If you’re looking for a place to learn jiu jitsu, you have struck gold. The instruction is world class, but the real deal sealer is the atmosphere. You can train hard, feel happy, and make great friends all in this one, inimitable place. This is a true nonpareil of the martial arts community.

This place is amazing!! Great and very knowledgable instructors. Both the instructors as well as all the people there are so nice and friendly (I was genuinely surprised how friendly they were as this hasn’t been my experience at other martial arts gyms) which made it that much better. Clean and nice facility, big mat space, and they cleaned the mats thoroughly after. Highly recommend!!!

I have only been going here a few weeks, but I am already really impressed with the space. All of the people were super friendly on my first visit, the space was wide and clean, and one girl even offered to help me train if I had any trouble. Many of the bjj gyms I’ve been to in the past have been really sink-or-swim type of environment which I find really intimidating, so I really appreciate that this gym works hard to be accessible to newcomers like me, who have little background experience in wrestling or jiu-jitsu. They even have class only for white belts, as well as private instruction, which I haven’t seen at any other Bjj gym. The rates can be a little high, but I really don’t mind since the space is positive, and the instructors are high-quality.

Dropped in here to get some mat time while visiting NYC for work. It was awesome. I attended a mixed Gi class and a No-Gi class. Can’t say enough about the teaching and generosity of the instructors and other members. They made a relatively inexperienced white belt feel at home and comfortable. Highly recommend for all skill levels.

Josh and the folks at Clockwork are refreshingly warm people who know their bjj absurdly well. They are amazing teachers of technique, super talented practitioners, AND humble, encouraging, and kind to their students.I am a fourth degree adult female brown belt from LA so was a visitor to Clockwork for six weeks while in NY for work. I came to Clockwork via a friends glowing recommendation. Im hopeful for an excuse to go back to NY just so I can train with them again! I was challenged and well taken care of at the same time. I had a blast every time I trained with them.At Clockwork, the instruction was thorough and questions were answered patiently and with great detail. The facility was clean and safe, well lit, spacious, and equipped with showers, lockers, and restrooms for men and women. This is especially important when doing contact training like bjj. The response time for inquiries about classes was same day. Anytime I attended class, the students seemed very happy to be there. It was a generous and welcoming community. I am very grateful to Josh and everyone at Clockwork. Go check them out!

Ive been training at Clockwork for about 6 months. I did trial classes at about three other schools before choosing to train here. It was one of the best decisions Ive ever made. Its such an easy environment to learn and grow. Its the type of gym I can see myself still training at a decade from now. The instructors are meticulous about their craft, very approachable, and inspire a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The white belt classes are perfectly suited for complete beginners. Jiu-jitsu can be a lot to take in at first, and I think many people quit early simply because they get overwhelmed and have no idea how to digest it all. The white belt classes do a great job of introducing you to the sport by only focusing on two techniques each week. That way you can really take your time to explore the techniques and concepts before moving on to the advanced classes. I highly recommend this place to practitioners of all levels.

My kid started last December due to bullying at school and overall not being a physical child. Well, his confidence in the physical department skyrocketed and now hes considered an assertive kid. Clockwork is an awesome safe space to say the least. Staff is great and its a very clean place too. I highly recommend.

Had a chance to drop-in with the Clockwork crew (7a) during a short trip to NY. GREAT atmosphere, excellent instruction, super clean, down to earth vibe. Kyle was very welcoming and engaging. Looking forward to visiting again in the future!

Great group of people ! Kyle and Sebastian are excellent instructors. The curriculum is super organized and easy to follow .. I especially their focus on drilling as opposed to fitness. I highly recommend

What a fantastic school. As a visitor, I was struck by the amount of individual attention afforded not only by Josh but by other higher-level belts in attendance. This pays off enormously not just in tracking student progress, but in how each technique is drilled - if youre doing it wrong, the head instructor will catch it and help you. At other places, there is just too much going on for that to happen because the teacher to student ratio is too high. And like their website says, this is an ego-free community, which makes it all about learning. If you have the chance to train here, congratulations!

I was a student here at Clockwork Jiujitsu a while ago, but I got injured due to work, and I tried coming back, but injuries always followed me around. Josh always coached very well and is always in class paying full attention to his students. He’s a legit black belt with real knowledge of the game, how to compete and also how to be disciplined. He and his instructors always taught very well and gave all the littlest details on how to improve our jiujitsu game. This place is professional, and courteous, alwaysLooking out for students best interest. Very worth the prices and very high level jiujitsu

Incredible atmosphere, high quality instruction. Great place to learn/roll. Can’t recommend enough.

