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
Shihan Zdenek Matl Coming Jan. 30 & 31st 1/22/2010 8:30:42 PM Shihan Matl has once again agreed to come to Victoria. Shihan Matl will be holding his class at his beach house on January 30th and then on the 31st he will be coming to Victoria and teaching class at Pure Fitness at 6pm. Shihan Matl, as yall may know, is referred to as "The Source", for several reasons. Not only is he the source of the beginnings of our Kyu Shin Ryu, but he is the source of extraordinary knowledge and skills. He is able to give you the slightest piece of advice and suddenly a throw or move that was giving you trouble will crystalize into an understanding that you never had before. The fee is $15 to attend and I urge all of you who can attend to do so.
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

Shihan Zdenek Matl Coming Jan. 30 & 31st
1/22/2010 8:30:42 PM
Shihan Matl has once again agreed to come to Victoria. Shihan Matl will be holding his class at his beach house on January 30th and then on the 31st he will be coming to Victoria and teaching class at Pure Fitness at 6pm. Shihan Matl, as yall may know, is referred to as "The Source", for several reasons. Not only is he the source of the beginnings of our Kyu Shin Ryu, but he is the source of extraordinary knowledge and skills. He is able to give you the slightest piece of advice and suddenly a throw or move that was giving you trouble will crystalize into an understanding that you never had before. The fee is $15 to attend and I urge all of you who can attend to do so.

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