BJJ on the Road: Bernardo Faria Academy
The acclaimed grappler has planted his flag in the Northeast, opening his school and sharing his knowledge.
Over 20 years after the initial days of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s presence being made in the U.S., we’ve seen more and more gyms opened by some of the biggest titans of competitive submission grappling all over the country. Names such as Marcelo Garcia, Bruno Malfacine, Hannette Staack have all opened their schools to usher in the next generation of practitioners.
Earlier this year, it was Bernardo Faria’s turn. After an immensely decorated career, he’s finally opened a place of his own earlier this year, carving out his own space just outside of the Boston area. After getting through to some mutual contacts, I was fortunate enough to visit the school and meet the man himself.
The academy is a converted house, a location that may not stand out by its outward appearance. Once you step inside, the place has plenty of polish with a minimalist touch.
Once inside, the main training area is a no-frills mat in a spacious training area. The changing rooms are of a reasonable size, and the restrooms are ample with a decently sized parking area outside.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by Aaron, his front desk main man. After the obligatory waiver, I met the man himself, got changed, and was ready to get to training. Fortunately for me, none other than Bruno Malfacine was in town, shooting an instructional video series and holding a seminar that weekend. A guy can only have so much dumb luck.
Malfacine was very focused as an instructor, keeping a high level of attention to detail. For his part, Faria was overseeing carefully and assisting students during the drills. Occasional interjections were made, keeping the atmosphere jovial and with lots of helpful points being made.
The main starting point of the seminar was centered around passing De La Riva guard, troubleshooting the most common opponent reactions, and working your way to either the back or other submission options. Not exactly fancy stuff, but with all the minutae covered to provide maximum effectiveness.
As for the people there, it was what you come to expect in any great place. Lots of cooperation and generosity all around. You know that the training environment just as nice whether there’s visitors or not. After training, Malfacine did one on one sparring with some of the higher-level guys, followed by a Q&A session. Bruno delved into his mindset for training and what led him and Bernardo being champions, plus the building blocks for competition success. Then it was time for the usual cheesy photos with the participants.
Also, Malfacine was kind enough to grant me an interview afterwards, which you can check out here if you missed it.
Faria is clearly proud of the place, and he should be. The school’s in a nice area, and you know there’s world-class instruction in a simple and accommodating facility. He’s got enough to keep him busy these days, but it’s clear he’s put a lot of work into it. All in all, be sure to carve some time out of your schedule if you’re visiting, or stopping by for a tour if you live in the region. He’ll even take a picture with you. No, seriously:
Faria even has a brief tour of his place available on YouTube as well.
For more information, you can visit the website at BernardoFariaAcedemy.com. Be sure to also check out his projects at BJJFanatics.com and find a wealth of instructionals and other training items.
*Big thanks to Bernardo Faria and his crew, Bruno Malfacine, and the folks at BJJFanatics for putting it all together.