Tugra Shan Martial Arts Teachers
Kancho John Alford
Sempai Tom Palmer
Professor Marcio Maia
Sempai Pat Bell
Dylon Taylor
Mick Day
Kancho John Alford
Kancho John Alford our owner and founder has been studying martial arts for over 40 years and teaching for over 25 years. John has devoted his life to learning and mastering a range of different martial arts and holds 6 different black belts to various degrees in two different styles of karate, two styles of jujitsu, kickboxing, and Filipino stick fighting. John teaches in all classes so when you learn at our club you are learning from a highly experienced martial arts professional.
Fully Accredited Instructor
John is a fully certified MAAIA (Martial Arts Australia International Alliance) 5 Star Professional Teacher, has full DCSI and police clearances as well as being a senior first aider.
John is highly experienced at working with children so knows how to train and bring out the best in kids. He has multiple certifications including
ORS - essentials for coaching children certificate
PBTR – child protection/harassment and discrimination certificate
Community coaching certificate
Certified Australian Sports Commission Active After Schools communities coach
Karate Black Belts
John was granted a 8th Degree Black Belt in Tugra Shan Martial Arts Academy and Title of Kancho in a physically demanding grading on 17th December 2022 graded by Professor STEVE MIRANDA from National Karate Academies – Miranda Kai.
4th dan (degree) black belt in the Zen Do Kai Karate.
Kancho John studied martial arts for 40 years and continues his studies to this day. He has achieved many titles including Sempai (instructor), Dai Sempai (senior instructor), Sensei (teacher), Renshi (low-level master), Kyoshi (Expert Teacher) progressing all the way to Kancho (Head of the Academy) in Tugra Shan Martial Arts.
He continues to undergo intense physically demanding gradings.
Muay Thai & Jujitsu Black Belts
Kancho John Alford holds a 1st Degree Black Singlet in BJC Muay Thai.
He holds black belts in both traditional and modern styles of Jujitsu, achieving a 2nd degree Black Belt in the traditional Hoshyama Ryu style of Jujitsu under Hanshi Chris Hoshiyama.
1st degree Black Belt in WJJF (World Ju-Jitsu Federation) Australia under Soke Alan Campbell.
He holds a 1st Kyu Brown belt in Aiki Juijitsu Budo Kan Australia.
In the past he has studied Judo and Taekwondo.
StickFighting 1st Degree Black Belt
Kancho John Alford holds 1st degree Black Belt in the Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima stick fighting style.
He studied and took all of his gradings directly under world-famous Senior Grand Master (SGM) Vince Palumbo. SGM Vince Palumbo is widely recognised as one of the most highly skilled Eskrima stick fighters and teachers in Australia. John has extensive knowledge of stick fighting and has undertaken many Kulta (no armour except for head and hand protection) stick fighting rounds as part of his gradings.
Swordfighting – Iaijutsu
Kancho John Alford studied Japanese Swordsmanship in the ancient Japanese sword style of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu and was coached directly under Grandmaster Sekiguchi Komei from Japan who is widely recognised as one of the most skilled swordsmen in Japan. Kancho John studied this style for just over five years attending classes in Adelaide six hours per week in addition to personal practice of between one to four hours per week. He was for a while a Shibucho.
Live and non-live blades
Whilst the swordsmanship style Kancho John studied did not have a grading ranking system it gave him extensive experience of using both bokken and saya (wooden sword and sheath), iaito (blunt steel blade) and shinken (live sharp steel blade). John also learned to use a naginatajutsu which is a pole with a blade on the end and is proficient in fighting with this weaponry. Whilst training Kancho John studied over 70 sword katas with variations (henka) and has been able to create and teach his own kata and kumitachi (partner drill) styles at the TSMA Academy.
Martial Arts ongoing development
Kancho John continues to study Jujitsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is dedicated to making martial arts accessible and affordable for all which is why the club has one low monthly fee which includes access to unlimited classes.
