posted on: Wednesday, January 7th, 2009
A Brief Biography: Guro Dan Inosanto
by Rick Faye
Rating: 2.1 out of 5 | Votes: 10This Article has been viewed 436 time(s). Dan Inosanto was born into the Filipino farm community in Stockton CA 72 years
ago. Because of his father's position in the community (the head of the Filipino farm
workers), he had access to many of the great martial artists that immigrated from the
Phillipines. Without really knowing it, he grew up with some of the best of the best in martial
art.
As his father (a great martial artist in his own right) arranged for him to be trained by these
people Dan was given an early look at high level martial art. Through men like Johnny
Lacoste, Angle Cabales, and many others he gained insights that have brought him to the top
of the matial arts world. His youth was spent largely in athletics. He was a national class
sprinter and college football player. He served in the military in the famed 82nd airborne
unit.
His big break in martial arts came because of his friend and training partner,
Bruce
Lee. Dan and Bruce worked together to produce the martial philosophy of
Jeet
Kune Do and Bruce Lee's name sake system, the Jun Fan Martial Arts (Lee Jun
Fan is Bruce's name in Chinese).
Guro Dan Inosanto has studied with the best there is in martial arts and his continuing
commitment to researching every art he can, has kept him on the leading edge of martial
arts for the last 40 + years. He has traveled the world, logging over 5 million miles on
American Airlines teaching and guiding an entire generation of martial artists.
Guro Inosanto's true greatness is in his humility and humanity. There are very few examples
in this world of someone so understanding and compassionate.
In my opinion, and in the opinion of many other martial artists, both student and instructor,
Guro Dan Inosanto is the greatest martial arts instructor of our time.