The Instructors
SGM Hanshi Ron Carlson
Hanshi Ron Carlson started training in Martial Arts in 1954. This year he is celebrating 70 years of learning and teaching Martial Arts. Hanshi holds a 10th Dan in his system of Gow-Ren-Lu Kempo and Gung Fu, a 9th Dan in OKO Kajukenbo, a 6th Dan in Sho Kempo, a 5th Dan in Hapkido and 3rd Dan in Jaindochin Jujitsu. He is the founder of the Kempo First Foundation and co-founder of Rocky Mountain Thunder.
GM Ray Boyer
Grandmaster Ray Boyer received his Shodan (1st degree black belt) in Tai-Tsu Do in 1984 by Sensei Suzuki and a Nidan (2nd degree black belt) in 1985 by Sensei Suzuki before he left to go back to Japan permanently. Sensei Ray studied under Sensei Suzuki from 1974 to 1985 until Sensei Suzuki's departure. Sensei Suzuki passed away in Osaka, Japan in July of 1986 at the age of 76.
Ray continued to train with various martial artists in the Denver, Colorado area until he met Kyoshi Gary Hinkle in 1996. Kyoshi Hinkle is the head instructor of the Te-Ashi Jujitsu system in Colorado. At this time Sensei Ray was introduced to the Kempo First Foundation and Hanshi Ron Carlson the founder through Kyoshi Hinkle.
Hanshi Carlson is the founder of the Kempo system Kuo-Jen-Lu. He is 8th generation from Master James Mitose, the founder of the Kempo system brought to Hawaii.
Sensei Ray studied with both Kyoshi Hinkle and Hanshi Carlson.
Learning the disciplines of Bo, Ju-jitsu, Cane, Octagon Control Tactics, Kempo Jitsu and Wing Chun principles from Sifu Bart Mann, 9th generation from Yip Man.
Professor James Muro
Professor James Muro has been training in the martial arts since the age of 5. He has attained the rank of 10th dan in Kenpo, Danzan Ryu Jujitsu and Kaihewalu Lua (umi kekkele' ele' ele), 4th dan in Shorinji Ryu and 3rd dan in Judo, all under the late great Prof. John Ah Chin Chow-Hoon.
He also trained under Grand Master Gilbert Tenio and received his master certificate in Decuerdas Eskrima from Grand Master Tenio. He studied directly under Prof. Juan Eliab Sr. learning the Serrada system, and along with this he has trained with the Inay family, training in the Inayan Kadena de Mano.
Master Tony Puyot
Master Tony Puyot started training Martial arts in 1976, first training in Kempo Karate. He went on to study numerous fighting arts to include Okinawan Karate, American Karate, Muay Thai, Filipino Martial arts, Japanese Jiu Jitsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kajukenbo and numerous styles of Kung Fu. Master Puyot was drawn to the martial arts because of the violence he encountered growing up. He worked in security and Law Enforcement until his retirement in 2017. It is from this background he gained valuable knowledge of what is important in street fights and self-defense. Through time, masters have been documenting these very things in training manuals. With the help of his teacher, Master Lo Si Gun they translated and interpreted numerous ancient training manuals. It is this knowledge, the core principles that make everything work, is what Master Puyot will be teaching.
Kyoshi Jason May
Jason May Kyoshi is Kaicho (founder/chief) of the Nan Sho Budo system and director of Southern Pine Institute of Martial Arts. Since stepping on the path of martial arts education in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1985, he has been fortunate to find teachers of various styles to broaden his skill set and enhance his teaching style.
Kyoshi holds advanced rank in multiple systems and continues his studies in Gow Ren Lu Kempo Gung Fu, Progressive Arnis, Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Seiho-ha Iaido, Common Sense Self Defense (C.S.S.D), Inner Wave Pencak Silat and Morin Kun Tao Silat.
He is an active member of the Gow Ren Lu Kempo Gung Fu International Association, Progressive Arnis and Kamishinkai International. In years past, he instructed in officer survival tactics for Kentucky Department of Corrections C.E.R.T members and Greensboro Police Department. Currently, he continues as a guest instructor at seminars around the United States, Spain and Portugal.
Guro Chad Bailey
* 40+ years of Martial Arts experience
* Trained under Senior Grandmaster Remy Presas, Bepak Willem “Uncle Bill” De Thouars, Senior Grandmaster Cacoy Canete and many others
* 8th degree Black Belt in Modern Arnis & Combat Arnis
* 4th Grade Black Belt in Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima
* Guru in Hakka Kuntao de Thouars
* Sifu in Kuntao Silat de Thouars Internal
* Grandmaster and Founder of Progressive Arnis
* Acupuncture Physician using acupuncture, tui na massage, herbology, diet therapy and qi gong to balance and heal
GM Bruce Chiu
A former Law Enforcement Officer and champion Martial Arts competitor, Mr. Chiu began his martial arts training in 1971. He has been teaching for over 29 years. His students include members of several state and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies, including the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement, Florida State Troopers, BATF, DEA, and the United States Secret Service, as well as members of America’s elite military units. He is also an adjunct instructor for the Alexandria Police Departments Special Operations Team.
Mr. Chiu is a personal student of the late Grandmaster Remy A. Presas, the founder of Modern Arnis.
