Grandmaster (Soke) Brian Cartrette started martial arts in 1970 at the age of 13 and has over 53 years in the arts. He first studied Tae Kwon Do at the YMCA in Winston-Salem before joining the Navy.

While in the Navy, he was introduced to many styles, including boxing which he picked up from the 6th fleet boxers. Being in the Navy, working Shore Patrol overseas, and Station Police at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, gave him experience in real altercations.

When he returned to Winston-Salem, he picked up his Tae Kwon Do studies again and received a 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He began mixing the boxing techniques with Tae Kwon Do. This led him to Radford VA where he met and began training under Grandmaster Joe Lewis (Former World Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion). Grandmaster Joe Lewis was the founder of the sport of American Kickboxing.

Joe Lewis was a student of Bruce Lee and was personally trained by Bruce Lee. Joe Lewis was voted the greatest karate fighter of all times.

Grandmaster Cartrette received the level of Master in the Joe Lewis American Karate Systems (now known as the Joe Lewis Fighting System). He sparred Joe Lewis several times in the ring while being trained in kickboxing.

Grandmaster Cartrette started moving in a different direction in his training and applications of martial arts techniques (more toward realistic style altercations).

Grandmaster Cartrette spent many years doing research and examining what was needed and what actually works in a real altercation with trained and, mainly, untrained fighters. He spent many years working in security, during which, he was involved in many physical altercations. It allowed him to see what worked and what a student would face in a realistic altercation.

As the years went by, he found himself with a new system. The system was certified by the International Independent Martial Artists Association.

History