The Gi Yu Dojo Instructors  


Aman S. Brar- Honbu Dojo-Cho

The Gi Yu Honbu’s Dojo-cho is Aman S. Brar.  He is the most senior student of Sensei Sandhu and was an Uchi Deshi (live in student) for six years under Sensei Sandhu.  He helps with the CORDS program for Kids along with managing the dojo. Aman is currently ranked a Yon Dan (4th Degree Black Belt as of 07/08) in The Gi Yu System.  His previous martial arts experience begins as an adolescent.  He started training in Karate and then as a teenager studied Thai Kick Boxing (Instructor’s Certificate) for 3years.  He also trained in the Jinenkan organization for 6 years and attained the rank of San Dan (3rd Degree Black Belt 2006). He holds a rank of Brown Belt (as of 06/09) in Judo.  Aman also has formal experience in firearms combat shooting.  He holds an MBA in Finance and works at a Fortune 100 Financial Firm.  His philosophy on training in martial arts is as follows: “Martial Arts are a journey of awareness, continuous growth of mind, body and spirit through the study of martial combat.”

Jaye S. Sandhu- Assistant Instructor

Jaye started on the Martial path when he was of twelve years of age,   studying Boxing for 3 years and Judo for 2 years.  Jaye passed his Ni Dan (2nd Degree Black Belt 03/03) exam in the Jinenkan Organization.
Jaye holds a B.A. in Business Administration in Management Information Systems and Communication.  He is the Regional Sales Manager for a local computer software company.  He has dabbled in many art forms of combat (Kung Fu, Karate, BJJ) so as to bring them back to our training and test our art form studied at The Gi Yu Dojo.  He currently is a San Dan (3rd Degree Black Belt as of 7/08) in The Gi Yu Dojo.  His training mantra is “Leave your ego at the door and learn the basics from everyone, everywhere, and everything.”

Chuck Van Dine- Assistant Instructor

Chuck’s Martial Arts journey started with some training in Aikido and Aikijutsu.  He also wrestled in High School for 2 years.  Then back in 2001 he started training in the Jinenkan and he achieved his Ni Dan (2nd Degree Black Belt in 2005) under the Jinenkan Organization.  He currently is a San Dan (3rd Degree Black Belt as of 07/08) in The Gi Yu Dojo.  Chuck has a Master’s Degree in Accountancy and six years of service in the military.  He has trained in The Army BJJ system while serving in Iraq. As an Infantry/Cavalry Scout Sergeant, in the Ohio Army National Guard, Chuck has served in the rescue relief for Hurricane Katrina and has proudly served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He has formal training in firearms and other military weapon systems and strategies.  Chuck’s training philosophy is simple: “If you are going to train, train for your own reasons with all of your heart.  Never assume you know anything.”

Sam Foster- Assistant Instructor

Sam’s martial arts philosophy is “to become what a Masai elder described as a great
morani (warrior): When the moment calls for fierceness a good morani is very ferocious. And when the moment calls for kindness, a good morani is utterly tender. Now what makes a great morani is knowing which moment is which. This is a very simple concept, yet difficult to fully embrace.”  Sam has a degree in Biology and is working as a Chemist and Project Manager at an international environmental clean up company.  He has attained the rank of San Dan (3rd Degree Black Belt as of 09/08) in The Gi Yu Dojo. His martial arts experience began with Tae Kwon Do and he received his Cho Dan (1st Degree Black Belt).  After which he started training in the Bujinkan in 1996 receiving his Brown Belt.  He then moved on to the Jinenkan and received his Ni Dan (2nd Degree Black Belt).  He continues to train in European Fencing, specifically the Epee and Schalger along with Archery.

Doug Sunnenberg- Assistant Instructor

Doug holds a Double Major in Physics and Mathematics, graduating Summa cum Laude and was a Candidate for the United States Naval Academy.  He retired from FORD as a Manufacturing Engineer and Quality Systems Coordinator after 32 years of service in 2007.  Doug is heavily involved in The Masonic Temple and The Scottish Rite.  He is an NRA Certified Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun Instructor.  Doug has studied the martial arts for over 18 years. He started studying the martial arts in 1991 at the Dayton Bujinkan and received the rank of Sho Dan (1st Degree Black Belt).  After which he joined the Jinenkan Organization and attained the rank of Ni Dan (2nd Degree Black Belt).  He currently holds the rank of San Dan (3rd Degree Black Belt as of 09/08) in The Gi Yu Dojo.  Doug’s thoughts on training are best described by his statement: “For me, training in the martial arts is all about the Budo quest, i.e., the warrior way, which involves more than, of course, the martial, physical aspects.  It is that indeed, but it is in those physical aspects, I believe, that a practitioner develops in his heart, in his spirit, and in his mind, characteristics of Courage and Fortitude, by which he is able to undergo Pain, Peril, or Danger, when deemed expedient. These are equally distant from rashness and cowardice.  These characteristics also flow into his daily life and work.  Among his friends and fellows, he is a model to those around him; and those around him, hopefully, will seek to find their way, along those lines, with those moral and physical characteristics that he is exemplifying.”