Sijo John Oliva is the founder of Twin Dragon Martial Arts Academy, and the creator of the Dragon Fist system. He has been a student of the martial arts for the past 51 years instructing students for over 46 years. He holds the rank of 9th Dan in Kochi Kali Kar which encompasses the disciplines of Shotokan Ryu(Karate), Hung-Gar Kung Fu (5 Animal System) and Serrada Escrima Cabales. Sijo has also studied and attained black belt ranking in Kempo (3rd Dan), Aikido-Combat Aikido (5th Dan), Shotokan Ryu(3rd Dan) and Tae Kwon Do (2nd Dan).
Sijo John began training in the martial arts in the Kochi Kali Kar system with Grandmaster Raynaud Lozada and Master Paul Lozada in 1974 in South San Francisco. “At that time it was difficult to find a Master to train you in the martial arts. When I first entered the Kung Fu school, Master Lozada asked me if I ever trained in martial arts. I said no, but I could do some of the things his students were doing by watching the movements a few times. The Master tested me against his students and I was able to do the movements enough to get me into the school where most would never have been allowed to attend.” Sijo John spent most of his time with the Lozadas and soon became part of their family.
Training with the Lozadas in Kochi Kali Kar allowed Sijo John to meet and train with other Masters. He would seek out numerous well acclaimed and respected masters and instructors on the West Coast, including Grandmaster Wing Lam in Hung Gar.Sijo also studied White Crane and Praying Mantis Kung Fu in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Knife Fighting was added to Sijo’s repertoire when he befriended Vietnam veterans who knew combat knife fighting, which remains a pivotal part of the Dragon Fist Combat Curriculum to this day. On the topic of his cross-disciplinary studies in the martial arts, Sijo John had this to say: “I embraced what each discipline had to offer. The martial arts were really all I had, so I worked at it constantly.”
Sijo John became fascinated with open hand and weapon forms. He noticed that many of the forms that he studied during this time, while having many beautiful movements, were somewhat lacking in their utility while fighting or sparring. “I found many wasted movements and impractical movements or I would find myself off balance in the form and not be able to react fast enough to stop my opponent.” Sijo John began to create and modify forms that had a focus on real life application when fighting or sparring. Sijo’s forms, training style, and practical application to the martial arts would evolve over time to become the Dragon Fist System.
Over the course of his development and refinement of his own skills, Sijo John eventually accumulated a following of friends and students who would gravitate to his practical focus on the Martial Arts. Around 1993, Sijo began to teach his own classes out of his two car garage in Foster City. This would be the earliest incarnation of the institution that would become Twin Dragon. After a few more years of study and practice in the design of his own system, Dragon Fist, Sijo would open Twin Dragon Academy in 2001. In 2014 Sijo John’s first instructors, Grandmaster Sijo Raynard Lozada and Master Paul Lozada formally recognized the Dragon Fist System and granted John Oliva the title of “Sijo” or The Founder of the Dragon Fist system. He was simultaneously promoted to 9th Dan, or Kudan, in Kochi Kali Kar.
Now almost 30 years after its founding, Twin Dragon continues to uphold Sijo John’s principles of practical self-defense integrated with the valuable lessons of traditional martial arts.
*Today Sijo John Oliva continues to educate students in Dragon Fist Combat in Arizona, where he primarily teaches on an individual or seminar based structure. If you are interested in learning directly from Sijo Oliva, he is currently available for seminars or clinics at your location. To book a Seminar for your organization contact Sijo John at SijoJohnnyO@gmail.com.
