Martial Arts

This page is for those interested in my martial arts background as well as for those that would like to learn martial arts from me. If you want to read about my martial arts background then simply scroll down.

Being that martial arts has had a major influence on my life since I was exposed to it over twenty-five years ago, I included a silhouette of myself kicking in my logo.

Some of the martial arts I have trained in include the following: Taekwondo, Jeet June Do Concepts, Filipino Martial Arts, Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Kenpo Karate, BJJ and others.

I have experience teaching martial arts to all ages including those as young as three-years-old!

If you are interested in lessons for yourself or your child then please don’t hesitate to contact me as I would be more than happy to chat with you.

Coach John’s Martial Arts Story

My desire to learn martial arts likely began the first time that I observed martial arts being practiced. I think it was seeing my brother and dad practicing kicks in the basement that really caught my attention. I am pretty sure that they were practicing kicks from a Karate class that my brother had gone to but I am not entirely certain. What I do know, is that I distinctly remember trying to imitate the kicks as I thought they were very cool (I was probably around five years old at the time)! I should also mention that my father used to wrestle and in addition had a friend that was heavily into martial arts that would come over regularly and demonstrate techniques in our backyard. Observing these physical feats amazed me and I wanted nothing more than to be able to do them also!

Although observing my brother and father practice kicking may have sparked my initial interest, I think that martial arts movies may have played an even more important role by fueling my desire to learn martial arts. While I don’t recall which martial arts movie I saw first, I do recall being in awe of the techniques that the actors performed and I wanted to be able to do them as well! The martial artists that inspired me the most at a young age were Jean Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris. As I got older, Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee became major role models for me. Some other martial arts actors that have had an impact on me are Sammo Hung, Jet Li and Jason Statham. Needless to say, the movies and more specifically the actors had a profound influence on me, now, it was just a matter of finding the right school.

At the age of ten, my father and I joined a Filipino martial arts school that was run out of a church basement. Unfortunately, after attending several classes we stopped going. Looking back, I think we stopped going because we were overwhelmed with too much information at-once and felt absolutely lost.

Taekwondo

While the desire to learn was ever-present, another four years went by before trying out another school. Lucky for me, my mother saw my desire to learn and took it upon herself to find a school that would be well-suited for me. She ended up enrolling me in a Taekwondo program at a local community center. The instructor teaching the classes was Paul Gemino. Paul was adamant that we practice with correct technique and to his credit, encouraged us not to limit ourselves to studying only one martial art (important to remember for later). In addition, he was very skilled, was well versed in strength and conditioning and had a true love for martial arts and martial arts movies! After the first class I wasn’t so sure about continuing, but after attending a second class I was hooked and continued attending classes for the next ten years straight! Once I attained my black belt I began teaching and eventually taught five days a week for five years. During my time as an instructor I continued training in Taekwondo and eventually attained a third-degree black belt. I thoroughly enjoy teaching martial arts and have taught to those as young as three years old!

Other martial arts

At around the age of eighteen or so (shortly after attaining my black belt in Taekwondo) I began exploring other martial arts. Being that my Taekwondo instructor was heavily influenced by Bruce Lee and his teachings contributed to my desire to find someone locally that could teach me some of these things. For those of you that are familiar with Bruce Lee you will likely know that his first martial art was Wing Chun (a type of Kung Fu). Well, since Bruce Lee studied Wing Chun I obviously had to try it too, right?!

Before I talk about other martial arts instructors that I learned from I should tell you about my self-guided learning! Remember videotape cassettes? Well I actually rented quit a few martial arts instructional videos from the local martial arts supply store (Golden Arrow) in Vancouver. I should also note that, in addition to the videos I also read many martial arts books and magazines. Anyways, back to the videos! I rented several videos, but the ones that had the biggest impact on me were by Randy Williams and Paul Vunak. The Randy Williams videos were Wing Chun, while the Paul Vunak videos taught a system based on much of Bruce Lee’s philosophies. Paul Vunak spent many years training under Dan Inosanto who was one of Bruce Lee’s training partners. Paul Vunak calls his system Progressive Fighting Systems.

