Rome Za : The Alchemy of Self

FOUNDER OF KOULIKOV GRAPPLING ACADEMY (KGA), VLAD IS A WORLD CHAMPION COMPETITOR; PLACING THREE TIMES IN THE USA OPEN AND REPRESENTED TEAM USA IN COMBAT SAMBO IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2008. PLACED AND WON MULTIPLE NAGA AND GRAPPLERS QUEST TOURNAMENTS AND WAS AWARDED THE MOST TECHNICAL FIGHTER IN THE VERY FIRST GRAPPLERS QUEST COMPETITION WINNING ALL HIS MATCHES BY SUBMISSIONS.

VLAD’S LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE WINNING COMBAT WRESTLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN HONJO, JAPAN 2017 AS WELL AS SHUAI JIAO NATIONAL CHAMPION 2018.

It all started when...

As you might have guessed, I’m Russian. Some kids get into martial arts because their parents want them to train for various reasons—being bullied, improving focus, and gaining discipline to name a few. That was not the case with me. My older cousin and my dad were my inspiration.

My father was my role model during my childhood. He wrestled, boxed and did power promotion things such as ripping chains, bending coins, and wrapping nails around his fingers. In the southern resort towns, there were several of kiosks where passers could test their strength. I remember one particular grip strength indicator. My dad always squeezed it hard enough to cause the arrow to go beyond the highest number. I wanted to be just like him.

In 1996, I immigrated to the United States. Upon arrival to the U.S., I couldn’t find a SAMBO gym. I started to go to a grappling club in the area where I was exposed to Jiu Jitsu. I fell in love immediately. It made sense to me and wasn’t a much of a departure from SAMBO. They are both grappling arts, after all.

Both SAMBO and Jiu Jitsu have their strengths. And both have plenty of restrictions. There are fewer restrictions in no-gi sub grappling, and I’ve always preferred it.

My SAMBO background has enhanced my Jiu Jitsu performance. I have learned to implement and adapt my SAMBO skills to the Jiu Jitsu rules. Just like in chemistry, you get a reaction if you mix two agents. It took some time to get rid of “bad” habits from SAMBO such as turtling once in a danger of being pinned. Also, it took some time to be comfortable to be on my back. I would willingly play off my back in practice but would try my hardest not to end up facing the ceiling in competition.

Here in the United States, I placed three times in the USA Open and represented team USA in combat SAMBO in the World Championship in 2008. I also placed and won multiple NAGA and Grapplers Quest tournaments and was awarded the most technical fighter in the very first Grapplers Quest competition winning all my matches by submissions.

I am fluent in Russian and English. I enjoy reading, music, and philosophy.

You could find more of Vlad:

https://sambofusion.com/

https://bjjfanatics.com/blogs/fighters/vlad-koulikov

https://www.instagram.com/sambo_fusion/?hl=en

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Skousen is a political scientist, by training, specializing in the philosophy of law and Constitutional theory, and is also a designer of high security residences and retreats. He has designed Self-sufficient and High Security homes throughout North America, and has consulted in Central America as well.

His latest book in this field is Strategic Relocation--North American Guide to Safe Places, and is active in consulting with persons who need to relocate for security and increased self-sufficiency. He also assists people who need to live near a large city to develop contingency retreat plans involving rural farm or recreation property.

Joel was raised in Oregon and later served as a fighter pilot for the US Marine Corps during the Vietnam era prior to beginning his design firm specializing in high security residences and retreats. During the 80's he took a leave of absence to serve as the Chairman of the Conservative National Committee in Washington DC. and concurrently served as the Executive Editor of Conservative Digest. For two years he published a newsletter entitled, the WORLD AFFAIRS BRIEF, and served as a Senior Editor of "Cogitations" a quarterly journal on law and government . The World Affairs Brief is now back in publication and is available as a weekly email newsletter or in a monthly print edition.

You can find more about Joel and his work here...

https://www.joelskousen.com/about

https://www.worldaffairsbrief.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan is a father, husband, entrepreneur, and lover of life. He’s overcome stage 4 cancer and a near death experience. He lives in Tulsa, OK with his wife Caroline of 20 years along with their 3 children. Oldest son Addison, daughter Atlanta, and youngest son Arthur. He’s an avid tennis player, coaches basketball, consults with people looking to transform their life, and enjoys exploring the depths of being human. He lives by the philosophy that peace is found in the mystery and beyond the ideas of right and wrong their is a field. A field of higher levels of consciousness. His invitation is to meet him there.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grand Master Paul Melella Jr. is a founding business and personal development coach at Empowered Mastery with his best friend and co author Grand Master Chris Berlow.

He has spent the past 20 years traveling the world, studying the most influential leaders of peak performance, personal growth, and healthy living. Working primarily with professionals and entrepreneurs, Paul provides his clients with the necessary tools and mental fortitude to live a life of passion and purpose.

Beyond his corner office door, Paul is a bestselling author, real estate investor, 7th degree black belt in Taekwondo, nine-time New York State Champion, Physique body building competitor and an active athlete competing in half marathons and X Terra off-road triathlons. He was the 2014 USA Cycling Cross Country Mountain Bike National Champion at the age of 40.

Paul is the co-founder of United Martial Arts Centers along with his brother Master Anthony Melella —with the No. 1 ranked program in the nation—and owns locations in Carmel, Fishkill, Newburgh, and LaGrange, NY. Each year, Paul donates more than $20,000 in scholarships so that children can benefit from his martial arts, leadership, and character development programs. He additionally donates his time to local schools as an inspirational speaker and anti-bullying advocate. Paul resides in Putnam County, NY with his wife of nearly 20 years and their two children.

Specialties: Inspirational speaking, no-bullshit leadership training, healthy lifestyle and physical training, alpha entrepreneurship, martial arts mindset for peak performance, mindful meditation, and business strategies.

Www.Empoweredmastery.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.