The Grand Master

Grand Master

Andy T. Sanano

Andy Sanano was born and raised in the Philippines, coming to the United States in his late teens. He served in the United States Air Force for over 20 years, which brought him to the Rapid City area in 1972.

Dakilang Guro Andy Sanano has been training in the Martial Arts since 1961. He has more than 47 years experience in hand-to-hand combat and over 36 years in the instruction of self-defense and the Martial Arts.
He is the Dakilang Guro (10th degree) of the Trecehampas Family tradition of Arnis De Mano and Awayan (Ah-wah-yahn) (the Arts of Fighting).

Over the years, his Martial Arts achievements have included receiving an 8th degree Black Belt in Sikaran, 8th degree Black Belt in Arnis Alambra Style, a 5th degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate and a 5th degree Black Belt in Filipino Combat Judo. Dakilang Guro Sanano specializes in a variety of traditional weapons including Arnis De Mano (Philippine Arts of Stick Fighting), Sai, Double Sword, Butterfly Knives, Nun Chaku and Balisong among others.

Dakilang Guro Sanano is listed in the “Who’s Who of Martial Arts” for his contributions to the advancement of Trecehampas Arnis and Awayan, Sikaran/Arnis/Karate/Judo/Kung Fu and the Martial Arts.

Dakilang Guro Sanano was inducted into the ‘World Karate Union Hall of Fame’ in 2008 in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. He was also awarded the "U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame" in 2004 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the ‘Canada Sikaran Arnis Hall of Fame’ in 1995 in Winnipeg, Canada.

Additionally, he was awarded the ‘Martial Artist of the Year’ in 2000 in Rapid City, South Dakota, the ‘Top Referee Award’ in 1999 in Winnipeg, Canada, and the ‘Outstanding Instructor of the Year’ in 1989 in Gillette, Wyoming. He holds several Grand Championship awards from various competitions in the five state regions and in Canada. These include a Three peat of Grand Champion in 2001, 2002, and 2003 in the Northern Plains Martial Arts Open Championships ND, a Three peat of Grand Champion in 1996, 1997, and 1998 in the Cheyenne Open Karate Championship in SD, and a Back-to-Back awarding of Grand Champion in 1997 and 1998 in the Black Hills Kicker Championship in SD. He has also received Grand Champion in the 2001 Martial Arts Open in Rapid City, SD, the Grand Champion in 1992 in Winnipeg, Canada, and the Grand Champion in the Gillette Karate Classic in 1989 in Gillette, Wyoming.

As owner and Dakilang Guro of the Family Tradition of Trecehampas Arnis, Awayan and as President of Sanano Martial Arts System (SMAS), he has provided top quality Martial Arts instruction in the Rapid City area since 1972. He sponsored the Paha Sapa Karate Championship in Rapid City for 22 years, which attracted regional as well as international participation.
He is a Vice President of the World Organization of Philippine Fighting Arts and a board member of both the North American Martial Arts Association and the International Martial Arts Rating Association.

Dakilang Guro Sanano is a certified instructor for the Defensive Tactics Institute, Inc., and has provided defensive tactics instruction for numerous law enforcement agencies, security officer teams and government agencies around the region. These organizations include the Rapid City Police Department, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Police of Eagle Butte, SD, the Eagle Butte City Police Department, the Rapid City Regional Hospital Security Team, the Rapid City Rushmore Mall’s Security Team, the Presbyterian Hospital of Albuquerque, NM Security Team, the Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District Rangers, the Army Corps of Engineers Portland District Rangers, the Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburg District Rangers, the Probation Officers of Santa Barbara California, and the Indian Health Service Community Health Representative Training Program.

He served as a Reserve Lieutenant with the Rapid City Police Department and as a member of the Special Response Team (SRT) with combined City/County law enforcement, for 16 years. He is the technical advisor for the (Verbal Judo Institute) Total Defense System, which teaches self-defense on both verbal and physical levels. His work with the Total Defense System resulted in national television coverage on the cable program “Everybody’s Money Matters.”

In the Rapid City community Dakilang Guro Sanano specializes in women’s self-defense training, and has conducted Community Education “Self Defense Especially for Women” classes for many years. Throughout the year he conducts many local and regional Women’s Assault Prevention and Awareness seminars, including a unique “Defensercise” workout. Defensercise is Martial Arts techniques combined with aerobic exercise, which includes blocking, punching and kicking techniques in an aerobic workout.

He has provided many demonstrations and instructional seminars for church groups, the Girl and Boy Scouts, the Handicapped Citizens of South Dakota, the Central States Fair, the Rushmore Mall, the Mainstream Mental Health Services, Ellsworth Air Force Base, the New Neighbors program and the Rapid City School District.

Dakilang Guro Andy Sanano is dedicated to teaching the proper application of Martial Arts techniques. His instruction emphasizes individual development of self-discipline, awareness, and respect for self and others as well as the values and attitudes necessary for the proper application of the Martial Arts. He teaches, “Learn To Fight, Not To Fight.”