Like buying a house, a car, hiring a lawyer or choosing a doctor, the less you know about the thing you want, the harder it is to make a choice that satisfies your needs. Martial Arts is no different; we often think that great fighters are automatically great teachers. Not so; teaching is an art, a skill, a talent and even a science.

It took me years to understand this simple truth, but once that understanding took hold, I spent additional years seeking teachers that could truly teach.

Brooklyn Arts of Advantage is the result of that search, a search not only into the World of Martial Arts, but also of Martial Arts Masters and their ability to transfer what they have mastered to others.

I consider it a shame, that here in New York, where we have some of the world's greatest Martial Masters/Grandmasters (many of them living and teaching right in our own communities) that more people (especially those living within these same communities) are not benefiting from the opportunities that are often right around the corner.

Arts of Advantage was formulated to build a bridge across the issues that have prevented the natural synergy that should exist between those that know (The Arts) and those that don't. By creating a sort of Super Friends Alliance of the city's top instructors -instructors that have been carefully chosen, not only for the skill and experience they've acquired, but also (and most importantly) for their ability to simplify the complexities of those skills and experiences- we have created an environment wherein these Martial experts can conduct seminars and workshops that will provide what we call Condensed Combat Training.

Our unique line up of expert instructors have been assembled across a wide range of Martial Disciplines:

Ninjitsu
Stand up Jujitsu/Sanuces/Streetology
Kung-fu
Boxing
52 Bocks/Stato/LHR

No matter the discipline taught, or the particular area of the world it may have its origin, all of our Martial Technicians have spent decades translating said disciplines into the unique language of the New York Streets.

Therefore, Simplicity, Reality and Effectiveness are the Hallmarks of any and all AOA Workshops, Seminars and Trainings.

We call these trainings Lessons because they have been specifically designed so that those participating in these Condensed trainings will learn fast and efficient principles/techniques that will produce immediate and recognizable jumps in martial knowledge and skill.

TRAINING LESSONS OFFERED

Principles and Techniques of Personal Defense
Disarming and Avoiding Weapons
Executive Protection
Subduing, Joint/Limb Manipulation
Crowd Control and Observation
Strength Training/Conditioning

Lessons specifically for women, children and the disabled are also available.

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"Grandmaster Vic"

History & Background

Ironically, it could be argued that Brooklyn Arts of Advantage had its beginning in the city of Atlanta. In 2011 we travelled -from Brooklyn to Georgia- in order to meet with an interview an obscure Martial Artist named Victor Moore. Known as “The Man That Fought ‘em ALL”, Grandmaster Vic -as we would come to know him - had asserted that, in his day, he'd fought the likes of Chuck Norris, Bill "Super-foot" Wallace and even Bruce Lee (in 1967). But being a young, tough and talented Blackman in the White/Asian world of martial arts caused many of his victories to go unnoticed and unreported.

GM Vic & Chuck Norris

GM Vic vs. Bruce Lee. 1967

GM Vic began to educate us on the many ways in which he, and other Black fighters, were held back -while at the same time evolving- the world of martial arts. This phenomenon is no different from what occurred in the fields of Science, Sports and Technology, the only difference is that all the above took place within the world of combat. Therefore, not only were Vic Moore and company revolutionizing martial arts by introducing the natural rhythms and body movements of Black People, but they were often not allowed to compete for first place in competitions, they were regularly cheated out clear victories (over White opponents), had to fight in venues that barred Black spectators, and sometimes had to fight their way out of the venues) they'd just fought in.

Grandmaster Sabir (Steve) Muhammad

Our second meeting and interview was with the cofounder of The Black Karate Federation (1969), Sijo Sabir Muhammad (formally known as Steve Saunders & Steve Muhammad). Sijo was featured in the Bruce Lee classic Enter The Dragon and was one of the many Black fighters Bruce Lee emulated when developing his now famous martial swagger. (Bruce Lee was also reported to have said that Sijo Muhammad possessed the fastest hands and feet of anyone he’d ever seen).

Sijo Muhammad was able to not only recount his own rich history and accomplishments within the Martial World, he and GM Vic were also able to confirm each others place as two of the best fighters of that day.

Meeting these two pioneers and being exposed to their many martial contributions not only provided a very important introduction into the litany of hardships placed upon Black martial artist in America, it also made us curious as to how many others have had their history blurred over and erased.

