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Harinder Singh Sabharwal

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His titles include 7th Degree Black Belts in both Small Circle Jujitsu and Kyohuejitsumae; a second degree Black Belt in Sugar Ryu Jujitsu; black belts in Chinese Kenpo and Kodokan Jujitsu; Full Instructor in Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial Arts under Sigung Paul Vunak; the locking specialist and member of Jeet Kune Do Athletic Association, founded by Harinder Singh; a certified Master Defensive Tactics instructor with Force Options Tactical Training Solutions (listed with the International Martial Arts Council of America-Law Enforcement Division); a certified Defensive Tactics Edged Weapons instructor with Progressive Fighting Systems; a certified Baton Instructor with Personal Safety Training Incorporated and Force Options; and an Advanced Instructor in Serrada Escrima under Master Khalid Khan

(from http://jkdathletics.com/association/sifusingh
)

His journey began at the age of four in India, when he began to learn the way of Shastre Videya (Sikh Martial Art of Weapons) from his grandfather Professor Mohinder Singh of the National Defense Academy of India, and his father Captain Narinder Singh Sabharwal, a champion Indian Sprinter. Upon immigrating to Canada, Singh was enrolled in the Toronto Academy of Karate and Judo, headed by Sensei Burt Konzak. His father was committed to Singh being able to defend himself physically in any situation, and also to instilling a sense of courage, confidence, character, and a life of discipline from the start. This came in handy; as a young Sikh immigrant in Toronto, and the only one wearing a turban, Singh often found himself getting picked on and subsequently getting in fights. From a young age, he was able to defend himself successfully physically, mentally, and emotionally when the time came.

Singh was highly athletic in his youth, competitively swimming, playing soccer, and playing tennis, leading him to a competitive NCAA tennis scholarship at UC Davis. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering and was ready to embark on a dedicated and ambitious career in Silicon Valley as an advanced applications engineer.

Fate, however, struck a humbling chord on the eve of embarking on the next phase in his career. He and a friend encountered a situation in which they barely escaped with their lives. He had just finished all his exams and was about to graduate from university, and decided to celebrate with his friends one last time.

On that nostalgic evening in June 2001, the friends decided to converge on Ocean Beach and indulge in a few beers and memories of camaraderie. Spirits were high. The friends parked their 3 cars; 100 feet away lay the bonfire where they will unite for the final celebration. In those 100 feet, the lives of Singh and his friend were changed forever.

Due to the drop in awareness and his guard, perhaps due to the celebration, 25 local gang members appeared from the darkness to prey on Singh and his friends. Their eyes were wide and glazed, looking for a fight. Within seconds, a brutal street fight broke out; some people scattered to take cover, but Singh and his best friend were left in the midst. His friend was grabbed, pulled into the center and continuously beaten. Singh decided he needed to help his friend; he was calm, relaxed, but realized he didn't know what to do. He studied martial arts his whole life: He had won competitions, belts, street fights, and tournaments, but for the first time his training is being put to the test in a life or death situation with multiple assailants and he didn't know what to do. As his assailants advance, there lay weapons around him that could have been used, bottles and knives, but in the empty handed martial arts he learned he had never learned how to use these weapons.

Perhaps through an act of divine intervention, he and his friend survived the beating, one with a broken elbow, one with a battered face. Singh's perspective was completely changed, he now walked around thinking he knew nothing about the martial arts he studied for so long and feared facing a true life or death situation like the one he just faced. Through this savage beating Singh looked death and fear in the eye, and started his journey of discovery and research into fear. This near death experience led him to Progressive Fighting Systems , Paul Vunak and the study of Jeet Kun Do. He learned to defend himself in any situation, against multiple assailants, use weapons, be masterful and impeccable in any situation, and ultimately train America's elite military and intelligence units.

Fate's hand was not complete with the assault; a few months later, Singh suffered a terrible back injury in a car accident in San Francisco.

The accident ended his NCAA tennis career but serendipitously saved his life, as had he not been in the accident, he would have been in World Trade Center Tower 2 on 9/11.The accident was a pivotal and transformational moment in Singh's life. His body was destroyed, and the doctors said he had only a 40% chance of walking again, as he had lost all movement. He was forced to re-assess his life, priorities, and goals after failed attempts at rehabilitation.

Singh turned to the martial arts to both foster his spirit, mind, body, and will. Having lost all movement, Singh started with slowly performing his Ancient Katas, and breathing methods. Transformation arose from this situation, like a phoenix from the ashes, as Singh literally rebuilt his body into what it is today using the methods he will teach you that he has learned and developed. He learned to balance the impeccable execution of elite deadly forces with the ancient healing arts of strength, conditioning. If he can rebuilt his body to what it is and train warriors and leaders, he can train you to be the ultimate balanced warrior that can fearlessly master any challenge that may come your way.

Being given a second chance at life, Singh began his career, working as an advanced applications engineer and later as a strategic marketing manager for a Top 5 Fortune 500 company in Silicon Valley for 7 years. Throughout these years, he continued his training with masters and study of the arts and physical culture. He used his body as a lab, testing the strategies of various masters and putting their methodologies into play, allowing him to seek out and select elements from across cultures and synthesize them into the present system. Singh was determined this time to become the best he could be on all fronts. With strong ties to Indian physical culture, he returned to India, where he spent every summer as a child, to begin training and learning the ancient methods of physical culture that have existed in India for thousands of years.

