Bram Frank was born year of the COBRA: the Water Snake, hour of the Snake, 07-19-53. The Snake is a sign of the artist and the seeker. Bram is both. His father introduced him to Chinese and Japanese brush painting. This introduction paved the way to Oriental arts. Bram constantly asked to study the fighting arts. In 1965 for his birthday his mother bought him a book, with a woven bamboo cover, *KARATE the Art of the Empty Hand* by Hidetaka Nishiyama. The die was cast and in 1966 Bram turned towards the martial arts especially those of China. Wing Chun & Hung Gar kung fu became his passion. As time went on other martial arts became part of Bram*s life. 

 

In 1980, he found the instructor who has influenced him until today. Professor Remy Presas was like the old statement: *wait and when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.* Professor Presas says that Modern Arnis is the art within your art and Modern Arnis opened the doors. Connections became clear and Wing Chun blended with American Karate and Arnis led the way. Bram has stayed with Arnis and related arts and has grown into the Filipino way. Over the years many instructors have made an impact on Bram*s martial arts career. For 33 years Bram has learned and taught martial arts, something he will continue far into the future. With Professor Presas* unexpected death in Sept of 2001, Bram, along with the other first generation students, accepted the responsibility of securing the future of Modern Arnis.

 

Bram has produced martial arts training videos of which PALADIN PRESS has stated will set the standard for instructional tapes particularly those on using edged weapons. He is working on a major book on Conceptual MODERN ARNIS and one on Edged Weapons for PALADIN as well as accompanying videos.

Bram*s latest achievement has been the designing of what has been called the most innovative tactical folder in the last 50 years by the knife world. SPYDERCO KNIVES calls the new knife a *watershed event.* What Bram has designed and patented is the first kinetic opening tactical knife; a knife meant to be used closed and within the flow of combat actually uses the opponent*s energy to open the blade. In a closed position, this knife can do all Kyushu Jitsu pressure point techniques, Small circle JuJitsu controlling techniques, Wing Chun trapping and Filipino limb destructions. To accompany the knife Bram has designed the worlds first functional trainer DRONE and another version as a Close Range Medium Impact Tool. The knife and its variations are Bram*s way of giving back to the Martial Arts, which have given his life so much. George Denson*s VIDEO QUEST has signed Bram to do a full series of tapes and has recently produced the first instructional tape series ever sponsored and endorsed by a major knife manufacturer, featuring Bram and his new knife the GUNTING, for SPYDERCO knives.

 

Bram has been inducted into several Martial Arts Halls of Fame including Grandmaster Sanchez*s World Head of Sokeship Council Hall of Fame. There are three *Hall of Fame* inductions that have great meaning to Bram. His induction into the 1998 KARATE VOICE Florida Hall of Fame for the *Silver Lifetime Achievement Award* for recognition of his years in the arts, the other induction is for *Weapons Instructor of the Year 1998* by Grandmaster Sanchez. And his September 2000 induction in the Sokeship Council Hall of Fame for * Most Innovative Martial Arts Weapon of the Millennium: the GUNTING and Master Instructor of the Most Innovative Martial Arts weapon!