South Texas Martial Arts Association

Welcome to South Texas Martial Arts Assocation!

	Contemporary Jiu-Jitsu With the wide-spread success of Gracie/brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and the growing popularity of Jiu-Jitsu as a competitive sport, the once classical martial of Japan, Jujitsu, has seen a resurgence in popularity and acceptance. A hybrid or modified form of Judo, Jiu-Jitsu follows many of the same principles and utilizes many of the same techniques that competitive Judo does. However, where Judo places strong emphasis on successful and controlled execution of throws and take-downs, using ground based grappling and submission techniques only as a follow up in the occurrence of failed take-down, contemporary Jiu-Jitsu focuses on developing a technical and adverse set of skills based on pinning, movement and submission techniques on both standing and non-standing opponents.

	Judo Judo was incepted by Jigoro Kano in 1882 as a forerunner of classical Japanese Jujitsu. What started as an attempt to devise a system that could be practiced by anybody, regardless of size, gender or demeanor has grown into an Olympic sport which is practiced the world over by everyone from grade-school children to competitive athletes. Judo is a grappling art emphasizing controlled execution of throwing and take-down techniques by utilizing principles of leverage, movement and momentum as opposed to brute strength. Judo as includes ground grappling and submission techniques to be used as a continuation of a succesfull thow or take-down.

	Freestyle/Submissions Grappling Similar to contemporary Jiu-Jitsu in it's practice and concept Freestyle/Submissions Grappling simply removes the element of the Gi/Kimono. Techniques which utilize the sleeves and/or collars in Jiu-Jitsu and Judo must be modified, or discarded all together. While techniques not as prevalent when training with the Gi may prove to be more accessible when training without.

	Pekiti Tirsia Kali Officially founded in 1897 by Grand Master Conrado Tortal, Pekiti Tirsia Kali is an indigenous method of combat from the Visayan region of the Philippines. The Pekiti Tirsia System of Kali is a highly effective, close quarters, in-fighting system of combat. Based on tactics and strategies derived from edged weapons, Pekiti Tirsia is a complete system incorporating both weapons and empty hands methods.

News & Events
Sheriff's Office uses gang prevention grant money to fund martial arts classes 6/18/2010 10:31:53 AM Gang prevention grant money funds martial arts classes What: Martial arts classes focused on gang resistance Who: Incoming sixth graders and their parents When: June 15 - July 29 Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. Length: 1-1/2 hours Where: United Methodist Church at 407 N. Bridge St. The Victoria County Sheriff's Office held its first martial arts classes as part of a revamped strategy on gang prevention. A $101,795 state grant the department received in March helps to fund the free, summer-long martial arts camp for incoming sixth-graders and parents. "We're focusing on belt colors, not gang colors," Lt. Chris Garcia, the class instructor, said. Garcia has 37 years of martial arts experience and was in charge of a similar program with the Victoria Police Department. That 10-year program attracted hundreds of kids each summer, Garcia said. "It encourages discipline, flexibility, trust, confidence and builds a strong rapport with officers," he said. The grant money will also be used to expand the department's Gang Resistance Education and Training program, or G.R.E.A.T. In that program, officers go to fifth- and eighth-grade classrooms to teach students skills that will help them avoid gang activity. "It's about positive contact. Kids are more apt to come to us because we have a positive bond," Garcia said. Deputy Kenneth Wells is one of the instructors who travels to 26 area schools as part of the program. He said schools have reported less bullying since the program began in 2008. "It's also letting other kids identify violent behavior and come forward without being afraid of being called a snitch," Wells said. The nationwide program has four components: middle and elementary school curricula, a summer program and a families program. With the first three components already in place, the sheriff's office is using the grant money to fulfill the last one: family. "The program gets kids together with parents to build stronger families," Wells said. The department will receive certification training for the family program in August. Wells said 51 kids so far signed up for the martial arts classes, which began Monday at First United Methodist Church at 407 N. Bridge St. Students can join anytime before the final class on July 29, which will feature a demonstration and awards ceremony. Parents interested in signing their children up for the class can call the sheriff's office at 361-212-6279 or sign up at the time of any class.
Welcome to STMAA 12/15/2009 12:48:25 AM Hello boys and girls. As president of the STMAA I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to the new updated website of South Texas Martial Arts Association. The website looks great and I want to say a big thank you to the webmaster and co-founder of the association, Phil, for all his hard work on the website. I have high hopes for the website and hope to have it grow and become even better from here, but that can only happen through those of you who visit the site and the cooperation of our members. I also want to put a thank you out there to our teacher and co-founder who helped us to realize our passions for the arts and our visions for what it can be, Shihan Chris Garcia. He has given so much of himself to so many and because of that we have students and teachers that have spread our art to other schools and areas of South Texas and beyond. I also want to say thank you to "The Source" Zdenek Matl as he continues to be a constant .... well .... source of inspiration. I have been involved in martial arts for 28 years now and without a doubt I have never been around a better group of martial artists than those I now know. There are many people out there that study martial arts, but there are very few that are true martial artists and understand and display the true spirit of the martial arts. WELCOME TO ALL. J.J. "Juji" Cross