Practicing techniques on videos can only get you so far though so I started looking for martial arts schools and instructors that taught something similar. I found a local Wing Chun instructor (can’t remember his name) but after attending one or two classes, for one reason or another I did not continue with him. I then found another Wing Chun instructor that lived further away and after attending one class I signed-up as it felt like the “real deal!” His name was Leo Lit and he currently operates Lit Wing Chun in Richmond, BC. I worked with him for several months until he switched locations which made it very difficult for me to attend as I lived on the opposite side of the city.

I think it was shortly after that time or around the same time that I stumbled across a school that taught Paul Vunak’s Progressive Fighting Systems, the school was run by Gary Herman. I attended Gary’s classes for some time and it was during these classes that I became exposed to the Filipino martial arts which I absolutely fell in love with. Shortly after beginning at Gary’s school I met a senior student there named Jesse Franchuk who now runs Ancient Fire Martial Arts in Vancouver. Jesse and I really hit it off and became lifelong friends and training partners, this was about 2001 if memory serves me correctly.

Gary and another local instructor would fly martial arts master Mark Mikita up from California on a regular basis to conduct seminars which I was fortunate to participate in several times. Around 2009 or so Mark Mikita actually resided in Vancouver for several months so I was very grateful to have the chance to be one of his students during that time. If you don’t know who Mark Mikita is you should definitely look him up as he is one of the best martial artists in the world.

Around 2005 I decided to take some private boxing lessons. I found a former professional fighter and trained with him about ten times. It was a great experience getting in the ring with a professional boxer. I suppose he saw that I had some talent as he was adamant that I begin competing as soon as possible in the ring (that was not really my goal at the time, although I almost went for it).

Up to this point, everything you have read occurred in British Columbia. In 2012 I moved to Alberta and began my search for local martial arts instructors that I could learn from in order to continue my growth as a martial artist. After several months I found an instructor by the name of Oliver Salvador (he goes by the name of Ollie). Ollie was extremely knowledgeable, very skilled and had a great sense of humor. Ollie is a Full Instructor of Rutano Estokada and was granted this rank in 2013 by the founder of Rutano Estokada, Grandmaster Daniel G. Rutano. Ollie now teaches his own system called Salvador Arnis Martial Arts.

Another Alberta instructor I have had the privilege of training under a few times is Jim Kiddoo who is the owner of Three Storms Martial Arts. He teaches Parker Kenpo, South East Asian martial arts, empty-hand, as well as knife and stick defense.

Martial arts seminars

In addition to the classes I took from the above instructors I have also attended several seminars. As mentioned above, I attended seminars by Mark Mikita before I became a student of his. In addition to the seminars conducted by Mark Mikita I have been to seminars conducted by Bobby Taboada, Dan Inosanto, Daniel Rutano and Francis Fong.

Closing

That essentially covers my martial arts background. Besides attending classes I have spent countless hours practicing on my own and with friends. To truly develop one’s skill, constant practice is a must. I will continue to practice and learn martial arts for the rest of my life. Martial arts is not just an activity for me, it is part of my identity.

MARTIAL ARTS TESTIMONIALS

“As a professional stuntman and former martial arts instructor I absolutely love training with John. His attention to detail in teaching body mechanics and proper technique is awesome and makes training so fun and enjoyable. Results come so much faster and there’s definite progress in every session.”

— Steve Chang - Professional Stuntman - BC, Canada

“This is in regards to the kicking seminar taught by John Fawcus that I attended. I am a French Combatives coach (which is a combination of French Savate Self Defense & Moring Reunion Island Art) and found this seminar to be really interesting! Not only did I learn about the muscles involved while kicking but also the ideal posture to maintain in order to deliver a good kick. The seminar gave me some new ideas that I was able to pass onto my students. In addition, John spent some time with me working on a spinning kick and I am thankful for that. Overall it was a really amazing experience and I would recommend that other martial artists learn kicking techniques from John.”

