Chicago area schools

[NickIF]

Hey everybody, fairly new to the board (as seen here Hey everybody ) just registered last night. I've done a couple searches but didn't come up with much. I'm looking for a school in the chicagoland area that offers MT and BJJ at a reasonable price ($70ish?) Also if anyone is fairly new to the game and trains in these arts around here post up, right now I'm going into this solo.

Thanks
Nick

Also... A buddy of mine is set on taking Kenpo but he hasn't found any decent schools around here (I honestly don't know how much searching he has done?) Any ideas? I'm fairly open on what style I want to study it just has to be practical on the street. Would you suggest sticking with the MT/BJJ or joining some where with him and study kenpo? Thanks again

[Flaco]

I dont know if this place teaches MT though. BJJ in Chicago

[GeorgeK]

NickIF,

I would stick to MT/BJJ 'cause everybody swears by the effectiveness of these two arts and anybody who does MMA/NHB trains in them nowadays.

Where in Chicago are you? There are quite a few decent places in the area to train at but a good Muay Thai school is pretty hard to find. I am in Arlington Heigths and I think I found a good school which I am going to check out next week. ( I am a beginner too, I did one year of Krav Maga but want to switch to MT/BJJ). The place is Team Oyama Midwest Training Center (http://www.teamoyama.tv/) If you're in the suburbs not too far away, maybe we can start together. If you are in the city, there are some good schools too: Pow Kickboxing, Carlson Gracie Team (BJJ mostly I think), Shidokan Karate. There is more. I just can't think of any more right now. Anyway, tell me where you are and I'll post links to some of the places close to you.

[NickIF]

The link you posted isn't working, where exactly is that place located? Arlington Heights is about 25 minutes from me... definitely willing to go that far if it's worth it. I'm on the nw side of the city near harlem and irving park

-Nick

[GeorgeK]

Nick,

The link is working when I click on it. It's in Streamwood. I think it's too far for you. It's like 15 miles west of Arlington Heights.

Team Oyama Midwest Training Center
http://www.teamoyama.tv/
318 Roma Jean pkwy
Streamwood, IL 60107
(630)-289-3560
info@teamoyama.tv

Oyama MTC features 5,500sq ft. training facility and including a full size boxing ring, an Octagon, 750sq ft of wrestling mats, Muay thai bags and a huge weight and cardio center.



Anyways, check out Keller's Martial Arts and Shidokan Karate (It includes Muay Thai) in Lincloln Park, and also those places in downtown I listed maybe a better fit for you. Here are the places in the city worth your attention:

http://www.kellersmartialarts.com/
3718 W. Irving Pk.
Chicago USA

http://www.powkickboxing.com/
950 W. Washington
Chicago USA

http://www.degerberg.com/
4717 N. Lincoln
Chicago USA

http://www.graciejiujitsu.net/
Carlson Gracie Jr. team
1235 n lasalle
Chicago USA

http://www.chicagofitnesscenter.com/...n/shidokan.htm
Chicago Fitness Center
3131 N. Lincoln Ave
chicago USA

These are worth your attention. Keller's I think is right by you. My advice to you is avoid "traditional" MA and stick to MMA or MT/BJJ. Good luck!

[AlexJitsu]

For the record, I live in Glenview Illinois, so perhaps I could benefit from this thread as well.

[DonSEAL2B]

We have a Straight Blast Gym in Elgin. If are you are interested check out www.straightblastgym.com. Anymore info you can email me DonNavySEAL2B@aol.com.

Donnie

[NickIF]

Originally Posted by GeorgeK

( I am a beginner too, I did one year of Krav Maga but want to switch to MT/BJJ).

out of curiosity why didnt you stick with krav maga? A buddy of mine is all gungho on taking that but I don't know much about it

[GeorgeK]

Here's my post from another thread:

