Welcome to Dragon Combat Club (DCC)

Since its inception in April 2020, Dragon Combat Club (DCC) has been dedicated to empowering individuals with practical self-defense skills. While the club started virtually and with closed door in-person sessions, public in-person practices officially began in Spring 2022 in the vibrant community of Chinatown.

Meet Dr. Z and the DCC Team

Dr. Z has been a cornerstone of DCC since its earliest days, serving as one of the original and head instructors. He initially led DCC from April 2020 to May 2021. Following his tenure, his training partner and teammate, Jon Hu, took the helm from May 2021 to March 2023, with Dr. Z remaining actively involved. In Spring 2023, DCC restructured, adopting a more decentralized model without a single lead. Today, the club boasts an impressive roster of 9 head instructors, over 20 assistant instructors (including 7 women), and a dedicated administrative team drawn from the instructor cadre.

My Experience with DCC

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Z while volunteering at the Malikah Center, a Queens-based anti-violence nonprofit that supports Muslim women and girls. Dr. Z occasionally volunteers there, and he invited me to attend one of DCC’s classes. While Tuesday classes at Washington Square Park and their entry-level workshops are open to everyone, the Friday sessions are invite-only, reserved for individuals with a genuine interest and commitment to regular participation.

The class I attended was an eye-opening experience. DCC’s training program is a unique blend of Filipino martial arts, wrestling, Muay Thai, and Jiu Jitsu, drawing inspiration from all four disciplines to create a comprehensive self-defense system. The atmosphere was welcoming, and Dr. Z ensured everyone felt comfortable, always asking for consent before hands-on demonstrations. I will note, as a heads-up for my fellow women, that the class is predominantly male. However, I felt completely comfortable, and it’s a great opportunity to bring a friend to partner with.

DCC’s Mission and Vision

DCC emerged during a critical period when physical violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in NYC was frequent, brutal and normalized. Speaking out against it, even in progressive circles, was often dismissed as “racist.” DCC became a vital resource, equipping AAPI with the skills to survive situations that could otherwise lead to hospitalization or worse, and to take action without needing to argue with those who prioritized rhetoric over real solutions. While not a perfect solution to anti-Asian hate, DCC has undeniably saved countless lives, demonstrating its necessity in a challenging time.

Even after the pandemic subsided, the team remained cohesive, driven by the addictive and enjoyable nature of the training. DCC offers a unique opportunity to learn and train in grappling, weapons and striking, as a seamless, coherent and unified system. Today, it serves as an excellent training ground and a means to share valuable skills with those who truly need them.

Joining DCC: What You Need to Know

Eligibility

DCC welcomes adults and teenagers who are close to adult-sized (with parental consent) for their regular practices. Given the emphasis on partner drills, the age cutoff ensures effective and safe training. One-off community outreach events, like the recent one in Chinatown, are open to all ages. To ensure that participants have access to a safe, productive, respectful, and inclusive training space, adhering to community guidelines is necessary for staying in DCC.

Joining DCC is completely free, though donations are gratefully accepted to help purchase equipment and support the club’s initiatives. For example, during my first class, I received a discreet self-defense tool resembling a pen, and Dr. Z demonstrated its effective use in a serious situation.

In Your First Few Weeks

What you’ll learn varies depending on your prior experience:

• For beginners: You’ll focus on body mechanics, learning to stay calm and safe when confronted with grabs, hits, or stabs. You’ll understand different grappling positions, how to get into them, and how the presence of weapons changes the dynamics. Over time, you’ll learn to troubleshoot situations where initial techniques don’t work.
• For experienced combat sports practitioners: You’ll learn to adapt your existing skills for weapon-based environments and acquire new, well-rounded techniques.

How Long Until You Have a Solid Foundation?

The time it takes to develop a solid foundation depends on the threats you’re preparing for. Protecting yourself against one attacker is different from facing someone with a knife, and vastly different from confronting multiple assailants.

While some individuals have successfully applied their training to prevent or stop attacks after just one or a few sessions (like one woman who used a flashlight to blind her attacker after only two DCC sessions), this is often attributed to luck and the efficiency of DCC’s training.

At DCC, individuals who achieve Level 2 Clearance (Assistant Instructor) are considered to have a solid foundation in reacting to and addressing common situations, with a fundamental understanding of the “what, how, and why.” For those without prior training, achieving this level can take anywhere from 6 months to 2.5 years, depending on training frequency and natural talent.

Perks of Joining DCC

Consistent Training & Diverse Sparring Partners: DCC offers a consistent environment to practice and hone your skills. You’ll have access to sparring partners of varying sizes and experience levels, all committed to mutual growth and safety. This allows for early, safe, and challenging sparring, enabling rapid skill development and stress management.

Community Building: Beyond training, DCC fosters a strong sense of community among its racially diverse members.

Access to Effective Self-Defense Tools: Members gain access to and instruction on practical self-defense tools with proven effectiveness. A prime example is the tactical flashlight, which can blind an attacker and be used for striking. Unlike an alarm, it doesn’t rely on others’ intervention.

How to join the club?

Participants can join DCC’s entry-level workshops or community outreach events, which we post on IG, or find them on Tuesdays (see IG post). Afterwards, they’d be considered for eligibility to join our regular Friday practices. They can the our mailing list at bit.ly/dccpark, but the best way is via Instagram

Follow Him On IG –

Follow the Club page on IG –

Here is an article they got featured on to learn a bit more about them and the instructor: 
Turning Pain Into Purpose: How Dragon Combat Club Is Going Beyond the AAPI Community