Radical MMA

Was only a member for 2 months (Left to pursue solely boxing) but experience by far the best BJJ training I have ever had. Time was spent breaking down every step of every move and did not just focus on finishing submissions. Also the gym puts in the extra effort to have an inclusive, family atmosphere.
Note while this is a full MMA gym new members are only allowed to train BJJ and promotions to stand-​up classes are given later based on ability. The gym also strives to be open 365 days a year.

Didn’t attend class because I felt that customer service was very poor.
I tried calling, nobody picked up, no response to my emails either.
I was impressed by Rene’s videos online, so that was disappointing overall.

Coach Rene is teaching a grappling-​oriented MMA system that I haven’t found anywhere else in terms of either thoroughness or effectiveness — a lot of students who trained elsewhere have some catching up to do at first, and I include myself on that list haha. Most importantly, I’ve been coming here 2 years now and every time has been a blast — Rene is a phenomenal teacher, the students are so cool, and the facilities are great as well. Osu!

I cant say enough how impressed I am about the program at Radical. Having been a bjj student at a high caliber academy, I feel like I have a pretty good basis of comparison. At my former school, the technical instruction was first rate, but techniques were taught without much organization. The school was full of killers, so learning was essential to survive.. Radical, on the other hand, does a great job of presenting techniques in a sequential order that allows you to build an overall game. For example, we will spend weeks (up to a month) working techniques from a specific position (side control escapes, guard passing, half guard bottom, etc.). We discuss theory and why to do things in a certain way. We do positional sparring to then feel the techniques in a live situation. There is a highly structured approach to teaching, which to me provides a framework to learn and understand.
The tone of the school comes from the top. Coach Rene & Coach Chad do a tremendous job at the night classes. New students are always welcomed and they definitely promote a family atmosphere. Respect and the right attitude are highly stressed.
The morning classes are like a hidden gem. There is a great reward for those willing to hit the mats while most are either sleeping or eating breakfast. Coach Mike & Coach Max run great classes. Zero drop off from the instruction you get at night. The morning classes pick up seamlessly from where the night classes left off — a big sign of great communication among the coaches. In fact, I feel there is an embarrassment of riches with four top notch coaches. Each has a different style, so you can pick up different things from each of them.
I should note that the focus is on MMA and self defense. While that doesnt mean that you’ll be getting hit in the face, it does mean that all techniques are taught with the understanding that your opponent could throw punches. Therefore, certain sport-​centric techniques are either eliminated or modified to account for strikes. To the same point, most of the classes are without the gi/​kimono.
Overall, this is a great place to train and I give Radical the highest recommendation. Oh, and I havent even taken full advantage of everything that Radical offers. Radical boasts weights and other fitness equipment (Olympic rings, climbing ropes), Judo, wrestling, and striking, and MMA, as well. With all this, plus what I have already discussed, I dont know how you can go wrong with Radical.
Osu!

I left another academy after 6 months around the corner to come here and had to unlearn lots of bad habits I picked up. The teaching standard here is A+
Rene has impeccable integrity and will teach you everything he knows. The style is a bit different from sport jujitsu but way more effective in street situations and if you get to blue belt here your a beast compared to other blue belts at other schools. I moved up to Westchester so I now train with Jojo at ECUBJJ who is also A+ so I feel blessed to have had great training the past two years. I highly recommend this school

Assistant coach wasn’t sure about the drop in process but made sure I was accommodated on the fly to train. The atmosphere was friendly and appreciated the attention to detail on all technique

I travel to NYC once a month for work and I always train at Radical MMA. I’m a brown belt under Rodrigo Medeiros and a two time Muay Thai Champion under Saekson Janjira. Coach Dreifuss is one of the best teachers I’ve ever worked with. I’m blown away at his brilliance and expertise with his teaching method and techniques. Coach Dreifuss is a true martial artist and the high skill level of all of his students is a testament to his teaching ability. I aways come home a much better fighter.
Thank you Rene a thousand times!!!

I’ve had the pleasure of training with Rene on a few occasions, and he is a true martial artist in every sense of the word.
His understanding of Jiu Jitsu and grappling is on par with some of the best instructors that I’ve ever shared the mat with. If you’re ever in the area, make sure to drop in and get some mat time!

