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My daughter is 12, shes been training MMA for a few years, I felt it was time for her to take training to a different level and BJJ is what she wanted to learn, I did a search, found Evolution, the next day I took my daughter for her first lesson, she loved it, and the following day my 5 year old son had his first lesson. Now both my kids are training. All it took was watching one lesson to see Evolution is where my kids belong.
You won’t find a better teacher, team mates, or environment to learn Jiu Jitsu anywhere else in the Hudson Valley. That is why people drive an hour + to learn here.
I have been training Jiu-Jitsu for over 23 years and I was pleasantly surprised to find a school headed by a top tier competitive black belt, Mike Palladino, to train at. Great people, great facility and world class instruction!
Fantastic gym great people!
Next level!!! Perfect balance of traditional BJJ and modern grappling. Mike is passionate and well versed in a variety of modalities. The energy in the gym is fantastic. Perfect for all ages and skill levels.
Great atmosphere great coaches all around great place!!!
EGA is a fantastic gym with classes excellent for both children and adults. Mike is a wonderful teacher and he puts 100% in every day. All of the other teachers are great as well, and the students are all super positive and supportive!
Pressure and Performance * Contributed by Black Belt and EGA’s Head Coach, Mike Palladino I hung these belts up in my closet the other day, and it made me think about all the grapplers I’ve crossed paths with while wearing each of these belts. One of the most unfortunate things I witness as a […]
*Contributed by Coach Rocky Skrelja The thrill of victory is what drives us to achieve. The feeling you have when you put a lot of work on a certain goal and succeed is unmatched as an athlete. You’re so focused on winning that the thought of losing is unimaginable. But in a sport where […]
Coach’s Corner * Written by Coach Mike Palladino I recently had the privilege of promoting Rich Murphy, aka “Murph,” to blue belt. Murph is 59 years of age, a multi-sport athlete, and a lifelong resident of Beacon; he’s old school cool! At age 56, and still in pursuit of stepping out of his comfort zone, […]
Coach’s Corner Coach Mike Palladino The name Marcelo Garcia is synonymous with BJJ. In the first decade of the 2000’s a quiet young man with a large smile burst on to the Jiu Jitsu scene. Marcelo’s Jiu Jitsu was ahead of its time, to many, he appeared to be from the future. After retiring in […]
On Becoming Coachable * Contributed by EGA Black Belt and Coach, Joe Pomarico In every major combat sport, from novice to the professional level, competitors rely on a coach or series of coaches for guidance before, during, and after competition. Competitive Jiu Jitsu is no different, and having an experienced coach is a necessity […]
Coach’s Corner *Contributed by EGA Black Belt and Coach, Joe Pomarico In every major combat sport, from novice to the professional level, competitors rely on a coach or series of coaches for guidance before, during, and after competition. Competitive Jiu Jitsu is no different, and having an experienced coach is a necessity which should not […]
Just. Show. Up. So you’ve done your research, reached out, had your consultation, signed the waivers, paid your first month’s tuition, and have maybe even purchased your gear. So what now? Get to your first class!! Now that you’ve made the decision to join us, we encourage you to seize the moment and just…begin! The mat […]
EGA Fishkill Did you know Evolution Grappling Academy can be found in TWO locations? We don’t just claim Beacon as home, but also Fishkill! Just 6 miles from Beacon, you’ll find us in the Dutchess Park Shopping Center (Ocean State Job Lot, Nature’s Pantry) at 1545 NY-52. Did you know that your BJJ membership includes […]
Coach’s Corner I started BJJ in September of 2007. Three weeks later I competed in my first tournament. I was a senior in high school working part time in the evenings at UPS loading trucks for less than $100 a week. Tournaments back in 2007 were $120 so I told myself “there is no way […]
Coach’s Corner Happy May! As we head into summer and turn the page on the cold weather and leafless trees, I wanted to check in with all of you and share some exciting news. Thanks to all of you, we’ve officially won ‘The Best of Hudson Valley’ in TWO different categories! We’ve won ‘Best […]
As exposure to mixed martial arts has increased over the years, so has interest and intrigue into the world of grappling. From wanting to learn a new skill, find a new hobby, try a new way to exercise, find some camaraderie, people are looking for and finding their way to the ever increasing number […]
Coach’s Corner * Contributed by Coach Rocky Skrelja We often hear about martial arts being a great way to cultivate yourself and strengthen your character. We also separate Boxing from martial arts because it is a sport, however boxing is a martial art and can provide the same character building aspects as traditional martial arts. […]
Leg Entanglement Sequence Drill * Contributed by EGA Black Belt, Joe Pomarico Greetings Tribe, I’ve been asked on numerous occasions what it’s like to train jiu jitsu and the most accurate analogy which comes to mind is a ‘physical game of chess.’ In both BJJ and chess we cause our opponent to react with […]
Developing Confidence A dive into Dr. Nate Zinsser’s book The Confident Mind. Follow this series to learn from where confidence stems, how to cultivate confidence in your life, and how this translates as a student of Jiu Jitsu. Contributed by Matt Smith* This is the second in a series of posts on the concept of confidence […]