Friendly and underrated jiujitsu gym.I dropped in for a morning class and found the environment, curriculum, and team to be really solid even though I came in with no intentions of socializing. This is the epitome of sustainable training.However, I was pretty disappointed to find that I was the only woman at the time of drop in, and that the lightest other person still had 40+ pounds on me. That cant really be helped for the vast majority of jiujitsu places, though.

Ive only dropped in to a few classes here and Ill say this: Ive met incredible instructors at lots of gym. But what makes the vibe here is the whole atmosphere, not just good teaching.Looking forward to returning once my knee heals up proper, because this was one of the nicest group of people grappling Ive met yet.

I just started training here. The facility is clean, the staff is friendly, and the instructors are excellent. Classes always start on time. On my first day, I could easily tell that Clockwork works hard to cultivate a friendly environment where you can challenge yourself (and each other) and still have a good time.

Rolled here on Friday... really great group of people from top to bottom. Everyone I worked with had very kind words and solid advice for me (Im a white belt). Also, the gym was very clean. If youre looking for a place to train in the city, look no further. This is your spot.

Came here for the intro to BJJ class. Was very good. Great vibe, everyone friendly and helpful from students to instructors. Neighborhood quality as the kids classes were finishing up when I arrived. Locker room is nothing special. I’m not sure it fits my schedule yet but I’d recommend this place if it fits yours. I’m sure this school will be part of my future.

If you are in NYC and you already train or have never trained before, YOU MUST check out this academy. Its what Jiu Jitsu is all about: incredible technique, thorough patient instruction, personal attention, a close family of students, a welcoming attitude, and no B.S. whatsoever. You will leave feeling better than you did when you walked in guaranteed.

This is a statement that is on their website: Our instructors genuinely care about their students and are dedicated to your progress, well if I could, Id add that they genuinely care about their guest as well. I have a good friend who used to train in Los Angeles where I train (and live) and he invited me to train at Clockwork Jiu Jitsu while visiting NYC (my hometown). I expected the training to be top notch and it was (I learned so much while there), but what caught me off guard was how much of warm and friendly culture I experienced. I couldnt imagine a more convenient location, they are near pretty much every train and bus. Its also a clean and comfortable facility. I would like to specifically thank Josh Griffiths and Russ Kerr for being so welcoming and treating me with the seriousness that they treat their regular students, while I was there.

I had the pleasure of dropping in as a spur of the moment out-of-town visitor during a recent NYC visit, and really cant say enough about how welcoming Josh, Russ, Sebastian and the rest of the crew at Clockwork were. Very much enjoyed the session, which provided students opportunities to learn and drill some great pass sequences, practice live situational drilling, and roll in their very big and clean space - all in a very casual (in a good way) environment. Great students including lots of higher level training partners. Thanks again for allowing me to visit, Clockwork team! I look forward to visiting again during a future visit to NYC.

Hey Everyone, came to this gym yesterday. I was invited from my friend. The gym is large, has a locker rooms, showers. The instructors / owners Josh, Russell are friendly, warm. Students at clockwork are helpful to make sure you learn the technique right. If you want to learn Jiu Jitsu in Lower Manhattan this the gym. The prices are affordable compared to other Jiu Jitsu gym throughout the city.

You would be hard pressed to find another Jiu Jitsu school where the instructors provide you with the targeted and personalized instruction that they offer the Clockwork Jiu Jitsu.With the teaching style they employ, somehow it makes the group class feel as if it is a one on one lesson.If you are serious about your BJJ practice, this is the only school in New York you should even consider.

Went here on a Sunday for the white belt class and rolling.There were a couple of basic techniques which to me is just perfect. We were given ample time to do each technique and was given feedback.After that there was rolling.A very friendly and laid back bjj school. If youre in NYC, then be sure not to miss it!

1. Caring instructors2. Friendly and supportive culture(especially for beginners)3. Focus on long term learning and techniqueSigning up was a no brainer for me.

This place has everything you need. Clean mats, clean lockers, lots of black belts, lots of space for rolling, lots of different class times. I visited here for a few days and the staff accommodated my needs. The atmosphere is laid back and friendly, lots of training partners of all skill ranges. Definitely worth a visit.

