Ronin Athletics MMA NYC - Gracie Jiu Jitsu and Self-Defense

I dropped in for my first class while visiting from out of town (I usually train at a Gracie CTC in Boulder, CO) and absolutely loved my experience. From the moment I walked in, everyone was extremely warm, welcoming, and friendly. The training environment was very cooperative, with lots of helpful feedback and plenty of opportunity to ask lots of questions. I also really appreciated the diversity on the mats — there were multiple belt colors, which made the class feel both inclusive and inspiring. As a woman, I was immediately greeted by other women and ended up training with them for the entire class, which felt intentional toward helping me to feel comfortable. We worked on a particular technique I've learned before, but I was able to unlock a new way to do it that REALLY helped me with the overall flow of the move! Attention to detail during instruction was incredible without ever feeling overwhelming. Overall: excellent experience. I highly recommend this gym to anyone who wants to try jiu jitsu for the first time, those traveling from out of town, or anyone who’s been training for a while and wants a welcoming and effective place to train. Thank you so much Ronin Athletics MMA NYC - I am already looking forward to visiting again next time I'm in town!

Going to my first Women's Empowered class over a year ago was one of the best decisions I've made. Before I started I was very intimidated by martial arts but at Ronin Athletics the instructors and community immediately put me at ease. I can't say enough about how welcoming, safe, and supportive the environment here is. Each WE class has people of all levels, so you get the opportunity to learn, train, and teach all at the same time. I love how flexible the curriculum is, ie no need to do all the classes in a specific order. I've learned so much doing the Women's Empowered program and can't wait to try out Combatives!

I’ve been training at Ronin Athletics for about six months in their Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Combatives program, and it’s been a great experience from day one. The gym has a warm, welcoming culture. People are friendly and always willing to help or share knowledge, which makes a big difference when you’re learning. Coach Christian is legit. He’s extremely knowledgeable and does an excellent job breaking down techniques in a clear and practical way. I’ve tried other jiu-jitsu gyms in the past, and I could feel the difference here from the very first class, both in the quality of instruction and the sense of community. If you’re looking for a place to learn jiu-jitsu in New York City, Ronin Athletics is a great choice!

A friend and I both had an amazingly positive experience at Ronin Athletic MMA NYC taking a trial session for the Women's Empowerment Program. From the moment we entered the elevator with 2 current students we felt extremely welcome. It was obvious that I am a white haired senior and they didn’t mind the white hair and were very encouraging and praised us for having the courage to start Jiu Jitsu. Their smiles were warm, welcoming and encouraging. They were very inclusive as were all the other members in the class. Coach Christian approached us with a huge smile and spent time with us for a few minutes prior to the class to explain the essence of Jiu Jitsu and what we were about to experience. The format of the class was remarkably participatory with demonstrations of what we were about to learn from Coach Christian. Students were randomly paired up with each other to practice and reinforce the movements being taught in this completely judgement free zone. I encourage anyone who has any interest to try something new to go to Ronins Athletics. Whether it be the Womens Empowerment classes or the co-ed Jiu Jitsu classes. I myself am interested in the physical and psychological aspects that come from learning Jiu Jitsu and developing a new discipline. Thank you Coach Christian and your students for a great experience.

I have been a member at Ronin Athletics for a little over 3 months at this point. I really like how everything is structured. You have access to videos so you can watch the techniques before coming to class so that you are better prepared. It is very beginner friendly and great for self-defense. You go through a beginner program which prepares you for defending against untrained opponents. And frankly, you need that in New York city. I have trained in other gyms before and what this gym does better are: - They teach how to perform the movements safely with your partner so that you do not injure each other. - Encourage you to practice the last class techniques with a partner if you arrive early next class. - The attention to detail is next level here. The coaches will actually watch you and correct you if you are doing something wrong. They will even ask you to do the move on them to correct you. This is a game changer in my opinion. And coach Christian is very knowledgeable as well so sometimes, as a bonus, you will also get brief fun facts about the history of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and in general MMA :) I would definitely recommend!