Des Brown
Des Brown is the founder of Elite Defence Academy International, and founder of the Mountain Bridge Tai Chi School.
Des is a lifelong martial arts enthusiast. In addition to traditional martial arts training in several systems over the past forty years, he has also taught practical combatives and urban defense at a high level for the past 18 years.
Des is a military veteran. Over the decades, he has trained and taught several martial arts systems at a high level, equipping him to present corporate and individual training that is not only highly effective and participant-friendly, but also suited to everybody regardless of physical ability or body type.
In addition to high-level training in systems that include Karate, Krav Maga, and practical combatives, Des has also cross-trained in a number of related disciplines - Japanese Jujitsu, MMA, Tai Chi, and several others. He is also a certified instructor in the South African Piper Knife System, having been personally trained by founder Nigel February.
Des presents training that includes practical personal safety and self defense, anti-hijack training, anti-abduction training, crisis management training, first responder personal safety training, aviation crew training, and more.
As a uniquely and proudly South African training group, Elite Defence Academy International is dedicated to serving South Africans from all walks of life, and to helping create a safer, more peaceful future for all.
Transformation and Inspiration
Des is outspoken about the need for genuine transformation in South Africa: not just systemically, but also in terms of protecting and empowering those most vulnerable to harm.
Together with his wife Jennifer, Des has provided vitally important training to future-focused groups like the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, the SA Women Fight Back organization, and the End Girl Hate movement mentored by award-winning South African singer LeAnne Dlamini - among many others.
"It's not only about empowering women and girls to protect themselves," says Des. "It's also about a values-driven approach that also creates awareness among men of all ages to make choices that are responsible, considerate, and respectful toward women."
Tai Chi Teacher
Des is a lifelong Tai Chi practitioner, and teaches Tai Chi, specializing in the Yang 37-step Tai Chi form.
Tai Chi is a martial art and form of exercise suited to people of all ages. It's 100% safe to practice, is extremely low-impact, and delivers truly incredible physical and mental health benefits that have been documented by institutions like Harvard University and the Mayo Clinic, among dozens of others.
Tai Chi has been described as "meditation in motion". It offers tranquillity, inner calm, and a connection with the deeper self and the rhythms of nature.
Des is the founder of the Mountain Gate Tai Chi school. Having taught select groups and private individuals in Johannesburg for many years, Des now teaches an open class in Hermanus, Western Cape, where he resides.
Author & Speaker
Outside of his roles as a self defense instructor and Tai Chi teacher, Des is a corporate wellness workshop facilitator, seminar presenter, and event speaker specializing in martial arts philosophy applied to topics like conflict resolution, stress management, and personal development.
Des is also a novelist and an award-winning writer in the science fiction and supernatural thriller genre.
