Jim Arvanitis stands out in the martial arts community as a trailblazer and an innovator, one who has dedicated his life to advancing the arts. World-acclaimed as Greek pankration's "Renaissance Man", he has used his creativity and talents as an athlete, competitor, teacher, fitness devotee, published author, world record holder, and historian to resurrect the ancient art of his ancestors from its ashes. Long before the three words "mixed martial arts" were used in that sequence, Jim had created an advanced MMA form with the most effective grappling and striking, combined in a seamless flow that could work proactively or reactively.
Among the elite pioneers of total combat, Arvanitis cross-trained in a number of different styles before it was an accepted practice. Opposing the theory that martial arts originated in Asia, Arvanitis began an odyssey to discover the combat roots of his ancestors before he was even twenty years old. From the ancient pankration, he carefully analyzed the descriptions of Greece's early writers, and the paintings and sculptures of its most influential artists. He assimilated the best techniques from both Western and Eastern methods that he had studied including boxing, Catch and Greco-Roman wrestling, muay-Thai, savate, and hardcore judo. These sources became his "blueprint" in resurrecting pankration into a modernized derivative.
It was Arvanitis alone who would introduce pankration to mainstream martial arts as early as 1970 and popularize it throughout the world in the years that followed. In 1973 history was made when his electrifying performance at Black Belt magazine landed him on the cover of the November issue. This was the first exposure of pankration to the global martial arts community. Noted journalist Massad Ayoob, who penned the article and had interviewed the top martial artists in the country, called Jim Arvanitis the "consummate fighter" and the "most dynamic and highly-skilled I have ever seen."
In the early days Arvanitis was considered a renegade as he boldly challenged the accepted Asian traditions. Today he is praised as a pioneer by his peers receiving countless awards and honored by numerous organizations. In 2001 Jim was nominated by his former home state of New Hampshire as its "Athlete of the Century", and in 2006 was given "Living Legend" status by his fellow grandmasters in the World Head of Family Sokeship Council. He was awarded the rank of Great Grandmaster 11th Dan by the World Pankration Ranking Committee in 2016.
FIGHT! Magazine stated that "Jim Arvanitis' endeavors were far ahead of the curve in that he included many aspects of combat that no one else did. His art was an ingenious amalgam of standup and ground skills with strikes, clinches, takedowns and throws, joint locks and chokes, and anything else he deemed worthy to resolve a conflict. He sewed together a quilt of realistic and effective moves to address every conceivable situation - much like today's MMA, but this was more than two decades before."
When Jim was named Black Belt magazine's Instructor of the Year in 2009, Robert Young, the executive editor, paid tribute to him ... "There's no denying that Jim Arvanitis is an extraordinary martial artist, and a martial arts historian par excellence." One year later he was enshrined in the prestigious Martial Arts History Museum in Southern California. As a competitor, he's a former boxing and wrestling champion, and a multiple world record holder for thumb pushups. In 1977 he completed 45 in 51 seconds, and in 1980 on national television he bested his previous mark with 61 in 47 seconds. Jim also regularly competes in numerous endurance events including marathons, biking races, and triathlons.
Highly respected for his athleticism and Spartan-like discipline, Arvanitis trains constantly, running several miles each day, lifting weights, and developing his skill-set using various equipment and sparring. His extraordinary strength is shown in the following feats:
* two-finger pushups using one arm
* pushups on but his thumbs with his arms extended in front of him
* thumb pushups with his feet elevated on a chair
* one-arm thumb pushups
* modified planks with all his weight balanced on but his thumbs for several minutes
* pullups using one arm
* holding 50 pounds with arms locked out straight at shoulder level for 60 seconds
Jim's speed, power, and flexibility are equally impressive. He sends 80-pound heavy bags to the ceiling with his kicks, and few have been able to pull a glove away to avoid the resounding impact of his lightning-fast hand strikes. At seminars in the early-1980s, Arvanitis' punch broke the sternum of a student holding a thick pad to his chest, and one of his kicks propelled another equipped with an air-filled shield through a wall.
In the 1970s and '80s, Jim engaged in numerous challenge matches and street fights. This experience provided instantaneous feedback on what worked, and became a core principle of his "reality of combat" philosophy.
Arvanitis opened the first pankration palaistra (school) in 1972 and has also conducted seminars in many parts of the world. His students have included boxers, wrestlers, martial artists from various styles, professional bodyguards and stuntmen, law enforcement personnel, and military special forces. In 1991 Jim was sought out by the military to train the elite Army Rangers for Operation Desert Storm. His teachings to those who defend our country received the highest praise.
Today, Arvanitis is legendary for his inspiring list of achievements and contributions to the martial arts. In the Martial Arts History Museum's Hall of Fame Volume 3 book, it states that "Jim Arvanitis not only changed history, but rewrote by carrying the torch from an ancient legacy into modern times." Through his unrelenting efforts as a researcher, his athletic feats, books and videos, and constant media presence, Arvanitis has truly earned the title of "Father of Modern Pankration" and is among the most prolific martial artists of our time.
Website: www.jimarvanitis.com
