Salt Lake

Don Brinkerhoff was born in Cedar City, and began his Martial Arts training just months before his 12th birthday.  After seeing the Bruce Lee movie “Return of the Dragon,” (or “Way of the Dragon” as released in China,) he decided ‘he was going to learn how to do that.’  With no formal Martial Arts schools in the area, Don’s training began by renting every Martial Arts video he could find, and trying to imitate the moves.  A couple of years later while visiting with his Grand Parents, he met an instructor of a little known Chinese system called Lin Qui, and studied with Master Lawrence until he turned 19, and left on a two year mission for his church,

When he got back in 1991, Master Lawrence had moved, and he was left to search for a new Martial Art, and a new instructor.  He got a book on Japanese Jujitsu by Professor George Kirby and began looking for a Jujitsu school in Utah.  After not finding one, he went looking again, this time enrolling in an Ed Parker Kempo class at the local community college.  He trained for several months, but found he wanted something a little less brutal.  Loving what he had seen in Jujitsu, he contacted Professor Kirby, and discovered there was a complete video series, and that the Professor had a ‘Virtual Dojo.’  He enrolled, and spent the next three years (from mid 1994 to the end of 1997) studying Budoshin Jujitsu.

At the end of November 1997, the Brinkerhoff family moved from Southern Utah, to Tooele, Utah because of a job change.  That job change ended up being far more important than Mr. Brinkerhoff could have ever expected.  When the family got to Tooele, Mr. Brinkerhoff heard about a book on Filipino Jujitsu.  Having never heard about a ‘Filipino’ version of Jujitsu, he was skeptical of the author, and the art.  He tried to buy a copy of the book from the author’s daughter, but she sent him to her father.  So, on a Sunday afternoon in mid December, 1997, he met for the first time with Tuhon Ricardo Sebastian.

After inviting Mr. Brinkerhoff into his home, this “little old man” did something totally unexpected; he told Mr. Brinkerhoff to punch him.  Not wanting to hurt this little old fellow, he sort of put his hand out.  Tuhon batted it away, and said, “No; Punch Me!”  Again Mr. Brinkerhoff threw, this time with a little force, a little bit faster.  Again Tuhon batted it away and said, “Punch Me!”  This time something snapped in Mr. Brinkerhoff’s mind, and he thought; “Okay you arrogant old fool, I’m going to drop you.”  This time the punch flew hard and fast, and something totally unexpected happened.  To this day Mr. Brinkerhoff can’t tell you how he went from punch to floor, but he found himself lying face down in Tuhon Sebastian’s living room.  The ‘old man’ was on his back, and Mr. Brinkerhoff was being choked out; (something any of his students can tell you isn’t easy to do.)

After being released and getting back to his feet, Mr. Brinkerhoff looked at Tuhon Sebastian and asked simply; “When and where is class.”  That was the beginning of a long and very close friendship.

In September of 1998, Tuhon Sebastian asked the President of the U.S. Kali Association to come and observe his first rank testing in the United States.  After the testing was complete, Mr. Brinkerhoff was promoted to the rank of Third Degree Black Belt in the newly organized Kamagong USA martial arts system, and was awarded the Red Headband signifying his position as a Kali Warrior.  Since then he’s been promoted to the Rank of Seventh Degree Black Belt.  In 2000, his wife Alayna became the first female to earn the rank of Black Belt in the Kamagong System in the United States.

After his exposure to the Filipino Martial Arts with Tuhon Sebastian, Mr. Brinkerhoff began actively studying with other Filipino Martial Arts Instructors, and is active in promoting the Philippine Warrior Culture.  He is currently working to create a network of qualified Filipino Martial Arts Instructors in and around Utah.  The goal of this
Kali Warrior Arts Association is to provide a single place where people can find out about classes and seminars in the Philippine Arts.

Throughout his martial arts training, Mr. Brinkerhoff has been an active competitor in Sport Karate, and has won numerous trophies and medals.  He is also an active Judge, and won the Judge of the Year award from the Excel Karate League in 2001.  In 2004, Mr. Brinkerhoff was awarded the Instructor of the Year award from the U.S. Kali Association, and was inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame.  In 2012, Mr. Brinkerhoff was invited to join the American-Do Karate Federation, and was ask to serve as the Federation’s Vice-President.

Mr. Brinkerhoff coaches an active Tournament & Demo Team which has won numerous trophies and medals, and is a regular participant in the Utah Asian Festival each June.  He is available for Seminars and specializes in training in Youth and Women’s organizations.

To find out more, or schedule training, please feel free to contact him.

Please call for class times and pricing information.

Phone: (801) 966-3468
brindoryu@hotmail.com

Brindo Facebook Page
Kamagong Facebook Page