The IBJJF New York Open is set for April 20 in the big apple. With many academies representing some of the largest teams such as Alliance, Nova Uniao, Gracie Elite and Gracie Barra the turn-out is sure to bring much competition. Right in the middle of tournament season between Pan Ams and Worlds, learn with the team that has won every major tournament including the 2012 NY Open.

In order to prepare, Fabio Clemente and his team of instructors are inviting you to their GMA New York academy. The training is from April 9-18 and includes top competitors and instructors like Babs, the Iturralde brothers Francisco “Sinistro” and Leo from Alliance Ecuador. There will be two training sessions a day at the academy. You can read about the atmosphere here when GracieMag made a visit earlier this year.

The camp is open to any team, affiliation and rank. If you are traveling and need accommodation, you can pay $40 a night to stay at the Alliance house with other members of the team and camp. For the entire camp, pay $300 and for just a week you can pay $200.

The Alliance NYC academy is located at: 93 3rd Avenue 2nd floor New York, NY 10003.

If you haven’t registered for the NY International Open yet, you can go here to confirm your spot.

To reserve your spot at the camp, please contact sinistroiturralde@gmail.com

Fabio Clemente helps guide his students at GMA Alliance NYC / Photo by Erin Herle

Fabio Clemente is a leader for many aspects of the sport. He spread the art to places it hadn’t seen, gave opportunities to now top athletes and paved the way for many after him.

GRACIEMAG.com made a visit to his GMA academy on 3rd Ave in New York City this month. As the first Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Academy in New York, this upstairs nest is home of many champions from past and present.

Fabio Clemente is a black belt under Rigan Machado, coming up in the ranks alongside the Machado family. “I was a blue belt at the same time as Jean Jacque Machado,” he says.

After moving to New York and opening his NYC academy, Fabio became part of the Alliance banner. Not long after the move, the promotion to black belt and the changing of teams, Fabio took the responsibility of sponsoring one Alliance member to move from Brazil to the states. This athlete was Marcelo Garcia.

What you might not know about Fabio beyond his accomplishments and Jiu-Jitsu flagship in the states is his love for photography. In fact, he has worked in Paris for Vogue and many other prestigious fashion outlets. He has since put away the lenses once the digital era erupted and having kids, but he still maintains a strong eye.

After some time with Marcelo teaching at the Alliance academy, the split was made and the Marcelo Garcia Academy was born. Thereafter came another champion: Lucas Lepri.

While Lucas trained and taught classes, the academy helped create a competition atmosphere that only furthered the intensity for team Alliance on the competition mats. Lucas has since moved to teaching at the Alliance Headquarters in Atlanta, GA, but the intensity in New York still remains.

Black belt Leo Iturralde from GMA Alliance Ecuador trains with white belt at Alliance NYC / Photo by Erin Herle

Training at the academy finds people of all ages, genders and ranks. Black belts train with white belts, company is kept tight and the inside jokes are plenty. It is a tight knit family who welcomes any who buzz their door. Many students have been given the opportunity to teach at other places around the town and even at the main academy, allowing full-time focus as an easy option. Fabio maintains a strong lead but a soft hand as he treats his students like his own children– both of whom train religiously.

Check out this video below of the technique of the day taught by Fabio Clemente with his student and assistant, David Bass:

Don’t miss the photos as well. To learn more about the second Jiu-Jitsu academy established in New York, visit www.AllianceBJJNYC.com

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