Ryan began his study of Shotokan Karate as a teenager and has practiced continuously for over 40 years. He spent one year training at prestigious Waseda University in Tokyo, and regularly travels to California to practice with Sensei Tsutomu Ohshima, who was a direct student of Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate. Ryan has traveled extensively to practice in Japan, Europe and throughout North America. Ryan was an assistant instructor at UBC for many years, then led a dojo in Montreal for several years before returning to Vancouver in 2007. Ryan has instructed hundreds of students over the years, emphasizing not only the physical fitness and self-defense benefits of karate, but also the development of humility, self-discipline, and a strong mentality.
Qualifications: Ryan was promoted by Tsutomu Ohshima to the rank of Godan (5th dan) in 2014. Godan is the top rank in Canada Shotokan Karate, as it was the highest rank awarded by Master Funakoshi.
Programs Taught - Winter 2024 Shotokan Karate Mondays & Wednesdays 7:30-8:55PM
Raymond Fujino has been practicing karate since 1976.
Fujino Sensei received the rank of Godan (5th dan) at an international senior black belt examination at Perth, Australia in 2001. He was then awarded Shihan – Renshi status at the 2003 IKGA Canada Annual Training Camp/International Seminar. Fujino Sensei was recently awarded his Rokudan (6th dan) from Goju Ryu Karate Do Seiwakai in 2022.
Programs Taught - Winter 2024 Nihon Goju Karate Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:30-7:55PM Sundays 11:30AM-1:25PM
Rafael is a 2nd-degree IBJJF Black Belt in under UFC/PRIDE FC/TUF fighter Cristiano Marcello. He has accumulated almost 20 years of training and competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including extensive Mixed Martial Arts training in Curitiba, Brazil, where he trained with several MMA fighting legends. He is also an IBJJF-certified judge and referee, acting in multiple local and international tournaments such as the ADCC Open. Rafael’s teaching style reflects a deep love for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, community, and supporting his students.
Programs Taught - Winter 2024 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Mondays & Wednesdays 5:00-5:55 PM Fridays 4:00-4:55 PM Intermediate Jiu Jitsu Tuesdays & Thursdays 4:00-5:25 PM Saturdays 9:15-10:40 AM
Logan has been doing martial arts since he was six year old, beginning with traditional kung fu in his home province of New Brunswick. He attained his black sash with the Hip Kyun Kung Fu Federation before moving to Vancouver, BC to study Kinesiology at UBC. While studying, Logan transitioned into practicing and competing in modern sanda/sanshou, AKA Chinese Kickboxing. In 2015, Logan won the -75 kg Canadian National Championship. Around this time, he also transitioned his training to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), winning two amateur titles.
Logan believes in hard but smart work and effort – he doesn’t expect his students to be amazing from the get go, but if they are willing to put in the work as an athlete, he is always willing to put in the work as a coach.
Programs Taught - Winter 2024 Kickboxing Mondays 12:00-12:55 PM Wednesdays 12:00-12:55PM Fridays 5:00-5:55PM Intermediate Kickboxing Mondays 1:00-1:55PM Fridays 7:00-7:55PM MMA Wednesdays 1:00-1:55PM Muay Thai Fridays 6:00-6:55PM
Kristian (He/Him) started his martial arts journey in 2013, training first in kenpo karate, kickboxing, muay thai, and brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). He holds a first degree black belt in Judo, has trained BJJ for 10 years, trained freestyle wrestling with the UBC Wrestling club, and has learned from many different sambo coaches from various parts of the world. Kristian has competed in Judo, BJJ, Catch Wrestling, Sumo Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling, and Japanese combat wrestling.
He also assists with the UBC Judo club with his Judo/Sambo teacher Ken.
Kristian strongly believes that sambo wrestling should be a fun, welcoming martial art for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and racial, ethnic, or cultural identities.
Certifications:
National Coaching Certification Program Level 1
Programs Taught - Winter 2024 Sambo Saturdays 2:00-3:25PM
Ken began training with the UBC Judo Club in 1995 and has been instructing with UBC Judo for the past 10 years. During his time at UBC he has also had the opportunity to train with other martial arts clubs including the former UBC Arnis Club and former UBC Sambo club.
He believes that Judo is taught as both a sport and a martial art. The UBC Judo club focuses equally on the various aspects of judo. As a sport, it is a fun and high-intensity activity, which develops overall strength and endurance.
Qualifications
- 2nd Degree Black Belt
- NCCP Level 2 Certified Instructor (National Coaching Certification Program)
Programs Taught – Winter 2024
Judo
Mondays and Wednesdays 7:30PM-8:55PM
Teaching younger generations ’How Not to Fight’ with training how to use the sword most effectively
Qualifications
- Roku-Dan (6th Degree) of Iaido at All Japan Iaido Federation (ZNIR)
- Nana-Dan (7th Degree), Kyoshi
- Hachi-dan (8th Degree)
- Officially certified instructor at World MJER Iaido Federation (Iaido Kokusai Renmei)
- Has taught Iaido with UBC Recreation for over 35 years and was also an instructor of Shorinji Kempo with UBC Recreation for a few years before starting to teach Iaido.
