With an extensive background in combative arts, Christopher Pizzo is well equipped to run his own Close Combat Training school. The proud recipient of over 100 trophies and medals, including a U.S. Gold Medal for grappling, for various martial arts and fighting styles, Chris Pizzo was named the 2007 “World Leader in Self Defense” by the National Association of Professional Martial Artists. With dreams of a military career, Chris Pizzo attended the ROTC program at Cornell University from 1992-1993 and was a Commissioned Officer at the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia. Unfortunately, Chris Pizzo’s dreams of a military career were dashed when he was diagnosed with atypical seminoma cancer. After years of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries eradicated the cancer from his body, Chris Pizzo began to get back into shape by training in many different disciplines of martial arts, including Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai. Chris Pizzo also began working in the New Jersey Public School system, where he learned he was a natural at teaching. However, a brutal road rage incident that left Chris Pizzo and his wife nearly stabbed to death changed his perception of martial arts forever. Although still appreciative of martial arts from a cultural standpoint, Chris Pizzo now firmly believes they are an ineffective method of self-defense. Years of searching for a better way to protect himself and his family culminated in his discovery of Close Combat Training. Close Combat Training is a method of fighting that utilizes simple moves to incapacitate an attacker without using fancy moves that are difficult to execute in stressful, uncontrolled situations. Today, Chris Pizzo, also known as Captain Chris, is the President and Chief Instructor of his company Close Combat Company, LLC and is dedicated to spreading the word about the effective self-defense method.