A Short Bio…

 

  I have been in the martial arts for 53 years this coming early Fall of 2024. I have taught for around 40 years in the Gladwin, Beaverton, Harrison, Coleman, and Clare areas of Michigan, plus a few more throughout the state. I have lived in the Mid-Michigan area for most of my life in some of the surrounding cities, but Gladwin is where I call my home. I have studied a wide variety of different martial arts over the years and I hold a variety of different rankings. I was teaching at the Gladwin Community Arena, but turned my time slot over to Master James Puzar and that still leaves three different systems being taught there.

Notice: I still teach private training for some students, plus demos, different events, and other Instructors... Below is a list of the black belt rankings I have received over the years.

  I have a loving family, that is very supportive in all my endeavors and I love them all!

 

My Grand Master is - Grand Master George Petrotta - Founder of the International Sung Ja Do Association.

 

My system is a blend of cultures: American - Korean - Okinawan - Japanese and Chinese.

 

1.) Grand Master 10th degree in American Shingan Do Ninjuka Taijutsu (First Generation Headmaster / Founder of this system/style) (Tang Soo Do / Ninjuka / Shaolin Kempo / Goju). Update on system name (USA Sung Ja Do Ninjuka Tang Soo Do). 

2.) Grand Master 9th degree in Black Lotus Martial Arts System -- Founder Grand Master Donald Miskel

3.) Senior Master 7th degree in Shi Do Kwan Tang Soo Do (Headmaster of this system /style). Upgraded name (Jeonsa Kwan Tang Soo Do)

4.) Master's 6th degree in American Kempo Shingan Ryu Jujitsu (First Generation Headmaster / Founder of this system/style).

5.) Master's 6th degree in Ju Te Ryu Combat Aiki System.

6.) Master's degree in American Jujitsu Karate System.

7.) 2nd degree in Tae Kwon Do.

8.) 2nd degree in Shotokan.

9.) 2nd degree in Combat Jujitsu.

10.) 2nd degree in Ho Shin Sul Self-Defense Systems.

11.) 1st degree in Hakkoryu Jujitsu.

 

 NOTE: I am also State Director of Michigan, for the GMC...Grand Masters Council.

 

  Also, I have studied principles of Krav Maga, Yoshitsune Jujitsu, Ninjuka Jujitsu, Shorin-Ryu, Dragon Kenpo, Shaolin Kempo 5 Animal Kung Fu, Combat Isshin Ryu, Kudokan Jujitsu, Hapkido, Ninjutsu, Kendo/Kumdo, Iaido, Judo, Dim-Mak, Goju, Jeet Kune Do, Aikia, Kickboxing, Trap boxing, Boxing, Wrestling and a variety of Weapons.

 

  I started my martial arts training in College, in the early Fall of 1971, when I was at Mid-Michigan Community College. My first teacher was Master Don Davis, who taught at Mid-Michigan and Central Michigan Colleges, the large organization I belonged to was Karate Institute of America, out of Detroit Michigan. From there I went on a journey that covered the 70's, 80's, 90's, and into 2000...to the present day. After leaving college, I started under another Tang Soo Do club in my hometown of Clare Michigan. My new Instructor, Mr. Mulloy, was under another Tang Soo Do Association out of Detroit called Russ Hanke's Korean Karate Clubs. Mr. Mulloy would let me help teach, even though I was a colored belt and so I helped him teach throughout my time with him. This was a rougher system with a hardcore class on Saturdays for the students that could take it... I also studied some Hapkido from another Instructor, plus Ninjutsu from another early Instructor, and some weapons fighting.  The 1970s was a harder contact time, where bruises, bloody noses, and jammed fingers were commonplace in training. I didn’t worry much about testing for belt promotions, as much as just learning how to take care of myself… I love to fight and I honed in on my street fighting… I did not start using fighting gear until the 1980's came along.

