Coach LeBlanc's Teachers
Sifu Gary Lam
Sifu Lam first began learning Wing Chun over 35 years ago with the famed Hong Kong challenge fighter Wong Shun Leung. He spent the better part of 13 years training daily at Sigung Wong's school, and the last 6 years of his time there was spent as Sigung Wong's assistant instructor. Sifu Lam not only mastered the style of Wing Chun taught by Sigung Wong, but also learned Muay Thai boxing in Thailand from several champion fighters. At Sifu Lam's school in Hong Kong he offered instruction in Wing Chun and Muay Thai side by side. His students at that time were among the highest ranked competitors in Hong Kong.
Sifu Lam's school quickly gained fame and was known all over the world for producing top notch Wing Chun and Muay Thai fighters. Like his teacher, Sifu Lam competed in numerous challenge matches and tournaments. In 1978 he won a prestigious Hong Kong open tournament, beating all challengers, and was awarded the champions gold coin. In recognition of his achievements, leadership and contributions to Wing Chun, Sifu Lam was made the 1991 President of the Hong Kong Wing Chun Society. In 2006 Sifu Lam was awarded Sifu of the Year by the World Ving Tsun Athletic Association. For more information about Sifu Lam and his Wing Chun training center, go to: www.garylamwingchun.com or call (626) 288-8422.
Sensei Mike Esmailzadeh
Sensei Mike Esmailzadeh is the head instructor of Suigetsukan. He holds the following ranks:
- Kyoshi in Toyama Ryu Battodo
- Rokudan in Toyama Ryu Battodo
- Rokudan in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu
- Godan in Aikido
He has been actively involved in martial arts since 1976. Mike was born in Germany, and immigrated to the US at the age of 12. Months after arriving in the United States, he began learning Jujitsu under Professor David Bellman. Other Jujitsu Professors, who contributed to his education, may be found on the Jujitsu Instructors Page. He is equally grateful for the many years of Aikido and Toyama Ryu Battodo instruction he received from Obata Kaiso in those arts. Michael Esmailzadeh is also thankful for having studied the Inayan system of Eskrima under the direction of Suro Jason Inay and Masirib Guro Jena Inay. He also wants to thank Shihan Russ Rhodes for the teachings he has provided in that system.
Mike has also trained in a variety of martial arts/sports, including fencing, wrestling and Iaido. He trained and taught within the Chinese Gung Fu schools of Tai Mantis (Kam Yuen) and Wu Tang (Jason Tsou).
In 1990 he left Los Angeles for Oakland, and founded the Suigetsukan Dojo. Suigetsukan now consists of 1700 sq./ft of mat space, and living quarters for Mike and five others. Mike currently teaches Toyama Ryu Battodo, Aikido and Jujitsu. He also co-teaches women's self-defense classes.
Sensei Obata Toshishiro
Obata Toshishiro is the founder and headmaster of Shinkendo Japanese Swordsmanship. "Shin (True) - Ken (Sword) - Do (Way)" is a system of Japanese swordsmanship which incorporates all aspects of sword study: Suburi (swinging methods), Battoho (drawing methods), Tanren Kata (solo forms), Tachiuchi (sparring) and Tameshigiri (target cutting).
Gunma prefecture, the birth place of Obata Toshishiro, is known for producing famous swordsman such as the notable Kamakura patriot Nitta Yoshisada, and the founder of the Shinkage school of swordsmanship, Kamiizumi Ise-no-kami Hidetsuna. Obata had been enamored with swordsmanship from a very young age and dreamed of studying seriously someday. In 1966, the 18 year old Obata set out to Tokyo to become a professional martial artist. Upon visiting the Yoshinkan dojo, he witnessed a demonstration by Honbu Shihan and became fascinated with aikido. Soon after, he was accepted as an "uchi-deshi" (literally house student, or live-in apprentice) under the late Master Shioda Gozo and remained as such teaching at Yoshinkan Honbu as well as universities, the Metropolitan Riot Police and the Japanese Self Defense Army for 7 years.
In 1980, Obata Kaiso came to the USA after being entrusted with the title of Chief Instructor for North America of Toyama-ryu and Nakamura-ryu battodo by Master Nakamura Taizaburo, as well as Chief Instructor and Founder of the USA Battodo Federation by the All Japan Battodo Federation.
For 7 consecutive years Obata Kaiso was the All Japan Battodo Champion, Ioriken Battojutsu Champion for 5 years and Toyama-ryu All Japan Champion for 2 years. Some of Obata Kaiso's ranks include Menkyo Kaiden, Keisho Denju, Shihan, various certifications and a combined total of 75 dan rankings.
