Recommendations in Colorado Springs?

[Bill Mattocks]

One of my nephews is interested in taking some form of martial arts; he lives in the Colorado Springs, Colorado area.

He doesn't know for sure what style he'd be interested in. We talked some on the phone and he seems to be drawn to TKD, Krav Maga, Akido, BJJ, in other words, just about anything.

So really I'm just looking for some recommendations based on knowledge from my friends here at MT. I could Google, so I'm not asking anyone to do that for me. Tell me about instructors you recommend if you can. That's what I'm looking for, high-quality references so he doesn't get saddled with bad training.

Thanks!

 

[Dirty Dog]

Can you define "area"? I work in Colorado Springs, and I teach about 60 miles from there.
If he does TKD in the Springs, it'll almost certainly be very Olympic.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Can you define "area"? I work in Colorado Springs, and I teach about 60 miles from there.
If he does TKD in the Springs, it'll almost certainly be very Olympic.

I can try and find out. He just called me, we haven't been in contact for a long time. He's an Army vet, had some issues and is now dealing with some violence in his life, looking for some self defense skills.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I know plenty of good people in the area, but it's a pretty large area. Let me know more specifically where he is, and I'd be happy to make some suggestions.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I know plenty of good people in the area, but it's a pretty large area. Let me know more specifically where he is, and I'd be happy to make some suggestions.

Thank you, I'll try to get info.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Don Roley is there teaching Budo Taijutsu

Colorado Springs Bujinkan

He is also a firearms instructor and former military.

Then there is Marc MacYoung who is close teaching in Castle Rock, Colorado

Castle Rock Classes

There are a lot of choices in Colorado Springs and the Surrounding area!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Thanks, guys. I am trying to get more specific info from my nephew now. I grew up in Golden, CO; graduated high school and college there. I keep forgetting that Colorado Springs is bigger now. It was a pretty small area when I was growing up in the 70s.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Can you define "area"? I work in Colorado Springs, and I teach about 60 miles from there.
If he does TKD in the Springs, it'll almost certainly be very Olympic.

Turns out he is right in the city. Approximately Academy Rd and Halfturn Rd.

From Google Maps, he is near Champions Kempo Karate.
Others close by, roughly in order of distance from his apartment:

Z-Ultimate Self-Defense
Mountain Dragon Martial Arts
Wolfpack Martial Arts
Peak Krav Maga
Tiger Rock Martial Arts
Calvary Family Martial Arts
Gracie Barra BJJ
US TKD Center
The Center for Aikido & Tang Soo Do
National Karate

Any thoughts based on this info?

Thanks again, as always!

 

[zephyr424]

Right when I was getting ready to leave the Springs in 2012 a very nice looking jiu,-jitsu academy opened about a 1/2 mile from New Life Church in a small shopping plaza. If it's still there I would stop in for a visit. From what I remember there was a Brasilian national champion and another black belt who were teaching there. If you can get that level of instruction go for it.

 

[JR 137]

Turns out he is right in the city. Approximately Academy Rd and Halfturn Rd.

From Google Maps, he is near Champions Kempo Karate.
Others close by, roughly in order of distance from his apartment:

Z-Ultimate Self-Defense
Mountain Dragon Martial Arts
Wolfpack Martial Arts
Peak Krav Maga
Tiger Rock Martial Arts
Calvary Family Martial Arts
Gracie Barra BJJ
US TKD Center
The Center for Aikido & Tang Soo Do
National Karate

Any thoughts based on this info?

Thanks again, as always!

I'd immediately cross Z-Ultimate and Tiger Rock off the list. From what I've heard, they're McDojo chains. The "open your own dojo, no experience necessary" type of stuff.

Perhaps I'm mistaken about Z-Ultimate. I've definitely heard a lot of complaints about Tiger Rock though.

 

[Charlemagne]

Instructors- Colorado School of Wing Chun

I'm not sure what he is looking for, but the lineage here is sound for Pekiti Tirsia, through Tuhon Waid of the Pekiti Tirsia Kali Global Organization.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Instructors- Colorado School of Wing Chun

I'm not sure what he is looking for, but the lineage here is sound for Pekiti Tirsia, through Tuhon Waid of the Pekiti Tirsia Kali Global Organization.

He's not sure what he is looking for either, but we talked briefly about WC, and he seemed enthused about it. Thanks!

 

[Danny T]

Bill, you stated he's an army vet and some issues.
Combat vet and pstd type issues? If so, have him contact 'We Defy Foundation'. Helping veterans through Jiu Jitsu
They have an awesome program utilizing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and fitness training to provide combat veterans suffering from life-disabling injuries and/or PTSD a long term means to overcome their challenges. They have a list of affiliate schools for their program that will help pay for the training.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Bill, you stated he's an army vet and some issues.
Combat vet and pstd type issues? If so, have him contact 'We Defy Foundation'. Helping veterans through Jiu Jitsu
They have an awesome program utilizing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and fitness training to provide combat veterans suffering from life-disabling injuries and/or PTSD a long term means to overcome their challenges. They have a list of affiliate schools for their program that will help pay for the training.

Thank you!

 

[yak sao]

One of my old students moved out there several years ago and he is still affiliated with EB MAS which is Emin Boztepe's brand of Wing Tsun.
His name is Edward Long. If you do a Google search for EBMAS in the Colorado Springs area you should have no trouble finding him

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I'd immediately cross Z-Ultimate and Tiger Rock off the list. From what I've heard, they're McDojo chains. The "open your own dojo, no experience necessary" type of stuff.

Perhaps I'm mistaken about Z-Ultimate. I've definitely heard a lot of complaints about Tiger Rock though.

Z-Ultimate has a pretty good system for self defense. Unfortunately, it is very easy to own a school, so if the person running the school is like that your suggesting, then it's a horrible idea, if he is a legitimate martial artist, I would recommend it.

 

[CB Jones]

Bill, you stated he's an army vet and some issues.
Combat vet and pstd type issues? If so, have him contact 'We Defy Foundation'. Helping veterans through Jiu Jitsu
They have an awesome program utilizing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and fitness training to provide combat veterans suffering from life-disabling injuries and/or PTSD a long term means to overcome their challenges. They have a list of affiliate schools for their program that will help pay for the training.

That is awesome.

At the university near us they have started a Rock Steady Boxing Group for people battling Parkingson's.

Love these types of groups and programs.

I always wondered if a martial arts drug rehabilitation center could be successful.

 

[Ironbear24]

I wish I could help more but I am very unfamiliar with the area. Personally I'd look at the kenpo karate place but that's an obvious bias for me.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

That is awesome.

At the university near us they have started a Rock Steady Boxing Group for people battling Parkingson's.

Love these types of groups and programs.

I always wondered if a martial arts drug rehabilitation center could be successful.

There's currently one in Missouri that does this, but I can't tell if they've done any actual research on if it's effective, or if they just assumed that logically it probably is and went with it.

 

[JR 137]

Seido Juku's honbu dojo in NYC has a veterans' group. It's run by two senior students who are veterans. Training is free.

The World Seido Karate Organization in New York City

Edit: Sorry, this was in response to helping veterans type stuff posted. Not really relevant to Colorado Springs, but if you look around, other organizations in the area might do something similar.