Training with a Legend: Guro Dan Inosanto

By Paul S. Lewis

The internationally famous Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts is a self-defense training Mecca.

Martial artists around the world in the know may travel thousands of miles to train there. Some simply visit to pay their respects to one of the most highly regarded leading authorities of mixed martial arts today: Guro Dan Inosanto.

Known for it’s diverse curriculum, including; Filipino Kali-Escrima-Arnis, Muay Thai-Kickboxing, Shooto, Jujitsu, Silat, Vale Tudo, and Boxing among many other exotic fighting systems.

The I.A.M.A. is also the outgrowth of the “Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute”, which was founded by the late Bruce Lee in February 1967. Dan Inosanto was appointed head instructor of the “Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute” at this time. Bruce Lee made only three Senior instructors in his lifetime: Taky Kimura, James Lee (deceased), and Dan Inosanto.

In 1970 Bruce Lee advised Dan Inosanto to “officially” close the doors of the J.F.G.F. Institute, and continue teaching the students in his “backyard gym” in Carson, California. In 1973 at the time of Bruce’s death, Dan Inosanto became the official heir and head of the arts and systems developed and taught by the late Bruce Lee.

In April of 1974 Dan Inosanto opened the first Filipino Kali Academy in southern California. Named the Kali-Jun Fan Academy, this school became the only authentic and legitimate training center for the arts of Jun Fan Gung Fu and Jeet Kune Do as developed by the late Bruce Lee, this academy closed its doors in 1982.

In 1983 Dan Inosanto officially opened the doors of the original Inosanto Academy in West Los Angeles, California, replacing the Kali-Jun Fan Academy.

In March 1994 the Inosanto Academy moved into a brand new, 4,000 sq. foot, air-conditioned, fully equipped facility, featuring a regulation sized boxing ring, 16 heavy bags, Wing Chun training dummies, located near LAX in Los Angeles.

The Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts has recently moved into another new location at 13348-13352 Beach Avenue in Marina Del Rey, California 90292. For info call: (310) 578-7773.

To this day the Inosanto Academy continues to research and promote arts from different countries and cultures.

Every year the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts plays host to a weekend-long series of training with a variety of very special guest instructors. A great opportunity for inspired students and self-defense enthusiasts to train with some of the “legends” in the martial arts community, this unique program allows attendees some comprehensive exposure to a select collection of true pioneers in their field.

This year’s Legends lineup of instructors included; Jiu-Jitsu Champion Jean-Jacques Machado, Muay Thai-Boxer Chai Sirisuti Ahjon, Wing Chun Master Francis Fong and Guro Dan Inosanto.

It was truly a privilege to take part in Saturday’s training session with Guro Dan Inosanto himself!

He began this session with a morning of Kali drills. The sound of wooden training sticks connecting rang out across the floor of the academy while the students eagerly commenced. Then some stick and knife-fighting combinations began. These drills were very good for improving ones timing, footwork and coordination.

I was amazed by the way Guro Dan was able to move so deftly through these drills with his assistant while still able to keep eye contact with his class.

An hour later Guro Dan introduced the class to some Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do drilling techniques he learned directly from the late Sigung Bruce Lee. These drills were slightly more complicated than most of the Kali he taught us earlier and will require a degree of continued practice with a partner to master. The modified Wing Chun “sensitivity” drills, conceived by Bruce Lee, that Guro Dan showed all of us were intriguing. I will strive to become better at this.

Along with a variety of J.K.D. concepts, he also added a lot of insight and even amusing stories of the times he spent training with Bruce Lee. Guro Dan gave us all a first hand explanation of the true speed that Bruce Lee possessed. He also spoke of how no one was ever able to really match Bruce’s abilities. I was in awe along with the rest of the class. Training with a legend like Guro Dan Inosanto at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts was truly an honor I will never forget. I look forward to next years “Legends” program!

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to train with a true martial arts “legend” next year!

Visit the inosanto academy website at: Inosanto.com