My name is Glen Gardiner;

I began training Martial Arts when I was in the Australian military in 1983.  Since then I have had the opportunity to train with some very talented, wise and experienced people. I was lucky enough to train in many martial disciplines, approximately 16 in all.  While in the military I also was at one time the Second-in-Command of the Australian Army Military Unarmed Combat Wing and later the Liaison Officer at a Brisbane based Army Brigade Headquarters responsible for the development of Military Unarmed Combat.  In these positions I was part of the organization which had the responsibility to train Defence Force personnel and at times Police personnel throughout Australia. 

I have been living and working in Indonesia since 1998.  

In early 2006 I was asked by several people to begin teaching Martial Arts here in Jakarta.  What we teach is an eclectic assortment of skills and techniques derived from my experiences over the last 23 years that include Doce Pares, a Filipino stick fighting style; Goshin Jutsu, an eclectic open-hand fighting system rooted in Okinawan Goju; and Nakamura Ryu Batto-jutsu Iaido, a system based on sword methods taught at the Japanese Naval and Army Military Academies prior to and during World War II.  The system is based on studies of how to bring the sword blade to a halt following a cut, how to parry, and how to progress to the next combative posture by using the sword's kinetic energy. When cutting with the sword, consideration is given to the blade angle-of-attack, blade arc-path, firm wringing grip, and the spiritual aspects of the unison of sword, heart, and mind. This is true Iaido, born from the basic sword of Kendo and Iaido.  I feel very privileged to be able to train in this art with a sword dating from the Kyoto period, almost 450 years old which is a very respected and cherished heirloom within my family.