Back Control This video may be an oldie, but is definitely a timeless goodie! So through technique, a scramble, or maybe even a miracle you have found yourself on the back of your opponent. Now what? We need some hooks, a solid harness, effective head positioning, and a plan of attack. Mike Palladino breaks […]
Coach’s Corner My martial arts journey started in 1988, when I was 10 years old. After being ruthlessly bullied by kids in my neighborhood, my mother enrolled me in a local karate program to help me build confidence and discipline. Through the years I’ve trained in karate, Aikido, Jeet Kune Do and for the […]
Allowing Our Kids to Watch Us Grow! Contributed by Nickie Smith Five years ago, my youngest boy (we have three boys and one girl, ages 13, 11, 10, and 8) stepped into his first BJJ class at EGA. He fell right into place and it became just a natural extension of his being. After watching […]
Coach’s Corner The new year is upon us! I’m very happy and grateful for a fantastic 2022 with our tribe and I’m looking froward to another great year in 2023. Our students make EGA the community that it has become and I couldn’t be more thankful. We have a lot of exciting things to […]
Developing Confidence A dive into Dr. Nate Zinsser’s book The Confident Mind. Follow this series to learn from where confidence stems, how to cultivate confidence in your life, and how this translates as a student of Jiu Jitsu. Contributed by Matt Smith* What is confidence? Merriam-Webster defines confidence as, “a feeling or consciousness of one’s […]
Conditioning for BJJ Part 1 – “Most of the Year Training” Contributed by Lou Torres Conditioning sessions should not replace your Brazilian jiu jitsu sessions; nothing beats Brazilian jiu jitsu rolling sessions and drills. I understand time is limited, so if you have to choose between going to the gym for a Brazilian jiu […]
Coach’s Corner * Contributed by Coach Nick Spencer I’d like to take time to talk about the importance of training partners. Without our training partners we literally cannot do jiu jitsu. This is something that we know and understand but although jiu jitsu is an individual sport, it takes a team to build a champion. […]
Coach’s Corner I am frequently told by both students and parents about their experiences regarding the benefits of Jiu Jitsu. There are few things that make me feel more fulfilled as a teacher and practitioner than these success stories. Recently a parent, whose child had been enrolled in Jiu Jitsu a couple of years ago, […]
Back & Leg Training for BJJ Contributed by Lou Torres A few weeks ago we brought you So You Want To Lift? where Coach Lou broke down strength training exercises, and their relationship to BJJ, for the entire body. This week Lou sits down to specifically address legs and back. While your legs and […]
Coach’s Corner Practice and the Importance of Approach In 2015 I read a book called Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Dr. Anders Ericsson. Ericsson, coining the term “Deliberate Practice,” was the world’s leading expert on “experts.” In his research he identifies two major types of practice of which I’d like […]
“Off the Mats” is a series dedicated to enhancing your BJJ game…off the mats! From strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, to injury prevention and rehab, we will share ways to improve yourself and your BJJ game from many different aspects of life. So You Want to Lift? Contributed by Lou Torres* There’s […]
Escapes From Turtle Grapplers of all levels find themselves in the bottom Turtle position from time to time. As a primary position in BJJ, we need to have a solid plan of escape when our opponent starts securing a Front Headlock. Mike Palladino goes over two effective escapes from Turtle; the Arm Reversal […]
Coach’s Corner Hello Tribe, July was an action packed month for us! We had an amazing day for promotions down by the river on July 16th followed by a seminar by my Coach, Rafael Formiga. Our promotions at the water front saw the promotion to black belt for 4 incredible individuals. Al, Joe Pa, Billy, […]
Let’s Talk Competition Prep! Have you ever competed or thought about doing so? For our very first Feature Friday, we hear from active competitor and Purple Belt, Ashley D’Aversa. Ashley shares what the weeks leading up to competition look like for her and shares some encouragement for you! Contributed by Ashley D’Aversa* Competition is […]
Coach’s Corner Promotion = Progress. As a coach, it is such a rewarding feeling and experience to oversee the development of an individual from the very beginning of their journey all the way through their advanced development. A promotion in rank is a marker of your progress and development. Whether you’re being promoted […]
“Off the Mats” is a series dedicated to enhancing your BJJ game…off the mats! From strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, to injury prevention and rehab, we will share ways to improve yourself and your BJJ game from many different aspects of life. Contributed by Lou Torres* Going into the summer months we naturally […]
Coach’s Corner Hey Tribe, I am happy to announce the start of a monthly EGA Newsletter to keep parents and students up to date with current events, future events, and announcements. We have an environment filled with dedicated and disciplined hard workers ranging from young children to adults. I’d like to use this as […]
Every year, the American Heart Association celebrates Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and heart health. What you may not know is that martial arts are great for the heart. In fact, the cardiac benefits of martial arts give a whole new meaning to the idea of cardiovascular fitness. With that in mind, […]
Sunday Morning Open Mats at Evolution Grappling Academy are a training staple of the week for many local grapplers. The weekly Open Mat features some of the best training in the region. On average, roughly 60-70 grappler’s of assorted ranks, from a variety of different teams, affiliations and regions find themselves on the mats at […]