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DAN INOSANTO
Jeet Kune Do
Dan Inosanto has over 30 years experience in the martial arts
and is a world authority in Jun Fan Gung Fu/Jeet Kune Do Concepts
and Filipino martial arts.
 Sifu Dan was originally introduced into the martial arts at the
age of ten. During that summer he was taught Okinawa Te and Jiu-Jitsu
by a local from his home of Stockton, California. That experience
left a favorable impression on Sifu Dan but as boys will be boys
he followed his interest in football and track for the next ten
years. At Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington he won a track
conference with 9.5 seconds in the 100 yard dash. His senior year
he was the leading ground gainer for the football team. Later his
primary career would be a Jr. High School Physical Education teacher.
After college in 1957 Sifu Dan took, up Judo from a man called
Duke Yoshimura. He trained in Judo until 1959 when he entered the
service to become a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division.
During his tour of duty he was stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
While stationed there Sifu Dan was exposed to various styles of
Karate with exposure to some other arts as well. It was at this
time Sifu Dan got his first look at Kenpo Karate.
In 1961, Sifu Dan was discharged from the military service and
he moved to Los Angeles, California. He looked for an instructor
in the art of Kenpo. This search would lead him to path that would
change his life. Sifu Dan found the "Father of American Karate",
Kenpo Instructor Ed Parker. For the next several years Sifu Dan
would train with Ed Parker and attain a black belt in the Kenpo
system.
It was Ed Parker that first inspired Sifu Dan to study Filipino
martial arts. Sifu Dan thought the Filipinos had some stickfighting
called Eskrima. But Ed Parker informed him that there was a lot
more than just stick work to the Filipino martial arts. Sifu Dan
later went to his father, who in turn introduced Sifu Dan to many
Escrimadors in the local Filipino community. The three of the most
prominent where Max Sarmiento, Angel Cabales, and Johnny Lacoste.
In 1964, Ed Parker was organizing his International Karate Championship.
During that time Ed Parker needed someone to escort one of his
out-of-town guests around town. So Sifu Dan was assigned the task
to take care of Sifu Bruce Lee for the weekend. From this meeting
Bruce Lee and Sifu Dan started a life long friendship.
In addition to having studied over 20 methods/styles of Filipino
martial arts (being an instructor in several), he is an instructor
in Muay Thai under Master Chai Sirisute, an instructor in Pentjak
Silat under Pendekar Paul De Thouars and Pendekar Herman Suwanda,
an instructor in Shoot Wrestling (Shooto) under Yori Nakamura.
In keeping with the spirit of always being a student Sifu Dan is
currently studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the Machado Brothers.
Sifu Dan has worked both in the television and movie industry
as a stunt man, fight choreographer, and trainer on numerous projects.
In addition to this SIfu Dan has several instructional videos and
has authored several books: "A Guide to Martial Arts Training", "The
Filipino Martial Arts", "Jeet Kune Do",
and "Absorb What Is Useful".
SIfu Dan has also received the following awards from Black Belt
Magazine's Hall of Fame: 1996, - Man of the Year, 1988 - Weapons
Instructor of the Year, 1983 - Instructor of the Year,
and 1977 - Jeet Kune Do Instructor of the Year.
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