News & Events

Sheriff's Office uses gang prevention grant money to fund martial arts classes
6/18/2010 10:31:53 AM
Gang prevention grant money funds martial arts classes

What: Martial arts classes focused on gang resistance
Who: Incoming sixth graders and their parents
When: June 15 - July 29
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
Length: 1-1/2 hours
Where: United Methodist Church at 407 N. Bridge St.

The Victoria County Sheriff's Office held its first martial arts classes as part of a revamped strategy on gang prevention.

A $101,795 state grant the department received in March helps to fund the free, summer-long martial arts camp for incoming sixth-graders and parents.

"We're focusing on belt colors, not gang colors," Lt. Chris Garcia, the class instructor, said.

Garcia has 37 years of martial arts experience and was in charge of a similar program with the Victoria Police Department. That 10-year program attracted hundreds of kids each summer, Garcia said.

"It encourages discipline, flexibility, trust, confidence and builds a strong rapport with officers," he said.

The grant money will also be used to expand the department's Gang Resistance Education and Training program, or G.R.E.A.T. In that program, officers go to fifth- and eighth-grade classrooms to teach students skills that will help them avoid gang activity.

"It's about positive contact. Kids are more apt to come to us because we have a positive bond," Garcia said.

Deputy Kenneth Wells is one of the instructors who travels to 26 area schools as part of the program. He said schools have reported less bullying since the program began in 2008.

"It's also letting other kids identify violent behavior and come forward without being afraid of being called a snitch," Wells said.

The nationwide program has four components: middle and elementary school curricula, a summer program and a families program.

With the first three components already in place, the sheriff's office is using the grant money to fulfill the last one: family.

"The program gets kids together with parents to build stronger families," Wells said.

The department will receive certification training for the family program in August.

Wells said 51 kids so far signed up for the martial arts classes, which began Monday at First United Methodist Church at 407 N. Bridge St.

Students can join anytime before the final class on July 29, which will feature a demonstration and awards ceremony.

Parents interested in signing their children up for the class can call the sheriff's office at 361-212-6279 or sign up at the time of any class.

Welcome to STMAA
12/15/2009 12:48:25 AM
Hello boys and girls. As president of the STMAA I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to the new updated website of South Texas Martial Arts Association. The website looks great and I want to say a big thank you to the webmaster and co-founder of the association, Phil, for all his hard work on the website. I have high hopes for the website and hope to have it grow and become even better from here, but that can only happen through those of you who visit the site and the cooperation of our members. I also want to put a thank you out there to our teacher and co-founder who helped us to realize our passions for the arts and our visions for what it can be, Shihan Chris Garcia. He has given so much of himself to so many and because of that we have students and teachers that have spread our art to other schools and areas of South Texas and beyond. I also want to say thank you to "The Source" Zdenek Matl as he continues to be a constant .... well .... source of inspiration. I have been involved in martial arts for 28 years now and without a doubt I have never been around a better group of martial artists than those I now know. There are many people out there that study martial arts, but there are very few that are true martial artists and understand and display the true spirit of the martial arts.
WELCOME TO ALL.

J.J. "Juji" Cross