Training Grounds Jiu-Jitsu & MMA

I signed my then 5 yo son up for Training Grounds in November after a friend of mine suggested I give BJJ a try over Tae Kwon Do; (I had told him I wanted my smaller sized son to at least be able to defend himself if he were ever confronted physically and was told this was more effective.)
The first thing you notice is how amazing Master Wil is with children. Other than not wearing a uniform, you really can’t tell who the new kid in class is because he makes sure to include everyone. My son left the first class extremely happy and confident, and already couldn’t wait to go back. That was 5 months ago, and he still loves it; he’s never asked to take a day off (unless he was sick), or refused to go, like he’s done with other programs we’ve tried.
I’ve noticed his personality truly blossom in the time we’ve been a part of this gym… where he used to keep to himself at school, or prefer to be with just one close friend, now he’s friends with everyone in his class, he speaks louder and more confidently, he’s smiling a lot more, has become much goofier, and his overall persona has become much more peaceful.
My favorite part of it all are the monthly «life skills» they learn; the first was control, then courage, and this month they are being rewarded on courtesy. It makes such a difference in his day to day activities, he actually strives to master each of the skills, and looks forward to the next. As a parent, it’s been an amazing tool to encourage better behavior.
I can’t say enough about the school, Master Wil and the other coaches in the class. They love what they do, and they genuinely care about the kids.
Would recommend to anyone!

For the sake of transparency, I’ve been training at Wil’s academy for four years now. It wasn’t until just this evening that, while trying to recommend the place to a friend, I discovered that it has a five star rating on Unilocal.Not that I was surprised, training grounds has the best instruction in Northern Jersey. Wil has a great eye for detail and an INSANE knowledge of the art. He’s also a complete beast on the mats and definitely «walks the walk.» Despite this, he has somehow managed to remain one of humblest people I know. He has a really open mind and is willing to meet people where they are at.
If you are looking to try out jiu jitsu, or are an experienced practitioner in search of some place to train, make sure to check out Training Grounds!

I am sure this is a decent place for people to get a good workout, and it’s good to see that people really enjoy coming to this gym, but for a person who has practiced BJJ for years under the Gracie style, I can say that this is not the best place for BJJ. The instructors are nice enough, but the ratio of student-​to-​teacher is way off. There should not be 20+ people in a BJJ class (that might not always be the case, but it was when I attended a couple of times). Also, you should note that their style of BJJ is not very traditional, which could be a good or bad thing depending on your opinion.
I’m not saying people shouldn’t come here — the people are really nice, and the gym seems well taken cared of. It might just be a difference in how I think a BJJ class should be taught versus how they actually do it here. I’ve definitely been to better places to practice BJJ. If you’re serious about learning BJJ and are not just there for a workout, consider these things before joining.

The Training Grounds is exactly what every MMA gym in Northern NJ should strive to be. Wil, the founder and owner, is very knowledgable, yet remains very approachable to each student. I am not new to either fitness facilities or martial arts systems. However, I am somewhat on the newer side to Jiu-​Jitsu. When it comes down to instruction, Wil absolutley makes sure to break movements and patterns down so they are performed correctly and safely. I still consider myself a new student, as I have not been able to dedicate the time needed to comfortably master techniques. However, I can see where the Training Grounds will excel vs. other Jiu-​Jitsu schools in helping anyone looking to improve their ground game, whether if you are a Chuck Novice or Norris. The facilities are very clean. Prices are excellent for the instruction and service you will get in return.

The gym, gets boring and unmotivational, very fast. A good friend of mine, who’s been going to Training a Grounds for a while, suggested I tried out if I’m looking for a good work out and motivation. I was very hesitant, as I never did such a sport before. The minute I walked in, absolute comfort from the owner, coaches, and members! I’ll be honest I was going with the mentality that I just want to get a good workout in. Later on, I became more enthusiastic to learn the skills and understood as a result, a fit physique will follow. I highly recommend it here. I drive 45 minutes everyday to go train, so believe me if I didn’t like it here I wouldn’t bother to drive the distance.

I joined a couple months ago. The staff is excellent. Professor Will and Coach Jordan are great teachers. They both do a great job of making you feel welcome and are very detailed oriented.
You can tell that everyone who is at Training Grounds has a true passion to learn and will do their best to help you even if you have no experience in martial arts.
If you want to get into great shape and at the same time learn how to defend yourself then this is definitely the place to be.

This is the first experience I ever had with any type of self defense school and I think that others should follow the example led by Training Grounds.
The staff and the facility are top of the line. Very clear gym, well maintained equipment all complimented by a very friendly staff. The school is headed by Master Wil, who simply loves what he does and it shows everyday you work with him. He has a true passion for the sport, and for his students. He exemplifies care and attention to detail to ensure everyone feels welcome and learns the fundamentals in a friendly and well controlled atmosphere.
What really opened my eyes about this place was how devoted the staff are to their students. Not only during class, but the follow up if you have any questions about the material in class, your diet, your exercise or in general about physical fitness. Master Wil and his team have so much to offer and are genuinely devoted to give you the best possible experience. While there, I had a muscle sprain and the amount of support from the staff was so unbelievable. They called to make sure I was ok, offered rehabilitation advise and helped me return as quick as possible to the class. I cant tell you how much fun you will have and how great you will feel about your self and about getting in shape. They offer a great trial program so you don’t get in over your head and know exactly what to expect if you want to sign up.
All in all, if you are looking for a place that is fun, physically and emotionally rewarding, give this place a try, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. No matter what age, what physical shape, this place has room for everyone!

