the founder

Martial arts have been at the heart of Kru Sherif’s life since he was a child enrolled in Kung Fu, Tae Kwan Do and Karate.

In 2006, Sherif received his Instructor level Certificate in Muay Thai from the renowned Kru Paul Minhas.
At the University of Toronto, Sherif started and led the popular Muay Thai program and The Mixed Martial Arts Club (MMAC) for over ten years. The program and club continue to operate to this day in the prestigious Toronto PanAm Sports Centre.
Judo and grappling also became passions for Sherif, first training at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) and then at TORA MARTIAL ARTS.
His martial arts journey continued with archery, swordplay (HEMA), and kali (knives and sticks), studying under various Kali styles (i.e. Ilustrisimo, Balintawak, Pintados).
An anatomy enthusiast with experience as a Teaching Assistant for Physiotherapy and Chiropractic students; Sherif has advanced knowledge of human anatomy to help you stay injury free, healthy and strong.

the students

eager learners
respectful to others
fearless explorers

**Hawk MMA, a division of TORA MARTIAL ARTS**

“Sherif is a wonderful teacher. He creates a learning environment that is fun, inclusive, engaging, and challenging, while always encouraging and motivating students to gently step out of their comfort zones in a safe way that helps students feel more empowered and confident both on and off the mats. He also pays special attention to showing techniques and stretches to prevent injury. Since training under Sherif through that Muay Thai program at UofT, these excersise have continued to be a core part of my training routine…10 years later and counting!”

— Cristina P.

“Sherif creates a very welcoming environment that makes it easy to learn and fall in love with martial arts. He builds a strong connection with students and knows how to motivate them to learn!”

— Joe G.

“My son and daughter take archery lessons with Sherif and they love it! He is really great with kids and they enjoy learning this new skill with him. I would highly recommend Sherif to anyone wanting to learn one of the many skills he teaches!”

— Naresa

“Sherif makes martial arts engaging and practical, so you feel empowered to defend yourself while having loads of fun. Different from other instructors, you’ll never feel lost in the group with Sherif, because he focuses on each person’s individual development, and helps you figure out how you can make martial arts work for you, your strengths, and your weaknesses.”

— Joely H

“My boys had a wonderful experience with Sherif. He was very encouraging and motivated them to learn. He has great skills in teaching young children and is very creative with teaching styles. My kids couldn’t wait for the next class! I highly recommend you sign your kids up with Sherif!”

— Yalda

“I have taken Muay Thai classes with Sherif for over 4 years, and cannot recommend him enough as a teacher. He has a multidisciplinary informed approach, having practiced in Judo, BJJ, Kali and it’s clear through his gentle but straightforward approach that he is incredibly knowledgeable and giving you lessons that you can take away and build upon session after session.”

— Jamie G

“Great teacher
Kind and helpful with adults and children.”

— Sami

“Sherif’s a good teacher of great fundamentals in several disciplines like boxing, Muay Thai and grappling”

— Tom P

“Recently completed the 3 session archery course with Culture Toronto. At the start of the first session it seemed like the 40lb bow would be too much for me to handle. But by the end I was quite comfortable and really happy I found you guys! Amazing coach too, nice to see the passion.”

— Adam, M.D.

“Sherif was my very first Muay Thai coach. I trained under him for about 2 years, and he taught me lessons that I still use to this day for my own training and also when I teach my students. His emphasis on basic movements helped me build a foundation in my muay thai skills that has helped me integrate advanced skills into my arsenal while still being aware of the fundamentals of martial arts movements and self defense. I highly recommend Sherif as a martial arts coach for anyone looking to learn and improve themselves on the training floor.”

— Imtiaz K, Special Strength Gym