FEATURED AUTHOR
JIM ARVANITIS

Grandmaster Jim Arvanitis is internationally renowned as the undisputed father of modern Hellenic (Greek) pankration. He took up the study of boxing and wrestling at an early age and soon thereafter learned of the "all-powers" fighting style of his ancestors. A driven athlete with strong ethnic ties, he made it his life's work to rebuild the ancient combat sport into a modern form of mixed martial arts. To expand his unarmed skills, Arvanitis studied a number of other martial arts styles, including muay Thai (Thai boxing), French savate, Western boxing, and combat judo. After years of intensive research, he developed the first contemporary form of pankration. A unique composite of his varied studies, Arvanitis' system integrated efficient techniques with concepts modeled after those of his ancient forebears. Arvanitis succeeded in singlehandedly reviving the nearly extinct art of pankration, introducing it to the United States as early as 1970 and popularizing it throughout the world in the years that followed.

Along with his almost fanatical obsession with training, Arvanitis is a highly respected historian, technician, and innovator. He has been featured in more than 150 articles in the top martial arts publications, including Inside Kung-Fu, Official Karate, Fighting Champion, Karate Illustrated, Martial Arts Masters, Jiu-Jitsu/Grappling, Inside Karate, Fighting Stars, American Karate, Taekwondo Times, Martial Arts Ultimate Warriors, World of Martial Arts, Grandmaster, Action Martial Arts, and Karate International. He has also been on the cover of the prestigious Black Belt magazine. The Greek-American martial artist has made numerous television and radio appearances, starred in instructional videos, and conducted seminars throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. He is listed in the Martial Arts Encyclopedia, The World's Martial Arts Elite, Who's Who in American Martial Arts, and Martial Arts Pioneers & Masters for his many accomplishments. Among his physical feats are his now-famous world record for the "thumb push-up" using both arms and his superhuman one-arm thumb push-ups. Arvanitis has authored two books on his dynamic art and has received numerous Hall of Fame induction awards, ranging from Martial Arts Legend to Athlete of the Century. He serves as president of the United Pankration Alliance (UPA) and is an executive board member of several martial arts organizations. Among Arvanitis' students have been law enforcement personnel, bodyguards, and members of the military. Arvanitis was instrumental in preparing many of the U.S.army's elite special forces for the Persian Gulf conflict in the early 1990s. 

Jim Arvanitis has combined natural athletic ability with a diligent work ethic to become the most famous practitioner of Greek descent in the 20th century. He exemplifies the classic Spartan athlete by training religiously, and his teaching prowess is in great demand at seminars throughout the world. This innovative martial artist's efforts have been instrumental in reviving an ancient Greek legacy that is believed to be the oldest form of all-out utilitarian combat on record.

Q & A 

Paladin: You are referred to in the media as the "Renaissance Man" and "father" of modern pankration. How and why were you drawn to this little-known fighting art?
JA: I was always an athlete and a fighter, and I began my study of the Western combat sports of boxing and wrestling as a youngster. Later, I branched out into exploring Asian martial arts. I was not particularly impressed with their training methods in preparing one for realistic situations. About the same time, my strong ethnic ties influenced me to research the combat roots of my ancestors. Having Spartan blood flowing through my veins made me very passionate about this task. It did not take me long to learn of pankration. I then made it my life's work to revive the ancient art/sport, although I received an onslaught of criticism along the way. Most of the traditional establishment felt I was some passing oddity. This only fueled my ambition.

Paladin: Before your efforts to revive pankration in the late 1960s, had there been any other proponents of the art in Greece or the United States? 
JA: Before I resurrected the old concepts into a modern mixed martial art, there was no one that I know of, either of Greek lineage or otherwise, who was practicing "pankration" under that term. For the most part, the combat sport had vanished for several thousand years. Although there reportedly had been efforts in Greece at different times to restore it under a different name (e.g., "clotso"), there is no documented evidence to support these claims. Until my landmark 1973 cover story in Black Belt magazine, pankration and the Hellenic martial arts of antiquity were moot subjects. 

