933 W Lancaster Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 · 215-952-8070

Kenpo Karate ·  Kickboxing ·  Sport Karate

Instructors

Tom Updegrove (Founder/Master Instructor) is a graduate of Temple University and Founder of the Martial Posture Studio.  Tom has studied Martial Arts for over 35 years and is currently a 7th Degree Black Belt.  He teaches the adults in the  Kenpo, Kickboxing, Grappling, and Tai Chi classes.  His teaching style is ultimately student guided.  What he recommends to new students is “set goals, the road to mastery is laden with many pitfalls, goal setting is done by anyone who has achieved mastery in some field.”   He has studied under Great Masters such as Ed Parker, founder of the Ed Parker Kenpo Karate System, Joe Lewis, a Kickboxing and Karate Legend and Royce and Relson Gracie, masters of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu System.  Tom recommends to his students – “Take the slow boat” because mastery takes time, energy and, more importantly, patience.

Ishmael Payne (Owner/Cheif Instructor) has studied martial arts under 7th Degree Black belt Tom Updegrove since 1989 and has been teaching since 1997.  Ish’s style of teaching is very technique intensive and he will make sure that students understand the 'whys' and 'whens' that make techniques work.  “Mastering the martial arts is all about hard work, determination, and developing good inner qualities.  Before conquering any opponent you must first conquer the negative qualities within such as self-doubt, anger, stress, etc.”

Vince Johnson (Sport Karate/Kenpo Instructor) has competed on various sport karate circuits such as N.A.S.K.A. (North American Sport Karate Association) and N.B.L. (National Black Belt League) since the mid 90’s.  He holds two N.B.L. world titles for forms competition and one N.A.S.K.A. title for demo team competition.  He specializes in coaching young martial artists in how to execute high energy, dynamic katas (a long dance-like series of martial arts movements). 

Ron Wood (Kenpo Instructor) has training in martial arts for over 19 years and is the founder and artistic director of the Zen One Dance Collective; a theater based hip Hop Company that combines dance, martial arts and music. The movement of ZODC is a fusion of House, B-boyin’ and Capoeira, with a strong emphasis on maintaining the roots and integrity of each style.  In 1995 he joined the highly acclaimed Rennie Harris Pure Movement, of which he is still a core member. Zen holds a black belt in Kenpo Karate and the rank of Professor in ASCAB Capoeira.