Business Details
21 Years
experience
Premier Martial Arts Training in Lakewood
At Martial Arts Training Alliance, we have dedicated over two decades to delivering transformative martial arts instruction in Lakewood, Long Beach, and Cerritos. Founded on the principles of discipline, self-defense, and personal growth, our academy is led by Sensei Vince Velez, a 6th-degree black belt with 30+ years of teaching experience. Our team of certified black belt instructors specializes in Kempo Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and hybrid combat techniques, serving students aged 3 to 70. We emphasize holistic development through structured curricula that build physical strength, mental focus, and emotional resilience. With a proven track record of producing championship athletes and empowering individuals through self-defense mastery, we maintain a family-oriented environment where students cultivate lifelong skills.Our community-focused approach combines traditional martial arts values with modern training methodologies to ensure practical effectiveness. By prioritizing individualized attention and adaptive teaching methods, we accommodate diverse learning needs, including specialized programs for neurodiverse students. As the longest-running martial arts academy in Lakewood, we remain committed to excellence in both technical instruction and character development.
Services
Kempo Karate
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Self-Defense Training
Children's Classes
Adult Martial Arts
Sparring Instruction
Weapon Techniques
Private Lessons
Competitive Training
Character Development
Details
- Year established: 2005
Highlights and features
- We offer 30+ years of combined instructor experience in traditional and modern martial arts systems.
- Our certified black belt team delivers personalized instruction for students of all ages and abilities.
- We specialize in practical self-defense techniques proven effective in real-world scenarios.
- Our curriculum integrates physical training with character development and mental discipline.
- We maintain a supportive community environment that celebrates individual progress and achievement.
Services
Kempo Karate
Our Kempo Karate program blends traditional Chinese Kung-Fu, Japanese Karate, and Ju-Jitsu techniques for comprehensive self-defense mastery. Students develop striking precision, grappling proficiency, and strategic combat thinking through structured basics, forms, and sparring. This holistic system builds physical strength, mental discipline, and adaptive defense capabilities tailored to individual body types and learning styles.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Machado-style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu focuses on ground fighting techniques including locks, chokes, and positional control. Our curriculum emphasizes leverage-based self-defense against larger opponents, with applications in competitive sports and real-world scenarios. Students train in both gi and no-gi formats to develop tactical problem-solving and endurance through live sparring and technical drills.
Children's Classes
Age-specific martial arts instruction for children aged 3-13 builds foundational motor skills, focus, and confidence. Our structured curriculum combines playful learning with discipline training, teaching respect, perseverance, and non-violent conflict resolution. Specialized programs accommodate neurodiverse learners through adaptive teaching methods and individualized attention in a safe, encouraging environment.
Self-Defense Training
Real-world self-defense courses teach situational awareness, de-escalation tactics, and counter-attack techniques. Students practice against common street threats through scenario-based drills, learning to protect themselves while minimizing legal liability. Our system integrates striking, grappling, and weapon defense across varying fitness levels and physical capabilities.
Competitive Training
Performance-focused martial artists receive specialized instruction for tournament success in forms, sparring, and weapons divisions. Our championship-winning coaches develop competition strategies, rule-specific techniques, and mental conditioning. Athletes train in both traditional martial arts competitions and modern combat sports formats including MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments.
People
Sensei Vince Velez
Owner and Chief Instructor
6th-degree Kempo black belt with 30+ years teaching experience. Holds Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu certification and multiple championship titles. Specializes in developing well-rounded martial artists through holistic instruction that combines technical mastery with character development.
Andreya Garcia
Kempo Instructor
4th Dan black belt with 18 years training experience. Certified instructor since 2012, specializing in children's programs and competitive kata training. Combines architectural design expertise with creative teaching methods to enhance technical development and student engagement.
James Palmer
Adult Programs Director
4th-degree black belt who began training at 43 after introducing his daughter to martial arts. Focuses on adult learners, emphasizing lifelong fitness, stress management, and practical self-defense applications through Shaolin Kempo principles.
Ed Rodriguez
Youth Development Coach
Shodan-ranked Kempo instructor with additional certifications in Taekwondo and Ninjitsu. Specializes in character education through martial arts, teaching mental resilience and ethical development alongside technical skills to students aged 9-16.
Jayden Moreno
Junior Instructor
13-year-old second-degree black belt mentoring younger students. Earned adult black belt at 11 through exceptional dedication. Assists classes while balancing competitive athletics, demonstrating martial arts' positive impact on youth development.
Questions
What martial arts styles do you teach?
We offer Kempo Karate combining Chinese Kung-Fu, Japanese Karate, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques, plus Machado-style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for grappling specialization.
What age groups do you accommodate?
Our programs serve students aged 3 to 70, with specialized curricula for children, teens, adults, and seniors through adaptive teaching methods.
Do you offer self-defense training?
Yes, our practical self-defense courses teach real-world techniques for de-escalation, personal protection, and situational awareness against common threats.
Are there competitive opportunities available?
We provide championship-level training in forms, sparring, and weapons divisions for traditional martial arts competitions and modern combat sports events.
Do you offer trial lessons?
Yes, we provide free trial lessons to experience our structured classes and meet our certified instructors before committing to membership.
How do martial arts benefit children?
Our youth programs improve focus, discipline, and confidence while teaching non-violent conflict resolution and physical coordination in a supportive environment.
