Guro Rick Mitchell
"I first met Guro Rick Mitchell at the 2018 Balintawak World Camp. Upon discovering that Guro Rick also lived in the Los Angeles area, I immediately invited Rick to come train with us here at Balintawak LA. Rick and I have since pursued training together on a routine basis. He has further developed my skills as a fighter, and I am thankful to him in ways I cannot express. I continue to refer and seek advice within the art from Guro Rick. I highly advocate any martial artist looking to advance their understanding to seek the knowledge and skill that Guro Rick has to offer."
~Bryan
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Rick Mitchell is a former collegiate gymnast and a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education.
His training in the martial arts began in September 1973, after witnessing a Kenpo-Karate demonstration given by the late Ed Parker followed by film clips of the fight scenes from Enter the Dragon, starring
the late Bruce Lee. Since then, he’s trained in and taught several martial arts systems, including Ed Parker’s American Kenpo-Karate, Remy Presas’s Modern Arnis, Taboada Balintawak Escrima, Nene Gaabucayan’s NNG Balintawak Escrima, Rickson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Jun Fan Gung Fu and Deep Level Jeet Kune Do from first generation Bruce Lee student Patrick Strong.
Also in his martial arts background he had the experience of training Hsing-i Chuan Gung Fu and Qi Gong in Taiwan from eighty year old Master Liu, Judo at California State University, Los Angeles from Randy Harrell, student of Hayward Nishioka, Karate Jutsu Japanese Kickboxing from World Champion Kameya Choho, the Russian martial art of Systema from Manami “Tsunami” Mitani and the Indonesian martial art of Penchak Silat from Bud Balani, student of Herman Sawanda.
For several years, Rick taught Filipino martial arts programs for organizations such as Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) and the Santa Monica YMCA. He has toured with Modern Arnis Grand Master Remy Presas and also with Balintawak Eskrima Grand Master Bobby Taboada, assisting at demonstrations and seminars in various parts of the U.S. and other countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the Philippines. He has also written several articles for and/or appeared in Inside Kung-Fu, Black Belt, and other martial arts magazines. In May 1993, he represented the United States at the First International World Cup Full-Contact Arnis Championship in Milan, Italy, and won the title of Grand Champion. Then, in August 1996, he represented Rickson Gracie at the Pan American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships, in Redondo Beach, California and was one of the few non-Brazilian competitors to win a gold medal.
Currently, Rick continues to expand his knowledge and hone his skills in the art of Balintawak with Bobby Taboada and Balintawak LA, as well as in Jun Fan Gung Fu, Deep Level Jeet Kune Do and the Science of Human Energetics with Patrick Strong and Systema with Manami “Tsunami” Mitani.
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From my heart, we welcome you, with respect,
Rick Mitchell
