Looking for good "combatives" training between Culpeper, VA and Quantico

[sharps54]

Reading through posts on this forum, especially this thread, have been very informative and have helped, along with The Practically Tactical Podcast that I have started listening to, to encourage me to finally get back into training. I have signed up for a Dark Angel Medical class in June. My other big gaps are hand to hand and force on force. I want to find a local place start learning the hand to hand part. The problem is finding the right place to take classes. I live just outside of Northern Virginia, near Culpeper but work on Quantico. I would prefer to find somewhere in Culpeper but am not opposed to a school between the two locations. I do not want to drive further north if I can help it as traffic is a bear. Can anyone point me to a good place to train? I'm thinking BJJ to start and eventually I'll branch out. If I can continue in a striking art at the same school that is great but I'm willing to switch to a different one if that will give me the best experience. I am older, early 40's, and out of shape (something I'm working on) with no practical martial arts background if that matters.

Thanks in advance, I wasn't sure where exactly to put this post. If there is an issue with endorsing certain schools over others feel free to PM me details.

[Totem Polar]

http://www.kembativz.com

Fredericksburg. Kelly McCann.

[sharps54]

http://www.kembativz.com

Fredericksburg. Kelly McCann.

Have to admit their website made me think you were playing a trick on the new guy but after finding some reviews I'll at least give them a call, thanks!

[orionz06]

In Culpeper there is this place, http://www.culpepermartialarts.com/, that'd be my first look. The instructors listed all seem to have some level of competition in BJJ, among other things, and nothing seems to be too exaggerated.

[jc000]

Please feel free to PM me about training in the area you're talking about. I train at a great gym in Manassas Va, but that might be a little far from you. However there are some schools in Woodbridge / Stafford that I can unequivocally vouch for. Let me know if I can help.

[sharps54]

jc000 your pm box is full. Manassas would be tough due to the drive, especially with summer traffic, Stafford would be better. Realistically I am looking at two, maybe three, nights a week. The closer the school the more I can attend.

orionz06, the Mt. Kim Martial Arts in Culpeper was my thought before starting the thread due to good comments I have read about Yamasaki Academy and Paul Bush while searching various sites. That said I don't have any desire to compete or earn belts at this point, I'm looking for a solid foundation and sparring partners. If jc000 can recommend a place in Stafford that is more suited to that goal and that will also allow me to learn some sort of striking art that would be worth the drive.

[orionz06]

The competition record and participation more so shows that the guy has an understanding of what he's teaching. See the comments in the other thread... Jiu jitsu is jiu jitsu, if a guy is winning big tournaments they're a good bet to learn the fundamentals from.


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

[jc000]

Sorry about that sharps54. I'd highly recommend KOA (http://www.staffordbjj.com/) under professor Kelly Grissom. Professor Grissom is a black belt under professor Leo Dalla, and his school is a member of the same association as mine (Big Brothers Competiton Team) also headed by professor Dalla. Besides very solid instruction, I think you'll find a lot of the people who train there are generally real good people. There are also a number of very strong higher belts who train there. Quite often guys from my gym head down there on the weekend for open mat.

I'll try to clear out my PMs in case you'd like to discuss further but I'm a very solid believer in all the Big Brother affiliate schools in the area and would unhesitatingly recommend all of them, to include KOA.

BTW, if you check out KOA's video page you can see some video about the Lionheart Initiative where Professor Grissom and some of his students head to Africa to introduce BJJ and train with the locals. Really cool stuff IMO.

[Totem Polar]

Have to admit their website made me think you were playing a trick on the new guy but after finding some reviews I'll at least give them a call, thanks!

Yeah, that new website is... not that great. Google up Kelly McCann, though, he's not exactly an unknown. His combatives DVD would give you enough of a picture to see if his POI is what you're looking for. He's the guy who wrote some sort of "street smarts" column for one of the gun rags for years, under the name "Jim Grover." The collection made for a good book, btw.


Here's what his site used to look like, FWIW:

http://team-crucible.com/training/

[sharps54]

Sorry about that sharps54. I'd highly recommend KOA (http://www.staffordbjj.com/) under professor Kelly Grissom. Professor Grissom is a black belt under professor Leo Dalla, and his school is a member of the same association as mine (Big Brothers Competiton Team) also headed by professor Dalla. Besides very solid instruction, I think you'll find a lot of the people who train there are generally real good people. There are also a number of very strong higher belts who train there. Quite often guys from my gym head down there on the weekend for open mat.

I'll try to clear out my PMs in case you'd like to discuss further but I'm a very solid believer in all the Big Brother affiliate schools in the area and would unhesitatingly recommend all of them, to include KOA.

BTW, if you check out KOA's video page you can see some video about the Lionheart Initiative where Professor Grissom and some of his students head to Africa to introduce BJJ and train with the locals. Really cool stuff IMO.

I know exactly where KOA is and it would be very convenient for me. I work rotating shifts (6-6) and the fact they offer daytime programs is great. I would be able to maximize my training around work and spend my days off with my family.