Meet Sensei Sandy

My name is Sandy, and I run Sensei Sandy BJJ in Tannersville, NY. If you are looking for a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu sensei, my focus is simple: calm coaching, clear steps, and a room culture where beginners feel safe and known.

  • 1st Degree Black Belt
  • Teacher & Mentor
  • Safety First
Read My Story

Meet your jiu jitsu sensei (and what “high detail” means here)

Sensei Sandy coaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with a beginner first mindset and a high detail teaching style. Sensei Sandy BJJ runs out of a sensei studio above Main Street in Tannersville, where families train with structure, safety, and a community that recognizes you.

What moms notice in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensei led room

  • Clear safety language: tapping, pausing, and partner respect taught early and repeated often
  • Confidence you can measure: posture, balance, safe falling, and calmer decision-making under pressure
  • A studio that remembers you: no anonymous “drop in and disappear” culture

Evidence you can quote

  • Ages 8 to 18 average 7.5 hours per day on screens (AACAP, updated June 2025). AACAP
  • Kids 6 to 12: 9 to 12 hours sleep guidance (AASM advisory updated April 3, 2016). AASM
  • Exercise and youth mental health: 21 reviews, 375 RCTs, 38,117 participants, with reduced depression (SMD -0.45) and anxiety (SMD -0.39) (JACCAP, February 2026). PubMed

Want to meet your jiu jitsu sensei and see how the room runs before you commit to anything?

Train With Sensei Sandy

Book a Free Intro and meet your coach in person

Reserve Free Intro (No Pressure) Text with a question first

Beginner-safe first class

Calm, structured coaching

Clean mats and supervised rounds

Citable facts that support the mission

The IBJJF Graduation System (Dec 2025) lays out black belt degree timelines with minimum windows, including a first degree after a minimum of 3 years of proven black belt activity under IBJJF. IBJJF Graduation System PDF

A healthier off-screen day for ages 5-17 includes no more than 2 hours/day recreational screen time plus daily movement and sleep targets. Exercise is Medicine Canada

Sensei Sandy - Head instructor

More Than Just Techniques

"My approach blends structured discipline with adaptable connection. The precision of the art and the creative problem-solving required to apply it find their expression on the mats."

Structure & Safety:
Classes are planned, not random. Beginners have a dedicated lane to learn safely.
Ego-Free Culture:
We train to build each other up, not tear each other down.

What my coaching emphasizes

  • Calm instruction and repeatable fundamentals
  • Tap culture and boundaries first; tapping ends the action IBJJF rules
  • Beginner Lane pacing so new students do not get overwhelmed

The Journey

How we got from NYC to the Mountaintop.

The NYC Foundation

I balanced a demanding career with an obsession for the art. While working in the city I often trained 2–3 times a day. I'd travel between Noho, Bushwick, and Columbus Circle. That volume built the technical depth I teach today.

The Shift

During the pandemic, my partner and I relocated to the Catskills. My partner is local; I'm from the city. This pivotal shift made me reevaluate my career in hospitality and led me back to my true passion: teaching Jiu-Jitsu.

The Mission

I established Sensei Sandy BJJ to inspire transformation. My mission is to guide you on your own personal journey, helping you discover your potential and craft your own narrative on the mats.

"Sandy's teaching style is not only effective but also enjoyable. His passion for developing better BJJ is contagious, creating an environment that's both motivating and supportive."

Brad Waldron, BJJ Black Belt

Start Your Chapter

Come meet the team and see if we are the right fit for you.

Free Intro first. If it's a fit, Core Culture is $550 youth / $715 adult.