Jim Kelly w/h Sijo Muhammad, Enter The Dragon

W/h Sijo Muhammad, Atlanta GA..2011

Grandmasters of New York

That initial expedition to Atlanta gave birth to the idea of another -much bigger- project entitled: THE GRANDMASTERS OF NEW YORK, an endeavor that would focus not only on individual Martial Black Artist, but on a collective of Black Fighters that forged a new combat culture within the intense days of gang warfare and high crime in New York City.

"THE SECOND GANG ERA"

As a result of the “Second Gang Era” (beginning in the 1950s and fading out in the 1970s), along with the high crime (due to White Flight and the creation of The Suburbs) the need for martial arts in the city was great. Not only as a means for regular citizens to defend themselves, but the various gang members -because of the lack of firearms available in those days- felt the need to equip themselves by training their bodies for combat.

These realities virtually forced the martial arts instructors of that day to come up with even more effective forms of self defense and combat. These teachers, and their schools, competed with one another in determining who had the most efficient & street ready art.

This competition went on for decades increasing the skill, effectiveness and realism of New York Martial Arts and distinguishing it from any martial art being taught and practiced anywhere else on the planet.

Students and Martial Artist from as far as Japan -and even movie actors- would come to New York to receive this specialized training making New York the unofficial Martial Arts Capital of the World.

This investigation into the underground world of martial arts history led to the unprecedented interview of over 40 Masters and Grandmasters, all within the NYC area. From these interviews came the realization that the martial climate and culture within the Black communities of New York was far different from anything occurring in the country (or the world) and, as a result, that climate produced a caliber of martial artist within the Black Community that were proven to be the most unique and skilled fighters in the world.

The level of lawlessness that existed within the city produced a breed of martial artist whose primary focus was to produce the skills and techniques that were necessary to survive the realities of an increasingly dangerous city.

It is from these interviews -and the relationships formed from them- that Brooklyn Arts of Advantage was established.

Our goal was to connect -and make available- the skills and the experiences- of these martial arts masters, so that those living in our community would have direct access to their expertise.

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Dr. Moses Powell

The Godfather of Black Martial Arts

Chief among this new breed of New York martial artist was Dr. Moses Powell (or “Doc”), a man many have described as the closest thing to Superman they’d ever seen.

Dr. Powell, although younger than the most noted teachers of his day, has earned the title of The Father of Black Martial Arts. This is largely due to his development of a never-before-seen system of Scientific Street Fighting -called Sanuces Ryu- which he began formulating in 1959.

This accomplishment is what distinguished Moses Powell from the other noteworthy instructors of his day. Before him, great teachers like O’sensei Ronald Duncan (‘The Father of American Ninjitsu’) and George Cofield (the head of the notorious Tong Dojo in Brooklyn) had devoted their lives to mastering and then teaching the various martial systems that had come to America from Asia (Karate, Judo, Jiujitsu, Judo, Kung Fu etc.).

Dr. Powell, however, was the first to put together a fighting system designed for ‘The Modern Man and Woman’. He began structuring this new system around the natural movements and conditions of Black People stuggling to survive the streets of "Fear City".

Dr. Powell had been a teenaged gang leader and boxer, and once introduced to the martial arts he began to channel everything he learned through the lens of what would (or wouldn’t) work in a gang fight. He took everything a person would encounter in a real-world combat situation and factored it into his fighting concepts.

Whether it was multiple opponents, knives, guns, sticks or bats, no matter if the fight was in an elevator, on a staircase, or a jail cell, he wasn't concerned if the attacker was a large opponent, a skilled boxer, a world class wrestler or any other kind of martial arts master, Dr. Powell took it all into account and he constructed his Art in a way that prepared his students to confront any form of aggression with confidence, skill and the attitude to win.

He managed to do just that -and more- for the next 46 years (teaching up until the time of his death in 2005) and by the time of his passing, he’d left behind the most effective, sought-after and imitated martial system in the world.

Dr. Powell was the first martial artist to teach law enforcement (FBI, DEA, Secret Service), and traveled the world teaching the citizens as well as the police and military of several islands and countries (including Panama where at the behest of General Manuel Noriega he gave instructions to the military of that Nation).

He was the first Martial Artist to perform at the United Nations (1971) and at the World’s Fair (1965).

Even the Japanese martial arts masters were known to bow to the man and the system he produced in Brooklyn New York.

Brooklyn Arts of Advantage has made a special effort to secure the expertise of some of Dr. Powell's premiere students, who have become Masters/Grandmasters in their own right, and are all proficient teachers in the Sacred art of Sanuces Ryu.