What I Learned from Guro Dan

Guro Dan and Coach Roderick

I look forward to training with Dan Inosanto when he conducts his seminars in Atlanta every year. I always learn something new from him, because he is always learning something new. One of the qualities I admire about Guro Dan, as he is affectionately called, is his personal commitment to life-long learning. Even at the age of 83, Guro Dan continues to explore, research, and learn new ways of expressing himself in the martial arts. He does not rest on his many laurels. His thirst for knowledge is the reason he has had so many different martial arts instructors over the years. From Ed Parker to Bruce Lee to John Lacoste. Guro Dan knows that no one person has a monopoly on martial arts knowledge. I have been greatly influenced by Guro Dan's example. I find myself searching out the best instructors I can find and learning what they have to teach me. I adhere to what Guro Dan's most famous instructor once said, "Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is specifically your own." Thank you Guro Dan for being such a great role model to me and many other martial artists around the world.

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Grandmaster Ulysses "Pop" Winn Jr

My first martial arts instructor Grandmaster Ulysses "Pop" Winn passed away on May 9, 2024. He was a 10th degree black belt in Nisei Goju Ryu. Thank you Sensei for being a mentor and positive role model to me when I was growing up. Until we meet again in heaven.

The Day I Became A Ronin

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What is Filipino Boxing?

Filipino Boxing means different things to different people. For example, some consider Filipino Boxing as strictly a striking art, while others include grappling in their expression of the art. The art also goes by many names. It is also referred to as Dirty Boxing, Panantukan, Suntukan, Pangamot, etc. At its essence, Filipino Boxing is an empty-hand self-defense system whose techniques are derived from the use of weapons, such as sticks and knives, in Filipino Martial Arts ("FMA"). My understanding of Filipino Boxing comes primarily from training under numerous well-regarded FMA instructors. I have also gained an appreciation of the art from spending countless hours studying books and videos on the discipline. I have also been fortunate to be able to experiment and explore the use of Filipino Boxing techniques with my training partners and students. My personal expression of Filipino Boxing is a combination of traditional Western Boxing, limb des...

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