Copa Jiu-Jitsu – Carlson Gracie Team

Similar to the other reviews, I cannot speak highly enough about Mack and the team he has assembled at Copa Jiu Jitsu — Carlson Gracie. Having no BJJ experience was a bit intimidating but upon arrival, I felt welcomed right off the bat and throughout the class, multiple members of his team leaned in to make my first class enjoyable. No matter what level of experience each student had, Mack made sure to both teach and push them — and I could tell the respect that everyone had for Mack. The mat was very clean as was the surrounding areas within Quad’s gym. If you are looking to join a team — do not hesitate to take advantage of a free trial class but be ready to be exhausted. The quote I remember most from my first day (which I completely agree with) was «it will be the best time you will ever have getting your a** kicked». I will be back without doubt.

Mack is really kind, informative, and patient. But he’ll also push you to be incredibly physically fit while learning new essential skills for self-​defense. Everyone in the gym is supportive and willing to teach you new things. I’ve only been to five classes, but I have felt included the entire time. This is a gym where you’re going to learn a ton without the macho MMA nonsense – they check the ego at the door.

I had the opportunity to train under Mack when he was offering no-​gi BJJ training at a secondary site. Although my attendance was at times sporadic due to other commitments and some injuries, I saw a significant improvement in my skills and conditioning in the time training under him. He consistently went above and beyond to help me improve. He has a great ability to help each individual learn the techniques and finds a way to make the skills accessible to each student — this is one of the marks of a truly great instructor. He also conducts himself and his school with integrity, and he fosters a sense of community among his team. I have nothing but respect for him and for the quality of the training he provides. His team of instructors is also superb. If you have the chance to train under him, I highly recommend it. Don’t hesitate. I have several friends who have taken his beginner course, and others who have also enrolled in his Rua Defesa (self defense) courses and full BJJ programs — and all have raved about the experience.

Great instructors! Highly recommended for anyone who would like to learn Jiu-​Jitsu. They offer a beginners class that’s a good way to get started. Or just start coming to the normal class too.

All the coaches are fantastic, starting with the head honcho Coach Mack the Knife. Workouts are tough on Saturdays but you will learn a lot in every class. They wash the mats after every class and there aren’t any stinkers in the classes so you don’t have to worry about staph infection. If you train here, be prepared to have fun, meet great people, and learn a lot of Brazilian Jiujutsu.

I’m not a regular member here however I have stopped in to train on a few occasions. I can say that I was welcomed to a friendly environment that included good solid instruction and clean mat space. I have met the head instructor multiple times and he has always been pleasant to me so I don’t agree with some of the negative comments on here. I’m only giving four stars simply because of my lack of regular exposure.

I’ve known Coach Mack for awhile when he was teaching bjj classes at other locations, so he has always come highly recommended. For women, BJJ is very intimidating. But Copa and its instructors make you feel less intimidated. Plus, there is a strong following of women who train here regularly. I recently started training here more consistently and it is an amazing workout, with world class instruction. If you want to learn BJJ this is the place to do it. Also, the kids’ classes are great as well. I take my friend’s daughter to kids’ classes frequently and she loves it. The kids actually learn something rather than some places that just give them a good workout to tire them out. I have never noticed the mats or any of the space for that matter being anything but clean. Overall, it’s a great place to train. Prices are reasonable and they have drop in rates as well. Come check them out!

I first met Mack the Knife when we studied BJJ under Carlson Gracie Jr. and Carlson Gracie Sr. at their world headquarters academy, where I continue to train and assist with instruction. Mack has since branched out and established his own academy, Copa BJJ, in the Quads Gym.
The most important thing to understand about Copa BJJ is that it emerged from Mack’s impulse to hand down something priceless — namely the BJJ approach of the late grandmaster, Carlson Gracie Sr. There are many BJJ instructors who develop their own spin on things, but Mack has gone farther in another direction — making himself a faithful conduit to the teachings of the greatest Vale Tudo fighter and BJJ master of all time. I remember Mack as a fellow obsessed disciple and it is no surprise he has become a dedicated teacher who has prioritized the preservation of our friend Carlson Sr.‘s memory and approach to BJJ.
Mack is the type who probably grins at the irony of drawing a paycheck because he really teaches out of passion. Mark my words: if you train here, you will get tough. Mack the Knife passes down the real thing and your second best will not be good enough for him, because God knows Carlson Sr. would have called you out for it in front of everybody.
Btw, one of the reviews below mentioned a problem with the mats being cleaned. I can tell you I personally have witnessed someone clean the mat after every BJJ practice I have ever visited.

