Career Experience:

2010 – Present: Martial Arts Instructor, Thomas Clifford’s Mixed Martial Arts
-Design and develop course content and training methodology based on age group, sex and level of experience.
-Conduct individual and group training on the basics of martial arts style.
-Conduct specialized individual training for private students.
-Identify and coach promising students to become future instructors.
-Provide feedback to students for improvement or further training.
-Implement safety rules throughout training sessions.

Martial Arts Job History:

5/10 – Present  Thomas Clifford’s Mixed Martial Arts, Orangeburg, NY
Position: Lead Instructor of Kali Program
Styles: Pekiti Tirsia Kali

8/08 – 8/11  Railside Mixed Martial Arts, Congers, NY
Position: Lead Instructor of Kali Program
Styles: Pekiti Tirsia Kali

5/06 – Present  Frontyard Fighting Arts
Position: Personal Instructor
Styles: Kajukenbo, Pekiti Tirsia Kali

7/06 – 7/08  Trained Martial Arts, Nyack, NY & Nanuet, NY
Position: Instructor
Styles: Kajukenbo, Pekiti Tirsia Kali

9/05 – 5/06  5280 Martial Arts
Position: Co-Owner/Operator
Styles: Kenpo

9/04 – 9/05  DaCosta’s Training Center, Nyack, NY
Position: Instructor
Styles: Kenpo, Kajukenbo, Pekiti Tirsia Kali

1/99 – 8/04  Private Classes
Position: Personal Instructor
Styles: Longfist, Kenpo, Kajukenbo

5/94 – 6/98  Thomas Clifford’s Mixed Martial Arts, Orangeburg, NY (formerly known as Shaolin Martial Arts Institute & Thomas Clifford’s Karate Academy)
Position: Assistant Instructor
Styles: Longfist, Kenpo, Kajukenbo

Martial Arts Education

2001 – Present  Nyack Fighting Arts
Instructor: Virgilio DeCarvalho
Styles learned: Pekiti Tirsia Kali, Kajukenbo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, System “D”

Various dates / Kali Seminars
Instructors: Leo Gaje, Marc Denny, Bill McGrath
Styles learned: Pekiti Tirsia Kali, Dumog, Kali Tudo

1997  Dahn Yoga Center
Instructor: Dan Kim
Styles learned: Dahn Tai Chi

1996  Nine Dragons Martial Arts
Instructor: Chris Chin
Styles learned: Chi-I-Do Okinowan Go-Ju Karate

7/91 – 6/98  Shaolin Martial Arts Institute
Instructor: Thomas Clifford
Styles learned: Longfist, Kenpo, Kajukenbo

1995  Tom Bisio
Instructor: Tom Bisio
Styles learned: Kajukenbo

6/92 – 7/92  Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, China
Instructor: Coaches of the Beijing, Nanjing, & Shanghai Wushu teams
Styles learned: Longfist, Wushu

Summers of 1992 & 1993  National Wushu Training Center
Instructor: Eric Chen
Styles learned: Longfist, Wushu

2/84 – 7/87  Tiger’s Claw Dojo
Instructor: Ronald Allen Mertz
Styles learned: Isshinryu Karate

1983 -1984  Jorge Nollido
Instructor: Jorge Nollido
Styles learned: Kyokoshinkai Karate, Shorinryu Karate  

Highlights

2nd place at World Kali Arnis & Karate Championship 2010
Created Nomad Kali website
Established Nomad Kali faction of Frontyard Fighting Arts
Established Frontyard Fighting Arts
Assisted in starting up and creating image for 5280 Martial Arts in Parker, CO
Trained in China with the Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai Wushu teams

This Saturday was just beautiful! Not!!! This was our first time back in the park in many, many years. The last couple of Saturdays prior we had some amazing weather. Weather you would be experiencing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. But, nooo. Not this Saturday. What we experienced was a bone chilling, face stinging cold from the Arctic! Windy and just about to rain. Even though the weather was horrendous, we did have a dozen guys show up who were willing to brave the elements. It was an awesome training session. We got to do some of Sifu Virgil's "System D" stand up techniques and finishing moves and a bit of the advanced Pekiti striking methods. Besides almost having one of our members fingers amputated due to frostbite and some of us succumbing to hypothermia we all had a great time. Like they say: "If life hands you lemons, buy some Tequila.

Congratulations to Mike Batelli, Dave Madden, Tom Kelly, John Ryan & Keven Rosar of Thomas Clifford's MMA for receiving their first rank of Yakan Isa. Keep up the good work!!! Also a congratulatory mention to Brian Sussex and Mike Kanner of Railside MMA for receiving Yakan Isa a couple of months back.

Some people wonder why I go by the title Sensei instead of Guro. Short answer: I just prefer it. Long answer: I started in Japanese martial arts (Kyokushinkai Shotokan, Shorinryu, Isshinryu) and I've always wanted to be a Sensei. I just thought that it sounded cool. Sensei Ballesteros. It doesn't roll off the tongue easily. Maybe Sensei B for short but it kind of sounds like a rappers name. But Sensei, isn't the teacher of Kali called a Guro? Yes. But what does Guro really mean? In Tagalog (the Filipino language) it means "teacher" of Arnis/Kali. In Japanese, guess what Sensei means? Yup, you got it "teacher"! Huh, what a co-winky-dink. In most martial arts the word that is used for instructor is "teacher". In Tae Kwon Do the teacher is called Sa bum nim (Korean for "teacher"). In Chinese martial arts "Lao shr" means teacher. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu they use the title "Maestro" which also translates as teacher. Kind of see a pattern here? So what was my point? Oh yeah, I use the title "Sensei" because it's a fancier way to say "teacher/instructor". Teacher Vic just doesn't sound as snappy. Nuff said.

Finally!!! Spring is here!!! or is it??... I need some sun already! Holy schmoly, how long is this cold weather gonna last?  Nomad Kali wants to go back to its roots. Yup, that's right! We're going back to the park! Nyack's own Memorial Park. I remember the first time I went to the park to train. Sifu Virgil Decarvalho (Nyack Fighting Arts) was  teaching what looked like band of misfits. But this is where that adage "never judge a book by its cover" probably came from. Although raggedy looking, these misfits moved with flow and dexterity.  They were a friendly bunch who had a very laid back demeanor. But when it came to training they were all business. When I got hit the first time sparring with these guys, I realized they had what I wanted. Martial skill. After that I was hooked.  Stick happens!!!
We'll be in the Memorial Park this Saturday, April 16th at 12:30PM (that's just after noon, folks. I know you can make it. No excuses!) - 3PM. Rain or shine.  Check out the contact page for map. Mabuhay!
P.S. - Did I mention training in the park is FREE?! My favorite F word.