Alan Baker is a globally renowned martial arts and self-defense expert, an esteemed instructor, coach, author, and motivational speaker. Widely known as the “Agent of Change,” Alan has dedicated his career to empowering individuals through teaching defensive tactics, martial arts, and the Warriors Path Self-Leadership Program. This transformative approach cultivates a warrior mindset for positive and profound life changes. With his unparalleled expertise, Sifu Baker has played a pivotal role in shaping numerous successful businesses and associations within the defensive tactics and martial arts industry. His passion for personal growth and empowering and preparing others has made him a highly sought-after figure.

Alan has been teaching professionally since 1990 and is widely respected for his relentless dedication to growth and mastery. Guided by the mindset of a “perpetual white belt,” he remains a lifelong student—constantly exploring systems and methods unfamiliar to him in order to close gaps in knowledge and deepen his understanding. Even after decades of experience, he actively seeks out mentors, teachers and perspectives that challenge him, always striving to learn what he does not yet know. His mission is clear: to empower good people with the skills, awareness, and mindset needed to navigate an increasingly unpredictable world—and to inspire others to embrace the path of the warrior in both body and spirit.

Alan does not believe that any single martial arts system holds all the answers when it comes to real-world combat. The reality of a violent encounter is far too complex. It can involve firearms, edged weapons, blunt objects, striking, hand fighting, pummeling, clinch work, and the multiple modes of fighting on the ground. That complexity, and his deep love for the combative arts, led him to dedicate his life to studying multiple martial systems, self-defense methodologies, and modern combatives. Many traditional martial arts were not designed with today’s culture, legal framework, or levels of social force in mind. Real confrontations don’t always begin with an all-out fight. Often, they escalate through stages of force—and knowing how to manage those stages without overcommitting force is critical. That’s a gap in most systems and one Alan has worked to fill over the course of his career.

In the realm of firearms, Alan recognized early on that many martial arts simply don’t address the complexities of modern weapons. To bridge that gap, he sought out and continues to train with some of the most respected firearms instructors in the world. He’s also worked closely with mentors to develop and refine solutions for close-quarter weapon manipulation and integration—ensuring that his students are equipped not just with techniques but with the right decision-making tools for high-stress environments.

“You don’t know what you don’t know” 

~ Sifu

With over 45 years of dedicated study and training, Sifu Alan Baker has cultivated a level of martial arts expertise that is both rare and widely respected. He holds advanced rank and/or instructor certifications in more than 25 distinct martial arts systems, including Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Combat Submission Wrestling, Catch Wrestling, Jeet Kune Do, Chinese Boxing, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Zu Wei Shu Kung Fu, U.S. Chuan Fa, Jing Mo Kuen, Muay Thai Boxing, STX Kickboxing, Burmese Bando (Lethwei), Snow Tiger, the Keysi Fighting Method (KFM), Madjapahit Silat, Inosanto/Lacoste Filipino Kali, Pekiti-Tirsia SMF Kali, and Rapid Assault Tactics (RAT).

Throughout his journey, Sifu Baker has studied under many of the world’s most esteemed martial arts masters, including Sifu/Guro Dan Inosanto, Ajarn Chai Sirisute, Sifu Francis Fong, Sensei Erik Paulson, Master Pedro Sauer, Sijo Dana Miller, Sijo Paul Olivas, Ajarn Greg Nelson, Master Bob Byrd, Professor James Cravens, Tuhon Tim Waid, Professor Justo Dieguez, Saya Mike Jolley, Saya David Croft, Saya Doug Boring, and Sifu/Guro Paul Vunak. This lineage of mentorship has played a key role in shaping his integrated approach to martial arts.

Sifu Baker has impacted thousands internationally through Baker Defensive Tactics (BDT), formally AMAC Tactical Group. He has built programs for and taught countermeasures and cutting-edge defensive tactics, firearms, & edged- weapon programs to Fortune 500 corporate security teams, law enforcement departments, and SWAT teams. He has been privileged to work with specialized government & military groups like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Alan actively participates in force-on-force scenarios, as well as active shooter and SWAT training exercises for a variety of law enforcement, security, and protection agencies and departments around the US.

Sifu Baker founded and is the principal trainer for the Civilian Tactical Training Association, C-Tac, to bridge the gap between martial arts and “self-protection.” He continues establishing C-Tac instructors to the present day. He later went on to develop specialized defensive tactics programs for the Executive Protection Institute called Protection Response Tactics for Protection Agents (Bodyguards), Vehicle Centric Defensive Tactics (VCDT) for the Vehicle Dynamics Institute and contributed to Joseph Autera’s highly rated, The Professional’s Guide to Planning, Managing, and Providing Secure Transportation. To this day Alan still acts as the Defensive Tactics Instructor for the both Executive Protection Institute and Vehicle Dynamics Institute, two of the top training academys in the US. Additionally, Alan serves as the Defensive Tactics Instructor for Tactical 21, a premier tactical training team based out of Virginia Beach and recognized as one of the top units in the United States for advanced tactical instruction. As a certified Armed Personal Protection Specialist, an NRA Firearms Instructor, and NRA Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO), Sifu Baker became an elite Instructor for the Defensive Tactics at The Executive Protection Institute, the Association Director for Erik Paulson’s Combat Submission Wrestling Association, and correspondingly sits on the board of the Resilient Warrior Foundation.

Sifu Baker’s highly respected thought leadership led to the authoring of three books on this distinctive personal and professional development approach, “The Warriors Path,” “The Universal Principles of Change,” and “Morning Mastery.” He will be releasing his next book, “The Scholar Code,” in 2025; more on that book HERE
A trailblazer from a young age, Alan was introduced to Mountaineering, Orienteering, Climbing, Repelling, and SCUBA diving by one of his mentors that owned an expedition company. He became a certified cave diver, a National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), SCUBA Instructor & Divemaster, and a rappel master instructor. Alan stays active in teaching, guiding, and running expeditions in these areas.
Today, Sifu Alan Baker speaks nationally to audiences on The Warrior’s Path Philosophy —how to implement action and positive change in their lives.

ALAN BAKERS TRAINING PARTNERS