Sempai Tom Palmer Instructor
Black Belt Instructor
Tom successfully graded to 1st degree black belt in 2022. He excelled in a two and a half hour ardous test involving pad & kickshield work, all kata requirements for black belt level, syllabus techniques including self defences, jujitsu, innumerable throws and submission locks, and many hard sparring rounds. His grading was a test of stamina, endurance, skill, proficiency.
Sempai Tom’s grading was chanted by Kancho John Alford and he was graded by Professor Steve Miranda, Shihan Moe & Renshi Dom from NKA – Miranda Kai.
Tom is a TSMA Instructor with First Aid and DCSI Clearance.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Tom is passionate about BJJ & studies under our very own Tugra Shan Martial Arts Academy Professor Marcio Maia from Brazil who trained in one of the World Famous Gracie family studios.
True Budoka
Tom has consistently displayed the true bushido warrior spirit of courage, character, benevolence, respect, braveness and humility. He embraces the ideals of a true Black Belt including gratefulness, loyalty and self discipline. Tom is a natural born leader and is passionate about helping fellow students progress & excel.
I’m extremely proud of him and all he has to offer TSMA Academy and our students.
Professor Marcio Maia
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt
Professor Marcio Maia teaches our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) classes. He was born in Brazil and lived there until 2020 when he and his family migrated to Adelaide. Professor Marcio holds a 1st degree black belt in BJJ and has been studying this artform for over 20 years. He is an authentic Brazilian BJJ teacher who is highly knowledgeable and skilled in both Gracie Barra and Yogui BJJ styles.
Trained At The World Famous Gracie Ipanema Academy
Professor Marcio studied at the world famous Gracie Ipanema Academy under Professor Marcelo Yogui. Marcio’s expertise and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaching skills are second to none which has earnt him the title of Professor and he is one of the most outstanding and experienced BJJ teachers in Adelaide.
Fully Accredited Instructor
Marcio is an MAAIA (Martial Arts Australia International Alliance) Accredited Instructor.
Sempai Pat Bell
Tugra Shan 1st Degree Black Belt
Sempai Pat has studied a range of different martial arts styles for around 18 years. Her martial arts background includes two years in Go Kan Ryu where she achieved a green belt, two years with the Japan Karate Association, 6 years in Zen Do Kai achieving a brown belt and 8 years in the Tugra Shan Martial Arts (TSMA) Academy.
First Female Sempai At Tugra Shan Martial Arts Academy
In 2013 Pat was awarded her first degree black belt and was the first female at our club to achieve the title of Sempai (Instructor). Pat brings invaluable martial arts experience and maturity to TSMA. Pat assists in instructing our junior and adults’ classes on a Wednesday and hopes to inspire all students especially our females.
Fully Accredited Instructor
Pat is an MAAIA (Martial Arts Australia International Alliance) Accredited Instructor and has a DCSI clearance.
Sempai Dylon Taylor – Instructor Monday Classes
Tugra Shan Black Belt
Sempai Dylon has studied a range of different martial arts styles for over 8 years. His martial arts background includes eight years in Zen Do Kai. He also studied Muay Thai. He joined our Instructor Team on 6th September 2023 and has proven himself to be an outstanding instructor. He and Michael Day jointly instruct our Monday classes at Reynella East College Primary gym on Mondays.
Sempai Dylon is a highly talented martial artist whose magnetic charming personality endears him to syudents and parents alike. He is also extremely fit and strong with a long background in gym fitness and strength. Students love training under him and are happy to do the fitness & strength drills he teaches as well as helping them to develop high level martial arts skills.
Sempai Dylon has proved to be a very important asset to Tugra Shan Martial Arts Academy and students alike.
Mick Day
Instructor Monday Classes
Mick Day attained his black belt white stripe in 2021 and he Instructs the Monday Classes at Reynella East College.
Mick is a very talented TSMA Academy martial artist who absolutely loves teaching and is passionate, humble and extremely personable who loves his students.
Since then Mick has gone from strength to becoming a formidable skilled martial artist. He has proven his prowess in skills, techniques, stamina and endurance. But most importantly has consistently displayed the true budo spirit displaying respect, humility, courage, and dojo etiquette.
Mick is a natural born instructor and we’re very proud of him.