In the last 10 years I have known Alwyn in the capacity as training partner, coach, educator and motivator.

I have seen him make remarkable transformations in many individuals be it to lose that stubborn 10-15lbs, (I have even watched as he cut one clients weight in half!!) or to improve ones athletic performance. For me it was the latter.

 I met Alwyn coming from a successful martial arts career at home in the UK.  On moving to the U.S. in 94, I had pretty much given up on my fighting career, as I didn’t feel I had the time I needed to devote to training.

I had been a spectator at a few martial arts events here in the States, and based upon what I had seen, namely the many different styles, judging and the sheer number of participants I felt I had very little chance of doing well. Add the fact I would be the new guy on the circuit that alone does absolutely nothing for ones confidence, popularity alone would often pull me through a tough fight in my native country.

Plain and simple I had lost all motivation.

Alwyn, soon after our first meeting had encouraged me start training again. I followed Alwyn’s training programs, which were unlike anything else I had done in the past, I had never really been exposed to the benefits of strength training and had always considered them counter productive to the needs of a martial artist.  As alien as the program felt, Alwyn kept reassuring me that I was doing fine, Squats, plyometrics, Hang cleans, all exercises carefully selected that he guaranteed would make a world of difference to my skills, contrary to what I thought!!

After 3 months we had entered our first tournament this side of the Atlantic, “The New York open” in which experienced fighters from Canada, Puerto Rico, Argentina and all the top local fighters would compete, “ A nice little warm up event” as I recall Alwyn putting it.

How dare I doubt him!! I fought better than ever, I felt stronger, faster and had the lungs to go all day. I won that event, and through out the next couple of years I had been ranked as the number one fighter with the National Black Belt League winning tournaments all over the country and the pinnacle of my career winning the World Championships in Las Vegas in 1996. I guess he knows what he is doing!!

I am glad to hear he is having great success on the West Coast, motivating and producing champions every day.

Darren P. Vella.

International Martial Arts Council World Champion