The Journey
~Bottom Line Up Front~
Just as it crafts a sword out of fire, raw material and dedication:
The Hammer represents knowledge, experience and the skill to forge warriors.
That brings us here ~ You must really want to know more about me. Luckily, I can help.
Recap: 3yo Ben -
Integrity - Candor - Courage
No contracts, no hidden fees, no gimmicks - EVER.
You receive unlimited classes - training in MMA/Combat Arts, Functional Strength Training, a Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, housed in a cutting edge facility, run by a industry certified professional. More info
+10% first time enrollment (stackable w/Student or MILES)
Can I participate in just kickboxing or submission fighting?
No. This system focuses on how to fight using a full spectrum of techniques, hence why it may be categorized as "MMA", the driving force is personal defense - being able to protect yourself and those you care for. You will develop your own strengths and preferences when it comes to how you fight, but proficiency in all aspects of training is required. Boxing, Kickboxing, Karate, BJJ/JJJ, Judo et al are available locally for those looking to focus on specific styles of fighting.
I began training long ago, with background in multiple arts, hard earned experience and solid knowledge in fitness - I chose to open Hammerforge with the goal of improving peoples lives, to be the positive change I wanted to see in the world. So I spent six years building from the ground up, a school to forge warriors. The culmination of my life experiences have have led to what I now teach: a mixed martial art with an undercurrent of combatives, fused with team based Functional Strength Training. Promoting a healthy lifestyle, increasing total body strength, building confidence and providing a means for those looking for self defense - housed in a advanced facility with a safe and positive training environment. Experience for yourself what makes us different.
Playground Fun at Catholic School: Nun'ya Business - 27 bruises?
When I was eight, living in Hudson Florida, I remember finding one inch boards in the garage. I believe they were intended for some project (scratch that: I confirmed with my mother, my father had cut them the previous week, they were meant to be shelves for the garage...) a project that apparently never got off the ground... I have no idea why. I remember thinking to myself "Ahh, time to train!" I proceeded to set them up in our lanai, and break them one at a time with elbows and hammer fists. My mother came out just as I was breaking the last board... you can imagine, that did not fair well with her. Good times. Thanks TMNT, Karate Kid, JCVD et al.
We moved to north central Florida when I was ten, I trained on my own for a short while. At thirteen I wanted instruction with more oversight... training like a hermit at age thirteen is rough. I Eventually chose a Wadō-ryū school located in Gainesville Florida, a great dojo, with great people and great instructors - I was there for nearly seven years. It is where I got my feet wet with kickboxing, American style kickboxing to be specific. The last year in Florida before I moved cross country, I started bridging away from karate and began participating in Vale Tudo; there are some very bloody memories and experiences from those days. Vale Tudo is Portugese and translates as "Free Fighting" and is similar to our modern NHB fights, but with less rules, akin to the early years in UFC. Looking back at it, I had to have been slightly crazy to have been involved with some of those fights.... again, good times.
Little details, lots of memories, and few words: Vale Tudo. -
si vis pacem para bellum
better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener on a battle field
Fast forward, I moved to California, participated in smokers fights, dojo crashing, and pretty much sparring or fighting just about anyone interested for the next nine years. In that time I attended college, refined and fused functional strength training with martial arts, started the Asian Martial Arts Club (AMAC) at Fresno City College with several other instructors, ran a fight club for several years, got involved with the Army ROTC, bridged into instructing combatives, became a personal trainer and powerlifting coach, got a few cuts and bruises, broke some people in serious fights... just normal stuff.
Pretender Jesus: The Last Bike - I met quite a few unusual characters in California, putting it nicely. One of my first experiences with a random martial artist during my first year in Fresno... well, he claimed to be one at least. I was waiting at a bus stop at Fresno and Ashlan, a guy also waiting there noticed my Gi, which was rolled up and tied to my backpack. I had at that point worked several hours, trained at a local Wado school for several more, was tired and thus decided to catch the bus instead of riding my bike the last few miles home. He began talking to me about how he "practices" martial arts, and that Jesus trains in martial arts... he eventually alluded to himself being Jesus, reincarnated. He invited me to go and train with him sometime at his his place, then proceeded to go into great detail about my bike, bike theft in Fresno and his idea to invent a bike mounted taser with a delay that would shock a bike thief to death while they were riding away. He was a little odd. I decided it was time to go and made my escape. I crossed paths with him once or twice more over the years. Funny enough, my bike was stolen that December while shopping at Fashion Fair mall for Christmas presents... that was actually the last bike I ever had. As for a name, lets just call him Pretender Jesus... he eventually went on a shooting spree and murdered several people in 2017. Off to a great start with some of these martial artists in California huh... actually, most of the martial arts community there were made up of really great people.
Kohbee: Rebar Shins and Hands Of Steal... or something like that -
Ardie & Co: Circle Man & His Dads .45 -
First Offender, The Kubikaki Escapade: A Not-So-Japanese Tall Tale -
Charlz: The Patron Saint Of Army Seals and Navy Rangers (i.e. Stolen Valor) -
Vere ist dast bread? -
Next UFC Star: Refund -
Team First Bloodz -
KaJuKenBo -
The Shou Shu Shoe Shin -
The Shou Shu Bullet Catcher, Time Stopper, Laser Vision Slap Requester -
Bullets, Bricks and Pliers: What not to do -
Stuart Quan: Gone Too Soon -
The Screaming Scooter?
Learn how to fight, lose weight, get strong and build confidence.
We are dedicated to helping people become the best version of themselves,
During my tenure in California, I ultimately rejected a lot of the previous teachings received. Do not misunderstand, most martial arts are wonderful/great for many reasons, Via De Custos has roots in traditional arts. Self defense, combat, survival: these are not the only reasons to train in martial arts - but they are the reasons why I train and teach, and in my eyes, combat is the foundation of martial arts. Thus my training was explicitly focused on those. I formed a small school with the intention on honing these skills to the extreme, and that we did. I was lucky to find people who shared the same interests and goals, many of whom were previous martial artists. Without them things would most likely be different today.
