About Darryl’s Teachers
In the Martial Arts
Shihan Toyotaro Miyazaki
Miyakazi Shihan was my first serious martial arts teacher. I was with him for many years starting in my early 20’s. I owe my love and skill of kata (fighting forms) to Miyazaki Shihan’s instruction and his impeccable technique.
Mestranda Enda Lima
Edna is one of my favorite people ever! She was my very first and still is my only Capoeira teacher. I met her way back in the 80’s when she had first arrived from Brazil and could barely speak any English. Find Edna at abadacapoeira.com.
Ao Shiro Iida
While studying Karate at Shihan Miyazaki’s Shotokan School, I happen to have the great fortune to meet Shihan Miyazaki’s cousin, Ao Shiro Iida, better known as “Blue” or just Mr. Iida. Find Blue at martialartsny.com.
Arjan Simon Burgess
One day while making a call in a phone booth in Queens, (that’s right I said phone booth, remember those?) a man tried to pull a knife and stab me in my kidneys. Fortunately I sensed him approaching from behind and was able to spin out of the booth and escape the scene.
Master Fabio Tuscanno
I was introduced to Master Fabio by Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt student Almir Araujo back in the 90’s just as the fame of the Gracie’s was starting to spread in the US. When I met Fabio he was still a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Find Fabio at alliancebjjnyc.com.
Kru Phil Nurse
Phil is a 2-time European Champion Muay Thai fighter and of recent has become well known in the Mixed Martial Arts world as striking coach to MMA Champion fighter George St. Pierre. After my association with Blue Iida ended I began training under Kru Phil Nurse. Find Phil at thewat.com.
Guro Vic Velez
After a short break in my Kali training, I returned to it a few years later through Guro Jesus Vasquez where at that time I met senior student Vic Velez who would later become my Kali teacher. He’s a formidably strong and passionate teacher of the art. Find Vic at velezkali.com.
George Aschkar
Shortly before I found Simon Burgess as my Kali teacher, I was already looking for more realism in my karate training. I found it with Sensei George Aschkar, a former student of Shihan Toyotaro Miyazaki. Find Sensei Aschkar at kyodaidojo.com.
Michael Olajide Jr.
Michael was a former #1 middle weight contender in boxing. Although I never learned martial arts or boxing directly from Michael, he was the most influential person to help get me into higher levels of the fitness business. Find Michael at aerospacenyc.com.
In the Healing Arts
Master Shizuto Masunaga
There would absolutely be no Meridian Touch if it were not for Shizuto Masunaga. It was his work of creating the original Zen Imagery exercises (which were based on Chinese Dao-In exercises) that I based my creation and synthesizing of the Meridian Touch system.
Dr. Tony Zayner
The most I have ever learned about Eastern medicine and Yin Yang theory came from my good friend and former roommate Tony Zayner. To call him a renaissance man is quite an understatement. Find Dr. Zayner at asianbodyworkclub.com.
Stephen Brown
It’s very interesting but almost everything I said about Dr. Tony Zayner could apply to Master Stephen Brown except that his learning and experience comes more from a Japanese source than Chinese. Find Stephen at zenshiatsuseattle.com.
Wataru Ohashi
In 2000, having severely burned my body out through over training and bad habits over the years, I found myself learning a new art of healing and self-preservation that helped others to heal at the same time. Find Ohashi at ohashiatsu.org.
In the Meditative Arts
Kanjuro Shibata XX
Shibata Sensei is easily the highest master of any eastern art under which I’ve studied. The Kyudo he teaches us is for “cutting the ego,” as he says, not for warfare or for battle. Find Shibata Sensei at zenko.org.
