Kevin is currently the lead instructor at the Ready Force Institute. Kevin leads classes in use of force training for emergency services personnel, and has been involved in teaching police officers in Santa Rosa, California, for over four years.

Kevin Cook

Kevin started training Wing Chun under Sifu David Anderson (currently living in Duluth Minnesota) in 1992. David Anderson was an extraordinary teacher having studied under Wing Chun masters Jimmy Chan and Eddie Chong. Dave was a serious student of Wing Chun and Kevin was able to learn the true application of martial arts in street situations from this inspired master.

At one point in Kevin's training, Sifu Anderson suggested that he spar with people from other styles, not to join their gym but to learn, to test his ever growing martial skills. Kevin chose to spar primarily with boxers because he felt they posed the most serious challenge as far as hand to hand combat was concerned. Kevin also had the privilege to spar with a top-notch Praying Mantis fighter. These experiences helped Kevin to understand his strengths and weaknesses and it began to steer Kevin toward a path of learning from various martial arts styles. After six years of study, Sifu Anderson gave his #1 student permission to start teaching privately.

Kevin began training new students to Sifu Anderson's school. This is where Kevin met his #1 student, Dave. The kid was one of those special students who showed keen skill right from the start. Kevin and Dave began working together privately and from this experience Kevin began to develop some new drills based upon the other styles he had been exposed to. After this training went on for a time, Sifu Anderson was curious about what Kevin had been showing Dave. Kevin explained that he had shown Dave a modified hoobud/loobud (Filipino sparring drill). Sifu Anderson was impressed and Kevin knew he was onto something special. Kevin spent the next 2 years working out the details of his Wing Chun training and the new techniques he was blending into the system. This system began to take shape and was proved in countless sparing matches against different stylists. Kevin called this new art 8-fist Kung Fu. The art is influenced by Wing Chun, Western Boxing, 52 style slap boxing, Escrima "figure 8" boxing, Chin Na, Tai Chi Tui Lu (push hands), iron palm training and jiu-jitsu (MMA style) to the art.

The real beauty of 8-Fist is its application to emergency services use of force training. Because it is an in-fighting art that seeks to control its opponent, it is ideal for adaptation to combat in the field. Kevin has honed this system to serve emergency service personnel with a practical art that is simple to learn and extremely effective for combat situations. Click here for more information on 8-Fist.