Master Bob Schirmer
Founder and Instructor of Combat-Do

Master Bob Schirmer is an eighth degree black belt, a remarkable accomplishment for someone so young. Master Bob was awarded the rank of Master from the United States Jiu-Jitsu Association in 1994. A representative from the association spent a week at the school training and was so impressed by Bob's jiu-jitsu that he returned the following week with the coveted Master belt and presented it to Bob making him a 37 year old Master. He stated " I have been doing jiu-jitsu all of my life and have been taught by top Masters world wide…You are the man". O Sensei Phil Porter the highest ranked Judo and Jiu-Jitsu instructor in America, trained with Master Bob and after a few days promoted Master Bob to sixth Dan in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu and named him the Hall of Fame Martial Arts founder of the year receiving his Eighth Dan and assigned him to teach at the Hall of Fame.

Master Bob grew up in a fighting family as a small boy he was taught boxing from his father. Robert Schirmer Sr. Robert Sr. was an accomplished boxer in Chicago, a golden gloves champion and the European Theater of operation Champion title after the war. Robert Sr. spoke many times about his sparring bouts with legendary professional Champions Tony Zale and Billy Conn. Robert Sr. had demonstrated great courage and conviction during World War II. Decorated many times as an air- borne ranger with the 82nd airborne division, he made several combat jumps. From the start of the war in Africa, to the Battle of the Bulge, and all the way to Berlin he saw many horrors of war. Many of his good friends perished in the War to end all wars. Robert Sr. instilled in his son the confidence that he could accomplish anything if he tried.

Bob jr. was sparring in boxing at a very young age. Bob and his friends would put on boxing gloves in the back yard of the apartment building where he lived. A patch of concrete between two buildings was their ring and the amateurish slugfest would begin. Kids from all over the neighborhood would flood the little concrete slab to try their hand at fighting. Bob was always very small and had to develop great speed and movement to overcome the longer reach and mass of the heavier kids from the neighborhood.

In the winter of 1965 .Bob started Wrestling at Hawthorne playground, Bob became a fixture at the shelter house were the old horsehair mats became his laboratory. Wrestling every kid from around the neighborhood he would work out until his coach John Abate would close down at 9:00 PM. Wrestling became a major part of his identity Mr. Abate would pit him against anyone, weighing less than 65lbs he would wrestle anyone. The first year he wrestled at Hawthorne he won the North Side Championship; Many titles would follow for countless years to come. John Abate directed Bob to Military Arts institute and Bob began to learn Judo to compliment his wrestling. Master Shin his Judo instructor would encourage him by putting him against many senior belts and grownups. Master Shin held Bob back from Tae-Kwon Do until he turned twelve years old. Boxing, Wrestling, Judo, and Tae kwon Do, Bob was probably the first Mixed Martial Artist cross training in the United States already accomplished with many titles by the ripe old age of twelve. Four decades later and internationally famous having fought on five continents representing the United States of America in jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, San Shou, Tae kwon Do Master Bob Schirmer will be teaching you the philosophy, science, and principles of strategy.