Jim Arvanitis 

Jim Arvanitis is world-renowned as the Founder of Modern Pankration, a cohesive blend of the remnants of the ancient fighting legacy of his ancestors along with techniques from Western boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, muay-Thai, and combat judo. His restoration of the defunct sport was first unveiled to the martial arts community in 1973 when he was featured on the cover of Black Belt magazine. Arvanitis has been a fixture in the media over the past four decades having appeared in hundreds of articles and on multiple covers. He has also been a frequent guest on radio and television. Considered as both an innovator and a visionary, Jim was among the first who integrated skills from various systems at a time when traditional stylized martial arts such as karate, taekwondo, and kung-fu dominated the scene.

Arvanitis' restoration was due to both ethnic pride and a sincere desire to forge a new path in the martial arts by emphasizing realism and functionality. From the outset, there were no prearranged forms or fancy moves but rather a focus on athleticism and applications that simulated actual combat conditions. His system is highly similar to today's MMA with both standup and ground tactics, along with an amalgam of strikes, joint locks, takedowns and throws. Jim's diverse curriculum also includes pragmatic edged weapon defenses and handgun disarms.

Well-known for his Herculean physical fitness feats, the energetic Greek-American holds world records for doing pushups on but his thumbs. He set the first record in 1977 with 45 in 51 seconds. Three years later he topped that mark on the nationally-televised Guinness Game completing 61 in 47 seconds. Jim also did one-arm pushups on two fingers and thumb pushups with his arms extended in front of him. He demonstrated the amazing feat of one-arm thumb pushups on television talk shows throughout the 1980s.

Arvanitis has published a number of books and starred in over thirty instructional videos. He has also received several international Hall of Fame induction awards for his accomplishments including Historical Figure,Grandmaster of the Year, and Living Legend. He was named Black Belt magazine's Instructor of the Year in 2009 and International Man of the Year by the prestigious World Head of Family Sokeship Council in 2010. In 2000, his former home state of New Hampshire voted him Athlete of the Century.

Arvanitis is a dedicated trainer specializing in training military special forces and law enforcement. He commenced working with the Army Rangers in 1991 to prepare them for Operation Desert Storm, and has also instructed SWAT team members, FBI, and DEA officers. He continues to carry the torch of pankration to this day through his dynamic videos, classes and seminars, and the written word.

Visit Mr. Arvanitis's website: www.jimarvanitis.com