Wow - what a great place! Teaching is excellent and the students are all great. I cant imagine a better school to learn and practice a martial art.

Awesome beginner-friendly environment.

I tried a BJJ class several months back and I really enjoyed it. Kyle Jackson was instructing the class and he made it very clear that we were there to have fun and not to worry about getting everything right on the first try. The welcoming atmosphere is fantastic for people who are new to BJJ and are nervous about attending their first class.Everyone was super nice and it was a fantastic class. My pet got sick so I wasnt able to sign up and actually ended up finding a school that suited me better as they offer Muay Thai and BJJ, but I highly recommend checking out this school if you are looking for an awesome place to train BJJ!

I was on a holiday trip to NYC, came across clockwork academy looking for a place to roll during my stay and they immediately welcomed me to their class and gave me a gi. Both Kyle and Josh were very welcoming and treated me as If I was one of their students. Amazing experience that I recommend to anyone looking for a roll in NY. Oss

Great BJJ gym in NYC. Was in NYC this past summer for an internship, and got a chance to attend a few classes and open mats. Instruction was top-notch, and the other students were great to roll with. Highly recommended.

Josh gave me all four of my belts after white. Thankful I picked the right place to invest my time.

Josh has created a special ego-free environment that accommodates all levels of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I love training at Clockwork and learning the curriculum.

Love Clockwork. Great Instructors, great training partners, friendly, clean and relaxed atmosphere. Best decision I ever made!

Clockwork Jiu-Jitsu is an awesome place to train. The instruction from Josh is second to none and training is great. Another great thing about this place it the friendly atmosphere. It starts at the top with Josh and trickles down to everyone in the room. You are made to fell welcome there from the door. Everyone trains hard and gets good fast but has a blast while doing it. I wanted to learn Jiu-Jitsu with a top notch instructor, get in fantastic shape and have a great time doing it and i found the place! Check out Clockwork.

Josh Griffiths offers a first-rate jiu jitsu experience.--The instruction is highly technical and easy to digest.--The facilities are well-designed and clean.--And, the community is an amazing collection of professional and creative types who all share a common love for the sport.Whether your goal is to compete in an international tournament,give your child the gift of self esteem,or to get into amazing shape,Clockwork is worth exploring.

The team at Clockwork is Incredibly positive and encouraging. This is a great place for kids and kids at heart to learn Jiu Jitsu, make new friends and learn to be a better, fitter and happier person.

Dropped in from out of town for a day. The instructors were helpful and classmates were friendly. Id highly recommend this gym.

Clockwork BJJ is a rare gem among the Jiu Jitsu schools, where friendly and ego-free atmosphere combines with high-quality training and instructions. The school offers a variety of classes that are designed to accommodate all levels of practitioners - from the very beginners to the competing athletes. Joshs teaching method is very structured and through-through, introducing continuity to the learning process. Techniques and positions are explained in detail and linked together, helping to understand the flow of transitions and options. All of the instructors are highly accommodating, and theres an overall emphasis on having fun, while learning and making progress. Its a school where everyone can find something for themselves to focus on, improve and enjoy.

This is my family! Ive trained at Clockwork for many years, having been blessed to reach black belt level. This is all because of the intricate knowledge of art, attention to detail, and high level instruction from Josh. And even in this world of martial arts and loyalty, I recently had to switch gyms to train closer to home and Josh gave me his blessing. If you are looking for the best BJJ instruction in the world, the best atmosphere, and a positive experience, look no further than Clockwork BJJ.

Clockwork has the perfect combination of dedicated, knowledgeable instructors, super clean facilities and a welcoming atmosphere. As an absolute beginner I never felt anything but comfortable. Highly recommended. If youre thinking about checking out BJJ, just pop in and theyll give you a gi to wear and a free class. I did it and I am very glad I did.

Entering with no BJJ experience, I did not want to imagine how challenging it might be simply to participate in a class. As friendly and knowledgeable as the instructors are and as wholesome as the environment is, I never had to imagine the challenge and was able to jump right into the flow and become a part of the Clockwork community. Simply the best BJJ school I could have hoped to find.

Laid back and a very open community. Perfect for the hobbyist or the competitor.

Five stars. Excellent instruction, friendly atmosphere and very high level rolling.

Im a 40-year old guy, mildly athletic. Ive been training at Clockwork for 9 months now. I love the positive atmosphere, wholistic instruction, and comraderie among students of all ranks. I wish Id found Clockwork years ago!

