Stephen Clark

Sensei Stephen Clark 

NOTE: SENSEI STEPHEN CLARK  HAS MOVED TO AUSTRALIA. WE WISH HIM ALL THE VERY BEST IN HIS NEW VENTURE.

 Steve has been training in Martial Arts for over 15 years.

Steve started Karate in his teens, to learn self defence, though soon lost interest and looked at different systems including Kung Fu and Kickboxing over the next few years before finding the right teacher in Michael Gent.  In 1994 after meeting Anthony Clark through mutual friends, Steve started training with Anthony and then started attending classes by Michael Gent and was soon training four to six days a week, achieving black belt in 1996.

Steve competed in Vale Tudo twice in 1998 after BJJ was introduced to the School through Anthony Netzler and other instructors Michael Gent was able to bring to the school. Soon after an affiliation began with John Will, James Hillis, Anthony and Steven Cockell, among others attending the first of John’s seminars with the school in Auckland.

Steve was in the team teaching Women’s Assertive Self Protection (W.A.S.P) under Michael and Melanie Gent.

Steve started work in the security industry initially working for Michael at the PowerStation in Auckland.  In 1999 Michael sent Steve to teach in Christchurch, though due to work commitments this was a bit short lived, Steve continued to train during his 10 years in Christchurch in different systems including training with Geoff Aitken at the Academy of Combat, Pat Walsh and Dave Hood at Canterbury Aikido, Graham Spinks in Judo and with anyone else he could train with, returning to Auckland to train whenever possible.

Steve spent six years working as a bouncer/doorman in different bars and clubs in Christchurch including four years at All Bar One. 

After reading Geoff Thompsons –  Watch My Back in 99, Steve begun to look at making his art work for him and begun an interest in reality based training that continues to this day, this included studying control and restraint methods to make them work under pressure and in real situations.

Steve returned to Auckland in 2007 and trains at the Auckland dojo with Steve Cockell, he is a third degree black belt under Michael Gent.