About Chad Bussell

Martial arts and particularly self-defense have been my passion for as far back as I can recall. I have trained in all manners of martial arts systems from traditional Tae Kwon Do to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

My primary focus even early on was on defending others and myself. I went to a pretty rough junior high school and I noticed that the fights I witnessed, (and partook in) looked NOTHING like what I trained for so diligently everyday.

I felt many traditional art forms lacked the realism and brutality of actual combat and had nothing to say about the physiological responses of our body in a violent encounter, so my search took me away from the traditional martial arts.

Since the late nineties I have studied and trained in WWII combatives as my primary unarmed fighting system. It truly understands the nature of a violent encounter and how to properly utilize our natural defenses and weapons accordingly.

In the combatives realm Kelly McCann has had a huge impact on my training and methods but the lion's share of my influence on combat is reserved for the late Carl Cestari and his approach to practical self-defense.

The Self Defense Company is a continuation of Carl Cestari's combative legacy. I am proud to be associated with it and Damian Ross who carries Carl's mantle with honor and integrity.

I am a life student of martial training and will continue training and researching proven methods to teach to my students. I have a moral obligation not to fill my student's heads with false or unrealistic confidence and will do everything in my power to leave them feeling able to defend themselves.