Checked out a couple places. Clockwork was BY FAR the most friendly and full of the nicest people. Did a free class, then signed up right after that class!

You only live once, so do Jiu-Jitsu at Clockwork and live regret free!

Such a great environment and top level BJJ, I recommend it!

Awesome place to train. Amazing atmosphere and equally amazing instructors.

Love this place! Great atmosphere! Excellent instructors.

Extra super friendly. Josh has dope moves

Clockwork Jiu-Jitsu has it all. Top notch instruction, friendly atmosphere, excellent location and clean facility. I have trained at many jiu jitsu schools, but nobody breaks down the sport in a simple and practical manner like Josh does. I see new students who have never played a sport before come in and a few months later they have excellent fundamental technique. He is just a wealth of knowledge in the sport, and in life. He has created a great ego-less atmosphere that is conducive to learning and growing. Theres no pressure at clockwork, you can make of it what you want...

Im not going to ramble on about how Clockwork, Josh Griffiths, and sport Jiu Jitsu have changed my life. All Ill say is that Ive been training for 4+ years, Im in great shape, and I train 5 days/week. I dont do this because Im some pillar of discipline. I do it because Clockwork is clean, the Jiu Jitsu instruction is top-notch, and the people are some of the coolest Ive ever met. So, come check it out. Best-case scenario? You become an athletic assassin, win every tournament, and forego a fitness modeling career to run for President. Worst-case scenario? You show up, meet some good-looking strangers, overhear some funny jokes, and learn about an amazing sport. Lets just agree its a win-win!

Really enjoyed training at Clockwork. Great instruction and great training partners.

Great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training! Excellent instruction and coaching.

Im new to BJJ, but trained in boxing for about three years. In that experience, Ive been in my fair share of martial arts gyms, and Ive always been frustrated by the showboating and intimidation that accompanies the experience of being a newcomer in most of these places.Clockwork was a completely different experience. I was thrilled to see that there was a Free class option online, so I signed up and within minutes got contacted via email by the founder of the gym, Josh. He connected me to a trainer, Sebastian, who I texted to set up my free session. I ended up scheduling for the same time as an existing class: not only did Sebastian let me join it (and focused on helping me with the gi and lessons), but he also let me set up an additional free personal training session with him! I was hooked right away not just by BJJ, but also by the culture of the gym. Everyone is very friendly, and always willing to teach newcomers the ropes. No one is impatient and everyone focuses on remembering each others names. In my first week, I took a Mixed belt class, where a purple belt spent all of his time making sure I was catching on. I felt a bit badly that he didnt get his best training in, but he seemed incredibly happy to be able to help me out. It was amazing.I decided to sign up for a six month membership and take personal training classes with Sebastian. Hes an incredibly committed teacher. He really teaches you the nuances and small changes to your form that make a real difference. He cares about what you want to learn but also makes sure you nail down the basics. He noticed I was a certain kind of learner and began tailoring my training to suit that. He even sends me write-ups of every move we learned in a session so I can review it when Im home! Thats a level of personalization that I havent experienced with my other coaches, and I now understand why everyone always says If you train with Seb youll be amazing! They make you feel like youre their core focus. Thats an amazing feeling.Clockwork is one of the best finds in the city. Theres no pretense or showboating. They are super responsive and willing to accommodate you (they let my friend come to a few free classes as well as she was gym-shopping). They constantly tweak your form and help identify errors - even when you dont think the change is that significant, all of a sudden youll try it and realize it makes a world of difference. The gym is very clean and they take pride in that (which is also critical in a BJJ facility). The trainers are world class, patient, and very disciplined. Everyone is friendly and kind, and I feel like Im making a ton of new friends in addition to advancing my training. I go about three times a week (2 classes per time) and will definitely be increasing it to more. I can not recommend Clockwork enough!

I have experience to train jiujitsu in some academy and I can highly recommend Clockwork for both experienced and beginner people.Instructors have well knowledge and physical technique so you will always be able to get clear answers to improve.Clockwork is located in the prime NOHO has high ceiling window and sun light. You can refresh doing jiujitsu after work.Last, you will be addicted to jiujitsu when you open the door of Clockwork and will change your life to bright like me.

