Reuben Bean enhanced his reputation as being one of the island’s top martial arts instructors during last month’s Self Defence Company (SDC) seminar in New Jersey.

During the four-day exercise the Bermudian underwent intensive training and evaluation before earning level three and level four teaching certification in the art of self-defence.

He also received “glowing” reviews for demonstrating good technique and compassion for the sport from a panel of judges.

Last month’s event featured all facets of close quarters combat from empty hand defence and ground fighting to close quarter weaponry.

Bean, who teaches defensive tactics at the Jiketsu Centre in Pembroke, reckons he can only benefit from the seminar put on by the global leader in defensive tactics, training and education.

“It was an honour to benefit from the wealth of wisdom and experience shared by the founder of the world’s leading self-defence tactics system and to also train with and exchange real life experiences with high level Navy Seals, Marines and like minded hard core, reality based defence tactics practitioners,” he said.

Bean is one of 50 SDC instructors worldwide that are certified to teach the company’s cornerstone programme, The Self Defense Training System, which is accredited by the US Department of Defense.

The SDC is a global organisation of defensive tactic instructors, civilian advisers, active and inactive military and law enforcement officers dedicated to the education and training of crime prevention and conflict resolution.

Bean, who has been a SDC certified instructor for the past three years, founded the Jiketsu Centre seven years ago to promote the ancient discipline of martial arts as an effective and valuable medium of educational and character development.