Sensei Steven Seagal
After seeing a Martial Arts exhibition during halftime of a football game, Steven Seagal was captivated and intrigued. It was from there that a burning desire built within him to achieve at the highest possible levels in the Martial Arts. At the age of 17, Steven headed for Japan to immerse himself in Japanese culture and to learn Martial Arts from the masters. Ultimately, Steven became a 7th degree black belt and an Aikido Master, being the first westerner to ever open a Dojo in Japan. Beyond his skill as an Aikido Master, is the spiritual enrichment Steven gained learning Buddhism, the art of meditation and Zen. Steven speaks fluent Japanese and is proud of the respect he has earned in Japan and throughout many parts of Asia.
Sifu Jason Tsou
Sifu Jason Tsou was born in Taiwan, Republic of China, in 1949. At the age of eleven, Sifu Tsou he began his martial arts training in the Northern kung fu style of Mei Hwa Chuan (a form of Chang Chuan - Long Fist) under Master Wu Ti-Pang. Since then, Sifu Tsou has studied various chi kung (or qi gong) systems and TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) as part of his martial arts training from many different masters:
18 Lo Han, 12 Meridian; 5 Element chi kung - Dr. Su Yu-Chang; Pa Kua chi kung and Pa Chi chi kung - Grandmaster Liu Yun-Chiao; Southern Hung Gar chi kung - Master Deng Kuo-Hua; Tai Chi chi kung - Master Yang Bao-Chien; Tai Chi Twelve-Brocade chi kung - Master Chang Yi-Cheng; Tibetan chi kung - Master Liu Chen-Chun; Acupressure (tui na) - Master Yu Ta-Fong ; Acupuncture and Heavenly Circuit - Master Chang Wu-Chien; and Acupuncture, Herbs, and Heavenly Circuit - Dr. Su Yu-Chang.
After winning the singles championship at the 1971 national kung fu tournament held in Taipei and serving as the chief martial arts instructor for the Taiwan Air Force, Fourth Division, Sifu Tsou immigrated to the United States to study chemistry at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth in 1974. While a student, he founded the school's kung fu club and was invited as a guest instructor for the kung fu clubs at Harvard and MIT. Sifu Tsou's martial arts expertise was later recognized by the Massachusetts State Police and was invited to teach riot control techniques during a time of civil unrest. In 1977, Sifu Tsou moved to Los Angeles and cofounded the kung fu club at UCLA with Master Frank Yeh. Shortly thereafter, he opened a kung fu academy in San Gabriel Valley.
Sifu Liang Kam Yuen
Student of Qi Xi Tang Lang under shifu Chen Zhen Yi in Hong Kong and Tai Ji Tang Lang under shifu Zhao Zhu Xi in Hong Kong.
The youngest of eight brothers and sisters, shifu Liang Kam Yuen was born in Hong Kong, where he spent his formative years. Shifu Liang Kam Yuen moved to the USA with his parents and furthered his studies under shifu Mon Wong in New York. Over the years he returned to refine his style with help from his teacher in Hong Kong.
After receiving his degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1965, he moved to the San Francisco area. It was while he was employed at Lockheed Aircraft near San Jose that he opened his first gong fu guan with a friend, shifu Poy Ng.
In 1969, after a brief stay in Los Angeles, shifu Liang Kam Yuen visited Hong Kong to further his study in the Tai Ji Tang Lang style of gong fu under shifu Zhao Zhu Xi. Shifu Liang Kam Yuen trained day and night for several months, then returned to the United States, hoping to share his newly acquired knowledge with other gong fu practitioners. Settling back in Los Angeles, he held numerous classes at local YMCAs, the Chinatown Recreation Hall, UCLA, USC, Cal State. Shifu Liang Kam Yuen was founder of the "Shaolin West Healing Center" and co-founder of the "Tai Mantis Kung Fu Assoc". Shifu Liang Kam Yuen has been instructor of David Carradine, Jackson Five and some other celebrities.
Early in 1972, shifu Liang Kam Yuen was called by Warner Brothers Studio to act in the ABC Kung-Fu series. Shifu Liang Kam Yuen was the man chosen to be David Carradine's double in the famous "Kung-Fu" television series.
Shifu Liang Kam Yuen currently lives in Canoga Park, California (USA), he is retired from the martial arts and is now a doctor of Chiropractic that travels extensively teaching Chinese Energetic Medicine. He teaches the "Yuen Method", that is an energetic technique that he developed himself. He has treated hundreds of thousand of people all over the world and has quite and extensive following of students who are certified under his Yuen Method program.
Professor David A. Bellman
Professor David A. Bellman, 9th degree black belt, is the chief instructor of jujitsu at the Valley Jujitsu School in Northridge, CA. He is the 1976, 1977, 1990 and 1992 National Jujitsu Black Belt Champion and nine time Southern California Jujitsu Black Belt Champion.