Ive spent more hours training at Clockwork Jiu Jitsu than doing anything in New York. The first thing that I noticed about Clockwork and its head instructor, Josh Griffiths is the welcoming vibe. The atmosphere at Clockwork is fun and relaxed. People are having fun, learning Jiu Jitsu, and being fit. Its a cool place, different than what I had originally imagined a martial arts school to be.The level of instruction is in depth and Josh breaks down concepts and moves so anyone can do them. Im very pleased with the level of progression my body and my Jiu Jitsu has had after training at Clockwork for some time. After training for awhile my only regret is that I hesitated so long to start Jiu Jitsu. Actually going down to the gym and trying it out was one of the best decisions I made.

For those of you not familiar with the martial art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the cleanest definition that I can provide would be: The imposing of ones will over another through a series of techniques designed to manipulate your opponent in order to achieve said goalOk maybe that wasnt as clean as I thought... long story short youre grappling.The experience of grappling is a great and rewarding experience. It will teach you more about yourself than you ever thought. In the modern day world of the over -hyped and false achievement, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is straight truth. No gimmicks, no hiding. You tap people or you get tapped end of story. The primary key is keeping track of how you got there regardless of the outcome & learning from it.As someone who has been training in the art since 2009, Ive come to know what constitutes as a good Jiu Jitsu instructor, and ladies & gentlemen Josh Griffiths of Clockwork Jiu Jitsu is it.Sensei Griffiths has created an environment at Clockwork that is one of best types that one could hope for both newbie or veteran. Here are some key highlights:SIMPLICITYSensei Griffiths philosophy is simple, Jiu Jitsu is Easy, & with him it is. He takes the time to break down complex movements into efficient techniques that anyone can do.From a student perspective, understanding the Why over the What with respect to executing a technique was always a challenge for me in my early years of training, but since joining Clockwork in late 2011, my game has evolved to the point where I am really understanding the Why, and for anyone training Jiu Jitsu, this is so crucial.CLEANLINESSIll be frank, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not for people that dont like to get sweaty. Period. With that said, Clockwork does an excellent job at maintaining a very clean environment free of the typical locker room funk.They offer superb Gi(uniform) cleaning services, multiple showers in the men & womens locker rooms, and hire a cleaning crew to sanitize the dojo each night.EGO - FREE CULTUREAttitude is a reflection of Leadership, and the laid back culture perpetuated at Clockwork allows for everyone to enjoy an environment free of the meat head, wannabe MMA mentality that seems to populate in many dojos leading to unnecessary injuries.In addition, Sensei Griffiths easy going and humble nature really allow you to forget his extensive competition resume. The man is a student of the art and is willing to impart his knowledge at the drop of a hat. Add to that the fact that he spars with his students every night creates a whole new level of learning that most schools just dont offer.CONFIDENCE BUILDINGOne of the benefits of training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is that once you get past initial learning curve, you start to gain a level of confidence which translates to everything else in your life.When you train at a great school like Clockwork, your confidence sky rockets while your body weight plummets ;)In closing, if youre looking to get into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, save yourself the time and headache of training anywhere else. Make your first and only stop Clockwork Jiu Jitsu.

I spend about a month or two a year in New York and everytime im in town i go to Clockwork to train. its the best BJJ school for anyone who goes downtown to train at. its conveniently located a block north of houston on broadway. their space is a huge flat where you never feel crowded no matter how many people are in a class. its so big you could run laps in there.the gym is immaculately clean 24/7. there are huge windows that can be opened to get good airflow in the summer. the changing rooms are large and clean white tile with 3 showers so you dont have to wait 30 min after class to get a shower. they probably have the most mat space by square foot of almost anywhere in NYC and the mats are high quality mats built for jiu jitsu.the head instructor is josh griffiths, a second degree blackbelt under famed UFC fighter kennny florian. his accommplishments in the sport and tournament victories are too copious to list. most importantly he is a patient and approachable instructor who gives as much or more attention to new students as he does to those who have been there for years. theres no reason to be intimidated if youre a first timer. everyone is so friendly there its like youre a new member of the family.josh teaches the same lesson all week in the gi and no gi classes, so everyone gets it down pat by the end of the week. hes backed up by other quality instructors like cisco sebastian and russ who fill in if josh is outta town or for off hours classes. there are a number of other brown belts and a couple black belts who are there all the time to help with any questions anyone has. but josh himself teaches all the primetime classes so you get alot of face time with the head instructor, unlike alot of gyms where the main guy doesnt even know your name. if you have kids the kids classes are packed theyre so popular. its a great sport for kids and they have dedicated kids classes for the little ones.all the instructors and students are so friendly and supportive of each other. its like training with your friends. no body tries to dominate anyone smaller or less experienced than them. ive never seen a serious injury there and theres no ego like you find at alot of places where people get hurt and feel like they ahve to keep training to prove something. everyone is really careful not to hurt each other. you could just as well be with these people at a bar or bbq as be at the gym rolling around on the ground trying to choke each other. its a great atmosphere to train in.

