Influential Instructors of Andy Crittenden & ACMAC

 

This is my opportunity to give credit to the people who have helped me, my Staff and my Students over the years.

 

Dave Turton

My main Instructor & Mentor is Dave Turton 10^th Dan head of the All Styles Martial Art Association, I am a 5^thDan in his SDF Modern Street Combat system as well as a Masters Level Self Defence Instructor. He also headed the grading panel which graded me to 6^thDegree Black Belt in Multi Skilled Martial Arts on the 5th May. Which was 25 years to the day i started training in the Martial Arts.

He has taught me so much and supported me since I opened my School 100% as both the Head of the SDF & now ASMAA.

He is the most knowledgeable Instructor I have ever come across. I will always be greatful for everything he has done for me.

Dave is a 10^th Dan in Combat Ju-Jitsu & Self Defence and has been training for over 50 years. He has studied under John & Gordon Warfield, Kenshiro Abbe, Phil Milner & Billy Riley.

 

Kim Stones

Master Kim Stones was my original Instructor and my hero growing up. When I was 17 I was lucky enough to be employed by him and he has taught me so much about the Teaching & Business side of the Martial Arts. Something not everyone see’s as important but without Master Stones I would not be where I am today.

Kim won the 1991 World Championships and was also a 3x World Team Champion, 3x European Champion & 8x British Champion making him one of the greatest fighters of his generation and he then went onto pioneer a new age of Professional Martial Arts in the UK and became one of the top School Owners in the Country.

 

Dave Kovar

I first met Kyoshi Dave Kovar in 1998 at his School in Sacramento, California. I was so inspired that I made him my idol from then on.

I have always studied Mr Kovar’s systems and use his Instructor Training Program. In 2011 I brought him to the UK to do a certified Instructor Boot Camp which all ACMAC Instructors were on. He returned to ACMAC in 2012 to deliver an Instructors College which once again our Staff were on.

He is the leading Instructor Trainer in the World. He has 8 full time Schools plus more affiliates and holds Black Belts in 10 styles of Martial arts including a 7^thDan.

 

Billy Robinson

Billy is a Grappling God, he trained Kazushi Sakuraba & Josh Barnett for successful MMA Careers. He is also a Legend in Professional Wrestling, having a career that spanned 4 decades and took on some of the best Wrestlers in the world such as Andre the Giant, Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, Billy Joyce, Verne Gagne and even a young Ric Flair & Hulk Hogan.

He now was the Lead Instructor for Scientific Wrestling touring the World doing Seminars & Certification Camps. Im proud to be the person that brought Billy back to the UK in 2011 and now represent Scientific Wrestling in Europe.

I qualified as a Level 2 in Catch as Catch Can in Summer 2012 under Billy. Billy sadly died in 2014.

 

Bill “Superfoot” Wallace

I was honoured to have Bill “Superfoot” Wallace on seminar 4 times at ACMAC in 2011 and to spend time with him off the mat too was a fantastic insight into what a great man he is.

Bill was the undefeated World Middleweight Kick Boxing Champion and one of the pioneers of Kick Boxing along with Jeff Smith & Joe Lewis who all taught together at ACMAC in November 2011. Bill is famous for his awesome Left Leg Kicking and travels the World teaching seminars. He once run a school for one of his most famous Students Elvis Presley.

Bill has now taught at ACMAC 20 times, I have been graded to Black Belt in his system as have over a dozen of my Instructors.

 

Royce Gracie

The most famous Martial Artist on the planet. Royce won the very first UFC way back in 1993 and completely changed the Martial Arts Industry. He is part of the Famous Gracie Family the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

I first trained with Royce in 2003 when I was a part of Andy Roberts BJJ School in Sheffield. I was extremely proud to have earned a Blue Belt from him in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

 

Dave Irwin

Dave Irwin was my Eskrima Instructor for many years. I travelled to his home in Heminbrough, North Yorkshire every week for a Private Lesson in Dave’s Blend of Eskrima and Serrada Escrima.

I am an Advanced Instructor’s Level in Serrada and Black Shirt in Eskrima. Dave has been doing Eskrima now for over 30 years and trained with some of the best in the World.

 

Trevor Roberts

The Bolton Iron Man Trevor Roberts is one of the most genuine people ive ever met. He defines greatness to me in both the Martial Arts and in life. Ive had the pleasure of having Trev at ACMAC on a few occasions for seminars as well as travelling to his home town of Bolton on a dozen or so occasions. A nicer man you could not wish to meet but hard as nails. He is a regular Instructor now at ACMAC teaching 30+ seminars over the years.

 

Joe Tierney

Joe was nicknamed the Bolton Blockbuster as was one of the best Fighters of his generation including being one of the Original Warriors. Joe is the President of Shorai & WKKC England. He is a regular Instructor of our Fight Team and is very influential in the development of the top fighters. 

 

Zulfi Ahmed

Zulfi Ahmed is the creator of the Bushi Ban System and Grandmaster of Bushi Ban International which has 10 Schools in Texas and affiliates all over the World. He is a motivator, educator and all round talented Martial Artist. I only met him 2019 but have travelled to Slough, Alicante and to his HQ in Texas to learn from him.