Both of my children, 6 and 4 attend classes here and have learned so much. My daughter is generally not coordinated and I was not hopeful that she would ever participate but she has made substantial progress and loves coming to class. The owner at the front of the gym is not that friendly but he DOES NOT run the Jiu Jitsu so do not get turned off by him. The child to instructor ratio is great.

I was in Chicago during the past summer for an internship, and I was looking to learn some sort of self-​defense throughout my time in the city. I was planning on learning either Krav Maga or BJJ, as I had taken just a couple of classes in each prior to moving, and I had done a good amount of research that had suggested that these two were really the most effective self-​defense systems. BJJ is basically the core of MMA fighting and Krav Maga is an absolutely bad-​ass Israeli fighting technique.
This time around I wanted to immerse myself within one discipline, and so I started looking at various places to take lessons in and around the city. The first place I looked at was POW! Martial Arts as they had an assortment of classes, including Krav, and they were very highly popular on Unilocal.However, it was very expensive (would’ve came to $ 499 for the summer) and their customer service was very poor as my emails had been neglected and unanswered. Something about Copa caught my eye through their Unilocal reviews and so I emailed them, got a response quite quickly, and then decided to try a class with my cousins (first class is free). After that, I was hooked.
They had an 8-​week No-​Gi Beginner’s Program (two 1-​hr classes a week) for only $ 79, and so one of my cousins and I decided to enroll. Honestly… out of all the places I looked at, this kind of pricing was simply unheard of and unbeatable anywhere. Mack Daley, the owner of Copa Jiu-​Jitsu, is an engineer and his wife a doctor, so it is apparent he doesn’t do this for the money. The best teachers you find will be the ones that teach out of sheer passion, and Mack is one of them. The same goes for Jim, who used to be a middle school teacher and is also part-​owner I believe. They are also both patient and very clear, and will go further in depth if you have questions and desire the specifics on every single little thing like I did.
There were two instances where I had asked Mack after class for a short synopsis on how to defend myself from a certain position. He would then proceed to briefly show me certain moves on some of the other experienced students, but not only that, come the next class period he had incorporated what I had desired to learn into the lesson. He will gladly teach you what you want to know. There were only 5 – 10 students enrolled in the Beginner’s program and there were usually 1 – 2 other assistant instructors, so we got a pretty good amount of direct instruction. On the Friday after 4^th of July, I had been the only one that showed up, and they basically just taught me whatever I wanted to learn (triangle choke, arm bar, etc). Mack had trained directly under Carlson Gracie for a few years until he passed away, right alongside Carlson Gracie’s son. For an older guy, the dude’s a beast.
For their Beginner’s program, they place more emphasis on technique and on the lessons than they did on conditioning, which is exactly what I had wanted. If you start taking their classes outside of the Beginner’s program, conditioning is much more emphasized. Besides that, you get a very good amount of conditioning from that sparring itself that usually occurs towards the end of class after getting into the 3^rd or 4^th week of the program. Also, many of the higher level students have repeatedly placed in BJJ competitions. On their website it’ll show a list of all the competitions the team has won and placed in year after year. It’s really quite impressive, so if you have some experience in BJJ already as well as the desire to compete and win, this place is definitely worth considering.
Since I’m an engineering student and I’m back in school, I don’t get time to continue learning BJJ, but I will be continuing my BJJ journey this summer regardless of where I’ll be interning at. If I’m back in Chicago again, you can sure as hell bet I’ll be back here at Copa fully enrolled in their Gi program. Their environment is friendly and very conducive to learning. They don’t condone a macho, «I’m a tough-​guy» attitude, so if you are like that then look for a different place to be an imbecilic meat head.