  In the 1980s, I was in my thirties and was in the best shape I could be in... I did a lot of fighting and forms, plus started kickboxing in some of the other tournaments. My Instructor at this time was Paul Robb, who was a fantastic teacher of Tang Soo Do and I was back under Karate Institute again. The group I studied with were great martial artists and the wealth of knowledge I acquired, was phenomenal. Soon, after acquiring the Beaverton and Gladwin area to teach in, from my Instructor Paul Robb, I moved out of the Middle School in the Beaverton school system and into a building in Beaverton, where I set up my first Dojang on my own.

  I started to seek out more knowledge and met another Tang Soo Do black belt from Saginaw Michigan, his name was David Jackson. He introduced me to Hakkoryu Jujitsu, and we began training in that system. This Jujitsu system seem to work so well with my Tang Soo Do training, that I started adding this to my regular teachings. By this time, I had added more classes per night and had Mr. Jackson helping me run it. I also had a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do helping teach with Mr. Jackson and me at the club. His name was Vince Beck. I learned Tae Kwon Do from him and his father was also a Master in Shotokan Karate, which I learned from him.

  Late 1980's and early 1990's, I tested in a few different systems and started studying more and more Jujitsu, Hapkido, Kenpo, Goju, plus a lot more styles... I just could not get enough and learned everything that came in front of me. By this time in my life, I had been under a few different Associations and started going to other states to study with a variety of Masters and Grand Masters. I opened a few different schools over the 1990s and studied hard, plus taught a wider range of martial arts... Blending and mixing, changing the names of what I was teaching from one thing to another. Some of the Instructors I worked with...Grandmaster Jerry Beasley, Grandmaster Joe Lewis, Grandmaster Bill Wallace, Grandmasters Michael DePasquale, Senior and Junior. These are just a few of the teachers and the knowledge that I learned was amazing......... 

  I was always an outdoorsman and I wanted to incorporate that also into my training, hence... Ninjutsu training and promotions came back into my training again and more often, but were more enhanced this time, with a lot of alone time in the woods with backpacking, hiking, climbing, and also some survival training with some of my Special Forces Black Belt friends. I also learned many weapons such as - Yumi and Ya/Bow and Arrows, Shobo/Jabbing Weapon, Shuriken/Throwing Stars, Jutte/Sai, Fukiya/Blowgun, Hanbo-Bo-Jo-Tambo/Various sized Staff Weapons, Katana/Sword, and Tanto/Dagger.

  Everything I learned from the different Instructors I studied with over time, helped shape the martial arts journey I found myself on through the years. My style evolved from my base art of early Tang Soo Do to what I started teaching later - American Bokido Shi Do Kwan Tang Soo Do, from all the Jujitsu and Ninjutsu training evolved the other style I also started teaching, which is a total combination of everything I have learned - American Shingan-Do Shinrin Ryu Taijutsu, which is my highest belt ranking. The name of my blended system has recently been changed into two parts, because of the training... Dojang, part (1) and Wilderness Survival part (2). "American Shingan-Do Ninjuka Taijutsu" part (1) and "Wilderness Shinrin Kempo Ryu Seizon Taijutsu" part (2).

  In 2002, I first met GM Petrotta and started learning his combat system of Sung Ja Do from him and years later I was promoted to my First Generation Head Master/Founder Degree by Mr Petrotta and a board of high ranking martial artists. Because of my age, at the time of the promotion, my years in the martial arts at that time, the different rankings that I have earned in the martial arts and my development of my systems. The promotion was in August 2020, from the International Sung Ja Do Association, for my American Shingan-Do Shinrin Ryu Taijutsu mixed martial arts.

  Other testings on my martial arts journey, this in 2005, another teacher whom I worked with through my many years of training, appointed me to a Senior Master / Founder level for the style of American Bokido Shi Do Kwan Tang Soo Do. This appointment was by Grand Master Walters.

  In 2015, I was also appointed to a 9th degree in the Black Lotus martial arts system and a 6th degree in the Ju Te Ryu Combat Aiki system, by Grand Master Donald Miskel. I feel it is an honor to be promoted to these titles of ranking (Master, Senior Master, and Grand Master degrees: First Generation Founder) by the above councils / Grand Masters, and I will honor these promotions in everything I do, not only in the martial arts world but in my whole life.