Paladin: How does your contemporary version of pankration differ from the original art (i.e., what are the most important differences)?
JA: Modern pankration serves as a mirror of the ancient sport's concepts but with updated training methodology, technical skills, and competitive protocol. It preserves the classic terminology and trademark techniques (e.g., klimakismos, piheo anhin, gastrazein, etc.). The contemporary version extracts the most effective fighting elements from various sources, just as ancient pankration blended the best techniques from earlier indigenous forms of boxing (pyxmachia) and wrestling (pale). I have attempted to maintain the purity of the classical system but remain open to progressively supplementing anything that would make it even more functional and efficient as a total combat method. Another distinction is in the pronunciation of the term itself. The native Greek expression is pagratio, and I anglicized it as "pan-cray-shun." The reasoning behind this was to protect the exclusiveness of my development. Any self-proclaimed "pankratiast" using the latter derivative would unknowingly be using a label that I personally modified. 

Paladin: In what ways did your modifications improve upon the original art?
JA: My objective was to rebuild what remained of the original pankration into a cohesive form of total combat. This was achieved through intense research, reading, and examining not one style but many. I was actually cross-training before the concept was known. I implemented scientific drills with the use of modern equipment and sound conditioning practices to evolve the art's training methodology. Through my extensive study of boxing and wrestling, I improved movement, defenses, and strategies. I also broke down the components of the art's structural foundation into ano (standing) and kato (ground), and the transitioning principles of taking the fight to the ground. Insofar as pankration-specific skills, my study was of the core striking and grappling tools utilized in the ancient art. These can be found in many different Asian styles today, as well as in Western boxing and wrestling. I then enhanced the maneuvers by applying kinesiology and proper body dynamics as opposed to brute force. My goal was for these moves to work against an opponent of any size and strength, regardless of one's stature.

 Paladin: Is pankration primarily for sport, or is it an effective system for practical street self-defense? Was this always the case?
JA: Pankration today is practiced as both a comprehensive combat sport and practical but brutally effective means of personal defense. The earliest Greek hand-to-hand fighting, referred to as panmachia, was perfected in warfare and later was modified for competition. There was an Olympic format that permitted every offensive tactic with the exception of biting and gouging. The militaristic Spartans, however, did not take part in the Panhellenic festivals but competed solely in their own local contests. Unlike the Olympic variant, their contests were no-holds-barred events where these "fouls" were actually encouraged. So, it is safe to say that unarmed Grecian combat originated as "battlefield pankration" and was later simulated in the arenas. This was during the period when Greek competitive spirit and arete ("excellence") dominated Greece's way of life.

Paladin: How is pankration different from Greco-Roman wrestling? Was that form of wrestling extracted (or derived) from pankration?
JA: Pankration is a total system characterized by standing and ground fighting proficiency. Its techniques include punches, kicks, elbows, knees, clinching, takedowns and throws, arm and leg locks, and submission chokes and cranks. Striking on the ground is also emphasized. The entire body, from head to toe, is a target for any of these attacks. Greco-Roman wrestling is primarily a grappling sport allowing grips and throws from the waist up. There is no hitting. As with so many other combative methods, it is believed that it may have been spawned from ancient pankration. 

Paladin: Do you consider Greece to be the birthplace of the martial arts, and not Asia, as some believe?
JA: I firmly contend that Greece, not Asia, is the birthplace of both martial arts and combat sport. The ancient Greeks' detailed artwork depicted on vases, coins, and frescoes, along with the writings of the earliest poets and scholars, attest to the fighting techniques that many styles employ today. It is also my belief that Alexander the Great dispersed many of these skills throughout the subcontinent during his conquests in the 4th century B.C. There is also a mythological origin. Legend has it that pankration was created by the great heroes Heracles and Theseus, and there are records substantiating its practice several hundred years prior to its inclusion in the 33rd Olympic Games of 648 B.C.

Paladin: Have you shared pankration with schools or individual practitioners of Asian martial arts?
JA: In my more than 35 years of developing and teaching modern pankration, I have had a number of students from karate, kung-fu, and other Asian styles study with us. Either I or my certified paidotribes ("trainers") have also conducted seminars throughout the world and shared our knowledge. While many are interested in learning to become more well-rounded fighters for either competition or no-nonsense self-defense, there is also a hard-core following whose interest is more in the philosophy, history, and culture of this fascinating Greek legacy.

Paladin: In what ways do you believe pankration to be superior (as a fighting form) to the various Asian systems?
JA: I feel that all systems, regardless of the culture from which they are derived, have something to offer to everyone. Pankration is a Western martial art. It is not saturated by noncombat exercises, such as board- or brick-breaking or preset forms. It offers its disciples the capability to see combat from all possible angles, standing or grounded. Adaptability to any situation rather than memorized response is stressed, typical of the "trial and error" approach of the Western learning process. A technique's utility, rather than perfect form, is the key to its effectiveness under realistic conditions. Based on sound body mechanics, the tools are neither flashy nor complex but are designed to be brutally effective. The main objective in this art is to do maximum damage to the opponent while expending minimal effort and energy. In other words, pankration, unlike Asian styles, takes a more direct route to the heart of combat and utilizes all ways and means to serve this end.

