Schirmer opens martial arts academy

PRINCETON — Master Bob Schirmer is opening the All American Academy of Martial Arts, Combat-Do, a martial arts academy, in Princeton at 413 S. Main St. in the former Tribune Printing building.

A grand opening is planned for this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. where interested people can register for classes. Classes for children will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. and for adults from noon to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m.

Schirmer, who has run a similar academy in Cicero for 23 years, is the head coach of the U.S. Mixed Martial Arts (amateurs) team, which won two world team titles in 2014 and 2015 competing against fighters from 40 nations in nine male weight classes and four female weight classes. Team members also won three individual gold medals both years.

Schirmer was the coach for Sam Agushi of Princeton, who competed earlier this year in the world championships sponsored by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation in Las Vegas, Nev., a competition for amateur fighters.

“We bought a farm out here (Bureau County) 10 years ago go to build a fight camp for national top athletes,” he said. “We thought it was a good idea before camp opens to get a team started out here.”

Schirmer wants to open an academy in Princeton because there are no martial arts schools in the area.

“We were asked over the years to open an academy up here,” he said. “My wife wants to live here full-time. I want to teach each three days a week here and three days a week in Cicero.”

Once the total renovation is done on the Princeton building, the gym will consist of 3,000 square feet. He will teach mixed martial arts, judo, jujitsu, kick boxing, Thai boxing and combat-do, a scientific-based system of fighting.

Schirmer, who has trained a special forces unit in Bahrain to fight Isis, will go back in November for more training. He will also coach the first U.S. team in 50 years to compete in Cuba on Dec. 5 in Havana.

To find out more information about the academy, call Schirmer at 773-698-0748, visit Combat-Do's Facebook page or go to www.combat-do.com.