The Gi Yu Dojo Instructors  

Aman S. Brar- Honbu Dojo-Cho

The Gi Yu Honbu’s Dojo-cho is Aman S. Brar.  He is one of the most senior student of Sensei Sandhu and was an Uchi Deshi (live in student) for six years under Sensei Sandhu.  He helps with the CORDS program for Kids along with managing the dojo. Aman is currently ranked a Roku Dan (6^th Degree Black Belt as of 06/12) in The Gi Yu System.  His previous martial arts experience begins as an adolescent.  He started training in Karate and then as a teenager studied Thai Kick Boxing (Instructor’s Certificate) for 3years.  He also trained in the Jinenkan organization for 6 years and attained the rank of San Dan (3^rd Degree Black Belt 2006). He holds a rank of Brown Belt (as of 06/09) in Judo.  Aman also has formal experience in firearms combat shooting.  He holds an MBA in Finance and works at a Fortune 100 Financial Firm.  His philosophy on training in martial arts is as follows: “Martial Arts are a journey of awareness, continuous growth of mind, body and spirit through the study of martial combat.”

Doug Sunnenberg- Assistant Instructor

Doug holds a Double Major in Physics and Mathematics, graduating Summa cum Laude and was a Candidate for the United States Naval Academy.  He retired from FORD as a Manufacturing Engineer and Quality Systems Coordinator after 32 years of service in 2007.  Doug is heavily involved in The Masonic Temple and The Scottish Rite.  He is an NRA Certified Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun Instructor.  Doug has studied the martial arts for over 18 years. He started studying the martial arts in 1991 at the Dayton Bujinkan and received the rank of Sho Dan (1st Degree Black Belt).  After which he joined the Jinenkan Organization and attained the rank of Ni Dan (2nd Degree Black Belt).  He currently holds the rank of Yon Dan (4rd Degree Black Belt as of 06/13) in The Gi Yu Dojo.  Doug’s thoughts on training are best described by his statement: “For me, training in the martial arts is all about the Budo quest, i.e., the warrior way, which involves more than, of course, the martial, physical aspects.  It is that indeed, but it is in those physical aspects, I believe, that a practitioner develops in his heart, in his spirit, and in his mind, characteristics of Courage and Fortitude, by which he is able to undergo Pain, Peril, or Danger, when deemed expedient. These are equally distant from rashness and cowardice.  These characteristics also flow into his daily life and work.  Among his friends and fellows, he is a model to those around him; and those around him, hopefully, will seek to find their way, along those lines, with those moral and physical characteristics that he is exemplifying.”

Jaye S. Sandhu- Assistant Instructor

Jaye started on the Martial path when he was of twelve years of age,   studying Boxing for 3 years and Judo for 2 years.  Jaye passed his Ni Dan (2^nd Degree Black Belt 03/03) exam in the Jinenkan Organization.
Jaye holds a B.A. in Business Administration in Management Information Systems and Communication.  He is the Regional Sales Manager for a local computer software company.  He has dabbled in many art forms of combat (Kung Fu, Karate, BJJ) so as to bring them back to our training and test our art form studied at The Gi Yu Dojo.  He currently is a Yon Dan (4^rd Degree Black Belt as of 10/13) in The Gi Yu Dojo.  His training mantra is “Leave your ego at the door and learn the basics from everyone, everywhere, and everything.”

Chuck’s Martial Arts journey started with some training in Aikido and Aikijutsu.  He also wrestled in High School for 2 years.  Then back in 2001 he started training in the Jinenkan and he achieved his Ni Dan (2nd Degree Black Belt in 2005) under the Jinenkan Organization.  He currently is a Yon Dan (4th Degree Black Belt as of 06/14) in The Gi Yu Dojo.  Chuck has a Master’s Degree in Accountancy and six years of service in the military.  He has trained in The Army BJJ system while serving in Iraq. As an Infantry/Cavalry Scout Sergeant, in the Ohio Army National Guard, Chuck has served in the rescue relief for Hurricane Katrina and has proudly served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He has formal training in firearms and other military weapon systems and strategies.  Chuck is a licensed NRA firearms instructor and a certified NRA Range Safety Officer.  
He regularly conducts CCW courses offered through the Giyu Dojo.  Chuck’s training philosophy is simple: “If you are going to train, train for your own reasons with all of your heart.  Never assume you know anything.”

