Head Instructor

My Martial Arts Journey

 

From a young student in Romania to 6th Dan and international leadership.

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My martial arts journey began in Romania in the early 1990s, shortly after the fall of communism.

For the first time, martial arts that had previously been restricted became widely accessible. Dojos appeared across the country and quickly filled with hundreds of enthusiastic students. It was an exciting and defining period for martial arts in Romania.

For many, training was a new experience and a passing interest. For others, it became something much deeper.  A discipline that shaped their character, their mindset and the way they approached life.

I was one of those people.

What began as an interest at a young age developed into a lifelong commitment to martial arts, teaching and continuous personal development.

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The Foundations

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I began my training in Shotokan Karate, where I developed the traditional foundations of karate and learned the importance of discipline, technical precision, perseverance and respect.

Those early years established the foundations upon which I would continue to build my martial arts journey.

Later, through the recommendation of a friend, I was introduced to Ashihara Karate. It was a revelation.

Ashihara moved beyond the purely traditional approach, placing greater emphasis on practical application, movement, positioning and realistic fighting situations. It challenged me to think differently about martial arts and ultimately changed the direction of my training.

It was also during this period that I discovered another passion, teaching.

I wanted not only to learn for myself, but to share that knowledge with others. As a more advanced student it was part of your duty to stay with the lower groups and help them progress. 

 

Becoming an Instructor

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At just 17 years of age, driven by an unstoppable desire to succeed and develop, I opened my first dojo in Brașov, Romania.

What began as one dojo eventually developed into a further two training locations, giving me the opportunity to teach and develop students from a very young age.

Those experiences were enormously important. They taught me that being an instructor is about far more than demonstrating techniques. It is about understanding people, developing confidence, setting standards and helping others discover what they are capable of achieving.

My martial arts journey was temporarily interrupted when I was offered a professional photography contract in the United States. My career took me in a different direction, and for a period I stepped away from regular martial arts training.

But the passion never disappeared.

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Discovering Tsu Shin Gen

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Years later, I returned to martial arts, initially with the intention of training primarily for myself.

It was at this point that my former Sensei introduced me to Soke David C. Cook and the  Tsu Shin Gen system.

From our first meetings, there was a strong connection.

Soke Cook possessed an extraordinary drive to continually develop, question and improve the systems he taught. I recognised something in that approach that reflected my own attitude towards learning.

I have always believed that no matter how experienced we become, there is always more to learn.

That shared philosophy developed into a close working relationship and a collaboration that would become one of the most significant chapters of my martial arts life.

Together, our work contributed to the development and production of several Tsu Shin Gen publications, including:

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TSG Karate
Tsu Shin Gen Combat Karate
TSG – Ashihara International
TSG – Kyokushin Karate
Tsu Shin Gen Mix Fight

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These projects were not simply books. They represented the development, documentation and preservation of knowledge within the Tsu Shin Gen system.

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Building TSG in the United Kingdom

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In 2012, I established TSG Karate Club, beginning a new chapter in my involvement with Tsu Shin Gen.

That same year, I was graded to Shodan – 1st Dan Black Belt.

My progression continued:

2014 — Sandan, 3rd Dan
Appointed Tsu Shin Gen Country Representative for the United Kingdom.

2017 — Yondan, 4th Dan
Promoted by Soke David C. Cook during the Tsu Shin Gen Winter Camp in Sweden.

2018 — International Secretary
Appointed Secretary of the Tsu Shin Gen International Budo Association by Soke David C. Cook.

2020 — Godan, 5th Dan
Promoted to Godan in recognition of my continued development and contribution to Tsu Shin Gen.

These appointments represented much more to me than personal achievements. With each promotion and responsibility came a greater obligation to the organisation, its instructors and its students.

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Continuing the Work of Soke David C. Cook

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In 2021, Tsu Shin Gen suffered the loss of its founder Soke David C. Cook.

His passing marked the end of an important era, but it also created a responsibility for those of us who had worked closely with him.

Together with a panel of senior instructors, I was appointed to help lead and continue the development of the Tsu Shin Gen International Budo Association.

For me, this was not simply a position of leadership.

It was a responsibility to protect the knowledge, principles and spirit that Soke Cook had spent decades developing, while also ensuring that Tsu Shin Gen could continue to evolve and grow.

Since then, I have continued to represent Tsu Shin Gen internationally, travelling to different countries to teach, attend seminars, support instructors, participate in grading events and promote the development of the organisation.

Through these travels, I have had the privilege of training alongside and teaching martial artists from many different countries and backgrounds.

Every camp, seminar and training session has reinforced one important belief:

Martial arts has no borders.

Different languages, cultures and backgrounds may separate us, but the shared pursuit of knowledge, discipline and improvement brings us together.

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6th Dan — A Recognition of Commitment

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At the TSG 30th Anniversary, I was honoured to receive promotion to the rank of 6th Dan.

The promotion was awarded by Shihan Kickan Cook, 7th Dan, together with the Country Representatives of Tsu Shin Gen International, in recognition of my continued work and contribution to the development and international promotion of the organisation.

For me, reaching 6th Dan is not a destination.

A Dan grade should never represent the end of learning. If anything, it represents a greater responsibility to continue learning, teaching and passing knowledge to the next generation.

The higher the grade, the greater the responsibility.

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More Than a Belt

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Throughout my martial arts career, I have never measured success purely by belts or titles.

The grades are important milestones, but the real measure of a martial artist is what happens between those milestones. The hours of training, the challenges overcome, the students taught, the knowledge shared and the willingness to keep moving forward.

My journey has taken me from a young student training in Romania in the early 1990s, to opening my own dojo at 17, developing multiple training locations, discovering Ashihara Karate, working alongside Soke David C. Cook, helping develop Tsu Shin Gen publications, establishing TSG in the United Kingdom and eventually taking on an international leadership role within the organisation.

Today, as a 6th Dan, instructor, Country Representative and member of the leadership of  Tsu Shin Gen International, I remain as committed to learning as I was when I first walked into a dojo.

The Journey Continues……