This is the best Dojo I have ever set foot in, the instructor Rene, is one of the nicest guys I ever meet, his students are super nice and super cool, don’t get me wrong these guys are killers, technical, no bad vibes what so ever from anybody, my game completely got shut down, and am very happy about ut nobody beat me with strength or size I got shut down by Super nice technical killers… :) and loved it… Rene has a system and a way to teach Martial Arts that no many can do… there’s good teachers bu then there’s GREAT teachers… can’t say enough good things… I would 100% recommend this gym to anybody looking to learn The stuff that works… Love this place… don’t take my word go by and check it out… am a straight forward guy… I promise you will love this place…

If I could, I would give Radical 6 stars. if you are interested in learning how to protect yourself and others, this is the place to go.
Firstly, Radical is a MMA school, so the focus is on practical applications: If something doesn’t work in real life altercations, it isn’t taught. The classes can be intense, so be prepared to put in the hours training hard. At the same time, you will be given equal time, whether a world class athlete or a regular guy. I came to Radical from a swimming background, and I never feel looked down upon when I struggle with learning a new movement.
Secondly, the atmosphere and camaraderie at the academy is incredible. Everyone is careful about injuries, and it’s nice after a long day to be able to hang out with friendly and interesting people.
To sum it up, if you want to learn how to protect others and yourself in a great environment, and you don’t mind putting your nose to the grindstone, give Radical a go!

Awesome place, patient and knowledgeable instructors. I’ve trained in a lot of places and this is by far one of the best!

Bottom line: great place, great coach, great people.
I like to keep things short and sweet. Coach Dreifuss, the assistant coach Chad, and all of the students I have met are all excellent people, fantastic teachers, and devoted martial artists. The atmosphere is always positive and welcoming. They won’t baby you at all though, they’ll push you towards getting better at every class.
I came in with minimal BJJ experience (army combatives level 1), and though I need to attend many more classes, I’ve learned a huge amount. Coach Dreifuss has a very good approach to teaching martial arts. He is extremely knowledgeable, keeps very up to date with techniques, but never seems like he is preaching dogma to you.
The gym equipment is very high quality. The entire space is kept immaculate and the instructors and students are very hygiene conscious.

I have known Coach Rene and Chad for years, since I took BJJ briefly with them at a different location. I shopped around before meeting Rene and was hooked on BJJ and the academy. Though I have stopped taking BJJ for a few reasons, I sporadically find free Sundays for Women’s Self Defense class.
Rene is a terrific instructor and person: he is knowledgeable, intelligent, patient, approachable, and articulate. He is passionate about MMA and it is very obvious in how he teaches. His classes have a clear and organized structure. Everyone receives individual attention during the class. All the lessons are conducted in a safe manner, considering the close-​contact nature of the sport. He will teach you to practice in the safest manner possible, to think on your feet, good sportsmanship, and great techniques. Chad is wonderful as well. He is competitive and he teaches from experience. Both instructors are encouraging and supportive, which is important when you’re a frail, little oompa loompa with no MMA experience.
As seen in the photos, there is a dojo etiquette and this so clearly illustrates the attitude at Radical MMA. Great sportsmanship and respect is not just preached at the dojo, it is practiced. The students at Radical are generally friendly and welcoming. There is absolutely NO hazing at this gym. I have never felt uncomfortable learning under Rene or Chad, EVER. The more experienced students are more than willing to pass on tips or to offer a word of encouragement.
As for my love for Rene’s Women’s Self Defense classes, there is no end to my affection. These are actually FREE classes and Rene volunteers his time to teach them. As well, other students often stay behind and offer their time to assist with the class (to pose as attackers and to willingly get beaten up by us women). I love these classes because they are practical, they bolster my self esteem, they teach me discipline, they are great fitness classes, they incorporate many BJJ elements (I miss BJJ very much incidentally), and they will always make me walk out of class proud of myself.
The dojo is brand-​new and freshly renovated. It is clean, the bathrooms are clean, and the showers are clean.
Want a concise summary for this wall of text? GO TO RADICAL MMA! YOU WON’T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE!

This review would probably be best for someone who has never done martial arts before and is shy, scared, or worried about wasting their time. Please read others review if looking for what the gym physically offers .
My background :
I have never had any material arts experience prior to attending this gym and as my cousin would say, I don’t have a single athletic bone in my body. My review is solely my opinion and what I observed.
About the coaches:
Coach Rene is someone who genuinely loves mma, and his passion for it stands out. He can teach and train for hours in flow helping students and knows-​exactly how to go about teaching the art. For example it shows his gym is open 7 days a week with multiple classes. That does not really say much, until I noticed that every class is filled with energy and he isn’t just laying back. I never felt like I’m in a class where I’m just wasting my time. — this stands out because I have been to Fitness gyms where i honestly wonder why people have personal trainers. I wouldn’t want to be led by someone who doesn’t care and is just going through the motions.
I may not have any martial arts experience to say what is right or wrong, but when learning anything it is important to be organized. That is exactly what coach Rene does. It seems as if Everything we learn is connected to something else and broken down with details. He will drill something until we understand it and help us along the way. If you don’t understand something, he will eventually help you understand it and become really good at it. Everyone will learn an know what’s going on.
Chad who also helps coach, is another version of Rene, another person who loves mma, training and helping. I was talking to another student and he mentioned how chad saw him practicing and just jumped in and helped hold pads.
You will feel more welcomed when you realize these are people who do this for the art and love of doing it and not for any other reason. At least someone who doesn’t have experience with dojos or fighting teams, it will make you feel comfortable .
The students :
The students are all welcoming and everyone will know each other. The coach will know everyone’s name, and you won’t be treated as a number. If someone doesn’t know you they will introduce themselves or wait for a chance too. It’s good when you know everyone because you feel more comfortable and open to work with others. I usually always need help and ya really nice that any student will be more than happy to help me. The students and the coach will spend extra time helping each other.
If anyone is shy/​scared don’t be, the strength of this gym I think (I’ve only been here two months) is their community and genuine love and passion for their art. If you truly give them at least 50% they will give you 100%.
I feel like I’ve grown and learned a lot of jiu-​jitsu and wrestling in a short amount of time at radical mma. I cannot beat anyone that’s been training there longer than me, but I’m happy with my progress.