John Chrisman is one of our Sr. Instructors and is by profession a mechanical designer and project engineer for a local robotics integration company.  John’s  martial journey started in 1989 in the Bujinkan organization where he trained from 1989 to 1996 and  achieved the rank of Sho-Dan (1^st Degree Black Belt).  He then pursued a training opportunity with the Jinenkan Organization in 1996. John trained there until 2007 achieving the rank of San-Dan (3^rd Degree Black Belt) under then Sr. student and Dojo-cho Sensei Sandhu under Manaka Sensei.  John left the Jinenkan organization in 2007 to train exclusively with Sensei Sandhu at The Gi Yu Dojo.  As of 2014 John achieved the rank of San-Dan (3^rd Degree Black Belt) in The Gi Yu system.  John also has experience in Combat Shooting via John Farnam and Dr. Joe Bobovsky.  He continues his studies in that skill with the other members of The Gi Yu Dojo.  He is an active weight lifter, cross fit enthusiast, outdoorsman and scuba diver.  His personal martial arts philosophy is “People have a responsibility to look out for and protect others. Regardless of whether this is actual physical protection or in other ways, such as mentoring.” John believes we have an obligation to look after those that may not be able to do that on their own. He believes the only way to be successful in that regard is by continuous training in the martial disciplines.

Todd Englemann- Assistant Instructor

Todd began his martial path with Tae Kwon Do in middle school.  He studied Aikido for 3 years (1st kyu) during college in the early 90s,  Upon returning to Dayton in 2009, he began studying at the Gi Yu dojo, attaining the rank of Ni Dan (2nd degree black belt, 06/16).  He has helped with our CORDS kids program since 2011.  During high school, he was a competitive trapshooter, and has trained in self-defense shooting for over 20 years.  He works as an Aerospace Engineer with the US Air Force, and has designed and maintained numerous fighters, bombers, and rocket systems.  He is currently earning a masters degree in Military Operations with a Joint Warfare specialization.  He serves as a Lt Col in the Air Force Auxiliary, has been on over 300 search and rescue missions, provided disaster relief during Hurricane Andrew, flown support missions for both Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and was awarded the Air Force Auxiliary's highest award for valor in 2005 after rescuing 5 people from a burning Learjet.  He believes that "training in martial arts is less about fighting, and more about gaining confidence in all aspects of your life.  By pushing yourself and your own limits, you come to understand those limitations only exist within your own mind". 

Matt assists with instruction for the kids CORDS program and is an adult student at the GiYu Dojo.  Matt began studying martial arts as an adult and spent eight years learning Kali / Escrima systems, Muay Thai, and traditional Japanese Karatedo (earning a brown belt in the process) before coming to the Gi Yu Dojo, where he attained the rank of Ni Dan (2nd degree black belt, 06/16).  Matt holds a BS in Material Science Engineering (MSE) and an MBA as well as multiple professional certifications in Lean Manufacturing and  Six Sigma.  Matt works as a Program Manager in the defense industry and has worked professionally as a Quality Manager, Continuous Improvement Expert, Process Engineer, and Production Supervisor.  Matt’s philosophy on training is pretty simple:  “For me, training is about trying to improve oneself through challenging your comfort zone.  You’ll never be perfect, but you will see progress when you look back at where you were, and you’ll realize new goals after attaining that progress.”    

Brittney began her martial arts training at the age of six in USTF/ITF Tae Kwon Do and achieved her 2nd degree black belt at the age of sixteen. Brittney graduated from the Culinary Institute of America at the age of nineteen and is currently the AGM at Piada Italian Street Food. Brittney is an adult student at the Gi Yu Dojo and achieved the rank of San Dan (3rd degree black belt, 06/16). Brittney's philosophy on training in martial arts is: "Training gives you the opportunity to become the best version of yourself through mental and physical challenges. These challenges will test every aspect of yourself and in doing so will grow you as an individual and show you things you may have never known about yourself. Never be afraid to fail, that is how you grow."

Laura Benton - Assistant Instructor