Belt is, and I'm not saying that he/she is not an excellent, well qualified or world class instructor. I simply wish to say that you can't really go wrong training at the Minnisota Academy of Martial Arts.

If ju-jistu is the only thing you're interested in I'm sure it's a great school... but the thing is, you'll have access to so many other facets of the martial arts. Sean Sherk (who recently fought a great bout against Matt Hughes for the UFC title) has trained at the Minnesota Academy and may very well still be invovled at that club.

I beleive that Khru Nelson is also an instructor in Sensei Erik Paulson's Combat Submission Wrestling not to mention that he is a certified instructor... and quite possibly the highest ranking student of Ajarn Surachai Sirisute in Muay Thai.

Khru Nelson has always treated me with respect despite the fact that he doesn't know me from a bum on skid row. He's always been polite and offered his advice and experience whenever he wasn't leading runs or clinch drills or teaching a group of guys his unique perspective on grappling.

And one more thing... the man has the heart of a lion. I saw him again not more than a month or so ago at Professor Sauer's Summer Camp... His feet were still swollen from his kemo (sp?), to the point that he really couldn't walk that well and yet the man was on the mat, not just training but on occasion giving instruction. The man has more martial art's experience and guts in his little finger than I do in the entire pork sausage that I call a body.

He is a great man and I look forward to seeing him again this year in Oregon.

Oh, one last thing. I can also say there are some real cool cats that train at the Minnesota school. Nat, Darren (I think), and Kat whom I got to work with last year helped me a great deal and shared their technical expertise. Suffice it to say if I lived in the area I'd be glued to their mat... given that they'd let me train over there.

Hope this helped.

Sincerely,
Brian Yamasaki