Mr. Chiu holds multiple Black Belts and holds a 8th degree or higher equivalent in Modern Arnis, Karate, American Karate, and White Crane Kung Fu. Mr. Chiu is a certified instructor in Bukido and Police Tactical Baton.
Sifu Richard Dean
Hua Quan Dao, or Chinese Fist Way, is the embodiment of Sifu Eric Ling’s lifetime of study in the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts (TCMAs). Principles of structure, mechanics and dynamic flow are the bedrock of Hua Quan Dao. By this, we learn to generate incredible power and speed without pause…one flow.
Hua Quan Dao has been referred to as Jin Dao, or the way of energy. Hua Quan Dao is a continuum of study from Saolim Lohan to Fuzhou Whooping Crane…the bookends of HQD. Maximum power, to softest targets, with sharpest weapons, liberated to deploy as needed with innumerable manifestations. This is what principle based training allows one to cultivate.
Everything is a target and everything is a weapon, at any range. We don’t block bridge, we destroy it…”three gates and your general is mine.” Hua Quan Dao teaches one to hold one’s peace; so in the savagery of study, we cultivate a meek spirit. This is power under control. Thus it is said, “The meek walk away because they can. The weak walk away because they must.”
GM Bram Frank
Bram Frank is a first generation personal student, and disciple of the late Grandmaster Remy Presas, the Father and Founder of MODERN ARNIS. He was with Professor Presas from 1980 till his untimely demise in 2001. Bram has studied various fighting arts such as Wing Chun, JKD, American Freestyle Karate for over 40 years and has taken the principles from each as they can be applied to Filipino Martial Arts. Bram holds Dan rank in several arts and has been Director of Blunt & Edged weapons training for several federations worldwide. Currently he is Director of Edged Weapons training @ the S2 Law Enforcement-Security Institute. Over the last several years Bram has concentrated on the use of edged weapons / tools as a principle instrument of self defense and its use in Military, Police and Anti Terror applications. The World Head of Family Sokeship Grandmaster Council has recently recognized Bram as the First Modern Grandmaster on their council: the Grandmaster of a Tactical –Combative Fighting art: Common Sense: Self Defense- Street Combat and its Tactical application Modular Martial Blade Craft.
Renshi Matt Ansari
Renshi Matthew Ansari has been training in several different martial arts styles, including judo, since 1993 and began teaching Shorinji Kempo in 2003. He served in the U.S. Army Airborne Infantry for more than 7 years, including two tours in Afghanistan
Current Rankings:
1st Dan in Shorinji Kempo under Sensei Chester Israel
4th Dan in Shihairyoku Kempo under the founder, Sensei Chester Israel
2nd Dan in Shotokan Karate under Sensei Mark Zachary
1st Dan in Okinawan Kempo
2nd Dan in Shur-Te Bu-jutsu-Kai under Shihan Troy Price
Advanced instructor in Progressive Arnis under Guro Chad Bailey
Lao Shr Brandon Berman
Lao Shr Brandon Berman has over 35 years of experience studying martial arts. He is a lineage holder and an active teacher within Ying Lung Hsing. Ying Lung Hsing, or Image of a Dragon Body, is the culmination of a lifetime of study by Lao Shr Wayne Welsh of Fu Style Baguazhang, traditional Chinese and Indonesian martial arts, natural body motion, and mechanics.
Lao Shr Berman began his training as a kid in New Mexico inspired by Bruce Lee's movies. Dabbling in Judo at the YMCA and then on to earn a couple of belts and break a couple of boards at Kim’s Taekwondo. It wasn’t until 1993 when Lao Shr Berman moved to Colorado and started studying Traditional Shaolin Hung Hung Mei under Shifu Solow that he truly became serious about the martial arts being a daily practice.
In 2003, Lao Shr Berman began studying with Lao Shr Wayne Welsh and was introduced to and influenced by many different martial art brothers and sisters. Recently, Lao Shr Berman spent a year studying Tai Chi under Master Christoff Clarke.
Shihan Ben Aldridge
Shihan Ben Aldridge started studying Kenpo Karate in 2001 with Kyoshi Robert Koch, and currently holds a 5th Degree Black Belt. He has continuously trained in Kenpo since he started and is currently the owner and operator of the International Black Belt Studio in Alden, NY.
Around 2005, he began training for a with Sifu Christopher Zeth in Jung Hop Kuen Gung Fu. In December of 2021, Shihan started training in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Seiho-ha Iaido with Kyoshi Jason May. In January of 2023, he began training in Progressive Arnis with Guro Chad Bailey and currently holds the rank of Purple Belt and Taga Pagsanay. Shihan Aldridge is working his way through Grand Master Bram Frank’s Instructor Training Program for the Modular Blade Combat and Concepts course.
GM Conrad Bui
Dr. Conrad Bui is the co-founder of Tiga Tactics, a combatives consulting company. As a life-long martial artist, his credentials are as follows: 5th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and American Freestyle Karate, full instructor in Jeet Kune Do, sigung/lao shr in Ying Lung Hsing Ba Gua Zhang, guru tua in Pentjak Silat Serak, sigung in Kuntao Silat de Thouars, guro in Kali, coach in Muay Thai and black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
He has competed in point sparring, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was also a bouncer in college and is currently a certified pistol instructor with the NRA.