Gentle Art Studio - Lotus Club Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Astoria BJJ — Attraction in New York

I've been training here since August 2017. Something awful had happened to me outside of a bar and I knew I wouldn't feel safe in the world again until I learned how to fight, so I came in here. I'd tried a lot of different martial arts over the years, but this clicked. Drills are structured so that, after a few classes, you're physically in shape to do the moves, which is far more useful than merely knowing the moves. It can be really strenuous; it's important to stick with it if you're serious about it. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in general is set up so that it's organic to what the human body wants to do in a real fight, but nobody gets hurt if everyone follows the rules. So people who really want to train hard can go all out on each other and (allowing for anaerobic exercise recovery time) come back the next day ready for more. However, in this studio, nobody gets pressured into doing anything they don't want to do. If you want to know whether you're ready for something, just ask Professor; he's been watching you in action more carefully than you realize. It can actually be one of the scariest things about this practice that your usual titles, credentials, and degrees don't affect anything - on the mat, you're just who you are and people see you for who you are, so you end up working on yourself as much as your techniques. I don't expect to get physically attacked again, that's just not something that happens to people in my life situation, but I'm no longer intrinsically afraid of other people's anger and bullying, and that has made my journey through life...

Five years ago, the jiu-jitsu school where I was training closed its doors. I tried a few schools after that and wasn't completely satisfied with what they had to offer. On a recommendation from my former professor, I came to Queens to check out Lotus Club. I was hesitant at first due to the distance from my home. I live in New Rochelle and it takes me about 40min to an hour, depending on traffic, to get to the school. There are 3 jiu-jitsu schools that are 10 minutes from my home but I choose to drive to Queens, pay the tolls and sometimes sit in traffic so I can train at Gentle Art Studio Lotus Club jiu-jitsu. Why? Simple. I've never encountered a more welcoming group of people. Professor Eduardo Santos is an excellent teacher and friend. You can see, whether you are a veteran on the mat or a first timer, that he truly loves teaching jiu-jitsu to anyone interested in learning. He is patient and caring and that is reflected in his students. If you're looking for top notch jiu-jitsu, this is the place to be. If you're looking for a true team feeling, this is the place to be. Lotus club is my home away from home. Come...

How have I not reviewed Gentle Art Studio yet? At a technical level, Professor Eduardo is one of the OG, highest level Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructors you'll find in NYC. He leads the international Lotus Club BJJ network from Gentle Art Studio, so you also have access to the world's top BJJ practitioners as instructors and visiting instructors. What is just as obvious is how hard Prof. Eduardo and Kelly work to make this place embody their principles of BJJ for all. They practice what they preach, they treat all students from all walks of life with respect and encouragement, and they expect all their instructors to be equally generous with their patience, positivity, and empowerment. It's absolutely a unique place to grow as a person - and develop your skills as a competitor, if you so choose. I've had many periods of not training due to "life getting in the way," but the doors have always remained open at Gentle Art Studio, which I appreciate so much. I highly recommend committing to this school for a consistent 2-3x/week, no matter your level - and seeing how you feel in a month's time. You'll want to sign...