I cant say enough about the things i have taken away from Clockwork, It is an amazing school with amazing instructors... I have been there for 3 months already and cant even start to explain how awesome of a place it is, all the people i train with weather a white belt, black belt or anything in btw have been awesome and super help no one in the place is beyond approach everyone is so super helpful and willing to put themselves out there to make you better. Josh is an amazing and attentive instructor who is willing to help you in any way possible to make your jui jitsu better. This is a great school with no b.s. you get to class and your straight into training, none of that other non sense of aerobics or what have you for 20 mins then only 40 mins of learning... you get it from start to finish. And the schedule is amazing, classes as early as 7am and up to 8pm now... This is the place to be... I wouldnt want to train any where else. Check it out you wont wanna go any where else. TRUST ME!!!

If you are looking for a safe, clean, and more importantly fun Brazilian Jui-Jitsu school then look no further than Clockwork BJJ!A few years back my tattoo artist told me about Clockwork BJJ and that I should give it a try. I have always been interested in martial arts and specifically Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. I enrolled into an introductory class and was hooked! Six years later I am happy and excited to train every chance I get! What makes me so excited to train at Clockwork?PERSONALIZATIONFrom the moment I began training I always felt a personalization in each class. Though we would learn new techniques we were encouraged to try what felt right to us, and to ask as many questions as possible. Even after class Josh, Cisco, Russ and Seb would always stay after to answer questions and drill techniques until we had no other option but to get better!SAFTEY & CLEANLINESSI have the highest respect for my Clockwork students and have always felt they have the highest respect for me. Egos are left at the door and safety is strictly adhered to. In any martial art cleanliness is also connected with safety, the school is professionally cleaned every night.COMRADERIEFrankly I feel that this is where Clockworks star shines the brightest. At Clockwork you will meet a spectrum of people across New York City. Being around Actors, Business people, Artists and Musicians has allowed me to grow as a jujitsuka and as a person. My Mental, Physical and Professional health has dramatically increased and I attribute it to the influence of Clockwork BJJ.

Ive had a great experience at Clockwork over the past 7 months or so. I went into it with no BJJ or grappling experience, unsure of what to expect. Sebastien, one of the instructors, spent 45 minutes showing me some techniques, and answered any questions I had.The classes are great. There are white-belt-only classes most days, which have a set curriculum for beginners. Yet many white belts stay for the mixed classes as well, where folks from higher belts are welcoming and willing to work with less experienced folks. Classes will go over the same (or closely related) techniques for a few weeks in a row, which is really effective for learning due to the repetition (versus doing a different thing every day). Theyve also just started blue belt classes, although Im not at that level yet so I cant speak to it.The instructors are great at breaking down techniques into different segments, and explaining not just how but why something works. This is important in BJJ in terms of gaining an understanding of the mechanics involved...its much easier to successfully apply a technique while rolling if you understand what makes it work (the pressure here, the leverage there) and mistakes to avoid.Ive found that the instructors (and students) take BJJ very seriously, which is great, but that there is space for a variety of types of students. So if you want to train 5 times a week, twice a day, and get really good, there are people who perform at a high level, and a lot of the students compete. But if you have a busy schedule or its more of a casual hobby or a form of exercise for you, its still a place to train...you arent treated poorly as a result, and the stronger folks arent going to break your neck when you roll with them.Finally, Josh, the owner and head instructor, and the other instructors are very knowledgeable, articulate, effective teachers, and nice people. They and the people who train at Clockwork are very friendly and welcoming. Also, while most students are men (I think thats true of martial arts in general), there are a number of women who train at Clockwork, including one of the black belt instructors, and from what I can tell (as a man, so of course take it with a grain of salt) it seems like a woman-friendly place.Im really happy with my experience at Clockwork. The only thing Id say is that if youre mostly looking to train no gi, this might not be the best place for you, since most classes are gi (there are multiple no gi sessions, but its not every day).

