ABOUT THE FOUNDER MIKE LEE KANAREKstory:

Summary * Israeli Special Forces Combat Veteran - 3 Years * 6th Degree Black Belt- Joe Lewis American Full Contact Karate * Fourth Degree Black Belt- Survival Hisardut * First Degree Black Belt- Krav Maga * Purple Belt- Brazilian Jui-Jitsu * Certified Muay Thai Kickboxing Instructor * Self-Defense Instructor of the Year-FL Martial Arts Brotherhood Hall of Fame * Combat Shooting Expert * Tactical Knife Fighting Expert * Black Belt Magazine’s Instructor of the Year 2007 * Black Belt Hall of Fame

Mike Lee Kanarek training Counter-Terrorism Coast Guard TACLET Team

Detailed Background Mike is a former Israeli Special Operations Group Commando of the battle-hardened Golani Brigade and a world class Hand-to-Hand Combat instructor. His hard-core small team Special Ops unit operated behind enemy lines typically alone and miles from backup. In south Lebanon they terminated terrorists and destroyed their headquarters. In the West Bank during the first Intifada they went house to house capturing key militants and controlling street riots. Extreme violence was daily routine. Mike brings to the table this knowledge and his 20 years of full contact martial arts experience to teach you to devastate an attacker fast.

Born Lee Van Hong in Saigon in 1967 to a Vietnamese mother and an American father proudly serving his country during the Vietnam War, at age six months Mike was adopted by a Jewish family in Belgium and given the name Michel Kanarek. In 1977, Michel's father, Emil Kanarek, moved his family to Israel. He had been a volunteer soldier in the Israeli Independence War in 1948, belonging to the "Palmach Brigades" in one of the "Haganah" units (the Haganah system is named in his honor). His regiment freed Jerusalem in that war. Between the ages of 6 and 18, Mike studied judo and then karate until joining the IDF at age 18 in 1985. After serving three years as a Special Forces member in Orev Golani (one of the most elite commando units in the IDF) where he was extensively trained in KAPAP among other combative methodologies and technologies, Mike was honorably discharged as an outstanding soldier. He then worked as a high profile security professional for a private Israeli security company until he could afford to immigrate to the United States. For more than 10 years since arriving in the United States Mike has taught combat based self defense skills to civilians, military and law enforcement professionals, including Secret Service, FBI and DEA agents, SWAT team members, Navy SEALS, and many local law enforcement professionals. He regularly provides specialty courses in Israeli Combat Shooting, Counter Terrorist Tactics, Israeli Tactical Knife Fighting and many specially requested private courses. He is a survivor of many unarmed engagements and lives with gunshot and knife wounds. In addition to his hand-to-hand and 'hot' weapons expertise, he is a respected specialist in tactical knife applications.

In addition to his military training in KAPAP and more recent training in LOTAR, Mike Lee Kanarek has trained under Mr. Joe Lewis for nearly 15 years, and is a sixth degree black belt in Joe Lewis American Full Contact Karate. He holds a fourth degree black belt in Survival Hisardut under Moti Horenstein, Muay Thai King Cup Super Heavyweight World Champion and SHIDOKAN Super Heavyweight U.S. Champion. He holds a first degree black belt in Krav Maga under Rhon Mizrachi, the highest ranking most experienced Israeli IDF veteran Krav Maga instructor in the U.S. as of this writing. Mike is a fully certified Muay Thai Kickboxing instructor and holds other belts, including a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has been recognized as The Self-Defense Instructor of the Year by the Florida Martial Arts Brotherhood Hall of Fame and has numerous other awards and recognitions.

His passion is bringing together the best elements of various practical combat fighting arts as taught by world-class instructors, adding militarily tested elements, and teaching them to law abiding citizens in the fastest most effective way possible to enable them to come home safe each day. He has seen more violence than anyone should have to, and has learned how to overcome it. He brings that experience to you.