Classes Taught – Winter 2024
Iaido
Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30PM-7:55PM
Saturdays 9:30AM-11:25AM
Gina has been training in Martial arts for many years, earning her first blackbelt in kickboxing at 12 years old, and her second blackbelt in Taekwondo at age 15. She competed for a number of years, winning the Canadian national championships 3 years consecutively and earning her spot on Team Canada to represent the country at the World Championships in 2014. She loves teaching martial arts because it allows her to combine her passion for physical fitness and her desire to empower others. She enjoys watching her students not only develop their physical strength and coordination, but also their self confidence and discipline. Martial Arts is a practice that offers a lifelong journey of growth and self-improvement.
Programs Taught
Filip Matos is a 3rd-degree IBJJF Black Belt under legendary ONE fighter Bibiano Fernandes. Filip has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and mixed martial arts for over 20 years and has competed in numerous international tournaments. Filip believes in fostering a love for the sport and sharing his knowledge with his community.
Eric has been training martial arts for over 20 years with a focus in striking martial arts starting with Kyokushin Karate and currently training in mixed martial arts under former UFC fighter Kajan Johnson. Eric has competed in multiple competitions throughout his martial arts career and is still actively competing. He enjoys teaching at all skill levels with an emphasis on fundamentals, defense, and tactics. Eric looks forward to helping his students achieve whatever goals they may have in their martial arts journey.
Programs Taught - Winter 2024 Kickboxing Mondays 4:00-5:55 PM
Delver started martial arts at a young age. He used to fight professionally in Kickboxing, Wushu-Xanda, Muay Thai and MMA. Since then he loved the mental and physical toughness that it brought. But more than that martial arts tought him values to keep in life.
Now Delver enjoys coaching and helping his students to be strong and to be the best person they can be.
– Kickboxing Blackbelt
– Muay Thai Instructor
– Certified Personal Trainer (NASM) National Academy of Sports Medicine
– BJJ- blue belt
Programs Taught - Winter 2024 Kickboxing Tuesdays 5:30PM-6:25PM Intermediate Kickboxing Tuesdays 6:30PM-7:25PM Kickboxing Thursdays 5:30PM-6:25PM Muay Thai Thursdays 6:30PM-7:25PM
Bio
Dan Read has been training in martial arts for 35 years, and teaching Hapkido for almost 30. In addition to Hapkido, Dan has a well-rounded background in a variety of other fighting arts, including Karate, Kendo, Tai Chi, and Escrima, as well as historical European martial arts and modern approaches to self-defence. He has trained in Japan for two years, where he studied Daito Ryu Aiki Jujitsu, the style from which both Hapkido and Aikido originate.
Hapkido is a versatile Korean martial art that combines kicking and hand striking with joint-locking and throwing techniques, as well as weapons techniques at higher levels. Hapkido training emphasizes physical fitness, effective self-defence training, and practice that balances challenge with safety.
Qualifications
2nd degree black belt in Hapkido, certified as a black belt and an instructor by the Canadian Hapkido Association.
Alex is a direct student of Ono Yōtarō-sensei of the Chōfūkan Dōjō in Kyōto, Japan, who is the 16th lineal headmaster of the Bitchū-den linegage of Takenouchi-ryū Bu-jutsu, one of Japan’s oldest and most respected martial traditions. Takenouchi-ryū is recognized by historians as the first school of jū-jutsu. Alex is the highest ranked teacher of Takenouchi-ryū in Canada. He is ranked as a Toritate Shihan by Ono-sensei (associate master) by Ono-sensei. He regularly hosts seminars by teachers from Japan as well as leading trips to Japan for direct training with the masters of this art.
Alex commenced his martial training in 1976 and in the decades that have followed studied a number of disciplines from various countries before having the opportunity to learn the classical Japanese martial arts while living in Japan in the 1990s. He holds black belts and licences in four different martial arts. After decades of such varied training, he came to appreciate the comprehensive subject matter of Takenouchi- ryū, the dynamic combative effectiveness it has maintained for five centuries, and the transformative potential it holds for its students. Alex has been an instructor for the UBC Sports and Recreation Program since 1997 during which time he has taught literally hundreds of students the classical martial arts. During that time, he has developed methods for how to best leverage their inherent abilities/attributes and realize their potential. He has been pleased to see over the years the multi-fold ways in which the training has benefited students from a variety of backgrounds.
Alex is the author of five publications on the Japanese language, has written for Black Belt magazine, and is a recognized expert on Japanese martial culture.
Qualifications
- Toritate Shihan by Ono-sensei Associate Master’s Licence, Bitchū-den Takenouchi-ryū Bu-jutsu
- Daigeiko Teacher’s Licence,Bitchū-den Takenouchi-ryū Bu-jutsu
- Shoden Teacher’s Licence, Tenjin-Shin’yō-ryū Jū-jutsu
- Shodan Daitō – ryū Aiki Jū-jutsu Jū-jutsu
Programs Taught – Winter 2024
Classical Ju Jutsu
Mondays 6PM-7:25PM