Background on Tony Terranova

Tony Terranova - Co-Owner FFMA

Bio:

• DOB: 15-01-1957
• BCA level 1 instructor (graded by Geoff Thompson);
• BCA 3rd Dan (grade by Peter Consterdine)
• 1st Dan Shotokan Karateka (graded by Sensie Enoeda)
• BJJ blue belt graded by John B. Will
• Founder of his unique Fusion Fitness weights training system
• Master NLP Practitioner (certified by Richard Bantler)

Tony has also written articles for Martial Arts Illustrated (MAI), Shotokan Karate Magazine and martial arts websites including; Geoff Thompson's; Master Sken's; Peter Consterdine's, Iain Abernethy's, Totally Fitness.com and reviewed several book for fellow martial artists. Tony has traveled the world as an engineer working on power stations, refineries chemical & gas plants.

Tony's training in Shotokan Karate began in Coventry in 1983 under the direction of John Johnston. He also occasionally trained at Mick Jackson's & Jeff Stansfield's clubs. All these clubs were associated with the K.U.G.B (which was affiliated to the J.K.A.) It was during this time that he met and trained with his long standing friend and mentor Geoff Thompson.

For reasons related to work and having to move to another area he stopped his formal training in 1992. He continued to do some bag work, weights, stretching and kata in his garage (when time and travel plans permitted); however Tony felt his training lacked the intensity and variety of formal classes (albeit he was keeping reasonably fit compared to general standards).

In 2002 (at the age of 45) he decided to go back to training after receiving encouragement from Geoff Thompson and his wife Jenny. He recalls the one defining phone call from Geoff that made him do it; Geoff was blunt, he said "Tony just get back on the mat and now".

After a few weeks of training and researching (to update himself on the martial arts trends) he he wrote an article for MAI titled "Yesterday's Truism's are Today's Falsehoods" (see Tony's article section for a full read of this informative document).

Tony says that going back to martial arts is one of the best things he has ever done. However some hard lessons were learned. Firstly after a 10-year break he found that many aspects of martial arts had changed. Many of the concepts that were ingrained in his early years "Truisms" were now considered to be today's "Falsehoods". His article explains the adversity he had overcome to get back into training and the strategies he used.

Tony's philosophy is that there is no real science per se of fighting; there are only some fundamental mechanics that need to be followed but that nothing should be crystallized as "the only way to train". He says if you get a good training partner and just fight together several times a week (slowly raising the tempo as you get better) then you will eventually find what really works for you. Also a study and understanding of biomechanics, fitness, nutrition and strength will assist you on your way to becoming a better fighter and martial artist.

He believes you can become your own greatest teacher if you take the time develop the discipline of continual learning. He says he has learned many things from the numerous rounds of full contact boxing in his garage that he did not learn at formal martial arts lessons which use many pre planned attacks and defense drills.

Today Tony is fortunate to be mentored by several top level martial artists such as Master Sken, John B Wills, Peter Consterdine and Geoff Thompson with whom he has established a long term relationship.