From a recommendation from a friend, and won a private self defense lesson with Coach Rene Dreifuss at the Sex Worker’s Project fundraiser a few months ago. It was a great lesson. Coach Dreifuss is a patient teacher, and flexible in his lesson plan to accommodate the student. I learned some great moves in a real hands-​on active manner. And I walked in a complete NOVICE. I definitely recommend taking some self defense lessons here.

Radical is a great place to train! The atmosphere is great and everyone is extremely friendly. Everyone is there to help one another out whether it be with technique or a partner to spar with.
Rene and Chad are amazing teachers and coaches who stress fundamentals to help you build a good base for jiu jitsu so that you have the tools to become a great practioner.
The space itself is awesome. There are multiple floors to train and workout as well as a multitude of workout equipment to utilize. There are racks and free weights as well as kettle bells and plyo boxes etc…
Overall a great place to train jiu jitsu for mma as well as a great place to get in shape.

Coach Rene is an amazing teacher with a unique prospective on teaching martial arts. First, he is an encyclopedia of pugilistic information. All of the techniques taught are built around the idea of being useful for MMA or self-​defense. Techniques from sports BJJ that expose you to strikes are avoided. Training begins with the most basic techniques and moves outward to the more complex movements. The system is based around building on fundamentals, drilling and finally sparring. There is also a competition BJJ and MMA team for the experienced.
Having been to many martial arts gyms in the city, I can honestly say that this in one of the best in the city. The place is clean with showers, has lots of classes at various times and a motivated teacher to keep you learning. Rene enjoys teaching MMA and it shows. The spirit also permeates to his assistant teachers like Chad and his most experienced students. They are always helpful and looking for ways to improve your skill set. Don’t hesitate to stop by if you are looking for high quality MMA, BJJ or self defense training.

Coach Rene and Chad are amazing teachers. Not only do they have an actual plan they follow to improve their students, but every minute spent in his dojo is priceless.
Prior to coming to Radical MMA I used to go to another mma gym where it just seemed like they were making things up as they went along. I would go into my old gym hoping I’ll get lucky and we’ll do some actual useful drills. In Radical MMA I have yet to feel like I could’ve gone that day without coming in because every single time I come out better. Everything Coach Rene and Chad teaches you is useful, effective, and clean. So good, I actually tried everything I learned from my old gym on their other students and nothing at all worked.
Everyone treats each other with respect, which to me is a big deal, also one of the reasons I left my old gym. The respect shown to me is probably to biggest reason I like Radical MMA so much.

I’ve been coming here for close to five years on and off — more «on» than «off» lately.
I have a few injuries and I’m older than most students so the coaches make it point to push me as hard as they can while respecting my age and injuries. If I can’t do 50 pushups, no problem, do 75 squats. I don’t get a pass for being older and injured, but it is acknowledged.
If you come to a class, you’ll hear Coach Dreifuss say (at some point), «Jiu Jitsu is for everyone.» And you’ll definitely see that this is more than just a saying to him, he truly believes it. After a while, you will too.

Quality jiu jitsu for those with years or only a few days experience. Precise instruction with a very tough competition team. This is jiu jitsu for MMA, not sport jiu jitsu.
Huge complex (three floors) with tons of conditioning and Crossfit equipment. Wrestling, judo and striking classes are available too.
They should have an open mat available soon. Check the website for details.
Very nice and welcoming group. No meatheads here.
Osu!
(Edit: My wife and I both train here. We come together when we can, but we’re busy at times. But every time I come in, I’m welcomed like I’m returning from a long trip away. One time, Rene pretended to introduce me to my own wife. He’s a really nice and smart guy with a good sense of humor.
It’s a good place if for any level of jiu jitsu. Solid competition and skillset, but a very fun and comfortable environment. Assistant coaches are VERY good. You can learn a lot here.
One more «Osu!» Be expected to «Osu» a lot.)