I did Krav Maga for a year. I liked it the time but got somewhat dissapointed in it and stopped taking it. Some of the things were great. No kata! A lot of conditioning during class - tons of sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, and various drills, etc. The training seemed all right - boxing punches, Muay thai kicks, ground defenses from BJJ - all good. But...what I've found out is that the Krav Maga instructors don't have to have taken Krav Maga to become instructors. They can come from a variety of arts like karate, kickboxing, etc. All they have to do is go to the KM training center for like a weekend seminar and become certified, and then keep coming back a few times a year. This makes it the biggest McDojo ever and also proves that KM isn't a real indigenous art but a combo of arts that are said to be the best for fighting/self defense - boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ, wrestling. So, why take Krav Maga when you can find a school that teaches one or more of those arts and the istructors most likely have had experience in competition? Who is going to show you how to throw a roundhouse better - someone who has fought Thai boxing or some Joe Shmoe who got certified at a weekend seminar? Also, there are belt tests every few months and trust me everyone passes. So, my opinion - Krav Maga is good for general public to get fitter and to learn some self-defense, but for someone who is serious about their fighting ability should really look into one or more of the above stated arts or a MMA school. (I tried using some ground fighting techniques that I learned in KM against a BJJer, guess what - I couldn't pull any of it off) I would go with BJJ and add a striking art to that. In fact this is what I'm doing - switching from KM to a MMA gym. Good luck to all!

Nick,
I take it that your friend wants to be a bad mofo on the streets and he thinks that Krav Maga being the military fighting system will make him that. Not really. There is no competition. So you can't really test your skills unless you really get into street fights which I wouldn't recommend. In those competitive, combat sports you really get a better instruction even if you yourself don't compete. Krav Maga became realy popular so everybody is taking it now, the whole families. What I've witnessed was kids were punching the pads like shit. A few months later, after passing another belt test, they were still punching like shit but of course they were getting their cardio workout and thinking they were training in a deadly military art. Had they been training this time in a boxing gym with a boxing instructor, it would have been a completely different story. The more I learn about these things, the more I think that boxing and Thai boxing are really the best - their basics are simple, easy to use, and very effective. There are just a few punches, kicks, and elbow and knee strikes, but you perfect these techiques through repetition and by working the pads, bags, and by constant sparring. Also, i think one should have a strong base in any of the above mentioned sports, and then even think about adding some "dirty" tactics like biting, eye gouging, etc. Try using these without having a base against an athlete - a boxer, Thai boxer or BJJ, and you'll see what I mean. Anyway, to make the long story short,my advice remains: pick any of those arts or a combination, train hard, try to learn as much as possible, really work on your conditioning, maybe give competition a try, and then, and only then, think of adding some "deadly" street techniques and see whether you want to be a badass street fighter, and I'm sure at that point this will sound like boy talk to you.

[NickIF]

thanks! I'll be sure to show him this link.. he even mentioned something about the military using it, hah

[badkarma]

Tony Cecchine's Catch Wrestling

You can also check this out while searching for something. Much more than wrestling if you train there.

Peace

[dalessit]

Wow, it looks like Chicago has some great places to train. Jeff Curran has a school in the Chicago area, I have no idea how close he is to you. He is a Pedro Sauer Black Belt and has at least one fight in the UFC, and a pretty cool guy.

http://www.teamcurran.com

Good Luck
dalessit
www.onespiritmartialarts.com

[newbreedjj]

Feel free to check out New Breed Academy also.

www.newbreedacademy.com

direct link to their chicago academy: http://home.comcast.net/~mvives

[JKDilla]

geez, NickIf you live right by me. I'm at Cumberland and Addison. We're like 2 mins away.

I drive to Elgin to train at Straight Blast Gym with Paul Sharp. However email me. I'm kinda like a beginer and wouldn't mind training with someone at same level with me.

straightblaster@yahoo.com

[GeorgeK]

I started going to Team Oyama but it turned out too far for me. The MT class starts at 6 and I can never make it there on time with all the trafiic. And I don't work right now. I can't imagine getting of at 5 or later and trying to make it to class. The SBG is even farther. So, I went with Champion Jiu-Jitsu - they hold classes in the Japan Center in Palatine, which is much closer to me. They do kickboxing as well. The instructor, this Brazillian used to teach both the SBG coach, and the owner of Team Oyama.

Man. living in the city and driving to Elgin must be pretty exhausting. There are really good places in the city to train- the ones I mentioned earlier. Anyways. Good luck!