A: I teach a complete self-defense game of striking, clinch, grappling and weaponry. I teach this complete game based on skill, technique and timing. I call it "Street Jits".

Q: What is your approach to Jiu-Jistu and training?

A: I look at Jiu-Jitsu and really all the combative arts as a dance and flow. It's a human chess match built on skill, leverage, technique and timing. Now with the influence of wrestling the submission game has moved to a faster and more powerful sprint but I still believe in old school Jits, developing a game that doesn't rely so heavily on strength, speed and power. It's a game that takes a bit longer to develop but in the end I believe technique wins out over power. To me, Jits is "cooking" your opponent patiently tiring him out, technically reading the pressure and feeling your way to a skilled finish and that's the way we train it.

Q: What is your coaching style?

A: I give it away to keep it. I hold nothing back from my students-the better they get the better I get. I'm realistic in my coaching that I realize I can't make my students want it. I can't teach "experience" and mat time, all I can do is impart my experience and technical knowledge, it's up to the student to be consistent, train intelligently and make the art theirs. We live in a "I want it now" society and with the combative arts you find there are no short cuts it's all perseverance and mat time.

Q: What can a student expect training at Ohana?

A: There is so much bravado and ego in the Martial Arts that I wanted to create a training atmosphere that promotes fun not fear. There are so many gyms where you see the students (and instructors) ready to devour the new guy and training sessions have the intensity of world championship matches. That's not an environment I want to be in, it's not conducive to learning, leads to injuries and ultimately takes the fun out of training. We train for preservation of the body not destruction of it, so we "play" Jits, we play the combative arts. Ohana is a place where we can all work toward our individual training goals, whether it's self-defense, competitive Jiu-Jitsu or learning an art. Ohana is about no ego, no hierarchy, no machismo, just an enjoyable environment to grow our art and have a good time.

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