Gym Staff

Erik Paulson grew up in Minnesota and began his training in Judo in 1974. He started training competition Tae Kwon Do in 1976. To get his hands better he joined Golden Gloves Boxing in 1978 and competed all throughout his junior and senior high years while still competing in many karate tournaments and full-contact kickboxing matches.

Bruce Wilkerson bio (currently teaching at CSW training center in Fullerton, CA) Bruce Wilkerson has been training in the martial arts since 1978. Bruce started in the Japanese style of Shotokan karate. In 1985 Bruce began studying with Tim Tackett in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do, as well as Filipino Kali, Muay Thai, boxing, and submission grappling. Later that year he also enrolled at the famed Inosanto Academy, run by former Bruce Lee student and leading exponent of Jeet Kune Do, Sifu Dan Inosanto. Bruce also began training with leading Inosanto student Burton Richardson. Bruce also trained in Muay Thai with Ajarn Chai Sirisute, in Pentjak Silat with Pendekar Paul DeThouars, JKD/Kali with Guro Ted Lucaylucay, Shootwrestling with Sensei Yori Nakamura, Savate with Professor Nicolas Saignac, JKD grappling with Sifu Larry Hartsell, and Wing Chun with Sifu Jaques Moramarco, Sifu Augustine Fong and Sifu Frances Fong. Bruce has been a student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu under various instructors, primarily Erik Paulson, but also under Joe Moreira, and Richard Briesler. Bruce has been a friend and student of Erik Paulson’s for over 20 years and holds a representative instructor certificate in CSW under Erik.

• Instructor in Jeet Kune Do under Sifu Tim Tackett
• Instructor in JKD/Kali/Muay Thai/Pentjak Silat under Guro Burton Richardson
• Instructor in Combat Submission Wrestling/STX kickboxing under Sensei Erik Paulson
• Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under Erik Paulson
• Advanced student in Wing Chun Gung Fu under Sifu Jacques Moramarco
• Advanced student in Pentjak Silat Butki Negara under Pendekar Paul DeThouars
• Advanced student in Shooto under Sensei Yorinaga Nakamura
• Copper certified coach in USA wrestling

Mark Sells has been studying & teaching martial arts for 40 years.  He began training at 12 yrs of age in Kenpo Karate & Judo in Monterey Park, Ca in 1972. He earned his black belt under Sensei George Franco in Kenpo Karate and Judo in 1976.  He then taught karate & judo for 10+yrs.
 
In 1985 he began his 14+ years training at the Inosanto Academy in Marina Del Rey. While at the Inosanto Academy, Mark’s 1st instructors were Guru Cass Magda & Chris Kent. Mark continued his training under Guru Dan Inosanto, and became a certified apprentice instructor in Filipino Kali/JKD/Kickboxing and Maphilindo (Malaysian, Filipino, and Indonesian) martial arts the late 1980’s. In 1987 he was also certified in Muay Thai Kickboxing under Ajarn Chai Sirusute. In 1988 was also awarded a Silver Glove & Bronze Glove in French Savate from the Boxe Francaise Assoc. He also trained extensively from 1987-1989 with the late Guru Ted Lucay Lucay in Classical Kali, Wing Chun Gung Fu, Panantukan and Jun Fan-Jeet Kune Do. Mark also spent many years training & teaching under Pendekar Paul De Thouars’ Bukti Negara system of Indonesian Penjak Silat. Mark also studied Capoeira under Master Boneco from Brazil.
 
Mark is also a professional musician, playing both blues/rock, and flamenco guitar. In 2005 he stopped teaching martial arts to focus more time on his music. While leading the blues-rock band Brothers N Blues (lead guitar/vocals), the band has produced 3 CD’s, plays at clubs, bars, prisons, churches, etc, all over So Calif and Oregon, and has received airplay on blues stations all over Europe, Australia, Canada, and parts of the U.S. His blues/rock music is also featured in the yet to-be-released motion picture “Road to Juarez”.
 
In January of 2009, at the encouragement of long-time friends Erik Paulson & Bruce Wilkerson, Mark started coaching boxing/kickboxing & Kali/Escrima at CSW on a part-time basis. Mark is married, and lives in Fullerton, Ca with his wife Marla. Mark also has 2 sons, Gabriel and Alex, both living in Missouri.

Marvin Cook is a talented boxing coach and has a full schedule teaching one on one at the CSW Training Center. You will find plenty of video on this site featuring Marvin. He is also featured in the CSW Striking DVD, CSW 2008 Camp DVDs, CSW 2009 Camp DVDs, and the upcoming CSW 2010 DVDs. More Info Coming Soon.

Craig Wilkerson began his MMA career at age five training under his father Bruce Wilkerson. As he developed his path to success in the MMA world he began to train under Erik Paulson, Joey Aguilar, and continue with his father. He soon found himself with a brown belt in Jiu Jitsu under Erik Paulson and Rigan Machado and a 3-0 professional fighting record. Craig began to instruct in CSW under Erik Paulson and helped train Ken Shamrock, Vernon White, Josh Barnett, and Renato ,Babalu Sobral. He is currently instructing private lessons and teaching the Cardio Kickboxing classes.

Ben Jones is currently a professional fighter for Erik Paulson’s team. He has been training under Erik for the past 7 years. Ben is also a instructor in CSW. He teaches all the CSW levels including boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and catch wrestling. He is also been training under Joey Aguilar in boxing for the past year. Ben found his way to CSW after playing professional football and being a 2 time All-American in college.