During the last Austin Throwdown, a highly respected Bullie (Zapruder) and BJJ brownbelt mentioned a local jiu jitsu instructor, Charles, who is employed by the Martial Arts Center of Austin (MACOA). Apparently Charles claims to be a blackbelt in BJJ affiliated with Alliance.
http://www.martialartsofaustin.com/
Zapruder also indicated that Charles answers the phones and teaches jiu jitsu classes at MACOA, but becomes very evasive when asked about his training, experience, and the like, referring the questioner to the bio posted on the school website. There are no bios on the MACOA website. In fact, their website is barren of any actual claims, instructors' names, lineages, backgrounds, etc.
Google reviews from students refer to Sensei Charles as the instructor of "combative science." There are no yelp reviews.
Videos posted on the MACOA site indicate that some of the arts available include kobujutsu, modern sentojutsu, Japanese ju jutsu, aikijujutsu, tai jutsu, and "ne waza." One, uploaded to youtube in 2007, is found here: http://youtu.be/QZI7q4wtlTg
Better grapplers than I can assess their skill with more credibility, but as a bluebelt with five years on the mats, I was not impressed by the two blackbelts doing the no-resistance demonstrations.
I'd be posting screen shots of their whole website here for posterity's sake, except I am on a notbook with a microscopic screen and it's just not worth it at this point. When I get to my office with the big flatscreen I'll do all the screen grabs. Suffice it to say that the website discusses classes available in gi and nogi grappling, submission wrestling, aiki jujutsu, catch wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, and photographs show children and adults competing at NAGA tournaments and adults wearing Brazilian jiu jitsu gis. Their announcement page promotes local Brazilian jiu jitsu tournaments.
As it turns out, I have two friends who take classes here, so I should have some insider info (except I foresee possible issues should I want to attend some classes there "undercover.")
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I'm adding this screen shot because I could catch the relevant image -- the guy on top holding kesa gatame is wearing a BJJ gi, though with wrestling shoes, and appears to be wearing a black belt. Could be a JJJ black belt.
Anyway, the investigation begins.
http://www.martialartsofaustin.com/
Zapruder also indicated that Charles answers the phones and teaches jiu jitsu classes at MACOA, but becomes very evasive when asked about his training, experience, and the like, referring the questioner to the bio posted on the school website. There are no bios on the MACOA website. In fact, their website is barren of any actual claims, instructors' names, lineages, backgrounds, etc.
Google reviews from students refer to Sensei Charles as the instructor of "combative science." There are no yelp reviews.
Videos posted on the MACOA site indicate that some of the arts available include kobujutsu, modern sentojutsu, Japanese ju jutsu, aikijujutsu, tai jutsu, and "ne waza." One, uploaded to youtube in 2007, is found here: http://youtu.be/QZI7q4wtlTg
Better grapplers than I can assess their skill with more credibility, but as a bluebelt with five years on the mats, I was not impressed by the two blackbelts doing the no-resistance demonstrations.
I'd be posting screen shots of their whole website here for posterity's sake, except I am on a notbook with a microscopic screen and it's just not worth it at this point. When I get to my office with the big flatscreen I'll do all the screen grabs. Suffice it to say that the website discusses classes available in gi and nogi grappling, submission wrestling, aiki jujutsu, catch wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, and photographs show children and adults competing at NAGA tournaments and adults wearing Brazilian jiu jitsu gis. Their announcement page promotes local Brazilian jiu jitsu tournaments.
As it turns out, I have two friends who take classes here, so I should have some insider info (except I foresee possible issues should I want to attend some classes there "undercover.")
I'm adding this screen shot because I could catch the relevant image -- the guy on top holding kesa gatame is wearing a BJJ gi, though with wrestling shoes, and appears to be wearing a black belt. Could be a JJJ black belt.
Anyway, the investigation begins.