Hi!

I’m Coach Keith

I’ve been coaching martial arts in New York City for 10 years. My background is a mix: I grew up in Korean Karate (Black Belt) and transitioned to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Purple Belt) later in life.

My path wasn’t linear. I didn’t train under one famous master from age 5. I bounced around, trained under different coaches, and took the long road. I’m not chasing status—I actually turned down my purple belt promotion three times because I didn't feel my skill matched the rank yet.

I care about the quality of the movement, not the color of the belt. That is the standard I hold for myself, and it shows in the results. The youth competition team I currently coach in Manhattan has recently taken home Gold at the IBJJF and JJWL championships, along with plenty of local hardware.

No Yelling, Just Learning

We view martial arts differently than the "Old School" model on two fronts:

Culture: We don’t believe in the militaristic "break them down" mentality. Screaming at kids and using exercise as punishment creates anxiety, not toughness. We set strict boundaries and high expectations for behavior, but we do it without the drill sergeant act.

Practice: Instead of robotically drilling moves into the air, we use a method called Ecological Dynamics.

We design specific games with rules (Constraints) that force students to solve problems against real resistance. It’s not just "playing"—it’s a scientifically backed way to build skills that actually work in a fight, rather than just looking good in a demonstration.