Clockwork is hands-down the best bjj school that i have been to. it is somehow simultaneously the friendliest, smartest, ego-free school that is also full of the best jits players that i have encountered. here is a short list of rad things about clockwork (many of which are echoed in the other reviews):- white belt only classes, so that you can learn the fundamentals without getting smashed by some big blue belt who wants to work on his kimuras or north south control. you can learn at good pace with other beginners.- tons of clean mat space in a beautiful 2nd floor location with lots of natural light. the school is really attractive and every photo taken in it looks great (i.e. good for instagramming (just kidding)). you can usually find room for a roll and people are very conscious of their space.- a large amount of students of varying skill levels and builds. this is really important! if you are a small person you can find another small person of your skill level consistently. if you want to roll with big, technical guys, clockwork has those too!- josh griffiths is a fantastic teacher. he is totally generous with his knowledge, which is deep and really technical. he has lots of nuances when it comes to particular moves that really help pull off a particular submission or sweep. you can tell these nuances arent from some kind of doctrine, but are from hard won experience and mat time. he is an experienced, decorated competitor who is great at helping his students achieve success at competition as well! which brings me to my last point...- the overall vibe. basically the heart of what makes clockwork the best gym is how friendly, fun, and non-meatheadish the vibe is. josh, as the lead instructor, sets a tone of dedicated bjj practice, but tempered with a lot of good vibes and humor. the advanced students are also really really helpful and can typically give you pointers on almost any part of your game. it is a casual, positive, and encouraging place.i cant say enough good things about clockwork! if youve ever considered training bjj, start here.

I visited a half-dozen academies in Manhattan before settling on Clockwork. I compared the schools on six categories and Clockwork won in almost every category.AmbianceThe first thing that struck me about Clockwork is the great ambiance. They have a second floor gym, with huge windows on one end. The entire school is one nice long room, with a welcoming seating area at the entrance by the windows. From there, while you are taking off your shoes and chatting, you can see the rest of the students training. You walk past everyone (along the side of the mats) on your way to the showers at the back, which gives you a chance to see whats going on up close, and say hello to people you know. The whole layout can be summed up as friendly, open, and welcoming. Compared to other gyms I visited, which often feel like dungeons or basements, Clockwork stands out.AttitudeThe next thing that struck me is the attitude. BJJ is inexorably linked to MMA, and a lot of people who train in it seem to have an attitude that theyre going to crush their opponents, even if its just their training partners. At some gyms, this left me feeling like I was fending for myself in a dog-eat-dog culture, where Id have to claw my way to each belt ranking. Clockwork, on the other hand, seems to specifically promote more of a team feeling even from day one as a white belt. You feel like youre training with friends, who share their best tips and tricks (rather than trying to keep them secret so they can win during training). If you ask someone to roll lightly, they actually do. It makes it so students can train even with light injuries because they know their training partners will respect the injury. Furthermore, the school has no rigid rules the some schools have. You can ask a higher belt to roll, you can adjust your gi on the mat, and youre on a first-name basis with the instructors.StructureAt nearly every other school I visited, the instructors seemed to choose random move of the day to teach. Clockwork uses a different model: they focus each week on a particular move, and they work on that move and drill it for the entire week to give you a chance to master it. I like this because it means I can come in each day knowing what to expect, and I can give thought outside of class to the move and really nail down the details of it to ensure its polished. For someone who thinks about BJJ as more than just a workout, this is a great way to train.CleanlinessOn my first visit, I was struck by how clean and stink-free the gym was (as opposed to some of the other gyms I visited where the smell of sweat hit me in the face as soon as I entered the building lobby). What really made Clockwork stand out was the attention to detail. For example, it was the only gym where I was loaned a pair of sandals to use when entering the bathroom. The place is just CLEAN.WarmupClockwork takes a very cool approach to warmups: they have you drill purely BJJ moves! Most schools have you run around the mats in circles to get warmed up, then do shrimping and falling exercises. Clockwork keeps the shrimping exercises, but replaces the running with additional relevant warmup moves such as knee passes and side control switching, etc. You definitely break a sweat doing it, and at the same time you get used to common movements in BJJ.DistanceClockwork wasnt the closest gym to me (in fact, one of the others is just 100 yards from my apartment). But it is accessible from both my home and office by two train lines and was worth the extra travel time to me.Overall, Im very happy to have found Clockwork and look forward to many more years of training!

Clean place and a lot of mat space