I am so blessed for my boys to be part of this community! We have been doing Jiujitsu for ten years, three of them were with 2nd gear! So basically this review came little bit late đ. Before joining them, I knew exactly what I was looking for and it took us around 3 months going for free trials in almost all the area of Columbia/ Baltimore and its surroundings. And it was a mess in almost all of them. I was told by one of the very famous gyms we want the boys and we will offer you an exceptional discount! At the end we decided on 2nd gear! What brought us first, was the kind of training provided by the coach at the time and the discipline he brought to the mat. Until we found that we landed on a real hidden gem. Watching different coaches in Competitions and how other coaches yells and gets furious on loss or even sometimes gives the player extra self confidence that they don't deserve, that causes harm rather than good. All this proved to me that Coach Ken deserves the word "Coach" and I feel safe my boys looking up for him as a role model! This kind of mentality and approach is very obvious in the gym. In 2nd gear you will see people from a very different background and all of them are working together in harmony. There is no room for the stressful , overwhelming social life that is being pushed on the people in other gyms to come together . In 2nd gear, all relationships and feelings are original, true and honest! Training in 2nd gear brings top notch quality Jiujitsu to the mat with no fake showing off! I also want to mention that the gym has many coaches and each one is unique in a way, that I wish I can write each one a review if I could! There's so many ways to grow and nourish in this gym and it's not just only in Jiujitsu, but in all...
   Read moreOn September 26 2018 I walked in to 2nd Gear Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for a free trial class. Close to 17 months later I was awarded a blue belt. Although I knew I was being evaluated and was expecting the promotion to happen sometime soon, the actual moment it occurred was very emotional for me. In my life I have received several recognitions for scientific achievements, but never for anything related to physical activity, so this is a milestone I will never forget. I owe everything to Professor Kenneth Brown who has been a wonderful mentor and coach. Professor Brown has managed to coach a clumsy uncoordinated 53-year old person like me and make him stick to the sport, this is not a trivial task. It is much harder than teaching to an athletic, talented, 18 year old. It is because of the training environment he has cultivated at 2ndgear that I have had the mental determination to show up to the academy and train almost every day, whether it has been an intense day at work and I am tired, whether my back, ribs, groin, ankles or other body parts are injured, whether I am doing well or feel frustrated with my progress, whether I notice all these younger people pick up new skills so much faster than me,⊠I just show up to practice, thatâs all there is to do in order to eventually progress. Thank you Kenny for being such a great mentor, coach and amazing person, thank you Prof. Sundar Bjj, Prof. David Adams, Prof. Alex Dugas, and coach Matt Weinberg for the instruction at 2ndgear. I am especially grateful to all my fellow academy members who have been my training partners and have spent endless hours drilling and...
   Read moreMy boys started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at 2nd Gear in March 2022. Completely new to the sport. The support and training offered here has positively contributed to their physical, emotional and mental health. We have since relocated, but the mentorship and friendships developed will last them a lifetime. Physically, the boys became significantly stronger, less clumsy, more aware of their bodies. Mentally, they found they had the ability to focus, learn and execute. Emotionally, they began learning that they can be resilient, strong and tough and still be happy and kind. This is safe place to fail, learn and come back stronger. Quick Boast: My sons have won multiple medals at local competition.âșïž IRL: BJJ is great self-defense The coaches are great: Coach Griffin, the private lessons were pivotal, Coach K for welcoming us into your gym and the many invaluable lessons, Coach Pete and the rest of the coaching team. Thank you
Areas for improvement: Communication. As a parent that was new to the gym and sport, there were some things I didn't understand, or I may have missed a message. Thankfully other parents were happy to fill in the gaps, and coaches provided details when asked. I like to plan, so for me, having some details well in...
   Read more