Tuhon Tim Waid

Tuhon Tim Waid is the leading recognized instructor of the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali system today and is the only Pekiti-Tirsia instructor certified by Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje in the original systems of Doce Methodos, Contradas, and Contra-Tirsia. Through the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali Global Organization, Tim has trained and established the largest professional organization of certified instructors in the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali system worldwide.

Since the beginning of his training with Grand Tuhon Gaje in 1988, Tim’s passion has been to learn, study, and master the authentic Pekiti-Tirsia system. In 1993, he moved to the Philippines where he lived and studied privately with Grand Tuhon Gaje for the next five years. Living in Bacolod City and Manila, Tim was trained in the same system that Grand Tuhon Gaje was trained in by his grandfather, Grand Tuhon Conrado B. Tortal. He now trains instructors and students in the complete Pekiti-Tirsia system, teaching the traditional, authentic, and effective training methods of the Combat Blade Fighting system of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali.

Tim is a recognized Subject Matter Expert on military close-quarters combat, law enforcement use of force, defensive tactics, and executive protection/close protection tactics. He instructs military units, law enforcement agencies, and private security forces worldwide in Operator/Officer survival and specialized tactical training programs. Tim has been featured in leading martial arts and firearms periodicals, on documentary and sports television as well as radio programs. Additionally, he has written episode scripts for Discovery Channel and History Channel programs featuring Pekiti-Tirsia and Filipino Martial Arts. Tim has also designed custom edged weapons including the PTK/Eriksen Ginunting by Viking Knives, the Waid Covert by Biegler Bladeworks, and the first production edged weapon featuring the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali symbol, the JEST Combat Survival Bolo manufactured by ProTool Industries.

In 1998, Tim developed the official close-quarters combat system for the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) Force Reconnaissance Battalion and conducted a six-month Instructor Qualification course, graduating 40 certified instructors. In 2000, this system was adopted as the official Combatives and Martial Art system for the entire Philippine Marine Corps and was later adopted by Special Operations Units of the Philippine Army and other units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). These programs developed and conducted by Tuhon Tim Waid marked the return of authentic Filipino Martial Arts to Philippine military doctrine and training since World War II.

Tim also served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps as an Infantry Platoon Sergeant and an Intelligence Sergeant in the U.S. Army National Guard. He has conducted executive and personal protection operations worldwide as a Certified Executive Protection Specialist and has served as a Corporate Security Manager in healthcare and information technology with industry leaders such as Ericsson and Texas Instruments.