Monterey Ca

kray

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Anyone train in Monterey CA? I am moving there in December and am looking to start training at Bodyworx Academy. Anyone here train there or know if it is any good? It appears to focus more on karate but has one black belt jiu jitsu instructor.
 
I'm from Monterey. When I left, I didn't know any places, but that was before it all really blew up.
 
Thanks anyways bro. Have fun in Denton. I am from that area but I was in to baseball when I lived there so I don't know about any of the BJJ places there. I highly recommend you go eat at Freebirds near SMU in Dallas.
 
Hey, a buddy of mine is going to be moving to Monterey for Grad school soon. He said something about training with Daniel Thomas.

Our school also has close ties with the guys who train with Claudio Franca, so I think he intends to make the trek to Santa Cruz to train with them on weekends.

Daniel Thomas looks legit though, even if his school is out of a karate dojo.
 
Thanks for the help. Is your buddy in the Navy? That is the reason I am going to Monterey. I will be in the Navy's Grad School.
 
daniel thomas is a claudio franca black belt.
 
Bastard. Monterey is a beautiful place. If you are in to motorcycles check out the MOTOGP race. It should be coming up. I would recomend taking the bus to the track. Traffic sucks, but they close a road for buses to run.
 
its been awhile since this thread was posted but im in monterey so if anyone is interested in a training partner, hit me up.
 
daniel thomas is a claudio franca black belt.


I had that guy in a triangle and an armbar at a Gracie Open back in the day. I probably would have beaten him[he was nervous about going against me] BUT, Cesar thought he was helping and yelled to me to break his arm.........just pissed him off and somehow he got out and went crazy and reversed the situation and tapped me out.

Cameron Earl got him in a trianle later that day too and couldnt finish him either.

I have since gotten to know him because his Team Mate, Stan Kendrick was my nemisis comming up through the belts. They are both great guys from Claudio's and great competitors too.

Daniel's Black Belt comp record is second to none.

I have trained at Stan's academy in Oakland. If Daniel is teaching in Monterey, I would recommend giving his classes a try. And if you[kray] go in, tell him I said hi. Even after whoopin on me he still bought one of my books, LOL.
 
I had that guy in a triangle and an armbar at a Gracie Open back in the day. I probably would have beaten him[he was nervous about going against me] BUT, Cesar thought he was helping and yelled to me to break his arm.........just pissed him off and somehow he got out and went crazy and reversed the situation and tapped me out.

Cameron Earl got him in a trianle later that day too and couldnt finish him either.

I have since gotten to know him because his Team Mate, Stan Kendrick was my nemisis comming up through the belts. They are both great guys from Claudio's and great competitors too.

Daniel's Black Belt comp record is second to none.

I have trained at Stan's academy in Oakland. If Daniel is teaching in Monterey, I would recommend giving his classes a try. And if you[kray] go in, tell him I said hi. Even after whoopin on me he still bought one of my books, LOL.

Ah this post brought back memories. I trained under Cameron a few years ago and right now I train under Stan.
 
Bumping up an old thread...

Kray, did you check out the school? I moved to the area recently and was thinking about giving it a shot.

Thanks,
 
Wow, way to dig up an old thread!

So I found this guy Daniel in Monterey because he hosted a seminar of Rubens Charles. So I start looking around for his spot since it's near my dad's house, where I'll be visiting soon. So I find a little bit about Daniel here, Daniel Thomas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | About and it says he's a blackbelt through Claudio Franca here, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Well in looking on Claudio's website, I see he gave a blackbelt to another guy (Vince Vanderlipe) that runs a shop that's literally across the street from my dad's place. Vince's website is here, Kugtar Martial Arts Academy, LLC - The Premier Martial Arts Academy in Salinas, CA

So my question....it's been awhile since I've left Monterey and Salinas, but last I was out there, the BJJ scene wasn't big. Now that I read the two guys Daniel and Vince have BJJ spots nearby and they're both blackbelts under this guy Claudio who's website says he (Claudio) got his own from, "Francisco Mansor, who is a 9th degree red belt certified by the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro" I'm just wondering if these names and lineages are all legit?

That's a lot of blackbelts in a region (Salinas, Monterey, Santa Cruz), who had NO BJJ when I left a few years ago, with a lineage that I haven't heard of, with a red belt thrown in there (which raised a BIG red flag). I just wanted to check up on a place before I go out there, see what you all thought.

