Philip Gelinas
Encyclopedia
Philip Gelinas is a martial arts
practitioner who lives in Montreal
, Quebec
. He owns and runs the Gelinas Academy of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), also known as the Cultural Martial Arts Academy. He is one of the founding Dog Brothers as well as one of the founders of the Brazilian Top Team Canada
network of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academies in Canada. Gelinas began his training in a style of karate known as Chito Ryu at the age of 14. Since then he has trained in many styles including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kali, Muay Thai
, Judo
, Kempo, Kajukenbo, Jun Fan-Jeet kune do, Silat, and Capoeira. He obtained black belts in Kempo (1973) and Kajukenbo (1975). In the 1980s he received a Muay Thai
instructor credential under Tom Harink after meeting him in 1985.
He has trained Pekiti Tirsia Kali
with Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, the sole guardian of the system, and was promoted to Mandala-Tuhon by Gaje himself. Now the second highest ranked person in this system, he has also studied at the Inosanto Academy with Dan Inosanto
, where he practiced the Lacoste-Inosanto system, eventually becoming a full instructor in this system as well.
Philip Gelinas is one of the founding Dog Brothers, a group of Kali
practitioners who gained fame for their aggressive no holds barred sparring methods and usage of little or no protective equipment. He earned the name Sled Dog in reference to Sled Dog racing and his Canadian heritage.
, a martial art derived from Karate, judo, jujutsu, kenpo, and boxing. He received his promotion from Sijo Adriano Directo Emperado
, one of the original creators of the art, in 2001. He is now a 9th degree Blackbelt (Grandmaster) and is on the board of advisors of kajukenbo. He also holds a 4th degree black belt in the Chu'an Fa Method of Kajukenbo. He is credited for constructing an accurate family tree of the Kajukenbo system.
moved to Montreal
in 2003 he began training with Gelinas. Holanda and Gelinas quickly set up a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy affiliated with Brazilian Top Team
, Holanda's school in his native Brazil
. Since then Brazilian Top Team Canada
has branched out to a small network of schools across Canada and has become home to some of Canada's most prominent professional mixed martial artists. Gelinas himself holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
practitioner who lives in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He owns and runs the Gelinas Academy of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), also known as the Cultural Martial Arts Academy. He is one of the founding Dog Brothers as well as one of the founders of the Brazilian Top Team Canada
Brazilian Top Team Canada
Brazilian Top Team Canada is an association of mixed martial arts schools begun in 2003 by Philip Gelinas and Fabio Holanda, a third-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu...
network of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academies in Canada. Gelinas began his training in a style of karate known as Chito Ryu at the age of 14. Since then he has trained in many styles including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kali, Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, Kempo, Kajukenbo, Jun Fan-Jeet kune do, Silat, and Capoeira. He obtained black belts in Kempo (1973) and Kajukenbo (1975). In the 1980s he received a Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
instructor credential under Tom Harink after meeting him in 1985.
Dog Brothers & Kali
Gelinas began training in Kali in the early 80's and had won the International Kali Grand Prix by 1988. He claims to be inspired when his Kajukenbo teacher upon deciding to no longer teach told his class "watch out for the old men with the sticks." This led Gelinas to immediately look out for old men with sticks.He has trained Pekiti Tirsia Kali
Pekiti Tirsia Kali
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is a style specific to Filipino Martial Arts. Pekiti-Tirsia Kali was founded in 1897 and is the system of the Tortal family. The sole heir and guardian of this system is Leo T. Gaje, Jr. who is referred to as the Grand Tuhon...
with Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, the sole guardian of the system, and was promoted to Mandala-Tuhon by Gaje himself. Now the second highest ranked person in this system, he has also studied at the Inosanto Academy with Dan Inosanto
Dan Inosanto
Daniel Arca Inosanto is a Filipino-American martial arts instructor from California who is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts.-Martial arts:...
, where he practiced the Lacoste-Inosanto system, eventually becoming a full instructor in this system as well.
Philip Gelinas is one of the founding Dog Brothers, a group of Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
practitioners who gained fame for their aggressive no holds barred sparring methods and usage of little or no protective equipment. He earned the name Sled Dog in reference to Sled Dog racing and his Canadian heritage.
Kajukenbo
Gelinas is an 8th degree black belt in the Emperado Method of KajukenboKajukenbo
Kajukenbo is a hybrid martial art that combines Western Boxing, Judo, Jujutsu, Kenpo Karate, Eskrima, Tang Soo Do, and Kung Fu. It was founded in 1947 in Oahu, Hawaii, at the Palama Settlement. The original purpose of the art was to deal with local crime and to help the people defend themselves...
, a martial art derived from Karate, judo, jujutsu, kenpo, and boxing. He received his promotion from Sijo Adriano Directo Emperado
Adriano Directo Emperado
Adriano Directo Emperado was one of five martial artists who developed the kajukenbo self-defense system.-Childhood and Young Adulthood:...
, one of the original creators of the art, in 2001. He is now a 9th degree Blackbelt (Grandmaster) and is on the board of advisors of kajukenbo. He also holds a 4th degree black belt in the Chu'an Fa Method of Kajukenbo. He is credited for constructing an accurate family tree of the Kajukenbo system.
Brazilian Top Team Canada
When BTT Black belt Fabio HolandaFabio Holanda
Fabio Holanda is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who practices out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently fights in TKO and MFC as a lightweight and is a contender for the title in the former organization....
moved to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 2003 he began training with Gelinas. Holanda and Gelinas quickly set up a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy affiliated with Brazilian Top Team
Brazilian Top Team
The Brazilian Top Team is a mixed martial arts academy specializing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing.The academy was established in April 2000 by Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo Libório, Mário Sperry and Luis Roberto Duarte, former-members of the Carlson Gracie Academy, to develop and create new...
, Holanda's school in his native Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Since then Brazilian Top Team Canada
Brazilian Top Team Canada
Brazilian Top Team Canada is an association of mixed martial arts schools begun in 2003 by Philip Gelinas and Fabio Holanda, a third-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu...
has branched out to a small network of schools across Canada and has become home to some of Canada's most prominent professional mixed martial artists. Gelinas himself holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.