John Partika - Head Instructor

 

With an eclectic martial arts career spanning two decades, John began training in Choy Li Fut kung fu at age 16, eventually finding his way into Yang style Taiji, alongside other grappling and striking arts in his teens and twenties. His passion for weapon arts was always the strongest, and so he pursued training in Filipino martial arts, Japanese swordsmanship, HEMA, and even Thai swordsmanship in search of more training in various types of weaponry. 

 

Currently he is a practitioner of several Chinese martial arts, including the Yangjia Michuan Taiji system under the tutelage of Scott M. Rodell, Hung Gar under Sifu Justin Ehrlich, and Jingang Daofa, with his current primary focus being the jianfa (straight sword) as taught by Rodell Laoshi at the Academy of Chinese Swordsmanship. Alongside his Chinese martial arts, John is also a practitioner of Gekiken (Japanese swordsmanship) and Krabi Krabong.

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Because of his fascination with movement systems, John is also an accomplished practitioner of various modern unconventional fitness and flow arts, holding coaching certifications in SMF Indian Clubs under Zack Yanyk, EatMoveLift Indian clubs under Tom Barber, and is a level one coach in Steel Mace Flow under Nate Juarez.

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John founded Iron Ox Physical Culture in 2023 in an effort to spread the art of Chinese swordsmanship in Southern California and elsewhere. His goal is that by preserving and promoting Chinese martial arts in its practical form, he can participate in the reform of these systems, pulling them closer to function rather than form. He has taught at many events locally, and in several cities throughout the U.S.