 

Ken Pankiewicz

Ken is my business Mentor, he is a 7th Dan and Owner of Kickfit Martial Arts in the Slough & Reading Area and also the Founder of Kickfit Consulting, he travels the world presenting on Events and consulting School Owners.

 

Brian Lister

Brian is my Kobudo Instructor, but he teaches alot of other Styles including Sambo, BJJ, Judo, Ju-Jitsu, Muay Thai & Kempo Karate. He has been training for many years and competed in all styles. He is really old School and an incredibly knowledgeable Instructor.

 

Paul Powers & Team

I train in K1 Kick Boxing with Paul and his Team at Powers Martial Arts in Sheffield, i have trained with Paul, Alex Mackenzie, Matt Gordon and mainly with K1 CHampion Nathan Riddle.

 

Danny Hoskins

Danny is the Chief Instructor of Native American Warrior Arts and has been in touch with me for years and has made visits to the UK Teaching Seminars but mainly doing Intensive Training with me to develop NAWA in the UK as well as Glima & Irish Stick Fighting.  

 

Mark Wiley

Guru Mark Wiley certified Myself & Liam Wilkinson to the level of Basic Instructor in Serrada Escrima and then myself as Advanced Instructor in 2014 during his UK Seminar weekend in 2012. He is one of only a handful of people who was a certified Master under Grandmaster Angel Cabales.

 

Karl Blackwell

Karl was an inspiration to me the day I met him. I learnt so much about Self Defence from him in the early days at my lessons with him and Dave Turton at their Thrybergh Club and then at the other venues they taught.

Karl can only be described as awesome at what he does, he is Dave Turton’s top student in the 50 years he has been teaching. Ive had many lumps and bruises from doing SDF, Boxing & Grappling with Karl.

 

Scott Hinds

Scott and I taught together at Kim Stones Academy when we was based on Trafford Way. We always had a great chemistry and became great friends.

Scott is an amazing Martial Artist and particularly excels in Kicking. He left the Martial Arts industry to become a Stunt Man and Actor and has great success including having parts in Star Wars & Batman Films.

 

Andrew Morrell

Master Andrew Morrell is the Head of The Cobra Martial Arts Association. He has helped me very much in a lot of way I have trained with him in Cobra FMA, Kick Boxing, Combat Kick Boxing & Ju-Jitsu taking Grades under him in all 4 styles.

 

Matt Hunter

I was graded by Matt to 1^stDan in Ju-Jitsu. Myself, Matt and his Senior Instructor Tracy Gell trained together for years and as I achieved Dan Grade status in Ju-Jitsu, Matt & Tracy did the same in SDF under Dave Turton.

 

Jake Shannon

Jake is the Founder of Scientific Wrestling and has done great things for the resurgence of Catch as Catch Can and is an Assistant Coach to Billy Robinson. He has also wrote the best selling book Say Uncle as well as Billy Robinson’s book Physical Chess. Jake gave me a great opportunity when he let me represent his company in Europe.

 

Neil Wain

Neil is a top MMA Coach who i trained with for around a year. He has taught me so much about the game and has improved my fitness a lot.

Neil is one of the top UK Heavyweights and has won titles in not only MMA but in Boxing & Kick Boxing too. He is the first and only Doncaster fighter to make it to the UFC when he faced for UFC Champion Shane Carwin.

 

Johnny Huskey

Johnny ignited my passion for Catch Wrestling when he taught seminars at ACMAC, I also travelled to his other UK Seminars. He is an amazing Catch Wrestler and really opened my eyes to the Sport of CACC. I will be always grateful to him for that. He is the top student of the legend Billy Wicks and runs a school in North Carolina, USA.

 

Andy Roberts

Andy introduced me to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I had private lessons with him both in Sheffield and Doncaster for around 2 years. He trained me to achieve my Blue Belt under Royce Gracie and to achieving 3^rdPlace at the European Championships. If he hadn’t have moved to London I would still be training with him now.

 

Terry Brown

Terry teaches me Traditional English Martial Arts systems which date back to Medieval Times when the great George Silver was a renowned and sought after teacher. I currently am a level 1 Instructor which i achieved in 2012. The main aspects of the curriculum im studying currently are Barefist, Cudgel & Quarterstaff.

Terry teaches his system all over the world. He is the worlds leading authority on English Martial Arts & is the Head of the Company of Maisters.

 

Paul Murphy

Paul was really the first person to teach me any Grappling. He introduced me to Ju-Jitsu and other Grappling styles. He taught classes at ACMAC as well as Kim Stones Academy.

 

Mick Gould

I have travelled to Wales to train with Mick and also had him at ACMAC along with Jeff Keen & Dave “Cammy” Baker. He is an awesome Martial Artist who was the top Student of John Warfield.

He has worked all over the world in the Military and has been a star and fight choreographer in many big Hollywood movies mainly through his links to Robert De Niro.

 

Stevie Smith

Pro Boxing World Champion Stevie Smith has taught seminars at ACMAC his approach to Boxing is out of this world, I love having the opportunity to train with Stevie.

 

PLUS MANY MORE I CAN NOT MENTION EVERYONE, THE MARTIAL ARTS JOURNEY IS A FANTASTIC ONE WHERE YOU GET TO MEET SO MANY AWESOME PEOPLE