Let me start by saying that I myself am a lifelong martial artist. I have black belts in judo and hapkido. I also trained in muay Thai for about 10 years. I have been to a lot of gyms both here and in Los Angeles. Out of all of them, this is one of the best environments you can train in. The mat is located in the back of Quads Gym, where we all meet to practice. This school is taught by Mack the Knife, legendary BJJ practioner who not only received his black belt from Carlson himself, but also has trained former UFC fighters Miguel Torres and Stephan Bonnar. Mack does not just bark out instructions to his students, he jumps in and demos things himself. He will also make sure to spend time monitoring the people drilling and rolling, coaching them on how to do techniques better. Gi and no Gi classes are both taught.
The only warning I want to give everyone is, this is a real dojo. Mack does emphasize fitness and will get your conditioning right, but this school is about learning jiu jitsu the old school way. Classes are about 2 hours long and are not for the faint of heart. You work hard, but you feel great after. I also have never joined a school so welcoming of new comers. When you join this team, it is like joining a family. Lastly, for any ladies reading this review, there are female students here all the time. I know in grappling, some women are not always comfortable rolling with men. Here, that will not be a problem. This may be the most diverse dojo I have ever trained in.
In closing, if you are looking for a great workout and REAL martail arts instruction, it is hard to get too much better than this. (This is not cardio boxing at UFC Gym) The best instruction, great classmates, well maintained mat and easy location to get to off of several buses and trains. The most important part is, becoming the best version of you if you want it. Come on down and roll with us!

My husband was participating in this program and I thought this would never be for me until I saw all the ladies on the mat and I figured I would give it a try. It was a life changer. A year later I am twenty pounds lighter and thanks to the careful teaching of Mark «Mack the Knife» Daley I am tougher than I ever thought I could be.
The school is very clean and the teaching is second to none. There have been some amazing clinics where other experts have come in to teach. As a female I feel really lucky that there are lots of ladies on the team who are super welcoming because I was a little intimidated at first. Apparently this is very rare to find in most or every school. I started with some of the free self defense classes and worked my way into the more sport oriented Jiu-​Jitsu. I still attend the self defense classes because they are awesome and my coworkers like to come too.
I highly recommend Copa Jiu-​Jitsu for the clean friendly environment and impeccable quality of the techniques and their teaching. Also the conditioning can’t be beat. 5 stars for sure!

This review comes from someone who started bjj as a fun way to get fit, and soon got completely hooked. Because of my zero experience in martial arts (unless you want to count one year of karate when I was 6 years old), I was very apprehensive and intimidated when I first went for a free class. Team Mack the Knife were so welcoming and got down straight to work, that I never stopped going. Six months later, I can attest that I’m in the best shape of my life yet– the killer cardio routine would blow any Insanity Workout of the water. I have picked up plenty of jiujitsu techniques. Mack is both kind and a determined teacher at the same time. The team mates have been nothing short of awesome! As a newbie I do get owned on the mat, but everyone I’ve sparred with has always taken time to show me the right technique later. Doesn’t matter if you are new to the world of bjj or if you are a veteran and just need a place to train, you cannot go wrong in picking this place.

When I began training with team ‘Mack The Knife,’ I had no experience whatsoever. Which means I was plenty intimidated during my first day on the mat. But I had no reason to be, because the team took care of me. With a strict and well-​enforced ‘no asshole’ policy, there are no ego’s here. We’re all on the same team. Both literally and figuratively.
I challenge anyone to find instructors with as much dedication and passion to the art of jiu jitsu as Mack, Jim and Stefan — and not only jiu jitsu but hapkido and judo, which they incorporate into their instruction as well. All of the instructors here are extremely technical, but know how to break things down so that students at all levels can understand.
Classes (both gi and non-​gi) are ample and able to accommodate practically any schedule. The mats are clean. Classes start on time and are well-​structured. And while you are learning a martial art, safety is given the utmost importance. Hands down, I’d recommend team ‘Mack The Knife’ to anyone of any age or any skill level. You’ll get in shape. You’ll learn how to fight. And you’ll make great friends along the way who will have your back on and off the mat.