I have had the privilege of training at Training Grounds for the past two months. The thing that impresses me most is both the attention to detail that the instructors show but also the patience of some of the higher level students while they are training with beginners. It really has been a great experience and both Prof Will and Coach Jordan have been excellent teachers. I would have never thought that I would take up BJJ at 44 years old but I am having a blast, learning a ton and getting into great shape! I would highly recommend this school

I started training here in January 2014. I had trained for ten years at two different Tae Kwon Do styles, in NYC and Rockland County NJ. Both were great, but after obtaining my second degree black belt, I was looking for a change.
Training Grounds (TG) offers a thirty day free trial — come to whichever classes you like (they offer both jiu-​jitsu and muay thai/​kickboxing) and if you like it, you sign up. Of course, they offer incentives, in both pricing and a free uniform, if you sign up earlier. The price was comparable to what I was paying at my prior schools.
The school is located in an industrial-​type building — but inside, they are going high-​tech. The instructor will teach a move that we will be working on that day and it will be taped — and then it runs on a loop on several large screen tv’s around the school. So, you can look up at any point to make sure you are doing it right. The instructor/​higher belts are also walking around checking on everyone and instructing, but it helps if you have a question while they are not right next to you.
The instruction (in my limited experience to date) appears to be top notch. Will Horneff is the owner and head instructor for the jiu-​jitsu classes. He teaches in an easy to learn, step by step format for the general instruction, but always tweaks your actual moves as he comes around to the students based on problems that arise, body size discrepancies, etc., and adds options and advantages which you can use. The class is high energy and, in addition to learning a new style, you are sure to lose weight (a plus for me!).
Everyone at the class is very cool — I am in my early forties and in the adult classes there are young kids (14ish and up — selected based on their maturity and ability to handle the adult classes) up to late 50’s (and possibly older). Everyone is willing to assist and help the less experienced students progress — I have not experienced any «muscleheads» here — tough guys looking to beat up on the newer students — and I get the impression that such attitudes would not be tolerated.
I like the kickboxing as well — that falls right into my prior experience, but there is still a lot to learn, and I enjoy the sparring which includes aspects of both disciplines (i.e., start standing up, but if you can get the takedown, use your new found jiu jitsu skills).
You first start out in the foundations class — after some point (I am not there yet, but probably close), if you want and if you are ready, you get selected to the advance (called CAP) program. I can tell you that, having watched the end of the CAP classes as I wait for my foundations class to start, I just hope that one day I have that level of energy to be able to «roll» for 35 – 45 minutes in a row.
Finally, the facility is kept very clean, which is tough with all the hard core workouts and sweating that goes on.
I would highly recommend this school for anyone looking to learn jiu-​jitsu and kickboxing.

Our 5-​year old son thoroughly enjoys going to Training Grounds 2−3x per week! Almost a year later, he still LOVES it!
Will Horneff is absolutely amazing with his students. He has a great deal of patience and commitment with the younger set. He engages the students with fun drills, he is hands-​on teaching and guiding them to perfect their techniques the correct way.
We truly appreciate how he takes the time to incorporate real life situations into the class, too (i.e. bullying, stranger danger, family first, team work, compassion, 100% effort, to name a few).
Will and his superb staff makes everyone in class feel valued. My son leaves class every week with a new found confidence. Makes us so happy to have an influence like this in our child’s life.

After being discharged from the military with a black belt in a military mixed martial arts program I was looking for a quality gym to continue my training in BJJ and MMA. When I heard about Training Grounds I decided to give the 30-​day free trial a go. I signed up the first day. Wil Horneff and the staff here really make you feel welcome and their coaching and teaching style is the best quality instruction I have had. Not only has my game gone up but also they have helped my transition into the civilian world a smooth one. Whether you are a beginner or a black belt I would recommend training at NJ Training Grounds.

Training Grounds is the premier BJJ/​MMA academy in New Jersey. I am a purple belt under Professor Wil Horneff and have been training BJJ on and off, due to work, for roughly 5 years. Wil’s instruction is second to none and the personal attention he dedicates to each of his students shows his commitment to their growth and success. He has developed a cutting edge BJJ curriculum that systematically teaches techniques in the order they should be taught; he does not just pick a random move out of thin air to teach for the week. The atmosphere is great also, there are not any «clicks» and nobody has an ego, we consider ourselves a family and welcome new members. I highly recommend Training Grounds, if you are interested in BJJ/​MMA this place is 100% worth visiting!

This spot is the BEST BJJ school i have been to. Will the instructor is a legit Black Belt with excelent teaching abilities. The atmosphere is great and everyone is always willing to work with each other. No one has ego or attitude. Everyone is there to learn, Not be annoying meat heads. Better then i expected from the first day i walked in. Been hooked since. Try to go at least 3 – 4 days a week. Will makes every attempt to add extra scedules to accomadate all students who are willing to make the extra effort to come and learn. Wether its 2 – 20 students for that class.

I have been training here for about 2 years, It is an excellent school with great people and excellent instructors. The academy is kept spotless, and is a very friendly and positive atmosphere. See there reviews on google, it’s a great academy.