Meet the Instructors
Read Instructor bios & Learn more about Combat Body Mechanics’ lineage
Photo (L to R): Daishihan Tim Halbakken, Leslie Kim, and Andrew Stringfellow at a gathering in memory of Daishihan Robert Johnson.
Andrew Stringfellow instructing an Army physical security detail in knife fighting, weapons retention, and hand to hand combat
Andrew Stringfellow
Head Instructor & Owner
Andrew Stringfellow is the head instructor of Combat Body Mechanics. He has trained in Budo Taijutsu since 1989, holds a 10th degree black belt, and received his instructor’s license through master instructors in Japan.
Andrew is also a veteran U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant and has more than 10 years of professional experience in executive protection in Los Angeles and Orange County, including work with high-profile clients, celebrities, and private families.
In addition to martial arts and security work, Andrew has spent more than 30 years coaching gymnastics. That background gives him a detailed understanding of movement, balance, body control, fear management, and how to teach students of different ages, abilities, and learning styles.
Andrew has taught military, law enforcement, security professionals, and civilians. His teaching emphasizes control, efficiency, adaptability, and the ability to stay calm when ego or panic would otherwise take over.
Born in the Philippines and adopted at age five, Andrew grew up in Northern California. That early start shaped a lifelong interest in resilience and adaptability — the same qualities his teaching is built on.
Leslie Kim
Coach, Program Manager, & co-Owner
Leslie Kim is a coach and program manager at Combat Body Mechanics. She has more than 25 years of martial arts experience and has trained in Budo Taijutsu since 2003.
Leslie began in martial arts through competition, but eventually realized that sport martial arts were not giving her the self-defense answers she was looking for. She wanted training that could address real-world uncertainty, size differences, fear, weapons, multiple directions of attack, and the need to adapt when a technique breaks down.
Her background also shapes the women’s self-defense program. As a frequent solo traveler who has lived and traveled internationally, Leslie understands the importance of awareness, intuition, confidence, and practical skills that do not depend on being the biggest or strongest person in the room.
Our Lineage:
Rooted in Japan, Ohio, Indiana, and Southern California
Combat Body Mechanics comes from a direct training lineage shaped by Budo Taijutsu, engineering, law enforcement, military service, and hands-on teaching experience.
Daishihan Kyle Hayes
Both head instructor Andrew Stringfellow and coach Leslie Kim studied under Daishihan Kyle Hayes of Orange County Bujinkan Dojo.
Sensei Hayes brought engineering, anatomy, and scientific rigor into his martial arts training. A mechanical engineer with decades of experience in the automotive, defense, and medical-device industries, he has designed spinal implant and instrumentation systems and holds more than 60 patents.
His approach shaped the foundation of Combat Body Mechanics.
Daishihan Robert Johnson
Sensei Robert Johnson was one of the early generations of Americans to study Budo Taijutsu from the Japanese masters.
A Vietnam War veteran and longtime deputy sheriff in Columbus, Ohio, Sensei Johnson brought real-world law-enforcement experience into his teaching. He trained many officers and helped pass the art to students across Ohio, Indiana, and Southern California.
His influence lives on in our emphasis on practical applications and martial arts that must hold up beyond the training floor.
