Cynthia Ann “Cindy” Omatsu (born in Torrance, California

Torrance, California

Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...

, on January 19, 1961) is a Japanese-American black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...

 under senior instructor Rigan Machado

Rigan Machado

Rigan Machado is an 8th degree red and black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu earning his rank under Carlos Gracie Jr. He is a former Jiu-Jitsu world champion and a veteran of the ADCC. Machado holds a victory over Ron Tripp, the only person credited with a victory over Rickson Gracie...

 and Leka Vieira. She is best known for being the first Asian-American and first woman outside of Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

 to be promoted to black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Biography

Cindy was born and raised in Torrance, California the fourth of five children. She attended Madrona Middle school and Torrance High School

Torrance High School

Torrance High School is a high school located in Torrance, California. Founded in 1917, it is one of the oldest high schools in continuous use in California and is the oldest of the four high schools in the Torrance Unified School District. Four of its buildings are listed on the U.S...

. Later earning her Associate of Arts degree from El Camino Junior College.

Cindy has been training for over eleven years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu originally starting for self-defense purposes. She enrolled at Rigan Machado’s school in Redondo Beach, California

Redondo Beach, California

Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...

 eventually earning her black belt under Machado and Vieira. Initially hesitant about training due to the lack of female students she continued training eventually becoming the first Asian-American and first woman outside of Brazil to earn a black belt in the art.

Career

Cindy is currently an instructor at Rigan Machado’s school in Redondo Beach and conducts seminars worldwide. In addition to training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Cindy has also trained in Jeet Kune Do

Jeet Kune Do

Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...

  under Richard Bustillo

Richard Bustillo

Richard S Bustillo is an Filipino-American martial arts instructor from Hawaii who was a student of the late Bruce Lee and an authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial Arts.-Martial arts:...

, boxing

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 and kickboxing

Kickboxing

Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....

 with June Castro, Krav Maga

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is a noncompetitive eclectic self-defense system developed in Europe that involves striking techniques, wrestling and grappling. Krav Maga is known for its focus on real-world situations and extremely efficient, brutal counter-attacks...

 with Mitch Tavera, and wrestling

Wrestling

Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...

 with Frank Trigg

Frank Trigg

Dewey Franklin Trigg III is an American mixed martial artist, color commentator, pro wrestler and co-host of MMAWeekly radio show and TAGG radio show...

 and Rico Chiparelli. In addition to teaching martial arts she is also an interviewer for the online magazine website GrappleTV.

Cindy is also well known for her four volume DVD

DVD

A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

 instructional series “Vicious Vixens: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu” which also featured fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor Felicia Oh

Felicia Oh

Felicia Linda Oh is an Asian American black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under senior instructor Jean Jacques Machado, an accomplished submission grappling competitor, martial arts instructor, and college professor.-Biography:Felicia began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in early 2001 after being...

.

Lineage

Jigoro Kano → Tsunejiro Tomita

Tsunejiro Tomita

, born , was the earliest disciple of judo. His name appears in the first line of the enrollment book of the Kōdōkan. Tomita, together with Saigō Shirō, became first in history of judo to be awarded black belt grade by the founder of judo Kanō Jigorō, who established the ranking system...

 → Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda

Mitsuyo Maeda

,a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Maeda,was a Japanese judōka and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions. He was also known as Count Combat or Conde Koma in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, a nickname he picked up in Spain in 1908...

 → Carlos Gracie, Sr.

Carlos Gracie

Carlos Gracie was the first Gracie to learn Judo from Otávio Mitsuyo Maeda. Based on this judo training, Carlos and his brothers founded the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...

 → Carlos Gracie, Jr.

Carlos Gracie, Jr.

Carlos "Carlinhos" Gracie, Jr. is a 7th degree Red and Black Belt URL accessed on June 7, 2009 in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu . He started the Gracie Barra Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is head of the Gracie Barra, one of the largest and most successful worldwide Jiu-Jitsu associations...

 → Rigan Machado

Rigan Machado

Rigan Machado is an 8th degree red and black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu earning his rank under Carlos Gracie Jr. He is a former Jiu-Jitsu world champion and a veteran of the ADCC. Machado holds a victory over Ron Tripp, the only person credited with a victory over Rickson Gracie...

 → Cindy Omatsu

DVD

• Vicious Vixens: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Panther Premium, 2005)
  • Volume One: Basic
  • Volume Two: Beginning
  • Volume Three: Intermediate
  • Volume Four: Advanced

Titles

• IBJJF Pan American Jiu Jitsu Championships (Hawaii) First Place
• IBJJF Pan American Jiu Jitsu Championships (Florida) Third Place

External links

• Cindy Omatsu's Biography