THE MKG METHOD
COMPLETE MARTIAL ART SPECTRUM TRAINING
PRESENTED BY GURO KURT CORNWELL & THE MKG DETROIT GROUP
MKG is an international Martial Arts training method and community of Martial Artists, Instructors, Coaches, and Stunt Professionals, dedicated to learning and promoting a robust spectrum of complete Martial Artistry.
With expert training in empty hand sport methods like Western Boxing, Thai Boxing, and French Savate, combative kickboxing methods like Panantukan and Jeet Kune Do, and weapon-based warrior methods like Filipino Kali-Eskrima and Silat, training in the MKG Method helps makes any student a truly complete Martial Artist.
Boombox is not only the home of MKG Detroit, but also is the headquarters of the MKG Method for the state of Michigan.
2026/2027
MKG MARTIAL ART OFFERINGS AT BOOMBOX:
KALI-ESKRIMA
Tuesday 7:30pm-8:30pm
Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), often known in the US as “Kali,” mixes the indigenous warrior traditions of the Moro Peoples with historical Spanish and Italian Fencing, resulting in one of the world’s most comprehensive edged and impact weapon fighting methods.
MKG Detroit’s Kali curriculum includes training with rattan sticks (Olisi/Baston), training daggers (Daga), and training machetes (Bolo). In addition to offering practical solutions to defend against edged weapons, Kali Training also famously develops universal martial art attributes like footwork, coordination, visual acuity, hand speed, rhythm, and distance management.
PANANTUKAN BOXING
Wednesday 6:00pm-7:00pm
Filipino Panantukan, or “Dirty Boxing”, is a bareknuckle striking style that adds limbs destruction, joint locks, off-balancing, and dirty tricks to a Western Boxing foundation. One of the most unique and devastating studies available at Boombox, Panantukan Boxing is always a group favorite. This weekly session greatly impacts our awareness of both practical self defense and historical boxing methods, and pairs great with it’s related session, “Trapping Arts,” which follows immediately after.
TRAPPING ARTS
Wednesday 7:00pm-8:00pm
This unique weekly session focuses on the techniques and tactics known in the Martial Arts as “Trapping.” Trapping is a series of strategies aimed at pinning an opponent’s arms (or in some cases, legs), to their body, in order to limit the opponent’s offensive capabilities. Trapping can also help use an opponent’s momentum against them, increase one’s own ability to land a strike, and ensure a better sense of control over an adversary or volatile situation. This class both isolates and integrates elements from the following Martial Arts:
Jeet Kune Do
Wing Chun Kung Fu
Filipino Panantukan/Suntukan
Filipino Dumog
Indonesian and Bruneian Silat
Taijiquan
MKG HISTORY
A TRUE MARTIAL ART LEGACY
MKG (the Minneosta Kali Group) was founded in Minneapolis, MN in 1982 by world-class Martial Art Instructor, Rick Faye.
“Guro Rick,” as he’s affectionately called, is one of only a small handful of certified Senior Level Instructors under the legendary Dan Inosanto, best friend and training partner of the late BRUCE LEE. Dan Inosanto is largely responsible for introducing the world at large to Lee’s fighting method, Jeet Kune Do, as well as the Filipino Martial Arts. Mr. Inosanto often refers to Rick Faye as the world’s best resource for learning these arts, and it was Mr. Inosanto himself who first encouraged Rick to start his own school.
Since that time, The Kali Group has grown into a truly global community and international training platform known simply as MKG. With dedicated branch schools and training groups across the US, England, Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan, Canada, Ireland, and more, MKG has become synonymous worldwide with high-level accessible training in the Martial Arts.
The founder of Boombox, and Head Instructor of the MKG Detroit Branch, Kurt Cornwell, was a student at the MKG Headquarters in Minneapolis for many years, having relocated to Minnesota to train directly under Guro Rick. He was given a Level One Instructorship by Guro Rick in 2010, fulfilling a nearly decade-long goal. In 2013, he was given Rick Faye’s direct blessing to open Michigan’s only dedicated branch of the MKG International Group, MKG DETROIT, which operated several gyms and programs in Detroit, Southfield, and Ferndale. Since then, Kurt has been awarded one of only a handful of Level 3 Instructorships from Guro Rick in the world. In 2023, the MKG Detroit Group created Boombox as a housing site for their growing programming, as well as the other partner programs currently available under the Boombox banner.
