# My Martial Arts Biography

- Link: https://brianejohns.com/2007/09/06/blog-my-martial-arts-biography/
- Published: 2007-09-06T20:26:00-04:00
- Author: Brian Johns

## I know that it’s been a while since I last posted……I’ve been busy settling into Canada, starting a job search and networking.

 In addition, I have been working with two eager Modern Arnis students in Mike and
David. Also, I have been teaching my wife, Mary-Anne, Modern Arnis. She loves it,
especially the tapi tapi!

My [martial arts journey](https://brianejohns.com/2008/04/06/blog-10-years-in-modern-arnis/)
started in December 1982 with Kwan Ying Do Kung Fu in my hometown of Barberton, 
Ohio. Grandmaster Feeman Ong and his students taught this wonderful martial art.
He frequently travelled to Taiwan for additional training. Mike Fleming, one of 
my high school friends, and Steve Ong introduced me to this martial art. As a result
of their urgings, I trained in this martial art from December 1982 through August
1983, when I left Barberton to attend the University of Notre Dame. Moreover, I 
also trained in the summer of 1984 and 1985. My two main instructors were Bob Keen
and David Jacobs, two demanding

[Kwan Ying Do](http://www.kwanyingdo.com/)

## After I entered the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 1983, I joined the 󠀁[Notre Dame Martial Arts Institute](https://www3.nd.edu/~ndmai/index.html)󠁿 (NDMAI).

Gary Cooper and Sang D. Kim were the instructors. Under these two phenomenal martial
artists, I learned a blend of Vee Jiu-Jitsu and Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do. G. Rogers
Cooper is the son of Grandmaster Robert J. Cooper, whose ingenuity led to the blending
the aforementioned two martial arts systems. Through this blended system, I gained
a tremendous grounding in foundational techniques and an appreciation for cross-
training. Sang Kim was a Korean warrior and was an assistant instructor to G. Rogers.

About Gary, what can I say? He is a phenomenal martial artist and one of the best
I have ever seen. His talent was just out of this world and reflects the superb 
training he received from his father, Professor Cooper.

_Gary in all his awesomeness._

## I eventually earned the rank of Rokudan (6th degree) due to my studies with the NDMAI.

During my NDMAI years, I formed many friendships that last to this day and hope 
to maintain them now that I’m in Canada. Among those friends are Drew Sandler, Brian
Weidmann, Brian McCarthy, Billy Curran, Jim Hoff, Paul Novak, Brookes Ebetsch, Kate
Noll, Dan Westmeyer, Jason Thomas, and many others. I also met incredible martial
artists such as Thurman Miller, Jose Velez, David Rivera, and Mike Medina.

Also, while at Notre Dame, I joined the Aikido club, which Brian Weidman and Brian
McCarthy taught. I was part of this club for three semesters and enjoyed a seminar
by Irving Faust, who came from Albany, NY. Brian McCarthy lived in Japan for four
years, training in Aikido and Shorinji Kempo. Brian Weidmann still trains in Aikido
and has had the opportunity to train at the Hombu Dojo. To this day, he considers
Aikido to be his true passion.

After graduating from Law School and moving to Columbus, Ohio, I studied several
martial art styles for a few years.

## First, I studied Tracy Kenpo Karate under Herb Lamprecht at his school in Columbus from 1990 through December 1996.

I learned the value of the defensive aspects of Kenpo sparring (many hours of this!).
The Kenpo folks are very very tough when it comes to sparring. Herb is a great Kenpo
stylist and a phenomenal human being.

During this time frame, Brian McCarthy introduced me to pressure points when he 
invited me to attend a Rick Clark seminar in Albany, NY. Rick had a very varied 
background in martial arts having studied Modern Arnis, Judo, Chung Do Kwan TKD,
and pressure points. As a result, I attended several seminars and went to two camps
where I learned the basics of kata breakdown and bunkai. I have not seen Rick for
quite some time, but I can tell you that he’s a very good martial artist and has
a seminar following in Europe.

I’d like to get back into this since the kata of Chung Do Kwan TKD comes from Shotokan
karate, which originates in Okinawa.

## Long story short, much of the pressure point taught is mainly based on Okinawan karate forms. So, I’d like to investigate this stuff further, but it’s on the back burner.

Around 1996, a co-worker (Sterling Gill) introduced me to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and 
I started attending classes at the House of the Rock on the east side of Columbus.
All told, I was in Gracie JJ for a total of 6 to 8 months under Jeff Hudson, a very
skilled player. While there, I attended a seminar with Relson Gracie. Talk about
unbelievable!

