I began my journey in martial arts at a young age, training in Judo and Japanese Jujitsu under Jan Snijders, one of the earliest pioneers of Dutch Judo, at his gym in Utrecht. My interest in various combat sports grew when a friend introduced me to wrestling at De Halter in Utrecht. Eager to try different disciplines, I was determined to constantly improve and become a strong fighter—a necessity for surviving in my challenging neighborhood. Growing up, we literally fought with clubs and iron bars to conquer Christmas trees from other neighborhoods.

My friend’s interest in boxing led us to Ben Zwezerijnen’s gym, the iconic "De Voltreffer" in Jutphaas, where I took my first steps in boxing. My willingness to take on all challenges attracted me to Toon Stelling, a former Karate World Champion. At the wrestling club De Halter, Toon taught Barokai, one of the early forms of Free Fight and MMA.

Toon Stelling, Bas van Hout, and Rob Houweling developed a comprehensive combat training program that combined karate, kickboxing, judo, and wrestling. This training was invaluable for my work as a bouncer and enriched my understanding of wrestling techniques. I began teaching bouncer training sessions with Toon Stelling at Hennie Hijman's gym.

I also trained in Krav Maga for 1.5 years in Tel Aviv, further broadening my martial arts expertise. I completed my sports education at CIOS in the Netherlands, where I developed skills in coaching children, athletes, weight loss classes, and competition preparation. My training also included working with students requiring special attention, such as those with ADHD, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. I worked as a tactical leader, training members of a special intervention team.

I studied Dutch Law in Utrecht and practiced law in the Netherlands for six years. After immigrating to Bali, Indonesia, I rekindled my passion for sports and teaching. Embracing a no-nonsense, "old school" approach, I am dedicated to sharing my extensive knowledge and experience in martial arts and fitness.


Mejiro Gym

Legendary Mejiro Gym Amsterdam, established by Sensei Jan Plas in 1975, has been a cornerstone of martial arts excellence, producing multiple World Champions and K-1 Japan Champions. Since 2020, Mejiro Gym Bali continues to uphold that legacy, offering world-class training in a vibrant tropical location.

As Mejiro Gym Bali we encourage a friendly and welcoming environment with zero tolerance to ego and attitude. We welcome everyone from all walks of life. Please enjoy our facility and respect our values and each other. Welcome the challenges. Look for the opportunities in every situation to learn and grow in knowledge.

My vision on coaching: Although I highly value the Dutch Style of Kickboxing, I do not close my eyes to other effective fighting styles. From traditional fighting styles to today's evaluated fighting styles, I believe that you should tailor the best of all of these styles to the individual fighter's capabilities. 

Motivation is important, so is discipline and hard training. Focusing on a defensive and counter tactical style is fundamentally essential. But above all, the fighter must be hungry to win, train for mental invincibility, learn to scan an attack and defense pattern, learn to break through and go for a hard knockout that will be remembered.