About Us

Manuel Taningco is the founder and grandmaster at TAMA Martial Arts Center in the Dayton Metropolitan area. Grandmaster Taningco is an 8th Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate Jiujitsu with 42 yeas of teaching Martial Arts. The 40 years of teaching are all in the Dayton Miami Valley area. He is responsible for bringing in the martial arts discipline of Kenpo Karate Jiujitsu, Filipino Kali/Eskrima, Jeet Kune Do, Traditional Chinese Tien Shan Pai Martial Arts, Aikijutsu, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Indonesian Silat.

Tama Martial Arts Center has pioneered the mixed martial arts in the Miami Valley since 1976. TAMA was founded by Grandmaster Manuel Taningco and brought with him Boxing from Panuntukan Family Willow system with Willow Filipino Kali in close quarter combative techniques, traditional jiujitsu, Chinese Kungfu, Tai Chi, Kenpo Karate jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, weapons full contact and full contact sparring,

Grandmaster Taningco was honored by Chuck Norris in 1982, 83, 84 for teaching his UFAF Black Belts three years in a row. Taningco has been inducted in many Martial Arts Hall of Fame as “Grandmaster of the Year”, “ Instructor of the year” and “Man of the Year”. Taningco has helped 4 other studios own their martial arts schools in the Dayton Miami Valley area. He pioneered the “Summer Camp Martial Arts” and After School Martial Arts in the area.

TAMA is an acronym for Taningco Academy of Martial Arts. It is the center of martial arts excellence and high standards in martial arts training for adults, juniors and children that emphasize to instill confidence, discipline, core values, build character, and learning valuable life skills to pave way for success in life.

Grandmaster Taningco created the college settings for each curriculum to be taught separately in each own environment martial art style. Each particular style has its structured student handbook for students evaluation and a blueprint for success. Mixed in the old martial arts training tradition and the new comes to a new found confidence in each student’s training. Our goal is to help every student to be the best they can be and beyond.