However, several considerations caused me to stop training in Gracie JJ. First and
foremost, it was too expensive to study Gracie JJ and Tracy Kenpo Karate simultaneously.
Having just moved into a house in northwest Columbus, the money was tight. The second
consideration was the feeling on my part that my stand-up game was not satisfactory
to me. After getting shodan in that art, I resolved to leave Kenpo behind and move
in another direction. Since my stand-up game was unsatisfactory, I needed to put
Gracie JJ on hold and investigate other possibilities. I’d like to get back into
Gracie or Machado JJ someday as this martial art is beautiful.

In the meantime, I had privately trained with various members of the NDMAI (such
as Laurie McNeilly, Kate Noll, Stuart Tyner, Jennifer Kovass, Drew Sandler, Brookes
Ebetsch, Paul Novak, Brendan Burns, and Dan Westmeyer) over the years in the basement
of my house….nearly all of them coming to Columbus to attend graduate or law school
at Ohio State, or just visiting Columbus. This allowed me to hone my Vee JJ and 
Chung Do Kwan TKD background.

## I have to admit that, after I got out of Kenpo Karate, I was bouncing around and trying to fill this undefinable gap in my martial arts. I knew that it had something to do with my stand-up game. But I couldn’t quite clearly define it. That would change when I met Dan McConnell through the Filipino art of Modern Arnis.

I started Modern Arnis in 1998 in Columbus, Ohio (where I previously lived before
moving to Canada). I noticed a posting on the Escrima Digest announcing the first
annual Remy Presas seminar in Hilliard (a suburb of Columbus). Guro Dan McConnell
hosted this seminar (now Master McConnell) in April of 1998. I e-mailed him, and
he invited me to his Arnis class in the first week of February 1998 at the Hilliard
Martial Arts Center (referred to as HMAC), and the rest is history. I fell in love
with this art.

Through his friendship and guidance, Dan and I attended many Modern Arnis classes
at the HMAC, camps, and seminars over the years, steadily accumulating knowledge
in this fantastic art. As a result of Dan’s and others’ guidance, I was eventually
promoted to Lakan Tatlo. Also, Dan was instrumental in getting me on the IMAF Board
of Directors, for which I am grateful.

## I have attended seminars and camps with Professor Remy Presas with Master Dan. In my opinion, Professor is one of the all-time great martial artists.

Through Master Dan, I met many martial artists such as the current Masters of Tapi
Tapi, Tony Marcial, Lynn Carper, Will Higginbotham, Frank Hreha, Herman and Shannon
Suwanda, and Kelly Worden. I have fond memories of having attended seminars by Herman
Suwanda in Dayton along with Dan. I’ll never forget the shock when I learned of 
Herman and Shannon’s death in March 2001. And the Kelly Worden weekends? Talk about
rocking and rolling !! I’m sure that there are others that I have forgotten to mention.
I met a lot of people through Dan!

Since Professor Presas’ death in August of 2001, I have continued to attend many
Modern Arnis seminars and [camps](https://brianejohns.com/2010/10/04/blog-2010-arnisfest/).
Instructors have included the IMAF Masters of Tapi Tapi and Master Dan. In addition,
Dan has had Datu Kelly Worden in Columbus from Seattle for several weekend camps.
Moreover, I will see Master Chuck Gauss in Michigan as often as possible. Further,
I have been training a couple of guys up here and hope to expand this into a training
group.

How did I end up in Canada? I met my wife, Mary-Anne, through e-harmony and we got
married in May of 2006. She is a lifelong resident of the Toronto area. We decided
to move to Toronto after weighing many factors, the most important of which was 
the family factor. I was fortunate to be introduced to two great guys, Mike and 
David, through Brian Zawilinski. Mike and David had had Master Zawilinski up for
a couple of seminars after contacting him through the IMAF website. After hearing
that Mary-Anne was from the same area, Master Brian arranged to introduce me to 
Mike and David. Since I moved here, I have been working with them and sharing our
mutual enthusiasm for Modern Arnis.

## In future postings, I will talk about the history, philosophy, concepts and techniques of Modern Arnis.

 * [10 Years in Modern Arnis](https://brianejohns.com/2008/04/06/blog-10-years-in-modern-arnis/)
 * [All Your Losses Lead Back To…….You](https://brianejohns.com/2023/10/11/all-your-losses-lead-back-to-you/)
 * [Home](https://brianejohns.com/about/)
 * [2010 ArnisFest](https://brianejohns.com/2010/10/04/blog-2010-arnisfest/)

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