Paladin: Do practitioners of pankration compete in tournaments? If so, are these events held throughout the United States, or internationally?
JA: There are MMA (mixed martial arts) and limited-rules tournaments being promoted throughout many parts of the world under the pankration label. Whereas some competitors list the different systems they have studied, others claim they are pankratiasts. Students from our own palaestrai ("schools") and affiliated groups have participated in many venues both here and internationally.

Paladin: Is the art more popular in certain regions of the United States or in certain countries?
JA: Modern pankration was introduced into the United States in 1968 and remained an exclusive art until the mid-1990s. Greece then began using the term for its mixed martial arts, as did France, Lithuania, Spain, and many other parts of Europe. It has become extremely popular in the European countries and is growing in America as well.

Paladin: How many pankration schools are there?
JA: Pankration schools seem to be springing up all over, both in the United States and in other parts of the world. I am unsure as to the precise number, although our palaestrai have been around the longest. I opened my first facility in 1971 under the name Spartan Academy. It has been synonymous with pankration and Hellenic combat arts ever since. Many of these "other" schools professing to teach pankration are not legit, however. They still have Japanese scrolls displayed and students wearing karate-style gis. A true pankration palaestra will have Greek artwork adorning its walls, and students will be dressed in anything but traditional garb.

Paladin: There are a handful of pankration associations out there today. Do you work with any of them?
JA: I have run my own elite organization, the United Pankration Alliance (UPA), since the 1980s. We provide specialized training and seminars, a complete product line, and school charter memberships. Our purpose is to educate the martial arts community as to the history and evolution of Greece's legacy. Our Web site portal serves as the leading resource on pankration and Hellenic combat. I have worked in the past with some of the newly formed associations and continue to serve as a special advisor and consultant. However, I am careful with whom I interact nowadays, as I have found many to be dishonest, with little regard for honor or integrity.

Paladin: What is the status of including pankration as an Olympic event?
JA: Despite efforts some years ago, pankration was denied entry by the International Olympic Committee for the 2004 Games to be held in Athens, Greece. The movement, headed up by Greek karate stylists and their designated representatives from various countries, was poorly organized and lacked a strong sense of unity. Unless a more unselfish attitude prevails, then it is doubtful that pankration will ever be part of the Olympics again. Too many seem to be seeking personal fame and glory rather than expressing true passion for the art.

PRAISE FOR GRANDMASTER ARVANITIS' WORK

"Grandmaster Jim Arvanitis is among the elite martial artists of our time. His efforts and innovations have not only revived an ancient fighting legacy but have provided an efficient means of learning no-nonsense self-defense. Arvanitis' incredible skill and fighting record speak for themselves."

"Almost single-handedly, Jim Arvanitis has resurrected the lost art of pankration and brought it back from the brink of extinction. Arvanitis is a visionary whose influence has been felt from no-holds-barred fighting to the Olympics."

Grandmaster Jim Arvanitis is recognized by the World Head of Family Sokeship Council as the first individual to introduce the Greek art of pankration to America and revitalize its interest around the world. It is also our opinion that much of the popularity of pankration can be attributed to Arvanitis' love for his art and his pioneering efforts in bringing pankration to the attention of the world." 

"Grandmaster Jim Arvanitis is not only a martial arts legend but is Greek pankaration's Renaissance Man. Through his efforts, and his efforts alone, the number of those practicing the art has grown from but one practitioner in the early 1970s to many thousands throughout the world today."

IN THE NEWS

Grandmaster Jim Arvanitis is featured in the current issues of two martial arts magazines: the May 2003 issue of Taekwondo Times and the April 2003 issue of Ultimate Athlete. Now on newsstands throughout the world, the articles trace the history and evolution of the Greek combat sport that Arvanitis revived from its ashes more than three decades ago. They also mention the impact of his innovations on the modern mixed martial arts movement and no-holds-barred competition. The Taekwondo Times piece is eight pages in length with 17 photos and is mentioned on the magazine's cover.

PANKRATION
The Traditional Greek Combat Sport and Modern Martial Art