The secret for harvesting from existence the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment is: to live dangerously!
Friedrich Nietzsche
I started practicing martial arts at the age of 5 when my parents enrolled me in karate. It became my lifelong obsession.
When I was 15, I had the opportunity to live in Japan and while there I practiced Shorinji Kempo. While in Japan, I became a huge fan of K-1 Kickboxing.
I moved to San Francisco at 16 and was able to find a group practicing Seido Kaikan Karate (K-1 parent organization). Most of these guys were veteran fighters and they didn’t take it easy on me, but it made me tough and taught me what true karate fighting spirit was.
About a year later, I met World Sabaki Middle-Weight Champion, Sensei Naohiro Tomiyama, who had moved to San Francisco to open a branch of Enshin Karate. I joined his dojo and later received my black-belt from him.
At 21, I started working for world champion kickboxer, Alex Gong, at his Fairtex Combat Sports Camp. I became a Fairtex certified Muay Thai instructor under Alex and Muay Thai legends Bunkerd, Jongsanan, Enn and Ganyao.
From 18, I fought competitively, both in bare-knuckle karate and Muay Thai. In my mid-twenties, I trained out of Fight & Fitness gym, owned by UFC veteran Chris Cariaso along with his coach, Bunkerd Faphimai. I was trained by Lumpinee Stadium Champion, Neungsiam “The Rock” Samphusri.
From my early 20’s, I studied weight training, bodybuilding and strength & conditioning – namely the methods and philosophies of Mark Rippetoe, Mike Mentzer and the Iron Guru – Vince Gironda. It was around this time that I began training other fighters and athletes.
It was at Fairtex that I met my friend Darren Uyenoyama, who I would later help train and corner in events like UFC, DREAM, Shooto and Triumphant Muay Thai.
It was with Darren that I started Konjo Fight Gear in 2003, to provide the emerging sport of MMA with high quality training gear and apparel. After selling Konjo Gear in 2011, I have focused specifically on training and coaching others.
I am extremely fortunate that I’ve been able to make a career out of my passion and feel that there is nothing more rewarding than making others stronger by sharing my knowledge and experience with them.
KONJO TRAINING 