Austin Kali/Filipino MA?

**cafezinho** · Posted On: 8/11/2007 7:54pm

I'm interested in a Kali gym in the austin area.

I wanted to check out Academy of Integrated Arts with Brian Broussard but the classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays and are sadly out of the question for me.

Review section for DMAG states the owner moved to LA.

Any other recommendations?

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 8/12/2007 2:18pm

There are essentially three places in town.

One's on 183 right over by academy, and is taught by one of Ray parra's students. Very solid MT program, lots of cross-trainy. The curriculum is a little unfocused, according to the many people at my current school that attended there first. Solid teaching, but the format is going to turn off a LOT of people.

Larry st clair teaches two FMA curriculums, Kali(tuesdays and thursdays), and Filipino boxing(dirty boxing, lots of clinchwork, lots of knifeork, sub wrestling with a silat flavor). Filipino boxing is the one on monday-wednesday, and is the better of his two classes for a couple of reasons. 1) it's better organized, so he imparts the skills he intends more quickly. 2) He actually teaches it, instead of having his black belts doing it. Larry's energy is pretty hard to duplicate. 3)A lot of the coolest people in the gym are in the FB class.

Leslie Buck is the ****. I'm completely biased, but I think he has the best weapons instruction in Austin, bar-none. Classes are laser-focused on striking mechanics and footwork, and you'll acquire those attributes quickly. I'm of course biased, so if you want a point of comparison, talk to Nazsir, who used to go to DMAG religously.

***jnp*** · Posted On: 8/12/2007 2:57pm

I've a few friends who train with Leslie. Never heard anything but praise concerning his classes and his teaching. If I ever find time to train bladework, I'll train at his gym.

**Naszir** · Posted On: 8/12/2007 7:17pm

This is in no way, shape or form an indictment on anyone. I have done one private with Leslie and gone to Larry's school for some sparring. One of Larry's Vale Tudo guys is a student at the bjj school I attend and some former DMAG students now train with Leslie. Leslie Buck's PTK guys have some of the cleanest stick and knife work I have seen in Austin. It may be that I have only seen his not-so-good students but when I watched the sparring at Larry's the weapons work was a bit less impressive. Leslie's students tend to have VERY good defense and conditioning. Larry has a lot of empty hand stuff but Leslie's Mande Muda Silat is absolutely top notch. Larry's facilities are very nice. He has great equipment and a good atmosphere. Leslie's place is a little less fancy but definitely has what is needed.

So if you are looking for thai boxing and other arts as well as fma, go with Larry St Clair and if you are looking for a very strong fma school with a great silat program go with Leslie Buck.

However, if you are down south you may have some problems as both of these school are up north.

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 8/12/2007 11:28pm

Da'mon also runs a cap program out of Leslie's place, don't know if that's a feature or a bug for you.

You can contact Leslie Leslie@tacticalarts.net or Leslie@texaskali.org

**cafezinho** · Posted On: 8/13/2007 12:15pm

The consensus is Larry Buck for the weapons work? Thanks for all the responses and the contact info. Da'mon teaches there? He's a cool guy. I'll definitely check them out, and it isn't too far from where I live.