Hanshi Montalvo is Back!
Hanshi Montalvo was back in Canada! November 24th he presented another great seminar at Driftwood Martial Arts. Hanshi’s real world experience as a retired ATF Special Agent, along with his impressive karate resume, including 36 full-contact karate and kickboxing fights, with an indomitable record (33-3 and 29 knockouts), all provide him with a wealth of martial arts experience, which he freely shares.
This session, he divided the lesson between fighting tactics when sparring, with the second half of the seminar focused on self-defense techniques. The sparring lesson focused on tactics to “hide the tell”, and through partner drills included some of the following:
- How to strike an opponent without them being able to read that you are starting your move.
- Footwork to close distance quickly
- Using your partner’s guard to hide your hands
- Angles of strikes to get past specific opponent’s guards
Sprinkled throughout the session, Hanshi shared stories of his past. All in all, the evening was an educational and inspiring event. I highly recommend anyone who has the chance to train with Hanshi Montalvo to seize the opportunity.
I cannot emphasize enough the value of seminars. When you get a chance to train with a master, you should always take it. You will almost invariably learn new skills, and at the very least you will refine existing skills. Surrounding yourself with like-minded enthusiasts presents the opportunity to make new friends and strengthen old acquaintances. Finally, more than anything, seminars present the opportunity for inspiration!
You can read about Hanshi's previous visit, back in 2018, here.