Dan Inosanto's vast experience in the field of various martial arts (over 40 years) has allowed him to rightfully be considered the greatest master of various directions in this field. Bruce Lee could be proud of such a student and like-minded person.
Biography
On July 24, 1936, Dan Inosanto was born in the California town of Stockton. The biography of an American with Filipino roots is distinguished by many interesting points, most of which are associated with martial arts. As a child, Dan was seriously interested in football. In his youth, he was the captain of a football team. Short-distance running was also easy for the guy. During his studies in Washington, he repeatedly won prizes.
After college, Dan Inosanto teaches physical education in a regular school. It was from this time that his fascination with martial arts began. It all started with judo. Dan successfully trained with Duke Yoshimur for 2 years.
Then the young man decided to join the army and ended up in the air division, where he became a paratrooper. In the army, Dan practiced various styles of karate, the most favorite of which was kempo.
Inosanto left the army in 1961 and came to Los Angeles in search of a karate karate instructor. The guy was lucky: he met the legend of American karate - Ed Parker. Under his leadership, Dan got a black belt a few years later. It was Parker who introduced Inosanto to Philippine military equipment, in particular to Esrim - stick fighting.
Bruce Lee's Apprentice
In 1964, Parker organized an international karate championship. Dan was instructed to accompany an important guest - Bruce Lee. So the acquaintance took place, which later grew into a strong friendship.
Dan Inosanto is an eyewitness to how Bruce Lee tried to introduce a comprehensive training system into combat exercises. In the 60s, it seemed strange and useless to anyone. Now, any combat training is not complete without yoga, swimming or cycling.
The development of Jeet Kune-Do as an individual battle system of Bruce Lee was made possible largely thanks to like-minded people, among whom Dan Inosanto was one of the first. Photos with Bruce Lee occupy several pages in the master’s album, which he demonstrates to his students.
Inosanto assisted Lee in organizational matters and training processes. Thanks to his knowledge of many martial arts, Dan was able to add many individual elements to the Bruce Lee system - Jeet Koon-Do.
Inosanto was the only student of Bruce Lee who was allowed to teach Jeet Kune-do to other masters until the third level. Only three followers received permission to study levels 1 and 2.
Master of martial arts
Dan Inosanto owns his own martial arts academy. It is located in California. The master shares with students his knowledge in the field of philosophy of combat training, in particular, Jeet Kun-Do. Also, the institution provides training in fist fighting, Filipino martial arts, silat and other types. The number of instructors who have been trained by Inosanto exceeds several hundred. They teach in different parts of the world.
Dan Inosanto has many achievements of the highest level in all known martial arts. He won the black belt in Jiu-Jitsu after 50 years, which is a confirmation of the willpower of the master and his excellent physical shape.
The coach is convinced that in order to protect a fighter, he must be multidisciplinary, that is, be able to fight in the stalls, reflect strikes, and own weapons. In 1996, Dan Inosanto was named "Person of the Year" in the United States for his services and personal qualities.
Cinema and family
In addition to the activities of the instructor, Bruce Lee's friend managed to star in several films. Dan Inosanto, whose films are known to martial arts connoisseurs, played supporting roles along with Bruce in the lead role. One such movie is The Game of Death. Also, Inosanto's filmography includes the film "The Big Trouble in Little China", the comedy "Big Stan", the tape "In the Name of Justice" and "The Red Belt".
Dan Inosanto has three children. The eldest daughter of the master was named Diana Lee - in honor of an unforgettable friend and teacher. The sons are Danniel and Lance Ersa.
Master Dan is the pillar of Jeet Kune-Do. He bases his own fighting philosophy on principles founded by Bruce Lee. The main concept encourages people to think and make decisions on their own, while devoting sufficient time to unlock their true potential.