Coach Jose A. Fernandez

The Black Lotus

 

A lifelong practitioner of martial arts, from boxing, taekwondo and judo as a child and of course Muay thai kickboxing for decades, coach Jose fell in love with the art of teaching at a young age.  

 

Drawing influence from his older brother, Luis "Blood" Fernandez, a champion Taekwondo and Pro MMA competitor, Coach Jose continued to develop his skills throughout the years competing in taekwondo or smoker kickboxing tournaments as a youth. 

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After leaving the USMC, coach Jose has spent the last 18 years with Instructor Mike Lee Kanarek, (IDF Veteran, founder of the HaganaH system and designer of the Orev-5132 fighting knife) to truly learn how to teach hand to hand combat, tactical knife fighting and combat shooting fundamentals.

 

"I didn't take my muay thai or combatives training too seriously, at least not career wise, until after Moti Horenstein and Mike Lee Kanarek offered me an opportunity to teach their Shin 2 Bone, muay thai / kickboxing system about 15 years ago.  Mike Lee Kanareks "igroof thailandee" style of Thai boxing and Moti Horenstein's "dutch" style of hard karate style kickboxing showed me methods and concepts unique to how and what others were doing. This is when I fell in love with teaching as a career and decided to work on developing myself as a coach and instructor ." - Coach Jose

 

In 2013 Coach Jose would go on to team up with Teachers Without Borders and the YMCA of Miami to co create the PROACT anti Bullying program. This course was taught at over 12 Schools throughout Miami Dade County.  At this time he was able to work extensively with children and adults with special needs including young adults in recovery. 

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As a practitioner and instructor of muay thai, coach Jose has had the privilege and honor of working with everyone from students with special needs, veterans & law enforcement to pro fighters.

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Living Muay Thai, Board Member

 

Under the tutelage of Khru Dave Gomez, founder of Beautiful Violence Striking systems, Coach Jose has become a candidate for formal "Kru" status directly by the Legendary Ajarn Sirichai Sirisute, สุรชัย ศิริสูตร์. Ajarn Chai is the founder of the World Thai Boxing Association and the gentleman credited with introducing Muay Thai to the United States in the 1970's.

 

Together with Khru Gomez, Ajarn Justin Markuz and 6 other Muay Thai instructors around the country, coach Jose is helping develop/ launch one of the nation's largest Muay Thai lifestyle brands and online communities ever, Living Muay Thai. 

 

Harder To Kill Everyday 

 

Most recently coach Jose has taken his passion for personal protection, empowerment  and love of firearms training to the next level. After becoming a certified firearms instructor and launching his new company, Harder to Kill Defensive Tactics, he was asked to partner with the US Concealed Carry Association and graduated from their elite Training Counselor program at USCCA HQ in West Bend, Wi. As a Training Counselor, Coach Jose helps others start their careers either as Firearms instructors or self defense / martial arts instructors, so they can live their dreams and pursue their happiness all while helping others help themselves. 

 

One thing you can always count on is for Coach Jose to bring his years of experience, love of everything martial arts and passion for empowerment & personal protection to every single class he teaches. Whether it's in front of 80 people or 1 on 1. 

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Black Lotus Training Center Owner & Chief instructor

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• Additional Certifications include:

• Firearms Instructor 

• Range Safety Officer (NRA, USCCA)

• USCCA Training Counselor 

• HaganaH F.I.G.H.T. Instructor

• Blade Artist Black Belt

• S2B Muay Thai Coach/Striking Militia Coach

• USMTO Class C Judge/Referee

• Ground Survival Specialist

• Taekwondo Black Belt, 3rd Deg. 

• Teachers Without Borders Bully Prevention Specialist