  Also Note,  my blended martial arts of "Shingan-Do Ninjuka Taijutsu (1)/Wilderness Shinrin Kempo Ryu Seizon Taijutsu (2)", is not 100% a Ninja Art like in most Ninja or Ninjutsu types of systems that are linked to a Taijutsu style. The Combat Shingan-Do Ninjuka Taijutsu style is a blend or mixture of martial arts of everything that I have studied in my lifelong journey and the belt system I teach is very similar, but is not like the Ninja or Ninjutsu type of systems as I stated above. The training in the style I teach may have some similarities, but not many. The empty hand/weapons, mixed with the classroom training, mixed with the street-wise back alley type training, and concludes with the wilderness survival training, makes the American Ninjuka Taijutsu System (evolved condensed name), is a lot different from other systems/styles. My Wilderness group is called the Michigan Pathfinders, which I started on April 15th, 1985 when I lived in the woods from that time to October 31st, which is Halloween. I had the time to explore what direction I was moving to... The Pathfinders is an extension of my Part 2 system... So again, this is a result of many inputs and one output, that is structured for passing on to my students in many teachings I have done through the years. My training started in the early Fall of 1971 in Tang Soo Do and this is the heart of my system, I am still on my journey...and with God willing...many more years. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

 

NOTE: Final names for my school and systems are, USA Bokido Kai School - USA Sung Ja Do Nin Ju Ka Tang Soo Do) (part 1), and USA Wilderness Warriors Outdoorsman (Self-Defense * Bushcraft * Survival) (part 2). 

 

Below are some Associations / Organizations / Societies that I have belonged to or am still active in... these span most of my years in the martial arts:

 

*     International Sungja Do Association -- Lifetime

 ·                     American Iron Fist Association -- Founder / Lifetime (open to all Styles of martial arts)

·                     Michigan Christian Martial Arts Society -- Founder / Lifetime (open to all Styles of martial arts)

·                     American Martial Arts Instructors Alliance -- Founder / Lifetime (opened to all Styles of martial arts)

·                     American Dragon Masters Council -- Founder / Lifetime (opened to all Styles of martial arts)

·                     American Wilderness Warriors Taijutsu Society -- Founder / Lifetime (opened to all Styles of martial arts)

·                     Michigan Martial Arts Self-Defense Combat Systems -- Founder / Lifetime (opened to all Styles of martial arts)

·                     American Dragon Fighting Society - Michigan -- Founder / Lifetime (opened to all Styles of martial arts)

·                     U.S.A. Bokido Kai Jujitsu Association -- Founder / Lifetime

·                     Mid-Michigan Freestyle Sparring Club -- Founder / Lifetime

·                     American Jujitsu Karate System -- Lifetime                    

·                     Grand Masters Council (GMC) -- Lifetime

·                     Aikia Association

·                     Jeet Kune Do Council

·                     United States National Grand Masters Federation -- Lifetime

·                     International Martial Arts Association -- Lifetime

·                     Combat Martial Arts Practitioners Association -- Lifetime

·                     Black Dragon Fighting Society -- Lifetime

·                     International Fighting Arts Association -- Lifetime

·                     Black Lotus Martial Arts Association -- Lifetime

·                     Kokuren Budokai Hombu -- Lifetime

·                     International Bujinkan Dojo Association

·                     World Martial Arts Group (AIKIA)                     

·                     Black Tiger Golden Dragon Society -- Lifetime

·                     Karate Institute of America

·                     Russ Hanke's Korean Karate Clubs

·                     Central Michigan Karate Club

·                     Universal Martial Arts Club International

·                     International Federation of Ju-jutsuans

·                     Federation United Martial Artists (FUMA)

·                     National College of Martial Arts

·                     Black Scorpion Ninjutsu Society -- Lifetime

·                     Wilderness Martial Arts -- Lifetime

·                     Pate Ryu Shinobi No Jutsu -- Lifetime

·                     Ookami Kamichi Fuma Ryu Ninjutsu -- Lifetime

·                     Intercontinental Martial Arts Union -- Lifetime

·                     Shintai Ryu Martial Arts Association

·                     Gathering of Styles -- Lifetime

·                     National Korean Martial Arts Association