Garcia holds a Third Degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do / Ka Ju Kenpo earned at the Santa Clara Indian Reservation. The training consisted of hard-core calisthenics and many traditional Martial Art tournaments throughout the 1980’s, which culminated in Garcia qualifying for the Junior Olympics. In the early 1990’s, Garcia studied and taught Tae Kwon Do (Korean hard style) and full-contact kickboxing
in Albuquerque, New Mexico at Besler’s Tae Kwon Do and he studied up to his second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do under Master John Thomas (Grand Champion in Kumite for many years in the 80's and early 90's). In the late 1990’s, Garcia studied Gaidojutsu (street kickboxing and submission wrestling) at Greg Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts (MMA): the world's premiere fight team and academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also trained in Derobio Escrima (Filipino Martial Arts), Judo, and traditional weapons with Greg Jackson’s senior student Steve Schrenkel A.K.A CRAZY. Garcia still studies to this day Mixed Martial Arts with head coach Joey Villasenor, a former professional MMA fighter at Jackson’s. Just recently Lawrence has been promoted to a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Barry Jenkins (International Hall of Fame and medal and recognition of Grandmaster status) with the JJGF Rickson Gracie association. https://jjgf.com/practitioners
Lawrence is a Senior instructor under Paul Vunak: a student of Guru Dan Inosanto and one of his top instructors for over 30 years. Guro Inosanto was Bruce Lee's protégé, training partner, and best friend. Vunak was one of the first people to train Gracie Jiu Jitsu in America, a proud student of Rorion, Royce, Royler, and Rickson Gracie, as well as a trainer of US NAVY Team Seal Team 6. Currently, Garcia is a Senior Training Officer in Paul Vunak’s Progressive Fighting Systems (PFS) Contemporary Jeet Kune Do (CJKD), a system that is taught to US Military, FBI, DEA and police departments. He is the only certified PFS instructor in the state of New Mexico and is certified under Vunak as a Military Edge Weapons Instructor (Filipino Martial Arts) and an advanced hand-to-hand Combat instructor (weapons, stick and knife, and Kina Mutai, the Filipino art of biting and eye gouging). He has attended many specialized seminars by Vunak and an invitation-only Military, Law Enforcement, Contractor (MALC) training held at US Army Camp Atterbury in Indiana at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where he assisted Senior Training Officer Mauri Pierce in instructing the hand-to-hand combat program. In addition, Garcia now routinely hosts seminars on Extreme Close Quarter defensive Tactics (knives, guns, hand to hand) by former Navy Seal Kenny Bigbee Jr. In the early 2000’s, Garcia started his own school for adults and children, “Garcia Martial Arts Institute,” teaching Mixed Martial Arts techniques forged from over 20 years of experience. Today, Garcia teaches Contemporary Jeet Kune Do where he blends elements from various arts, Escrima (Edged and Blunt Weapons), Panuntukan, Thai Boxing, Tae Kwon Do / Tang Soo Do, Wing Chun, Savate, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to name a few) at Progressive Fighting Systems of New Mexico. What drew Lawrence to become a member of JKD is Paul Vunak quote: “give back.” “… members will be helping me fulfill my spiritual destiny by teaching a disabled child.” They are the true warriors! (NOTE: Lawrence mainly teaches semi private lessons).
