Team Balance Pittsburgh

Filed Under: Featured Gyms • Pennsylvania • Pittsburgh (Added on Jan 15, 2009)

Tags: 15220 • Green Tree • Pennsylvania • Pittsburgh

Team Balance Pittsburgh is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  BJJ is a martial art similar to judo or wrestling – involving takedowns, control, and grappling. Matches end when someone submits or taps out. BJJ is great for self-defense, competition, or just personal improvement.

About Our Program

The founder of Team Balance Pittsburgh is Bobby Palumbi with head instructor Jimmy Cerra (Now a Brown Belt). Bobby and Jimmy are both competitive athletes who enjoy teaching and competing as much as possible. As a Team Balance affiliate, we can trace our jiu-jitsu instruction lineage through Rick Macauley and Phil Migliarese to Relson Gracie, son of Hélio Gracie. We are committed to providing the best training environment for our students.

About Team Balance

Team Balance is widely regarded as one of the elite martial arts schools in the world. Currently representing nearly 30 affiliates world-wide, the ever-growing network consists of 4,000 students, all of whom have been carefully selected through limited enrollment to represent the team. The exclusivity of membership fosters a familial environment that is unrivaled amongst competitors, and much sought out by those eager to learn from the best. Team Balance fighters run the gamut from average enthusiasts to world champion jiu jitsu competitors; some are professional fighters who have fought in esteemed mixed martial arts competitions like the UFC, while others have represented Team Balance at the prestigious ADCC championships.

What to expect at a typical class

Our general class structure begins with a brief warm-up consisting mostly of functional exercises. Then we proceed to practice 2-4 techniques in depth. We will often practice these skills slowly at first with progressively more active and realistic drills later. While repetition is important to develop proper technique, we provide variability over the week in order to prevent monotony. We may study a technique then later try it against a resisting partner during a positional drill.

We conclude every class with several rounds of live sparring called rolling. Trying out what you learn in class against resistive partners is an important part of jiu-jitsu. The intensity can vary from just 50% to 100%. We may start rolling from a neutral standing posture, from the ground, or from a certain position or situation. The key to rolling is to relax and having fun. Stiff or jerky movements can lead to injuries and bad technique. Flowing with your partner helps you to see open opportunities that you can exploit. Jiu jitsu is a chess match and should be trained with an attentive mind.

Some classes require a uniform called a gi. Other classes simply need comfortable clothing suitable for vigorous exercise. Jiu-jitsu is a great way to get or stay in shape and to release stress. Jiu-jitsu requires commitment and tenacity to reach the next level. It is up to you how far you really want to take your jiu-jitsu experience!

Team Balance Pittsburgh is currently located at Pittsburgh Yoseikan Academy inside the Parkway Center Mall in Green Tree.