— Teddy Kybio - French Combatives Coach - Vancouver BC, Canada

“I’ve had the privilege of training with John and learning the fundamentals of kicking through his coaching. As I was quite inexperienced with kicks, I feared that my body would not measure up to the demands of his course. However, John provided me a variety of exercises to build my core strength and flexibility in order to execute each kick in its proper form. Within three months of training and only one session per week, my range of motion, stability, and core strength have all improved drastically. Most importantly, John has provided me with the necessary training to continue improving my technique during my own time. Although we primarily focused on kicks, John also provided other forms of advice such as injury care, proper diet, as well as debunking some popular myths within the fitness community. Despite his vast knowledge regarding the human body, as well as various styles of martial arts, it is his innate ability to understand his client’s needs that makes him an amazing coach. His desire to not only teach but also educate is the reason why John will continue producing better performing athletes, and overall healthier clients.”

— Nick Wong - Stunt Performer - BC, Canada

“I just completed a 12-week kicking course with John Fawcus where I learned the fundamental techniques of several kicks with many variations and practical combinations. John was clear with his instructions and helped myself and others get the most out of their own practice. John has extensive knowledge and expertise not only kicking but also in nutrition, fitness, body mechanics and anatomy to name a few. If you ever have the pleasure of working with John, don’t miss the chance to pick his brain! I would highly recommend anyone to John for any personal health goals that they hope to achieve. His presence, motivation and wealth of knowledge will help you progress towards your goals by leaps and bounds.”

— Kyle Sutherland - Stunt Performer - BC, Canada

“I’ve practiced martial arts for the majority of my life and had the good fortune to teach with and train under John for around 4 years. He drilled perfect technique but maintained a fun-loving and friendly attitude and never rested until he was sure we knew what we were doing. After over 20 years, I still haven’t met anyone with as much skill and power in his kicks as John. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for any kind of martial arts or fitness training.”

— Jordan Fiander - BC, Canada

“I had John as a Taekwondo instructor for several years. He emphasized the importance of using the correct technique and was always willing to make sure that his students got all of the details down pat. He went beyond merely demonstrating techniques by making sure that his students understood how correct technique prevents injury and allows them to get the most out of every move. Along with his attention to detail, John always brought his patient demeanor and sense of humour into his teaching. Whenever John worked with me it was very clear that he wanted me to learn and be the best that I could be. The different techniques that he taught me for all of the different Tae Kwon Do kicks have stuck with me throughout my martial arts career. I have no trouble recommending John to anyone looking to improve their kicks. ”

— Jonathan Bulger - BC, Canada

“We feel very lucky to have trained with John. John has amazing power and his technique is impressive. He is always happy to share his knowledge in a fun and supportive way. We are sure that John will be able to teach you how to kick and also how to improve your kicks if you already have some kicking knowledge.”

— Paul & Alison Anderson - BC, Canada

“John is an expert martial arts instructor with a very welcoming personality. He perpetually demonstrates precise and safe technique and is focused on helping his students achieve this. I always feel very comfortable asking him questions. He imparts a vast amount of knowledge with his extensive experience and education in kinesiology and after his lessons I feel much more confident.”

— Kyle Denley - BSc Pharm, CDE - BC Canada

“I have trained with John for years, and have seen him in action teaching Martial Arts to youth and adults for many of them. The two things that stand out from all of those years though, are his conviction to quality in form and his style of teaching. For most of my time training in Taekwondo it was my kicking, primarily the quality of them, that lagged behind. It was working with John on ensuring I had down the quality and technique before worrying about speed and strength that helped me the most in improving my kicking. As for his style of instructing, it didn’t matter if you were 6 or 60, he could easily find a way to relate and interact with the student, making them work harder while enjoying themselves. There have been few people I have ever met who train and teach with his level of enthusiasm and it is honestly contagious to those he works with.”

— Travis Falk-Varcoe - BC, Canada

“I have known John for twenty-five years, and have observed him instructing Kicking to adults and children, as well as having been coached individually by him. He has tremendous experience, knowledge and patience, as well as a knack for insisting on correct technique, which combine to bring out the best in his students. Coaching both individuals and groups, he is able to celebrate achievements appropriately, while at the same time, transforming failures into stepping stones for future success.”

— Martin Dale - BC, Canada

“John was my martial arts instructor for approximately 5 years. What stood out to me was his thorough understanding of every technique he taught and attention to detail, these being important as they are key to injury prevention. He always had a calm, patient, and encouraging demeanour while working with students and made learning fun with his friendly nature and sense of humour!”

— Jennifer Bulger - BC, Canada