Emerson Souza Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Address:	851 Merrick Rd, Baldwin, NY 11510, USA
Phone:	+1 516-868-5000
Site:	emersonsouzabjj.com
Rating:	4.7

Location

Photos 37

Reviews 4

Anonymous User

I have been training under Emerson since December and I have had a very positive experience. I’m 6’1 and 31 years old, and for the past six years I’ve felt fat and out of shape. Before training with Emerson I worked out for four months and lost 10-15 pounds, bringing me down to about 220 pounds. My weight loss plateaued and I needed to try something different. After training with Emerson for the past five months I’m about 190-195 pounds and I feel great. The training itself is fun and challenging. Rigorous exercise stimulates endorphins; I’m always in a good mood after training. There is an extremely friendly atmosphere at Emerson Souza’s BJJ School. Being a white belt, most of the other students are more advanced than me. Emerson encourages the more advanced students to work on new moves when rolling (sparring) with newer students like myself. Emerson also encourages the more advanced students to help out less experienced students with their technique. I could easily be submitted twenty times each class, but instead I’m given good advice while I challenge more advanced students who work on new moves. This type of training benefits students of all levels. Emerson is a technician; he gives personal advice to all students while encouraging them to train hard. Emerson can be described as a “players’ coach,” he encourages his students rather than pushing them. I feel like I’m disappointing him if I’m not training hard. I have found Emerson, the other instructors, and the other students to be very friendly and helpful; Emerson sets this tone for the school. When meeting Emerson one can tell he’s a genuinely nice person. Everyone greets one another; I have never felt out of place. This school is legit; I have yet to compete in competitions but others students who do fare very well. With the exception of the 6am classes, Emerson teaches every adult class, six days a week, about 50 weeks out of the year. Training at this school has made me feel great about myself, bottom line. That’s why I’m writing this review. I find it a bit contradictory that the reviewer “Bull” found the classes to have poor instruction, yet his son is one of the “most advanced” students in his class. Students of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu do not become advanced through poor instruction; it’s a very technical sport. After Bull’s review, the only evidence of poor instruction is in the quality of Bull’s grammar. If you want someone to take you seriously Bull, proofread before you post; otherwise your thoughts will appear to be a mindless rant.

Andrew Ilardi

Summary: Emerson Souza Academy is a great place to train. As a long time practitioner of other arts, Emerson is familiar with both the technique and the subtle aspects of jujitsu. He is a living embodiment that you dont need to be 7 feet tall & have huge muscle to protect yourself. That form, structure, technique, and yielding to resistance provide the formula for success. Bottom line, If I was in NY I would be training here, I would also recommend it to my friends. Let me start by saying I do not work here. I trained with Emerson 10 years ago prior to moving out of state. I was back in NY for over a month and wanted to train BJJ while in town. I trained a total of 16 nights while in town and this review is based on that. Emerson, The Sensei: Emerson is building a family at the Academy with excellent jujitsu practitioners. The environment is to learn, to practice, to train hard. By this I mean 7 ten min rounds but NOT where youre just trying to tap tap tap everyone you roll with BUT you really get to LEARN by getting to position, trying the move and the other guy can escape. Emerson said one night, "you know if you got the move, no point in making them tap, we are family. Keep moving so they learn the escape, let each other learn, this is how you can train for hours. If someone gets hurt that is part of our family we all lose, jujitsu losses." He is right. The Students of the Academy: Like most martial arts schools, the new guy is always looked at as a new comer. What makes Emersons school unique is that the time I was a new comer, to the time when I feel they accepted me was very short. In my own opinion its always a journey to earn the respect of your fellow dojo brothers, but next time im back in NY I wont feel shy about showing up again to train. I feel like part of the family. What was a pleasant surprise was that each belt level truly represented the next level of skill. This says to me Emerson does not just hang out belts, but students are required to meet standards. Which in my opinion is desperately needed in the martial arts community.

Anonymous User

I was a student at Emerson Souza Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for about 4 months till I had to move out of the area, but during the time I trained there I attended on average about 4 to 5 times a week. Emerson was not only a very friendly and approachable individual but also a very knowledgeable professor of BJJ and he was able to relate the concepts of the techniques that he taught in a very practical way. I trained mostly at the 6AM and noon times, but also at the evening classes when my work schedule would permit so and Emerson taught all the classes but the 6AM classes. However, his early morning instructors were quite knowledgeable and you could see Emersons influence not only in their technique but also in the ability to teach the techniques in practical ways. I found all of the students at this school to be supportive and they would always be there to help one to push oneself so that they can reach the next level. As you can tell I truly miss this school... BJJ, or any craft for that matter, can only come with persistent-hard-work and dedications (i.e. sweat). So that is the reason why you might hear people speak of weight loss because not only does it come from the hard work on the mat, but also through the dedication it takes to make good food decisions. If you want to train and really learn and develop some skills this is the school for you. As one can clearly see by the fact that I use of my real name I stand behind what I say, and I dont have use a pseudonym to propagate some "Bull". Train hard, train smart, your true potential always is waiting in the next moment.

Anonymous User

"Bull", just because you were asked to leave the school for reasons that were your own, please do not slander Emersons name. We know exactly who you are, so dont try and hide behind that nickname that seems to fit you so well. With that being said, I am not an employee or an instructor at this school. Im merely a student that has had the pleasure of training under Emerson for the past 3 years. Ive shopped around for schools in the area; with each of them having their own strengths and weaknesses. Not many schools can say that the instructor for which the school is named teaches all of the adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes. Not only do you receive top notch instruction and techniques with each class, but he personally observes each student and caters their "game" to the individual. Emerson is not in this for the quick buck like many other cookie cutter schools emerging as a result of the "ultimate-fighting" trend. He truly has the passion and love for jiu jitsu which shows every time he steps on the mat. Its quite humbling to know that a world champion jiu jitsu fighter respected by the entire BJJ community can sit along side you on the mats. If youre looking to train and learn the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, stop in anytime. There are no egos at this school or cliques as "Bull" stated earlier. If that was the case, I wouldnt be training here...