This is a great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school. The head instructor, Mark Daley (aka Mack the Knife) is as tough and knowledgeable as they come, and is constantly bringing in other instructors for seminars, which sometimes include cross-​training in Judo and Hapkido. The level of training and martial arts education here is very high, and Mack excels at give each person individual attention and instruction.
The team itself is a huge part of what makes this school such an amazing place to train. I’ve been a member of more martial arts schools than I’d like to remember (ranging from excellent to dismal) and this school has an amazing sense of camaraderie. I’ve never felt so supported by teammates before — they really care about your «game» and your individual progression in the martial arts. There’s only one person at the school I don’t get along with (he’s a thin guy with short hair, really bad cauliflower ear, has earned his blue belt and is finishing up law school) but that’s only because I think he is unaware that he suffers from halitosis. But if that’s my largest complaint, then I know I’m in the right place!
The mats are impressive and support Judo training as well. Special attention is paid to wiping and disinfecting the mats after every training session is concluded, with the students themselves volunteering to maintain the cleanliness.
I feel like I have progressed and grown immensely as a person and as a martial artist since I’ve been training here. I’d even go as far to call this school my home away from home. I cannot recommend this school enough, even if you’re just passing through Chicago and need a place to train at for a day or two.

Hmmm… I don’t know what Jacob H is talking about. This place is a blast, and the instructor, Mack, is passionate about the sport and diligent about keeping the mats clean. He may be a curmudgeonly, barnacled geezer (in the best sense of the word), but that’s part of the charm — and he won’t let you accept second-​best from yourself.
Seriously, this place is incredibly welcoming and fun. The students are all true ladies and gentlemen, and Mack is an engaging teacher who really knows his stuff. He’s got a fatherly — or big-​brotherly — presence that I really like; but more importantly, he spends a lot of time on the minutia of the moves and the reasoning behind them. An engineer by training, he’s the Click and Clack of jiu jitsu — thorough yet entertaining, especially when the old stories about Carlson Gracie, Sr start popping out.
Drop in for a trial session. You’ll enjoy yourself, and you’ll meet some cool people. Come again, and you’ll learn a few things.
And the mats will definitely be clean.

Mark Daley’s Copa classes seem mediocore at best.
First, his training space is a fairly messy place… not professional at all. I mean, its as if he tried to put the space in order, tried to get things down nice and neat and make more space, but there is always crap laying around, a bit of a clutter to say the least. Once I even remember seeing a used jock strap and wrestling shoes and shorts lying on the mat, all wet with sweat, and then there are always tools on the nearby railing space, a dirty, unorganized desk and used gym equipment and dumbbells around and near the mat area, mirrors that could easily be broken, and a flimsy rope system that is somehow supposed to separate the mat space from the gym itself; total injury hazards! And not even on a single occassion have I ever seen Mark clean the mats with disinfectant… ever! Now, maybe he does clean the mats, who knows, but I have never seen it. Yuck! A huge potential for a staph infection for sure!
In general, Mack is not a person that exudes positive energy, doesnt keep his word, and not a person I care to be around and he will use people to get what he wants. I for one am glad I dont have to associate with him any longer.
What a bummer this place turned out to be… at least we can head on down to LA Boxing, located between Melrose and Belmont along Broadway, for a great boxing and MMA experience. Happy trails to those who dare.

If you are looking for a place to train when in town, or god help you if you live in Chicago this is the place. Go now. Stop reading this. Still readying? FINE.
I train at Marcelo Garcias, and am used to a warm family atmosphere at the hands of a pack of trained killers, but never thought I could find that anywhere else.
When I was in Chicago I was just looking for a place to get a workout and some rolls with new guys in but Mack welcomed me and showed me more in two days then I have learned at some schools i’ve been at for months.
With the combo of clear teaching, killer cardio, and stories about Carlson Gracie and Jiujitsu that make you want to stay on the mats all day I left this gym with new techniques, a place to train when I’m in chicago and a lifelong friend in Mack.

This is a superb martial arts school. Mack is an excellent instructor who knows how to motivate his students. He is passionate about jiu-​jitsu and always goes above and beyond to show techniques to his students. As a new student, I found it easy to get comfortable at this school due to the quality of the instructor and my fellow teammates (who will also go out of their way to give you tips and advice). From a business standpoint, this school is run exceptionally well and is very organized. Classes start right on time and frequently go past the cut off time, if you want to get additional training in. Also, Mack and Jim are good about communicating events and other school related activities to the students. I highly recommend taking a class, regardless of skill level or age — you will be hooked on this place!

Best jiu jitsu school, instructor, and members you could ask for! Cant say enough good things about this program. If you want to learn jiu jitsu for competition or self defense Mack will teach you everything you need to know. He is very passionate about the art and he will work with you on techniques that are appropriate for your skill level. Very intense and fun workout!