About

Dragons Tail Martial Arts is a professional, private martial art club.  We are not a chain, organization, or study group.  We have a first-rate facility, and a professional, internationally known instructor (see below for a short resume of qualifications).  Although private lessons, seminars and consultations are available for anyone, this is an adults only school, to allow for enjoyable, but serious and useful training.

Our curricula is eclectic, yet focuses on a foundation of combat/self-defense empty hand skills (as that is always the common denominator in any conflict, and the foundation of any weapons skill) primarily utilizing the American Kenpo system; an eclectic and demanding fighting system with a well-structured curricula, and the most comprehensive methodology and principles and concepts of any system available. We integrate training in modern weapons, such as knives and clubs, and tomahawk, among a variety of others. Kenpo is an inclusive system that emphasises mobility, a variety of natural weapons, and weapons integration. It is a holistic martial art, so to speak, as it integrates striking, locks, etc. As a proper martial art, it isn't "mixed," because it was never separated into specific and specialized martial sports.

Additionally, we train in a variety of ancient weapons and fighting skills, primarily those of the Chivalric Arts of "medieval" Europe. These primarily include unarmed technique, longsword, messer, dagger, shortsword, and buckler, among others.

You don't pay for rank tests here; if you earn it, I buy your belt.

Instructor Summary Bio:
Benjamin Bradak is a life-long martial artist, and martial artist by lifestyle. He has trained in American Kenpo since roughly 1993, and holds an Associate Professorship in that system. He is an author for the late Paladin Press, having published the acclaimed Combat Applications of the Tactical Tomahawk, Lessons on the English Longsword, has co-authored others and has been cited in numerous other publications, including the Osprey book on the longsword. He is an instructor for Modern Combat and Survival. He has performed seminars and consultation for film and print on many occasions, including video work for Sony DVD. He has performed several seminars for the Counterterrorism Institute of America. He has served in two branches of the US military, having served for several years as an active duty army infantry CQC specialist in the 101st Airborne Division. He is combat lifesaver and CPR trained. He was a senior instructor in the ARMA (Association for Renaissance Martial Arts) and was one of their first Senior Free Scholars, and is an expert swordsman. He resides in a home composed largely of wood, punches clowns on Sundays, and hopes to retire teaching pro bono kah-rah-tay classes at the local "Y" to disfigured and disenfranchised goth kids. Contact for further info.