Serafin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gym Assessment

Tackle:

Ultimate Conditioning Evanston

823 Emerson St

Evanston, IL 60201

847-733-9478

Instructor(s):

Jeff Serafin- BJJ Black Belt (Jack McVicker / Megaton Dias)

Present-day Schedule:

Monday: 5:30pm Gi

Tuesday: 12:00pm Gi, 6:00 pm No-Gi

Wednesday: 7:30pm Gi

Thursday: 12:00pm Gi, 6:00 pm No-Gi

Friday: 5:30pm Open up Mat

Saturday: 10:30am Gi

Sunday: Open Training

Facility:

Serafin BJJ is situated within just Top Physical fitness Evanston.

Parking: There is suitable parking all all over the constructing and on the road. Make guaranteed not to park in the dry cleaner’s parking directly in front of the creating. They are old and cranky. Don’t park there.

Jeff Serafin has an outstanding area to teach in. There is a cage, whole boxing ring, weighty baggage, a Lot of mat house, pounds tools (together with other teaching tools like ropes and two extra rooms with even much more equipment in them), lockers, and showers. There was a whole lot of space on the mat with the 15 people today coaching on a Saturday early morning.

My encounter:

Website traffic was genuinely pleasant on my Saturday early morning tour to Serafin BJJ in Evanston, IL. I arrived late no matter (variety of my m.o.) so I skipped what would’ve been the very first 10 minutes of a Ginastica Pure course. I required to involve it in the critique anyways for the reason that it is really an magnificent addition to the lessons presented at Serafin BJJ and it is not presently mentioned on their web site.

The warm-ups for course have been quick and easy, but undoubtedly ample. From there we moved straight into approach.

Method for the day (and for the preceding courses as effectively) was doing work on the omoplata.

We went by entries into the omoplata and drilled people.

Then we mentioned a way to crack down the opponent’s posture at the time we lock it in and drilled it.

Following had been two alternate shoulder locks from the omoplata (close to and significantly side shoulders) and we drilled.

Last was a collar choke from the omoplata dependent on whether the opponent provides you the considerably side shoulder or not. This was drilled as nicely.

I wrote this in a distinct method to make a stage. Jeff teaches each individual move independently and won’t overwhelm college students with instruction (as some instructors may possibly do). I observed that the majority of students were being not getting good issues when allowed to drill on their have. He breaks items down into easy to understand chunks.

Also, Jeff used a large amount of time chatting about principle driving what we have been doing, why we were performing it, and why it will do the job. If you’ve got under no circumstances read through Matt Thornton’s blog about the efficiency of ‘Aliveness’ training, you should really. I do not know if Jeff has, but I think that the technique that Thornton and Serafin both use to educate method is just one of the most successful strategies for instructing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I liked what Jeff had to say about the omoplata currently being a placement / guard and not just a submission.

Alongside individuals identical traces, soon after technique we sparred 50-60% with a lover with the omoplata presently locked in. I will not likely go into a big diatribe about why this is essential for understanding, but I was genuinely satisfied that Jeff works by using this method to boost what was just taught. The issues that he taught that day have stuck with me and straight away became a component of my game because I was equipped to drill it on a evenly resisting associate. Quite excellent idea for constructing muscle mass memory.

The class was manufactured up of mostly blue and white belts, but I do not believe that this to be normal of Serafin BJJ. Most of Jeff’s better belts have been having a crack due to the fact the class I arrived to was right soon after a massive opposition and several of them were being taking the day off to recuperate or journey. Nonetheless, Jeff’s blue belts are nothing at all brief of wonderful. They’ve just about all been with him from their beginning in BJJ and it was apparent.

Just after the omoplata sparring, we went into no cost sparring the place I was paired with blue belts, and also had the option to roll with Jeff. The blue belts all gave me a terrific offer of hassle and I can notify that the talent level at Serafin BJJ is really superior. I’ve been to gyms in the earlier (prior to the inception of this venture), where by I was ready to dominate everyone apart from for the instructor. This is NOT the case with Jeff’s students. I was swept, mounted, tapped, and many others. by a really proficient team of fellas.

The sparring was very intensive, but controlled. Each and every man or woman performed a distinctive activity (this is a superior issue since some gyms have every person attempting to play the precise identical activity) and every single match was aggressive. Even the white belts that I noticed played online games primarily based on good basic principles just about every with their possess particular person aptitude.

Rolling with Jeff was a fantastic working experience. He stressed the value of command and when I rolled with him, I felt that command. Jeff has his personal sport and is pretty superior at it (view out for individuals kimuras!), but he is completely incredible at shutting down your game. I tried using all the things:

De la riva? Nope.

Berimbolo roll? Nope.

All right, shut guard? Nope

50 percent guard? Crap, I forgot he loves fifty percent guard. Nope.

Alright. He pulls guard. I get swept like it truly is my 1st day.

When time was named I was concurrently bummed and overjoyed. I failed to want the roll to close, but I’ve in no way felt manage and persistence like Jeff experienced with me. I was distinctive getting managed, but not getting smashed. Wonderful practical experience.

Total berimbolo fail.

Jeff was exceptionally hospitable and incredibly welcoming to a customer. I was shocked to find out that the additional I travel, the far more I learn how we all know the similar persons. Jeff has been a component of the BJJ scene in Northwest Indiana, Illinois, and Chicago spots for about ten several years. Jeff and I sat and talked for a lengthy time just after class was above and I sense that’s fairly standard of Jeff. He was incredibly eager to give his time to benefit his college students.

Learners in Evanston are quite fortunate to have Jeff. His academy is massive, has great education tools, and outstanding instruction. That becoming stated, I hope this overview has been an exact illustration of him and his academy. When picking an instructor, often instances you require to appear at their character. I will (with any luck ,) be undertaking an interview with him quickly.

Thanks for examining! A exclusive thanks to Jeff for opening up his academy to me!!

Once more, thanks for waiting around so many weeks for this evaluation!

I will have my opinions of Mota Martial Arts and Gracie Barra Chicago up up coming week so retain your eyes tuned for that!

Much more to occur this summer time!