About
I will quote one of my mentor's teachers, the legendary Bruce Lee, ''I cannot teach you, I can only help you explore yourself. Nothing more."
What he meant is that without styles or forms, there is nothing to teach. This is what he discovered after many years of training in his original art of Wing Chun and several dozen other arts over the years. He concluded that martial art styles are self limiting in how to best express yourself through the use of your God given faculties and abilities. Of course theres a proper way to throw a punch, a kick, an elbow, a knee strike, as well as how to defend/block the same plus all other parts of combat such as footwork, timing, spacial awareness etc. But your defense, attack, or counter should be done free flowing, and not be restricted to any pre-determined set of moves (styles/forms) but applied when the opportunities present themselves. I apply this philosophy/mindset to all training we do.
My training started in Shotokan karate at the age of 5 back when karate was super popular. My mom thought it was a good idea as an outlet for all my energy. Growing up in the 80's Ive seen all the typical martial art films of the era such as The Karate Kid, Bloodsport, Kickboxer, and many others. I quickly became interested in training but it wasnt until seeing Bruce Lee films that it literally changed my whole interest and direction of what arts to study. And so it wasnt till I was in my early 20's that I had the opportunity to train full time in Bruce Lee' Jeet Kune Do as well as Kali, Muay Thai, and Silat. That's how I found the world renowned Princeton Academy of Martial Arts at which I trained from '04-'09. After my daughter was born in 2010, I took a brief hiatus, then due to a job offering I had to move to Pennsylvania and trained at Tri-State Martial Arts Academy with Sifu Jeff Jones. I've also attended countless training seminars with Guru Dan Inosanto throughout the course of my training years.
During my trips to Peru, I conduct self defense seminars for women and host boxing seminars for impoverished persons of interest as well.
Taking up any kind of physical training takes a certain amount of discipline, dedication, and mental fortitude. My students come from all walks of life, experience, and fitness levels so customizing the lessons to your level of ability and experience is crucial to our success. Your success is my success. When we train we are a team. Remember the passage from above? I do not train you. I am more of a guide than a teacher. Don't worry, you'll get it once you start training 😊. Martial art training is a long game. No one became an expert overnight. Its like anything else that's worth learning. If you stay focused on the process, you will love the experience and appreciate what it will do for your life, both spiritually and physically. Take care.
I enjoy seeing my pupils reach a higher purpose and accomplish more than they expected they would before training with me. I must say that is the most rewarding aspect.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I treat each new students goals and expectations with the upmost care and consideration to their needs and preferences. Its a consultative approach meant to gather information and give information so I can formulate a game plan. Sometimes what we want isnt necessarily what we need and vice versa. First I have a honest conversation with them to learn about the student's short term and long term goals with training. There are many reasons why people want to learn a martial art. Also the student's physical fitness level and any limitations must taken into consideration. Only then do I develop a starting point and create a plan of action.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
See the "How does your service stand out" section.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I do have a standard price for lessons though I offer several discounts for referrals, frequency of training sessions per month, bring a friend discounts, etc. Please inquire for more details.
How did you get started teaching?
One of my past pupils recommended me to this site after learning about lessons.com himself.
What types of students have you worked with?
Beginner, Intermediate, and advance. Open to all levels of experience.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Everyday I wake up is an event Im fond of! 😁🤣
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Well in my opinion of course, a teacher in the martial arts, should be more of a guide than a teacher. They should be helping you explore yourself. To challenge yourself. Once you acquire the basic skills, encourage you to experiment to see what works best for you-and what doesnt work at all. Not every technique works for every person. Same applies to the martial arts. As a 6'6" person you cant judo throw a 4'11" person.
They should also help you develop your natural talents. Everyone has a natural ability in something, whether its physical ability, mental toughness, philosophical comprehension, or one of many others. Once you find what that is, you can train it and develop it to an extraordinary level. The saying "Fear not the man who knows 10,000 kicks-but the one who has trained one kick 10,000 times" applies here. Highlight and train your best attribute(s).
A teacher should also be a friend first. How can you feel totally comfortable and open to learning something with someone who you feel is lecturing a rigid curriculum rather than coaching and encouraging? You should feel you are in this journey together as a team rather than a student in a class you're just taking. Last but not least, said teacher should offer a free lesson or 2 so you have some idea of what it is they will be offering!
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What do I really want out of training? What goals am I trying to accomplish? Is this training for sport, or for the street? Is it for exercise? There are many reasons people take up learning new things and martial art training is no different. You have to be real with yourself and determine what those reasons are. And also whether you can commit to the training. Training in the martial arts is a lifelong pursuit that is constantly evolving and requires dedication and experimentation (a.k.a. practice) if you expect it to become ingrained into your muscle memory.