I started training Martial Arts in September of ’99 at Total Fitness in Carleton Place with Sensei Peter Trembley and Tanya Vlahac. At this time they taught very traditional including katas. Their practice used the traditions and terms from Japanese culture. As the club progressed they dropped the traditional karate and picked up more of a kickboxing style but kept the very traditional jiu-jitsu. About four years ago Tanya passed away from cancer and Total Fitness was hit hard because she was very involved in all aspects of the business, not just Martial Arts but the fitness gym and aerobics as well. Peter Trembley closed Total Fitness down and opened a strictly Martial Arts academy, which he still owns today, called Alpha MMA still located in Carleton Place. About three years ago my father and I decided to leave the academy (for reasons I don’t feel obligated to tell the whole world) and moved on to a new academy in Ottawa, the Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts; owned by Pat Cooligan and affiliated with Renzo Gracie. I have been training here ever since. I train in both BJJ and Muay Thai and love both (don’t ask me which I like better because everyone that asks me gets the same answer, I like them both equally but in a different way)
At Alpha I reached the rank of brown belt in traditional jiu-jitsu and I currently hold a blue belt rank in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu at OAMA. As for competition, I have earned:
Silver (Gi)- Renzo Gracie invitational 2009 (White belt)
Silver (No-Gi)- Renzo Gracie Invitational 2009 (White belt)
Gold (Gi)- Arnold’s Classic 2010 (White belt)
Silver (Gi) Renzo Gracie Invitational 2010 (White belt)
Not sure what else to say about myself but I’d like to start this blog off with a shout out to all my current instructors at OAMA (Check out www.oama.ca for more details on the academy and its instructors):
Head Instructor: Pat Cooligan
Matt “Hammer” Hache
Nick Castiglia
Kru Mark “Boots” Holst
Peter Fazekas
Kru Jeff Harrison
Garry Gilchrist
It feels good to be back blogging, but unfortunately I don’t have much to say due to an injury that has caused me to take some time off. I will be back hitting the bag in Thai soon. Once I get settled into my dorm room and campus life. I’m hoping that I will be at the academy on Wednesday J
