South Austin's Home For Family Martial Arts

Now enrolling new students!

We are offering in-person and live-streaming classes supplemented with a members-only library of over 300 instructional videos.  Pick the mixture of formats that meets your family’s safety and training needs!

  • In-person classes are in our facility with a HEPA filtration system to clean the air students breathe every 30 minutes and keep it circulating.  Class sizes are strictly limited with physical distancing, and the facility is cleaned between sessions.  Mask wearing is strictly enforced.
  • Live-stream classes offered include “drills” and “instruction” format.  The drills classes give students the opportunity to review their material and work up a great sweat.  The instruction classes have strict teacher-student ratios to insure every student gets the attention they need to progress.
  • Our members-only library covers all aspects of our curriculum, and we are adding to it regularly so that all students have the support they need!
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The Espy Family

Traditional Martial Arts Academy is truly a family-centric school.  Sabumnim and Julie Espy opened their first martial arts school in 2005.  All these years later, you will still find Sabumnim teaching classes and seminars, as well as developing and refining our programs, and you will find Julie working with students and their families to ensure their experience at TMAA is meeting their expectations and goals.

Two Espys became three with the addition of Imogen who has been in the school most days since she was an infant.  Imogen can be seen almost daily, taking classes and playing with the other kids who come in to train!

James Espy, Sabumnim

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Mr. Espy is an Austin native who began his training in 1991.  He received a second degree black belt  from Grandmaster Wonik Yi.  He went on to earn a third degree black belt in Shotokan Karate and Dan Zan Ryu Jujutsu.  Beginning in 1995, he studied under Sigung Hasting K. Albo, founder of Mo Min Kuen and Tensai Jujutsu martial arts systems, as well as Head Master of Linkuei, Albo Kali Silat and a Chinese Monkey Boxing style.  Before his death in 2008, Sigung Albo gave Mr. Espy permission to incorporate much of his teachings into the Pyon Moo Do curriculum.

Mr. Espy’s most recent training has been in Hwa Rang Do under Kwan Jang Nim Ken Corona of Phoenix, AZ.  He currently holds the rank of fourth degree black belt with Master Corona.

All of this training has been supplemented with traditional and modern weaponry training, as well as study of MMA and grappling arts like Brazilian Jujistu as part of Mr. Espy’s effort to translate traditional arts into application for a modern context.

Additionally, Mr. Espy has extensive experience in “internal” arts.  He has studied meditation and Ip Sun (Koren Tai Chi) since 1991, received the level of Master in Reiki from Sigung Albo in 2000, and certification in Tuina (Chinese medical massage) and medical Qigong in 2004.  He has studied Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong (Qigong) and Yang style Taiji under Master Li Jun Feng and Chen style Taiji under Dr. Yuxia Qiu.  He has also done graduate-level study of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Mr. Espy is an avid student who constantly seeks to improve himself as a teacher through the study of healing and wellness, psychology, social dynamics, religion and spirituality.  He approaches his students with a wisdom born of over two-decades teaching experience and academic research, and a sense of humor born of appreciating the absurd.

Julie Espy

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Julie Espy, along with her husband Sabumnim James Espy, is a founding member of the TMAA team.  Julie’s official role in the Dojang is administrator and enrollment director.  She is warm and extremely approachable, attributes that will make your introduction to our school a wonderful experience.  She will serve as your guide as you learn about our programs and how we can best serve you and your family.

But Julie does much more in her “unofficial” roles within the school.  After 10 years of working as an occupational therapist, Julie returned to graduate school to become an acupuncturist.  She has spent over 20 years learning and practicing healthcare.  This experience has had an enormous impact on the direction of TMAA as an institution.  She has been central to our staff acquiring such a high level of understanding in the medical and developmental issues that can challenge the kids in our community.  She is instrumental to how staff and families develop strategies for moving past areas of “stuckness”.

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