Alliance Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu NYC, New York

Fabio Clemente had a mere three months of training and four techniques under his then-blue belt when he won his first national Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament. Despite his beloved careers as a professional rower and an international photographer, he never lost the fire ignited by winning that tournament. Now as a black belt of many years, he brings his training to New Yorkers at Alliance Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu NYC, which he's led to four consecutive national and world championships. Students grapple in the traditional fashion, armored in loose-fitting gis cinched with a belt that indicates an individual's rank, and instructors reserve certain sessions for no-gi, MMA-style wrestling. Both combat methods empower students with the ability to harness leverage and momentum to effortlessly toss about an assailant while mastering physiology, psyche, and spirit. Ultimately, practitioners focus on immobilizing foes with devastating joint locks and the same intense stare Arnold Schwarzenegger uses to paralyze audiences into sitting still during his movies.