He traveled the world and sought out the old time training gyms, the Akharas and Dangals of Punjab. Singh was guided by the first hand knowledge that both the God of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Rickson Gracie and Bruce Lee's Idol the Great Gamma, possessed great strength, agility, flexibility, power, and speed, and both practiced some form of Ancient Indian Body Weight and Breathing Exercises. After reading one of Bruce Lee's notes on the brutal effectiveness of a Kettlebell, Singh sought out the RKC by Pavel Tatsouline, and was certified as an RKC-2 Instructor. He has taken his years of research and training with the greatest martial artists and strength coaches in the world to create one of the most complete and effective strength and conditioning programs for Martial Artists and Athletes on the planet - Action Strength™.

Additionally,in search of balance and an effort to heal and grow spiritually Singh took up the study of the ancient Chinese healing arts of Qi-Gong and Tai-Chi. After 3 years of study and clinical experience, Singh received his C.A.M.Q - Certified Advanced Medical Qi Gong Practitioner certificate from Sifu Arnold Tayam in August of 2009. He received his Discipleship in Yang and Chen Style Tai-Chi under original Lineage Holder Sifu Arnold Tayam in March 2011. The irony is, Singh sought out Tai Chi to learn the “death touch,” but by practicing Tai Qi he gained a new appreciation for and license on life itself. He found inner tranquility that surpassed his expectations. Wellness and healing are as integral to Singh's way of courage and confidence as impeccable deadliness..

During his career as a Strategic Marketing Manager for a Fortune 500 Company. Singh focused his efforts on the applications of military tactics and battlefield strategy for sales, marketing & engineering. He was mentored by David Mok, a former Navy Top Gun and Department Head aboard a Nuclear Submarine. He worked with the Intelligence and Warfare (C.I.A, Nuclear and Naval Warfare Centers) community providing support for Scientists and Engineers working on state of the art satellites and missile defense systems. Singh successfully applied martial theories and strategies in his work with the top companies in the world - Cisco, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony. He meticulously analyzed their business models, sales forecasts and customer profiles and went on to suggest pricing strategies and product enhancements, allowing his clients to foster strategic growth and capitalize on competitive weaknesses. Every company's sales and ROI were greatly enhanced by his strategic efforts.

After a successful career in Silicon Valley, Singh's path led him back to his teacher and mentor, Sigung Paul Vunak. He not only committed himself to the impeccable management of Progressive Fighting Systems, Inc., ultimately becoming its CEO and Senior Training Officer, but also embarked on the challenging missions given to him by Vunak: To travel the globe and spread the art of Jeet Kun Do, and to create an elite martial arts instructor's college, one which would give people learning resources for life and would also facilitate its members generating a full time income. After a creative process, Singh's brainchild Descendants of the Masters was born. Singh bootstrapped the company, and less than a year later it was successful and profitable, having already produced 6,000 instructors. Through Descendants of the Masters, he created a modern martial arts college that has a whole system taught of martial arts, self defense, a way of life, and how to operate the business.

Sifu Harinder Singh has trained everyone from professional athletes to members of the U.S. Navy SEALS, U.S. Secret Service, FBI, CIA, SWAT, CEOs and executives, elite martial arts academies, and many other elite law enforcement agencies in the most dangerous areas in the United States. He has trained private security for numerous dignitaries, as well as celebrities and stand up comedians including Jamie Foxx, rappers, and other musicians. Singh has taught seminars all over the world, covering both martial arts and business related topics and is Paul Vunak's top instructors and official representative, and one of only two disciples. Singh is authorized to teach seminars, certify individuals, and give rank promotions on Vunak's behalf. He is a true embodiment of the Jeet Kun Do philosophy, combining elements from many lineages to create the ultimate in performance, flawlessness, execution, and strategy.

His journey now leads him to the present moment of creating the Jeet Kune Do athletic association. The Jeet Kune Do Athletic Association was created to preserve and perpetuate the martial arts, functional fitness, and philosophical teachings of it's founder, Grand Master Bruce Lee.

(from scientificfighting.com)
Harinder Singh Sabharwal is a Senior Training Officer and the World Wide Director of Operations for Progressive Fighting Systems, Inc. He is a Certified Executive Instructor (C.E.I) and Senior Full Instructor of Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial Arts under the Legendary Sifu Paul Vunak and is the Head Instructor at the PFS Jeet Kune Do Academy in San Jose, California. Harinder Sabharwal has trained members of the DEA, FBI, and US Navy Seals.

Harinder was one a few select private students and an Apprentice Instructor under Original Bruce Lee Student the Late Sifu Larry Hartsell. Sifu Larry is the only one Certified by Guru Dan as having a Senior Full Instructor Rank in the Art and Science of Jun Fan Gung Fu.

Harinder Sabharwal has trained for over 23 years in various martial arts. He started his training in Traditional Karate at the age of 7. By the age of 13 he was an assistant instructor, by 16 he was a head instructor and Junior Champion at the Toronto Academy of Karate and Judo. Harinder left the Academy to train privately under Sensei James Posey and Master Yoshida and received his Ni- Dan.

Harinder has also extensively studied Jeet Kune Do, Boxing, Thai Boxing, Jiu- Jitsu and Wing-Chun under World Class instructors such as Sifu Francis Fong, Guru Dan Inosanto, Jean Jacques Machado, and Master Ajarn Chai.