Professor Michel Leblanc
Professor Michel Leblanc began his martial arts journey in July 1969 when he enrolled in Chito-Ryu at the Harry Villeneuve Karate School. His first instuctor was Professor Michel Desjardins – who not only instructed, but also inspired Michel in his path in the martial arts. After several years of diligent study he realized something was missing from his repertoire. So in February 1972 he started studying Kawaishi-style Judo under Sensei Raymond Mercier.
His serious study of the combat arts started in August 1974 when he joined Sensei Denis St. Jean’s Ninja Jiu-Jitsu Dojo (school). In August 1979 he obtained the rank of Shodan (First Degree Black Belt). Between 1978 and 1985 he co-founded and helped run the Ottawa Jiu-Jitsu-kai Dojo. While studying Jiu-Jitsu Professor Michel also developed specialized skills from Professor Jules Ladouceur in soft style, Professor Gerry Marshall in advanced grappling tactics and Professor Ray Zwicker in advanced stand-up techniques and weapons work.
In 1979, and for the next year, Professor Michel supplemented his advanced Jiu-Jitsu training with boxing skills learned at the Maumarc Boxing Club in Hull, Quebec. By August 1981 he successfully passed his Nidan (Second Degree Black Belt) test in Jiu-Jitsu.
Always looking for ways to improve his martial arts knowledge and skills, he began studying kick-boxing in 1981 at Black Panther’s Kick-Boxing Club. He received his Sandan (Third Degree Black Belt) in Jiu-Jitsu in December 1982. He began studying Kali (Filipino knife & stick art) in 1982 with Professor Ray Zwicker who was taught by Tom Bisio, World Champion stick fighter, and by Grand Masters Leo Gaje and Dan Inosanto.
From September 1985 to September 1991 he taught privately and at the same time, continued studying under Professors Jules Ladouceur, Gerry Marshall and Ray Zwicker. In September 1986, Michel Leblanc was graded to Yondan (Fourth Degree Black Belt).
In December 1994 he was promoted to Godan (Fifth Degree Black Belt) and in September 1998 he earned the rank of Rokudan (Sixth Degree Black Belt). Since then Professor Michel has been teaching, giving seminars and continuing his advanced training in Jiu-Jitsu and Kali. In 2002 Professor Michel received his instructors credentials in Kali-Jitsu, an advanced Black Belt system combining close quarter weapons with Jiu-Jitsu, and in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali. In 2009, he was recently promoted to Hachidan (Eighth Degree Black Belt) and is now Vice-Chair of the Canadian Ninja Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Fellowship Board Of Directors. In his many years of teaching, Professor Michel Leblanc has acquired vast experience instructing a wide variety of students from children to military personnel, and continues to do so at his private school.