These folks are legit? Or at least this Daniel guy is? I imagine Rubens Charles wouldn't be there if he wasn't, but you never know these days!
 
Claudio Franca is legit as they come. One of the pioneers.

I'll be heading up to Watsonville in a few weeks. I'll be looking for a spot train for a week. Let me know what else you find bro.
 
Wow, way to dig up an old thread!

So I found this guy Daniel in Monterey because he hosted a seminar of Rubens Charles. So I start looking around for his spot since it's near my dad's house, where I'll be visiting soon. So I find a little bit about Daniel here, Daniel Thomas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | About and it says he's a blackbelt through Claudio Franca here, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Well in looking on Claudio's website, I see he gave a blackbelt to another guy (Vince Vanderlipe) that runs a shop that's literally across the street from my dad's place. Vince's website is here, Kugtar Martial Arts Academy, LLC - The Premier Martial Arts Academy in Salinas, CA

So my question....it's been awhile since I've left Monterey and Salinas, but last I was out there, the BJJ scene wasn't big. Now that I read the two guys Daniel and Vince have BJJ spots nearby and they're both blackbelts under this guy Claudio who's website says he (Claudio) got his own from, "Francisco Mansor, who is a 9th degree red belt certified by the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro" I'm just wondering if these names and lineages are all legit?

That's a lot of blackbelts in a region (Salinas, Monterey, Santa Cruz), who had NO BJJ when I left a few years ago, with a lineage that I haven't heard of, with a red belt thrown in there (which raised a BIG red flag). I just wanted to check up on a place before I go out there, see what you all thought.

These folks are legit? Or at least this Daniel guy is? I imagine Rubens Charles wouldn't be there if he wasn't, but you never know these days!

i know both those guys and they are both legit.
 
Wow, way to dig up an old thread!

So I found this guy Daniel in Monterey because he hosted a seminar of Rubens Charles. So I start looking around for his spot since it's near my dad's house, where I'll be visiting soon. So I find a little bit about Daniel here, Daniel Thomas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | About and it says he's a blackbelt through Claudio Franca here, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Well in looking on Claudio's website, I see he gave a blackbelt to another guy (Vince Vanderlipe) that runs a shop that's literally across the street from my dad's place. Vince's website is here, Kugtar Martial Arts Academy, LLC - The Premier Martial Arts Academy in Salinas, CA

So my question....it's been awhile since I've left Monterey and Salinas, but last I was out there, the BJJ scene wasn't big. Now that I read the two guys Daniel and Vince have BJJ spots nearby and they're both blackbelts under this guy Claudio who's website says he (Claudio) got his own from, "Francisco Mansor, who is a 9th degree red belt certified by the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro" I'm just wondering if these names and lineages are all legit?

That's a lot of blackbelts in a region (Salinas, Monterey, Santa Cruz), who had NO BJJ when I left a few years ago, with a lineage that I haven't heard of, with a red belt thrown in there (which raised a BIG red flag). I just wanted to check up on a place before I go out there, see what you all thought.

These folks are legit? Or at least this Daniel guy is? I imagine Rubens Charles wouldn't be there if he wasn't, but you never know these days!

mansor and franca are about as legit as it gets
 
The region is legit. There seems to be a tournament in that area 3-4 a year now. Claudio is legit and has really helped BJJ grow in that area. Daniel Thomas is a cool dude I got to chill w/ for a bit at the US Open last year. Chris Smith (Charle's Gracie Black belt) also runs a couple tournaments a year in Santa Cruz/Aptos. He's a cool dude too. Yeah, overall the region has really blown up into a nice place for BJJ. I checked out Bodyworx earlier this year but they were closed for New Years but the facility looked nice.
 
upping old thread!

I too will be in monterey for military obligation :icon_chee

USAF training at DLI to learn some language of which i am still unaware of...
 
I recently checked out Bodyworx, because I'm temporarily going to school in Monterey.

Bodyworx is a very nice gym with a cool people. Daniel Thomas is fully legit, high quality ENGLISH instruction (MAJOR plus, and unfamiliar), with several regular purple belts, and a lot of blues. He has about 30 people a night, and after speaking with some students, the gym has recently become popular.

The tuition is 65/mo for 1 day/week, or 85 for unlimited. Classes are Mo/We/Fri 6:00pm-8:00pm Brazilian time.
 
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